Hello LUI family and I hope you had a good Monday! (Is there really a good Monday? jk)
Throughout this month, we want to give a salute to a few of many key figures that have helped change the game entirely- in the Caribbean, as well as, across the world.
Check out our first profile if you missed it!
We’ve heard of amazing people like Martin Luther King Jr, Harriet Tubman and Malcom X who dedicated their lives in service to the freedom many have a chance to experience now, and we can’t be more grateful for all their hard work. But the fight doesn't end there!
And one hero that urges many to continue to stand strong for who they are and always be in service to others is David Comissiong!
The beginning of a new life
Hailing from the island of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Comissiong is a well-known activist in the Caribbean. Beyond his practice in law, his involvement in Barbadian politics is reputable across the region. His political involvement started the moment he became a member of the Barbadian Democratic Labour Party (DLP) in 1985. Once the DLP was sworn into government in 1986, Comissiong soon leaped into assisting the Barbadian population, being the youngest senator at the time.
His time as a politician was marked with relentless devotion to the Barbadian people, as well as, being attentive to the political sphere. One of the examples of his passionate character was his voice being one of a few that condemned the US invasion of Panama, as well as, opposed the Queen of England remaining the Head of State of Barbados.
His voice also resonates within his written works Marching Down the Wide Streets of Tomorrow: Emancipation Essays and Speeches (2008) and It's the Healing of the Nation: The Case For Reparations In An Era of Recession and Re-colonisation (2013).
A catalyst for this burning passion
In 1988, the Clement Payne Movement was founded by Comissiong and a few others. The movement follows the work of Clement Payne, a Trinidadian activist who fought for the rights of the working class in the Caribbean, especially for the poor working class in Bridgetown in 1937.
The Clement Payne Movement has continued Payne’s fight for the social justice of Caribbean people. Over the years, it has been concerned with Barbadian development and its political affairs (as well as that of other islands). It has achieved things such as the recognition of Clement Payne as National Hero, assisted in improving overall living conditions of citizens, encouraged the inclusion of the black experience in the Barbadian education system and many more.
Many lives: a common thread
In addition to being passionate about the fair treatment of others, Comissioning is also a strong supporter of Pan-Africanism, a movement that proposes that solidarity should be built between groups of African descent across the globe. Though there are sub-units of thoughts in this movement, the commonality lies in the shared experience in being black.
What are you willing to fight for?
Comissioning still continues to be an ally of justice, speaking out against the injustices faced in the region and around the world. But what about us?
Things have been...weird as of late, as times of conflict have been even more on all time rise. It's very easy to hate when you have been stretched too thin for so long. It's easy to become mute when things get ugly.
Life will never be easy - that's a fact - but, what can we do to lighten this stone-cold truth?
What will the world hear from your voice? Will it be silent or will it be used for the betterment of others?
Feel free to share with us!
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