amaica Consul Normal to NY Alsion Wilson addresses the official launching of the Caribbean Diaspora United in honor of Caribbean-American Heritage Month at Russo’s on the Bay in Howard Seaside, Queens.
Photograph by Nelson A. King
The Consulate Normal of Jamaica in New York mentioned on Saturday that the Jamaica Independence Church Service, initially scheduled for August 11, has been rescheduled for Sunday, August 25, at 4:00 p.m., on the New Jerusalem Worship Heart, 122-05 Smith St., Jamaica, Queens.
“This annual service is a major occasion on the calendar of the Jamaican Diaspora, offering a chance for the neighborhood to come back collectively in religion and unity to have a good time our nation’s independence,” mentioned Chris Benjamin, neighborhood relations officer, including that “employees is working assiduously to make sure that the service not solely gives non secular blessings but in addition upholds the excessive requirements that our neighborhood has come to count on.”
After the service, Benjamin mentioned attendees are “warmly invited to a reception following the occasion, the place we’ll proceed the celebration of our heritage and shared values.
“Moreover, the Consulate Normal will begin discussions with our communities outdoors of New York to discover how we are able to facilitate the internet hosting of comparable providers in your neighborhood,” he mentioned. “We’re dedicated to making sure that every one members of our Diaspora have the chance to take part in these vital celebrations.
“The Consulate Normal appreciates the understanding and continued help of the Diaspora neighborhood and appears ahead to welcoming all to what guarantees to be a significant and uplifting event,” Benjamin added.
In her Independence Anniversary message, Consul Normal Alsion Wilson mentioned: As we stand on the cusp of one other exceptional milestone in our nation’s historical past, celebrating Jamaica’s 62nd yr of independence, we’re reminded that independence will not be merely a second in time however an ever-evolving course of.
“This course of is constantly reinterpreted and redefined by every successive era,” she mentioned. “The imaginative and prescient and resilience of our forebears laid the bedrock upon which our nation stands, guiding us towards progress and prosperity.
“Immediately, we’re charged with the profound accountability of constructing upon this basis and setting the stage for future generations,” Wilson added. “As we navigate this journey, I encourage every of you to mirror deeply and take into account, ‘What do I need to be remembered for?’”
She mentioned Jamaica’s journey as a nation has been “considerably enriched by the Jamaican Diaspora, whose tenacity of spirit and noteworthy achievements have left an indelible mark on the worldwide stage.
“From the pioneering management of Marcus Garvey, who sowed the seeds of Jamaica’s world affect, to the unparalleled contributions of icons reminiscent of Bob Marley, Usain Bolt and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Jamaicans have risen to prominence in each nook of the world,” the Consul Normal mentioned. “Their tales are a testomony to our enduring spirit and the highly effective impression of our tradition, values and identification.”
In each sphere of life—academia, politics, enterprise and past—she mentioned first, second, and third-generation Jamaicans proceed to make their mark, “usually citing their Jamaican heritage because the cornerstone of their success.”
She mentioned their achievements are “a direct results of the sacrifices made by their fore-parents, who left our lovely island looking for higher alternatives.
“Immediately, their success tales are a testomony to the power of our neighborhood and the enduring energy of our cultural heritage,” Wilson mentioned. “As a neighborhood, we should help their endeavors, encouraging them to view Jamaica not solely as a spot of respite and recreation however as a land ripe for funding and even a return to dwell.
“Allow us to not permit our land to stay idle however to thrive with objective and potential,” she urged.
However as nationals have a good time their 62nd anniversary, Wilson mentioned they have to additionally acknowledge the challenges they’ve confronted, significantly the devastating impression of Hurricane Beryl.
“A lot of our fellow Jamaicans are nonetheless grappling with the aftermath of this pure catastrophe,” she mentioned. “It’s incumbent upon us to increase a serving to hand, particularly to households with kids getting ready to return to high school in September.
“Our dedication to caring for each other should stay unwavering, guaranteeing that these affected obtain the help they should rebuild their lives,” she added. “Within the spirit of ‘One Love,’ allow us to rekindle our sense of neighborhood by reaching out to our brothers and sisters.”
The Consul Normal mentioned Jamaicans are sometimes affectionately known as “faas,” or nosy, however added that “this attribute stems from a spot of deep care and concern for each other.
“Take the time to verify in on your loved ones, associates and schoolmates who you could not have seen shortly,” she additional urged. “It’s this sense of interconnectedness that defines us as a individuals and strengthens our neighborhood bonds.”
