The idea behind this training is to inform young women about media and their role in society. In other words, to empower them with the knowledge of how they can use both traditional and modern media (newspapers, radio, tv, internet) to get their voices out there. Why does this matter? It seems self-explanatory when one peruses media: images of women lack diversity and are often demeaning. In fact, we discussed how the media portrays women from inner-cities, and this is almost always negative, it was agreed upon. (Watch this trailer for Miss Representation to get a sense of the injustice currently perpetrated on women by mainstream media.)

As WMW’s Georgia Love stated: “We are trying to make women’s voices much more audible using media. When we get all those experts on TV, we want them to be women. We need young women to see experts in the media, and we need to see young women as capable. This is not just a question of justice, we believe this is the right thing.”

Cordel Green, one of the few males in attendance and head of the Broadcasting Commission, relayed the same sentiment: “It is important for women in society to demand, claim and assert their own voices in the media.”

The ceremony welcomed a few dozen girls from high schools across Jamaica and their energy is infectious and hopeful. They participated in a panel discussion, pondering such questions as how the media misrepresents young women, how they can do a better job of portraying young women’s lives more accurately, why they think young women need to be represented in the media and what barriers remain for young women.

The answer to the latter question, according to one young woman, was the following: “Some men want to abuse their power so that they take the ideas given by women so that they get all the props.”

Another challenge related to how young women are portrayed in the media is the fact that they are stereotyped all too frequently, said another young woman. “It is a male-dominated society and they want to put us in a shell. We are supposed to be caretakers, nurturers, wives. We want to make sure that if there’s a plan to put forward, we are involved.” This was said by a young woman named Naneka Williams. She is still a high school student but has already become an entrepreneur, and in fact gave out samples of her delicious popcorn at the event.

The panel also included input from Empress Golding, a media personality who has paved her own way with a talk show called Talk Up Yout. She had the crowd entranced with her story of how she has succeeded in a male-dominated industry with her own talk show, which is run by all women. Talk Up Yout is a show dedicated to discussing issues faced by Jamaica’s young people in an uncensored forum. It is currently in its fourth season and has achieved high ratings. Golding is an inspiring presence and an example of how to persevere despite daunting challenges.

As I started out by saying in this post, if you are concerned about the future, please spend some time with young people. With the young women who were present at last night’s event in charge, Jamaica would be in capable, energetic and brilliant hands.

Jill Abramson, the New York Times’ first female executive editor, was let go yesterday. This is a big deal in the media world and speaks to the larger issue of females in male-dominated industries. Abramson was reportedly criticized for her management style and was allegedly not paid as much as her predecessor. This is a good blog post about the situation.

“Everything Reminds me of You”

This is Tessanne’s new single. This voice = goosebumps. This single is worthy of her voice and there is even a reggae feel to it. Enjoy your day.

This morning I was starting out on my run when I passed two boys, about age 13, in their khaki school uniforms. Short-sleeved shirts and pants, black belt and shoes. A few seconds after passing them, I heard a noise behind me and noticed one was running a few paces behind me. At first, I thought nothing of it, or maybe just that he was trying to catch a bus.

Then, I heard, “Excuse me Miss.” I stopped and turned to face him. “Yes? Good morning,” I said, expecting him to ask for $100 for bus fare or something to eat. “Where are you from?” he said, “London or the U.S.?”

I laughed and said “Neither, I’m from Canada.” At this point, his friend had caught up to us. He told me that he had seen the Canadian flag on my t-shirt (I was wearing a Cuso t-shirt) and thought I might be from Canada. He was holding a small shoebox-sized box with a pencil drawing of a skull wearing a top hat on it. It was a mini stage, I then noticed, with “Slim Shady” written on it as well. I asked him what it was for and he said it was for a class. This boy was tall and slim with the beginnings of a goatee. The other boy was shorter and stockier.

They were both watching me intently but seemed to have nothing more to say. Apparently they just wanted to know where I came from. I told them to have a good day and ran off. Another lovely moment.

My Master’s thesis focused on the work of Hannnah Arendt, a German Jewess and political philosopher. She covered the trial of Adolf Eichmann, who was said to be one of the architects of Nazi Germany’s Final Solution. Arendt is controversial in several respects, including her relationship with Martin Heidegger, who was affiliated with the Nazis. Arendt is perhaps most famous for coining the term the “banality of evil” to describe Eichmann and the other bureaucrats who claimed to simply be following orders.

In a lovely coincidence, I met awhile ago a University of West Indies Professor of Philosophy who enjoys Arendt’s work. We recently watched a movie about Hannah Arendt’s life and Dr. Mackenzie sent me this beautiful poem he wrote that ponders one’s moral responsibilities and one’s role in the world. This poem has not left my mind since I first read it. Enjoy it and your day.

A NOTE TO MYSELF

Walk humbly
and remember the moral blindness
of even the great.

Slaveholding theologians,
racist philosophers,
vindictive scientists,
and artists who abandoned their children.

Even a great moralist can lose his temper
and resort to violence.

Today’s certitudes
may require reparations tomorrow.

Look in the dark glass
with a wrinkled brow,
then step away
and walk humbly.

