Sixty-three years after the Union Jack was lowered and the black, inexperienced, and gold first rose over an unbiased Jamaica, that flag continues to ripple far past the island’s shores. This previous weekend, greater than 400 Jamaicans and mates of the island gathered on the Sligo Seventh-day Adventist Church in Takoma Park, Maryland, to mark the second—not simply with celebration, however with goal, prayer, and delight.
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Jamaica’s Ambassador to the US, Main Normal (Ret’d) Antony Anderson, captured the spirit of the event completely: “We’re right here to have fun a big milestone… The black speaks to the energy and creativity which have sustained us by way of each triumphs and adversity; the inexperienced displays the hope and abundance of our lovely land; and the gold captures the heat of our sunshine and the richness of our spirit as a nation.”
That richness—of spirit, of tradition, of contribution—has been Jamaica’s biggest export.
This yr’s Independence theme, “Be Proud. Be Daring within the Black, Inexperienced, and Gold,” resonates deeply with Jamaicans at house and overseas. It’s a name not solely to put on the colors, however to dwell them.
As Ambassador Anderson reminded the congregation: “These colors don’t simply fly on Independence Day; they dwell in us, day-after-day. They present up in our onerous work, in our religion, in our laughter, and in the way in which we help each other.”
That sense of identification—resilient, proud, and deeply rooted—has grow to be an indicator of Jamaica’s world affect. Whether or not by way of reggae, monitor and area, delicacies, or activism, the Jamaican model is immediately recognizable. And it isn’t powered by authorities alone—it’s propelled by the Jamaican individuals, particularly these within the diaspora.
Nowhere is that this affect extra seen than in the US, the place Jamaican-Individuals have made their mark in each area—from lecture rooms to boardrooms, from state capitols to Capitol Hill.
“You carry our tradition by way of music, meals, style, and household values,” mentioned Anderson. “You give again, whether or not by way of remittances, charitable work, or just by being shining examples of what it means to be Jamaican.”
That giving spirit was on full show on the Maryland service, the place this yr’s providing was earmarked for the Hanover Infirmary again house. Diaspora engagement isn’t simply symbolic—it’s tangible, deeply impactful, and more and more strategic. With a buoyant Jamaican financial system and rising funding alternatives, the Ambassador urged attendees to “grasp these alternatives” and assist form Jamaica’s future not simply as cultural ambassadors, however as companions in progress.
Jamaica’s 63 years haven’t been with out challenges—financial shocks, pure disasters, and social struggles amongst them. However the island’s world visibility and affect far exceed its measurement. The individuals—whether or not dwelling in Kingston or Kensington, Montego Bay or Maryland—stay the cornerstone of Jamaica’s story.
Because the Nationwide Anthem swells this Independence Day and flags are hoisted in parishes and parks around the globe, allow us to be reminded: the black, inexperienced, and gold are greater than material. They’re reminiscence. They’re motion. They’re mission.
And as we enter a brand new chapter, allow us to stroll boldly of their which means—not simply as a nation, however as a world Jamaican household.
