Power to the People

Opportunities for making positive change are around every corner

by Kelly O'Brien
St. John may be paradise, but we all know its not without its problems, many of them quite serious. On top of that, with our territory's limited resources and often convoluted political maneuvering to bog up the works, St. John has, historically, been an island that is slow to adapt. With all that to contend with, it's easy to see how people can fall into the trap of thinking, Why should I waste my time and energy working to fix the problems in our community - nothing's going to change. You've most likely gotten wind of this kind of apathy before, but that doesn't mean it's accurate - and we're here to tell you, it is by no means universal.
Take Bonny Corbeil . A St. John resident for more than 25 years (and a social worker in Canada before that), Corbeil has been a positive force in our community for decades. Whether in her role as the proprietor of Luscious Licks (her closed and sorely-missed veggie restaurant/font of positivity) or as a board member for a huge number of community organizations (Crimestoppers, Junior Achievement, St. John Youth Committee, I could go on), Corbeil has always been about bringing positive change to St. John. The first step towards that change, she says, is becoming conscious of not only your community but also of yourself.
"My personal commitment has really been to teach and practice consciousness; which, to me, is seeking to know yourself, so you can give the best of what you are, who you are, to others," Corbeil says.
Though it may not seem intuitive, self-awareness and successful community activism really do go hand in hand - if you don't know yourself, know your skills and interests, how are you going to find the best avenue for effecting real change?
Gerald Phipps (above right), a resident of the St. Thomas neighborhood Lovenlund, started his own youth mentoring program this year - all because he used his own passions and experiences to identify a need in his community. Having grown up in a rough St. Thomas neighborhood himself ("we called it the ghetto"), Phipps says that he "was a child that could've been in trouble," but that his mother taking him to church kept him out of it. "The spirituality part was what was able to keep me grounded," he says.
Now, seeing a lack of strong male role models for the young men in Lovenlund, Phipps has started FAMILY (Family and Men Inspiring Lives of Youths). While the program's focus is on education - of all types: agriculture, ju-jitsu, architectural drafting, basketball, film - Phipps says he doesn't want to leave out the spirituality part, because it was so important to his development. The group begins and ends every meeting with prayer and has taken field trips to several different faith communities including a Seventh Day Adventist tabernacle and a mosque. Phipps says his goal is to keep the kids well-rounded and "to have different positive things to offer [them]."
Even though FAMILY has only been around since Easter weekend, Phipps had 35 boys at his first event and has seen steady turnout for subsequent workshops and meetings. But while you should certainly let Phipps inspire you, don't let his approach to community activism intimidate you - just because you have a passion for helping your community, doesn't mean you have to go out there and start your own program from scratch. Again, it comes back to being aware of what you're good at and what you're driven by. In order to be successful, "you need to get involved with a group that ignites your passion," says Corbeil. For Phipps, it was about providing those strong role models that Lovenlund's young men were lacking. For Donna Matthias, a parent in Coral Bay, it was helping her daughters' school keep one of its best-loved teachers.
Matthias' daughters are going into first and second grade at the Guy Benjamin School, and she was deeply distressed, along with many other community members, to hear that long-time Guy Benjamin teacher Jane Roskin was not going to be able to stay at the school. There had been some earlier shuffling around, which Roskin weathered, but it was finally coming down to the wire - if the district couldn't sort out her situation, she was going to have to leave Guy Benjamin. So Matthias joined the ranks of upset Guy Benjamin parents and teachers (organized by Lois Simmons, PTO president, who "worked tirelessly," says Matthias), who used peaceful protests to save Roskin's job.
"The most frustrating part of the process was how long it took," Matthias says. "Over the course of two years you started to have this sinking feeling that it wasn't going to happen."
But a few weeks before the end of the school year, the activists staged a "sick-out," in hopes of getting the district's attention. Of 102 students, Matthias says, 90 didn't show, to demonstrate their support for Roskin. About 10 days later, the call came in - Roskin had her job back. "In the end, goodness prevailed," Matthias joked, "really though, the best interests of the children were eventually put ahead of the politics of the moment."
Victories like these serve as important reminders that people do have the power to improve things. Planting the seeds of change, Corbeil says, "comes from empowering people to take their community back." And don't think that's limited to adults.
The St. John Youth Committee, one of the organizations Corbeil is on the Board for, is all about getting youth out into the community, working for positive change. This group of young men and women, says Corbeil, "is what holds everything together for me. Those teenagers keep me fired up!" She says the organization has really "empowered these kids to have a voice about what needs to change on St. John." So, not only should we be mindful of the examples we're setting for our youth (a la, Mr. Phipps), but we should be mindful, too, of the examples they're setting for us.
St. John's chapter of Rotary International recognizes the efforts of one St. John youth every year with the Javon Jade Alfred Scholarship, which provides $12,500 towards their college tuition. The student is chosen, says Rotary vice-president B.J. Harris, based not only on academic merit and financial need, but on their community service, as well. "We really need that kind of community involvement," says Harris, and Rotary provides lots of opportunity for it. If you're not up to starting your own program, and you don't have an of-the-moment cause to get involved with, Rotary might be the right group for you.
In addition to their scholarship and sponsorship programs, Rotary is involved with establishing a cutting-edge telemedicine clinic here on St. John, in raising money and awareness for the Animal Care Center, and in a plethora of other tasks. Basically, says Harris, "people come to us with problems and we solve them." Rotarians have done everything from repairing roof leaks in public buildings to painting crosswalks on the roads.  
In the end, what effective activism really comes down to is taking ownership of your community and its needs, identifying your skills and strengths, and applying them to the problems. "The future of the island is dependent on everybody doing what they can," says Corbeil. So next time St. John throws an obstacle in your path and you get frustrated, ask yourself: What can you do?

Activism Made Easy
-    If you're interested in getting involved in Crimestoppers, Junior Achievement, the St. John Youth Committee, or just have questions about activism on St. John, contact Bonny Corbeil at 693-5874.
-    If you'd like to get involved with FAMILY on St. Thomas, contact Gerald Phipps at 998-0888 (He can always use more chaperones, speakers, workshop leaders, etc.)
-    If you're interested in volunteering with Rotary, contact BJ Harris at 513-4670 or visit www.rotarystjohn.org.
-    You can also go online to the Sun Times bulletin board (www.stjohnsuntimes.com/forum) to discuss issues, swap ideas, and connect with other members of the community that are as passionate about them as you are!
-    And remember, if there's an issue you're passionate about, there's definitely a way to address it - you just have to think creatively!

August 2009