– Dr. Earl McKenzie

The power of music to unify and inspire is undisputed and a group of at-risk youth from inner-city Kingston neighbourhoods is learning this firsthand. As one told the Gleaner recently: “It has helped me in numerous ways. The orchestra is a community of different instruments, I have to literally try and live in harmony with the persons playing the music. It gives a symbolism of what the real world is like. We have to live in harmony with everybody.”

Fellow Cuso volunteer Karen is currently working with the National Youth Orchestra of Jamaica, the group in which this youth plays. The NYOJ is a non-profit, non-governmental organization that identifies at-risk youth to participate in practices and concerts and become a member of the band. The NYOJ is affiliated with the Edna Manley College of Art as many of the music teachers come from there.

Like many NGOs here, the NYOJ operates on very little funding. It recently received 20 music stands donated by the Canadian Women’s Club of Jamaica. The students do not pay for the lessons and receive a snack during practice. They also come from all over the city, often taking several buses to the downtown practice space.

The NYOJ is currently raising funds for a trip to Canada, the Canada Dream Tour, they are calling it. If you want to donate to this very worthy cause, check out their indiegogo campaign here. Here is more about the Dream Tour:

The NYOJ is a non-profit, non-governmental organisation that uses free classical music education as a tool to inspire, empower and enhance the lives of at-risk Jamaican youths.

In August, the NYOJ was invited by the Jamaican High Commissioner to travel to Canada and play for Jamaican Independence Day Celebrations in Canada’s Capital, Ottawa.

So after rigorous auditions, twenty-five NYOJ students have been chosen to make Jamaicans proud by touring Ottawa, Montreal and Toronto, Canada in August 2014.

This tour will inspire, motivate and infuse hope into the lives of so many at-risk Jamaican youth, many of whom have never left the Island. It will be a life-changing experience by exposing the students to new possibilities, allowing them to learn the discipline and pride that come with an international tour and create memories that will last a lifetime.

What We Need

In order to get to Canada for our ‘Dream Tour’ we need to cover all of the expenses for 25 students and 5 instructors to get to Canada including airfare, visas, insurance, etc., etc.

Once we get to Canada, the Friends of the NYOJ Foundation will be covering all of our expenses.

Airfare alone from Kingston to Ottawa is around $613 USD during the dates that we are required to travel. The cost of airfare, visas and insurance for one student to get to Canada is around $850 USD.

In total, we need to raise $25,000 USD in order to make our Dream a reality and get to Canada for the tour.

So…we need your help! By donating to the ‘Canada Dream Tour’ you will have a direct and lasting impact on the life of one, or more Jamaican youth from Kingston.

It is quite daunting to think the peaceful community where I grew up is now one of the most violent places in the parish of Clarendon. Incidents of crime and violence were infrequent and would be concentrated to specific areas during my formative and teenage years. I often walked for more than a mile several nights, well after midnight, after hanging out with friends. There weren’t many street lights and several of the few that existed, including the one by my gate, didn’t work most times. Unoccupied land resembled a forest. There was no police patrol, but I didn’t feel anxious about the likelihood of being a victim of crime.

– Jaevion Nelson

This is a thought-provoking, first-person account by human rights activist Jaevion Nelson in today’s Gleaner. He writes about how crime and violence affect him and the community in which he grew up. As someone who did not grow up here and has only been here a short time, I am reluctant to talk about crime and violence and how it has impacted me, so accounts like this are always welcome.

In fact, crime and violence are a part of life here. They dictate everything, from how you move about, to where you live to what you buy. Please read Jaevion’s column to get a sense of how the situation is evolving. Jae points to community development and creating more opportunities for youth as potential solutions and I would tend to agree.

One year ago, I reported that the unemployment rate for youth (aged 14-24) in Jamaica was close to 40 per cent.

According to the latest statistics from STATIN, the unemployment rate for this age group has decreased to 33.3 per cent. (This figure was from January 2014). Good news, of course, however that number is still way too high. Broken down further, the unemployment rate for males aged 14-24 was 26.1 per cent and 41.1 per cent for females in the same age group.

Overall, the unemployment rate for January 2014 was 13.4 per cent compared to 14.5 per cent for the same period a year ago. The same gap between male and female unemployment rates exists here, as well, with 10.1 per cent of males unemployed and 17.4 per cent of females unemployed.

In total, 1,305,500 people were employed in January, 2014, compared to 1,297,600 for January 2013. That is an increase of 0.6 per cent, or 7,900 people in total. Broken down by gender, again, the situation is interesting: 716,700 males were working as of January 2014 compared to 588,800 females. I don’t know why this gap exists, and STATIN offers no explanation.

The increase in the overall employment rate appears to come from a jump in hiring among the following professions: “Clerks”, and “Skilled Agriculture and Fishery Workers”, “Real Estate, Renting & Business Activities” and “Wholesale & Retail, Repair of Motor Vehicle & Equipment”. The biggest decline was among “Service Workers and Shop and Market Sales Workers”.

These are just the numbers. STATIN does not provide much analysis and I have not seen any articles on the latest stats. It seems things are improving, even if marginally. But the area that requires the most attention remains Jamaicans aged 14-24.