A wall of inspiration with the names and faces of national African icons, was unveiled in La Romaine on Thursday.
The Penal Debe Regional Corporation in partnership with the St Benedict’s College hope this project motivates the youth in the community, to show them that people just like them, have been internationally recognized in the spheres of sport, beauty and academia.
Reporter Cindy Raghubar-Teekersingh was there and gives us a look.
00:00Internationally recognized for their contribution to the field of sport, beauty, religion and community service,
00:08names and faces of people from across Trinidad, including right here in La Romaine, San Fernando,
00:15were plastered across the front wall of St. Benedict's College.
00:19Unveiled on African Emancipation Day, the people chosen by the Pinal Debe Regional Corporation
00:26for this wall of inspiration meant for the youth of La Romaine a role of African descent.
00:33Today we remove all stigmas that have been associated with communities like these and we see a bright future.
00:40Let me just challenge the government, put a trade school there, put something there that our youth will be able to make meaningful use of their time.
00:49Let this inspirational wall, every time you pass this wall, may you look at it, may you be motivated to excellence, motivated to higher heights.
01:02The hope is that the community's youth looks at the faces and see themselves.
01:08When they look at La Romaine-born basketball player Adrian Joseph, they understand that they too can make it on the world stage.
01:18Speaking at the ceremony, one former councillor condemned the actions of far too many young people who gravitate toward a life of crime,
01:27even though sport and other programs exist to better occupy their time.
01:33It had touched me to see the road that some of the youths went down, and I had stress on the African youth,
01:41because a lot of people hide these things under, but it's not a time to hide these things.
01:46The African youth is sort of embarrassing us, right?
01:49Whilst we have lots of African people that has rised to a certain level, what is happening in this country today, the African youth are embarrassing them.
01:58He says while many want to celebrate emancipation, in some ways the population remains enslaved.
02:06What message are those who with the home invasion, every time you look at them,
02:11it's the dragon slippers and falling pants that are creating this home invasion.
02:15African youth, and I send it out, we send a signal here today that there should be no more of it.
02:21We're out of emancipation, we are liberated, but what is happening here with the invasion and things, it keeps us enslaved.
02:29It appears that we're back in shackles and we cannot come out and enjoy this beautiful country, Trinidad and Tobago.
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