Of Christmas Gifts, Black Dolls and Stereotypes

December 28th, 2015

Christmas Day has come and gone, and all those gifts have been unwrapped (or ripped open), admired, and enjoyed. Or, in some cases, returned to the store from whence they came. What did you give the children in your life, I wonder? I ask this question because there has been a discussion in social media (and […]

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The “Forgotten Faces”: Children Isolated by HIV/AIDS

May 5th, 2015

People working in development agencies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) tend to assign acronyms to groups of people they are seeking to support. So, here is one for you: OVCs. OVCs are Orphans and Vulnerable Children, in case you did not know. Many children are vulnerable to a range of dangers these days. They need our […]

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Christine Staple-Ebanks Brings a Message of Inclusion

April 29th, 2015

As I sat down at Christine Staple-Ebanks’ table, she was taking a big sip from a large cup of coffee. I ordered a drink of similar proportions. There was much to talk about, I realized, concerning the development and education of our children with disabilities. Christine is the mother of four (although she truly does […]

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The Silent Community

March 9th, 2015

Sometimes the news overwhelms you, doesn’t it? It has not been an easy week for Jamaicans. Let us focus on two specific incidents, in the midst of a sea of crime and violence: the murder of two girls, Santoya Campbell in Westmoreland and Kayalicia Simpson in St. Thomas. The two cases have much in common: […]

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Taking a Breather

February 10th, 2015

Phew! This year has been pretty intense so far, hasn’t it? All across the island, people and organizations and communities are launching themselves into new projects. The University of the West Indies has been going full throttle with important seminars and lectures we don’t want to miss. The question is how to find that elusive […]

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Little Children

January 20th, 2015

The great boxer (he is so much more than a boxer) Muhammad Ali once said: “Children make you want to start life over.” Thoughts about life and death and family and children ran through my head as I walked in the Jewish Cemetery on Orange Street today. From this large open space, I could see […]

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