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From the President of JFH
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Members and Friends of the Jamaica Foundation of Houston:
We come together for the Jamaica Foundation of Houston’s Annual Independence Gala to celebrate Jamaica’s 60th Year of Independence with the theme “Re-Igniting a Nation”. Thank you for joining us at our preeminent social and fundraising event of the year. Having hosted virtual gala celebrations since the pandemic began in March of 2020, it is a pleasure to celebrate such a joyous occasion in person again.
Since gaining our independence from Great Britain, Jamaica has proudly charted its course through infrastructure and industries, making an impact around the world. Jamaica has developed confidence in its economy, thanks to those back home and across the diaspora. We are proud ambassadors of our heritage, carrying on the legacy of Jamaicans who have come before us.
As we look back on recent years, we saw tough economic times for Houstonians and those back home in Jamaica, due to the global pandemic. We have turned a corner in 2022, and I have had the pleasure of working with the Board of Directors and members of the Foundation to preserve our mission of culture, education, and volunteerism. We started this year, in January, with members and friends of the Foundation participating in the Martin Luther King, Jr. Parade in Downtown Houston. In April, Steve Higgins, Internationally Renowned Jamaican Tenor, held Jamaica Folk Music Workshop ‘My Sweet Jamaica’ for youth to learn about aspects of Jamaican life through folk music. Then, friends of the Caribbean and the Greater Houston Community attended a Town Hall with Hon. R. Oliver Mair, Consulate General of Jamaica – Miami, and representatives from JAMPRO. The day after the Town Hall, Steve Higgins Productions in association with the Jamaica Foundation of Houston presented Love & Nostalgia: A Jamaica 60 Celebration Event under the distinguished patronage of the Jamaican Consulate General in Miami. The following month, in early May, The Jamaica Foundation of Houston participated in the Jamaica Consulate’s Hi-5K Walk/Run, an event by the Jamaican Diaspora of the Southern USA, under the jurisdiction of the Consulate. Later in May, the Foundation held a Scholarship Awards Celebration and was able to award ten scholarships to deserving college students. In June, as part of our Jamaica 60 celebration events, the Foundation partnered with Jamaican writer and filmmaker Judith Falloon-Reid, the first Jamaican woman to visit Antarctica, to bring a one-of-a-kind experience to our city entitled ‘Aaah-Inspiring Antarctica: A Jamaican on Ice!’. What an engaging year we have had to celebrate Jamaica’s 60th year of independence!
It is important for Jamaicans in Houston and the greater metropolitan area to continue working together to demonstrate a positive influence on our culture. My vision is for us to maximize scholarship awards and focus more on celebrating the culture of our people. We must continue to uphold our vision to ‘Know Jamaica, make her known’. Upholding our vision also creates a path for our youth, who will continue our legacy.
“If yuh waa good, yuh nose haffi run”, meaning that success takes great effort and sometimes sacrifice. Dr. Nicole Bent Jones President of the Jamaica Foundation of Houston
