To ensure that Barbadians of African descent to advance in all features of life, they need to fully embrace who they’re.
Minister of Labour and Member of Parliament for St Peter Colin Jordan made this statement during a recent panel discussion and art exhibition on the Speightstown Branch Library, entitled Black Beauty.
“It is alleged to me that over 300 years of a certain framework being placed around us has impacted us … we’re never going to have the opportunity to maneuver forward properly or effectively until we come to grips with who we’re,” Jordan said.
“We are attempting to maneuver ourselves forward and if we should not sure who we’re or if we should not comfortable with who we’re we should not going to have the opportunity to maneuver ourselves forward.”
Following Jordan’s address was a panel discussion moderated by Philosophy Lecturer Dr Roxanne Burton, based on the query: “What’s your perception of beauty?”
Researcher and Lecturer in Psychology Joan Cuffie began the discussion saying that beauty is how people, particularly Black people feel about themselves.
“We come into that understanding of beauty through our interactions with the individuals who have brought us here, particularly our parents and the opposite people in our spaces,” she said.
“I talk about beauty and interested by that inner beauty in talking about personality and intellect but in addition recognizing that there may be an outer component to that understanding of beauty,” she added.
Head of the Department of the Creative and Performing Arts and senior lecturer in movie arts Andrew Millington explained the thought of beauty as “an identification of something that brings pleasure”.
He says what’s secret is that folks of African descent should love themselves of their skin despite the stress to adapt from the international community.
Specialist Lecturer in Caribbean History, Culture and African Art History Dr Nancy Fergusson also participated within the panel discussion recalling repeatedly how she needed to encourage and remind her students of African descent of the importance and wonders of Black beauty. (MR)
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