On July 4, 2008 the GraceKennedy Birthright Interns got a ‘taste of Kingston’, thanks to the team at Grace and Staff Community Development Foundation. 

The four interns, Nailah Gordon Decicieo, Ipana Chambers, Jonathan Scott and Stephanie King, went on a tour of places of interest in and around Kingston. Accompanying them were Grace & Staff Representatives Tameica Lewis and Matthew Cole; Summer student employee Ramone Williams, who doubled as the resident photographer; and representatives of Parents of Inner City Kids (PICK) Lorna “Dunna” Blake, Karen Aiken and Angella Wade. 

Sam Richards of Sampars Cash and Carry welcomes Birthright Intern Ipana Chambers.

Their first stop was at the Hi-Lo Supermarket in Barbican where they got the opportunity to see GraceKennedy employees at work in the retail trade. Then it was on to the homework centre operated by Grace & Staff at the Barbican Baptist Church.  

They then journeyed to the recently renovated Liberty Hall, at 76 King Street which highlights the legacy of Jamaica’s National Hero Marcus Garvey. They stopped and chatted with the operator of Sampars Cash and Carry Sam Richards, a former GraceKennedy employee and a founder of Grace & Staff.  

They next visited Majesty Gardens, where Grace & Staff operates a homework centre. At Culture Yard in Trench Town (one of the homes of the late Reggae Superstar Bob Marley) they received a cooking lesson on how the national dish, ackee and saltfish, is prepared.  

On their way to Parade Gardens, they passed by Tivoli Gardens, Coronation market and the now defunct Railway station.  

At the Learning Institute for Central Kingston (LICK) on Tower Street in Parade Gardens, they had a tasty lunch of fricassee chicken, beef stew, rice and peas and a vegetable salad.  

Later, in the afternoon they were entertained at a concert featuring the ‘rising stars’ of the LICK and Majesty Gardens Homework Centres. 

In looking back on the day’s activities, Ipana recalled that visiting Liberty Hall was her favourite part of the tour. She noted “Whilst such a hero may not be as well known to the younger generations as the more recent celebrities who have come out of Jamaica, I found it enlightening nonetheless and hearing his story was particularly inspirational. His first encounter with racism at a young age, which though saddening, was a brilliant reminder of the prejudiced world he grew up in. It was an honour to be able to learn more about his achievements, and in particular reading his most famous quotes that adorned the walls of the centre, instilled a sense of pride in me.

“If you have no confidence in self you are twice defeated in the race of life. With confidence you have won even before you have started” was my favourite and reminded me that armoured with self-belief and an air of buoyancy, everything is achievable.”

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Posted: July 24, 2008