I bid you all a hearty Women’s Day welcome to this amazing edifice that is the St. Mary’s Pro Cathedral here in The Valley, on this most momentous occasion celebrating woman-ness, woman-hood and the idea that, as women, we all have a legacy to embrace and a journey to continue.
We are here at a most poignant time in our history when world-wide populations are being ravaged by the Covid-19 pandemic. We have women presidents like Halimah Yacob of Singapore and Sahle-Work Zewde of Ethiopia, and women prime ministers like Jacinda Ardern of New Zealand – and one who I like to refer to as our female champion of the region our own Mia Mottley of Barbados, and so many other women leaders all across the globe who are boldly and successfully taking the reins, making tough and sometimes unpopular decisions, and leading their countries through these unchartered waters, and bringing them safely through.
Right here in Anguilla, we have not one, not two – but three women elected to political office. We have Mrs. Cora Richardson-Hodge the former Minister of Home Affairs and Education and the current Leader of Opposition. We have Ms. Deanne Kentish-Rogers Minister of Education, and Mrs. Quincia Gumbs-Marie Parliamentary Secretary for Tourism and Finance. Additionally, at this very moment in time, Anguilla is ranked the number 1 island in the Caribbean in terms of Covid 19 management and outcomes, and we can thank our Chief Medical Officer, a woman, by the name of Dr. Aisha Andrewin, for taking the lead. Behind her is a small army of men and even more women championing public health protection in Anguilla. I won’t start naming women like Twyla, Maeza, Kenisha, Kaisha and others on the front lines because there are so many of them, I bound to forget somebody and get in trouble. The reality is that Anguillian women are at the fore of leadership in Anguilla in this the year 2021 and we should all be very, very proud.
It was Archimedes who said, “give me a place to stand and I could move the world.” I say, “give a woman a place to stand and she could save the world.” Right here in Anguilla, women are actively engaged in the fight to save Anguilla on every social level. We see them everyday. And even though times are difficult right now, I dare say that it is a wonderful time to be a woman. There is still quite a way for us to go in terms of women’s human rights and gender equality, globally. We can never lose sight of that fact. We must always be acutely aware, and decidedly uncomfortable with the suffering of women and children anywhere in the world – because history has taught us the lesson summed up best by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. when he said that, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. It is of paramount importance that we never forget or ignore the suffering of others. And, at the same time, it is important that we deliberately take the time to recognize and bask in the light cast by the women leaders in this our corner of the world. There are women among us doing amazing work. We must recognise them. We must celebrate them. We must elevate them. We must embrace them – understanding that, while separate and individual, we are all on a shared journey to build a shared Anguillian legacy.
Now the word legacy means different things to different people in different contexts. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary gives 3 varying definitions of the word.
The 1st definition is a gift by will especially of money or other personal property – such as the case when someone dies and leaves a legacy of a million dollars, for example. It is physical and/or financial in nature.
The 2nd definition is something transmitted by or received from an ancestor or predecessor or from the past – such as the legacy of ancient teachers & philosophers, or of war or of slavery that left a legacy of pain and suffering, for example. That is a more metaphysical definition. You can’t really touch it or count it with certainty, but you feel it and you know it in your being.
The 3rd definition is a candidate for membership in an organisation (such as a school or fraternal order) that is given special status because of a familial relationship to a member. Legacies, or children of alumni, are three times more likely to be accepted to universities, for example. This definition gives meaning to the colloquial saying that to get ahead sometimes one has to have a godfather.
In the Anguilla context, the meaning of the word legacy is heavily textured and deeply nuanced by our unique history and the inherent peculiarities of our small island existence. And if you are not careful there are those who would try to define your legacy for you and your family.
In my mind, legacy in the Anguillian context is a cultural continuum of sorts, carpeted by land ownership, marked by the achievements of our forefathers, and propagated by the success of Anguillian children. The past seven years have been difficult. We had the financial crisis, and we saw the demise of our local indigenous banks which shook the financial footing of our economy and, I dare say, the financial identity of many Anguillians whose financial futures were tied to the promise of shares for future generations. We had hurricane Irma which destroyed much of the physical landscape of our country, and further destabilised the economy. And just when all the indicators were flashing green, for a rebound, Covid -19 came and basically shut the island off from the rest of the world, slowing our economy to a trickle. But, we are still here. Cutting and contriving. Shooling along. Cutting our cloth to suit. Meekly waiting and murmuring not… Because we are Anguillian. And that is what we do. When things get hard we band our belly, and we prepare ourselves mentally, spiritually and physically for the road ahead for we know the plans laid out for us – plans to prosper us and not to harm us. If this were not true, after the abolition of slavery our forefathers would have perished, but they did not. They adapted. They thrived. They built the foundation for the Anguilla we enjoy today.
So what about us? What can we do to embrace the Anguillian legacy and continue the journey? Personally, I am on a seven-year journey to my 50th birthday, and I will share with you seven habits that I am working on cultivating in my life, and I challenge you to do the same.
The first thing is to be present always. To live in the fullness of each moment knowing that you have a role to play in the betterment of your own life and Anguilla by extension. Be deliberate and intentionally present in your own life. Show up for yourself. Standup for yourself. Pay attention to your thoughts, your emotions, your moods. Understand the difference between your wants and your needs. Lock into the spiritual part of yourself.
The second thing I encourage you to do is to practise the art of being at peace with yourself. To own your own happiness recognising that while you cannot control everything that happens in the world around you, you can control how you respond. When you are in control of your emotions, you are in control of your world.
The third thing I want you to do is to prepare your life for prosperity. Regardless of where you are on your life’s journey, know that opportunity is there for you and for everybody. We need only ready ourselves to take full advantage of them when they arise. Educate yourself. Empower yourself. Become a life-long learner and equip yourself with marketable skills. We can’t all be doctors, lawyers and nurses, but we can all be productive members of society who provide for our families with dignity and grace.
Number 4, I encourage you to adopt an attitude of gratitude. In all things give thanks. For even the smallest blessings give thanks. Focus on all the things that are good in your life so that they may be amplified. Bad things happen to good people all the time. Resist the urge to focus on those things. Remember the old time saying… what don’t kill you make you stronger.
The fifth thing I encourage you to do is to prioritise your health and wellbeing. Take care of your body. It is the only one you got. And you can’t do anything without it. Eat well, dress well, live well – all within your means. Teach your children to do the same by your example.
Number 6. Make prayer a permanent part of your daily life. Ask God for what you want and need. Stay healthy, educate yourself, stand up for yourself and watch the magic happen in your life. A praying woman who is at peace with herself can realize prosperity beyond her own imaginings.
And finally number 7, I encourage you to be patient with yourself. When you have done all that you think you can do, and things don’t happen fast enough for you, don’t lose hope. Be patient. Psalm 27 tells us to …. wait on the Lord, be strong, take heart and wait for the Lord. Our grandmothers would say, “Hurry dog eat… raw corn”.
Thank you so much for listening. I dedicate this presentation in memory of my dearest cousin, the late Mrs. Verna Fahie, whose legacy will live on through me and so many other women – and I acknowledge the life and work of the late Reverend Dr. Wycherly Gumbs who, for many years before his passing, would encourage me to use my voice. When he passed I promised that I would, and so when UWI called I had to say – yes.
Thank you all. Happy Women’s Day.
