NASHVILLE – Information on Jamaica and its Diaspora, as it relates to nation building was presented in a lecture/rap session recently held at the Office of International Business Programs of the Tennessee State University (TSU) in Nashville, Tennessee.
Presentations were made by Jamaica’s Consul General to the Southern USA Ricardo Allicock and Jamaican Diaspora advisory board member to the Southern USA, Marlon Hill, who were both invited to participate in the discussions. Both provided information on the development of the Diaspora movement in the overseas communities.
The event was hosted by the Jamaican Diaspora of Tennessee, in collaboration with the Fergus-Simpson Foundation, a Nashville-based Jamaican non-profit organization.
L-R:Mrs. Janeth Simpson-Brown, President Fergus Simpson Foundation/Regional Rep for TN, OK, and AK, Attorney Marlon Hill, Kimara Simpson-Tomlin – Executive Director, Fergus Simpson Foundation, Dr. Coreen Jackson, Associate Professor, Dept. of Communications, TSU, C.P. Ricardo Allicock, Dr. Orville Bignall, Associate Professor, TSU Dept. of Physics
The Consul General encouraged Jamaicans in the Tennessee communities to be part of the collaborative process of the Diaspora movement to further their country’s development, at the same time galvanizing themselves in their respective communities overseas through the common connector of Jamaica.
He also informed the group of students and college administrators from both TSU as well as nearby Fisk University, of the country’s economic development outlining a brief synopsis of trade and investment, as well as areas of culture and heritage.
Students from Fisk University: Back Row, from L-R: David Cooper (Grey-bluish sweater), Shanique Lawrence, C.P. Ricardo Allicock, Shanique Robinson, Janeth Simpson-Brown,
Beverly Dixon, Shernette Rose, Ato Wallace.
Middle row, L-R: Sherene Rose (red sweater), Sean Taylor
ront row, L-R: Bridgette Birch (green blouse), Elizabeth Lowe, Edwina Clarke.
Outlining the development of the Jamaican Diaspora Foundation, Mr. Hill spoke of the formalization of connecting Jamaicans at home and abroad since the historic launch of the movement at the June 2004 conference in Kingston where some 400 persons representing nationals from North America, Canada, Europe and the Caribbean were in attendance.
Since then, the biennial conference was again convened last year June at the Conference Center in downtown Kingston with nearly 600 delegates from overseas communities this time including Africa and the Central American regions.
In commending the students and administrators at TSU for the outstanding work at the institution, both in academic performance and leadership in administration and academia, Mr. Hill noted that Jamaicans have over the years, been making a positive presence in tertiary institutions in the USA and singled out that University.
L-R: Lyndon Allen- Pharmaceutical Rep and community leader in Nashville Jamaican Community, Attorney Marlon Hill, Janeth Simpson-Brown, C.P. Ricardo Allicock, Jonathan Camcam, Festival of the Nations
As he encouraged the audience to be part of the diasporic mission, Mr. Hill identified numerous opportunities in charitable service, business interest and cultural heritage in which persons could be engaged in their local communities.
Jack Willis, Educational Consultant and Missions Volunteer to JA through FSF, receives the JA/USA pin from Consul General Allicock
Other presentations were made by Dr. Coreen Jackson and Dr. Orville Bignall, professors at TSU and Mrs. Kimara Tomlin, Executive Director of the Fergus-Simpson Foundation, a Nashville-based Jamaican non-profit organization.
L-R: Jamaican Students at Fisk University:Edwina Clarke and Beverly Dixon doing their version of “Nobody’s Bizness”
