Dear readers,

It is a priviledge for Jamaicanexpansion.com to bring you our very first interview. What do you get when you mix a strong desire to uplift your community with teamwork ? We recently caught up with Lesley-Ann Welsh, a director of Manifesto Jamaica. Manifesto Jamaica has been heavily involved in the field of community development through art and culture.

What is Manifesto Jamaica?

Manifesto Jamaica : Manifesto Jamaica is a non-profit organization whose mandate is youth empowerment and the development of Jamaica’s creative industry. The group is comprised entirely of young professionals and artists. We focus primarily on 7 main aspects of creative enterprise:. Advocacy, Culinary, Literary, Martial, Spiriual, Visual & Performing Arts. Our community-based programs involve an array of capacity development workshops and info sessions. The culiminating event will be the Manifesto|Ja Festival of Art’ical Empowerment in Kingston, on National Heroes’ ‘Strongend’ in October 2010 (14-17).

When did it start ?

Manifesto Jamaica: Manifesto|Jamaica started operations in 2009, and is the Kingston-based sibling organization of Manifesto Community Projects in Toronto, Canada. I met Che Kothari, the executive director of Manifesto (Toronto) in Kingston in 2008 and we collaborated informally on a few projects that same year. Our most successful collaboration to date is Project 9 Mile, which is a computer literacy program at Stepney All Age School in 9 Mile, St Ann (Editor’s note : birthplace of Bob Marley). Motivated by the success of Project Nine Mile, a desire to ignite the Americas with the Manifesto Movement and an indomitable drive to ‘do something,’ we decided to formally establish a Jamaican entity of the Manifesto family.

What was the inspiration behind it ?

Manifesto Jamaica : The founding members of Manifesto|Ja have all been very priviledged to have experienced what it is like to be a Jamaican outside of JA. We were motivated by the extent to which Jamaicans in JA are ignorant of how respected their artists, music and culture is worldwide. We were motivated by the transformational power of art and creative expression. Jamaicans have an innate creative energy that is underappreciated here. We have been inspired to remind our people of the legacy that they have to live up to as Jamaicans. We are out of touch with who we are and Manifesto|Ja is seeking to re-establish the Jamaican identity and the ‘Jamaican family,’ using our art & culture As the primary agents.

What message do you want to get across to people ?

Manifesto Jamaica: We want our people to overstand that art and creative industry are honourable professions. Working as an artist is still not recognized as a respectable or ‘real’ profession in Jamaica. People always talk about the billions earned in Europe and elsewhere off Reggae music and that Jamaica profits little off the genre which it created. I dont think that we are entitled to complain because Jamaica’s decision-makers neither invest in, nor mine the benefits of our creative products. We want to prove to those with the capacity to do so that the investment can be extremely worthwhile.

We also want to send the message of youth empowerment. Young people are cultured not to ‘talk back’, and are discouraged from expressing opinion. We encourage the youths to get involved in the various decision-making processes that impact them.

We’re also promoting self-sufficiency. We need to stop blaming external forces (government etc) for our woes!Stop depending on external help. Values such as neighborliness and people helping themselves must be at the forefront of things.

The creative industries are, in my opinion, one of the most obvious solutions to the economic and social crisis Jamaica is facing in this time. We don’t care enough. The problem is not limited to poor people, black people, big people, uptowm or garrison. It’s everyone’s problem. Manifesto|Ja is working to educate the community about these facts, and to effect change through action.

What makes art so important ?

Manifesto Jamaica: Creative expression allows us to explore ourselves and our circumstances in ways that few other media permit. It has healing properties that can be difficult to ‘prove,’ but are impossible to deny.

How do you think art is appreciated (respected) in Jamaica in general ?

Manifesto Jamaica: Not enough. We have a long way to go where legitimizing it as a professional industry is concerned. The lack of investment in creative development and enterprise is a clear indicator. At the same time however, too many of us with unique talents engage them solely as ‘hobbies.’

As far as nation building is concerned, what needs to be done ? What needs to be continued ?

Manifesto Jamaica: Wow. This question is overwhelming because there is so much ☺. The Jamaican people need to maintain their sense of pride and that sheer will to not only survive, but to thrive. As it relates to what needs to be done, we need an extended period of social contruction. Our sociopolitical and economic fabric needs a major overhaul. We need affordable access to education. We need employment opportunities, particulary for the thousands of youth who are graduating into never-ending spells of unproductivity. We need to resocialize our people and revive the virtues of truth and neighbourly living. We need to wise up and start developing and mining the benefits our our most abundant and fruitful resource ; the Jamaican citizen.

What are Jamaica’s strengths ?

Manifesto Jamaica: The indomitable spirit of our people. The majesty of our landscapes and wealth of natural resources. With all its shortcomings, it’s an amazing place to grow and know.

Thank you for your time and all the best with your future endeavours

Manifesto Jamaica : Thank you for the opportunity to introduce the Manifesto|Jamaica family to the Jamaican Expansion family.

To find out how you can volunteer, fund or attend the Manifesto|Ja Festival of Art’ical Empowerment, visit the links below :

manifestojamaica.com

manifestofestival.com

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=110696965634949

http://twitter.com/ManifestoJA

Or email manifestojamaica@gmail.com.