NASSAU, Bahamas — What if I grew up in the Bahamas until a teenager, then was sent away by my parents and trained in acting, music or anything in the Arts, the same way some athletes go away and train in track and field, basketball, etc.?
Let’s just say I couldn’t read or write, or had to work as a janitor, a dishwasher…got thrown out of my auditions and was told that my Island dialect or accent was horrible or too strong, and I couldn’t ACT or SING? How crushing!
What if I didn’t let this phase me, worked my butt off, learned how to read, write, cleaned up on my English to be understood by the masses, maybe practiced my acting and singing even though I had the natural talent to do so with ease?
Let’s relate this to myself who has similar aspirations. When I win a Grammy and Oscar Academy Award as a “Bahamian”, like when athletes go away and win a gold medal in the Olympics, as a “Bahamian”, will there be such a controversy or uproar if something is to be named after me?
Should I accept the “honour”, if the majority of the PEOPLE who speak out don’t want me to have it? Will the people not research to see if I had done what they claimed that I have not done if no one has told them and speak out of ignorance?
Will they forget about all of my cultural activism and giving back to the community through the arts or otherwise?
Let’s take it back. What if I contributed not only locally, but internationally by fighting against racial discrimination, violence, rape or fighting for “WORLD PEACE” and played an integral part in the fights worldwide and made my mark on the “World” as a Bahamian? Will that mean nothing to MY people?
Let’s keep it there. What if I came back home and contributed to the struggle for the rights of my people in our country’s majority rule and made major strides in the communities through efforts that weren’t recorded everywhere? Should I have made sure that the Bahamian public knew about this or should I not care because they should do their own research if they really wanted to know what I had done because no one had told them?
Or what if I joined the fight of social equality with Martin Luther King Jr., Harry Belafonte, Sammy Davis Jr., Eleanor Roosevelt and Bobby Kennedy and through that fight doors were automatically opened for my people that weren’t opened before? But not even just for them, for an entire ethnic race that affected the entire world. What if my people are too “blind” to see that?
Let’s bring it all the way back home. What about if I give numerous scholarships to Bahamians and make investments in the education of Bahamians but don’t go bragging calling all the newspapers, local news etc. like many do and say “Hey look at what I am doing!?” Is that necessary? Would I have to call every single Bahamian to come outside to see what I am doing for show to somehow impress them?
Can’t they read about me like others around the world or read my books? What I did through my life wouldn’t be giving back? My fight for an entire race wouldn’t be good enough? My fight for the rights of my people in my own Country wouldn’t be good enough? Being a great diplomat for my Country wouldn’t be good enough? Never bringing shame on my Country or never being involved in any scandal wouldn’t be good enough? Not giving up by settling and saying, “Hey I am a little island boy or little island girl who can’t speak well enough”, wouldn’t be good enough? Defying all odds in a time where social equality was non-existent wouldn’t be good enough?
Learning how to read, write and going after my dreams despite everything that I am faced with including my environment, wouldn’t be inspiring enough? Showing my “OWN PEOPLE” that they could ACHIEVE anything in this World and that the SKY is the limit wouldn’t be good enough!? What if I didn’t do any of that!? What if I had stayed home and was the first black to win a Gold medal in the Olympics as a Bahamian instead? Maybe, just maybe, that would’ve been good enough… right?
Not looking for a debate this time. These are “My thoughts” and “My words”!
By Selah Hali Simone Poitier
