Author: Dez Holman

Racial disparites during Covid-19

courtesy of https://www.caribbeanequalityproject.org/queens-gets-counted

Racial disparity of COVID-19

This is what I have so far for my rough draft. Due to conflicting schedules to get more sources, I will soon update them.

For my second story, hopefully it will suffice for everyone to understand and grasp the systematic life the Caribbean Community faces during COVID-19. I will mention how the community deals with an ideological approach on being the highest attraction of the virus and increase on death rates. During the presidential debates, one of the topics discussed between President Donald Trump and nominee Joe Biden was about the Black and Brown community being 1 in 1000 are dying from the virus because the majority of the community are essential workers on the front line during this tragic pandemic. The lowest death rate comparisons are the White and Asian communities. The CDC concluded this approach to be a racial disparity of discrimination towards the community.

 My goal for this story is to get the perspective from the community how these new systematic ratios should not be the reason why the people have increased death rates and are the most prone to spread the virus. Although the majority of the community are working essential jobs such as Medical, Transit, Construction, Technical and Law Enforcement and many more which makes it difficult knowing that full exposure can occur at any time. 

My Editor and I have completed a questionnaire that we are sharing to the community and posting via Facebook and LinkedIn to get everyones opinion on this topic and the more feedback received the better to back up my story while the community tries to find solice during this pandemic and in general life changes.

The expansion and triumphs of a strong community will now be refocused for better changes. “Divided by water, but together by culture” to live the American Dream, the West Indian/Caribbean Community.

First Final Story

 

So far this is my first draft after talking with local neighbors and community leaders in the Queens, NY area about the West Indian/Caribbean community. Although I have a few photos of the neighborhood, I will also show landmarks that represent more of the community itself. Not much relates to the COVID-19 pandemic, but it graps how strong and developed one community can be that not many discuss about. The importance of the Black and Brown community is to explain recognition and devouted work accomplished.

 

JRN 3700 Rough Draft

Hey everyone, here is my pitch for my written piece. I am currently working with an editor/publisher Priscilla Ramcharan. There will be a lot of revising as I go along, but I do believe this story will have many interesting facts that will catch my reader’s attention.

Headline: “Caribbean/West Indian discover everlasting life in America”

Lede: New York City- As many people start to embrace the diversity filled with many groups of people, one particular group have fought to settle in the land of the free and overcame racism, discrimination, poverty, and even now fighting to survive a deadly virus of COVID-19, which is the Caribbean/West Indian people. They strived to establish businesses, work for major companies, and most importantly take care of their families here and back home. The only problem the culture has not seen while living here in the U.S. is recognition, being recognized for many resources within their music, art, news, and work ethics. Their stereotypical view of when you hear someone from the Caribbean is listening to reggae, smoking marijuana, popular vacation spots, being from a poor country and having the best food. Well all of those descriptions are about to change.

Nut Graf: Although this story is not discussing much about their struggles during COVID-19, there will be some relations yet in fact some island borders have not opened to the public to travel. The Caribbean community feels as though they are not just there for vacation spots. They want to be able to enter the U.S. with a proper welcome rather than be discriminated against for being an immigrant and not having the same equal rights. Also they should have a ballot to choose the correct nationality because there has been confusion of choosing who they are. The biggest struggle faced is immigration, recognition, and proper interpretations.

 

I am currently still in the process of conducting an interview with Kawal P. Totaram and also the Caribbean community to share their ideas on their ways of living. 

I will be sharing photos and famous areas to embrace the cultures that have not been mentioned throughout other news sources as this will help build their businesses even during COVID-19.

 

Best,

How many live in the US? In the tristate area? How many in the home country?

   The estimated population of Caribbean/West Indian immigrants residing in the United States are about 13 million, in comparison as of 2019 approximately 44.42 million total continue to remain in their home country. 

In the tri state areas, where do they live?

    As for the tri-state areas with the most populated groups include New York, New Jersey, and Florida. The estimated amount ranges between 4-8 million in these areas. The majority reside in New York City between Brooklyn and Queens in the neighborhood areas of Crown Heights, Flatbush, Canarsie, Richmond Hill, Liberty Ave, and Jamaica Ave.

What jobs do a significant percentage of them have?

    The outcome of their working arrangements are not as recognized, yet it doesn’t objectify how they help the communities. According to experience within the culture, the significant percentage of West Indians have jobs within the Medical field, Banking, Real Estate, Construction, Technicians, and owning Restaurants. 

Why did they come? When?    

    Caribbean/West Indians settled in the United States during the 1800s-present. This was after the colonizations between England, France, the Netherlands and Spain. Although some of the islands were still at war to fight for Independence, they established in unifying their different cultures to gain prosperity in reference to “living the American dream.” The American dream to them is considered finding better opportunities for themselves to survive in a world that is dominated by their opponents. Their idea of coming to America is to find a job, make a living, and form a family to expand their family tree and legacies. 

What are some major organizations/advocacy groups/resources in the community?

     According to research, the West Indian community has a Center of Carribean Americans of New York that are aiding those in these drastic times during COVID-19. Another recognition and association is the West Indian American Day Carnival Association. This helps the community to have people join our parades and donate back to their home countries. 

https://www.caribbeancenterny.org

http://wiadcacarnival.org

Do they have local media house/s? If so, list them.

   U.S. Citizen Services

   U.S. Embassy in Barbados, the Eastern Caribbean, and the OECS

   Consulate General in New York-of All Caribbean islands visa applications

List/link the major media houses in the home country.

  The New York CaribNews-https://www.nycaribnews.com

  CaribVision-https://www.caribvision.tv

  IslandTV-https://islandtv.tv

How strong are relationships with the home country? How significant are remittances to the home country’s economy?

   The West Indies have a strong relationship with their home countries since they give back to their families especially during COVID-19 and find ways to donate whenever disasters or struggling experiences occur. However it’s always said their countries are poor and yet they are just more than being labeled as “poor.”

In the homeland what is the GDP per capita? Where does that rank in the world? What are the major industries?

According to https://www.caribjournal.com as of 2014 the richest country in the Caribbean ranked as their number 1 GDP per capita is the Bahamas of $21,280. Followed by Puerto Rico of around $18,000, Trinidad and Tobago of $14,400, St. Kitts and Nevis of $13,300 and so on. As of 2019 the Bahamas amounted to 32,934 U.S. dollars ranked number 4 in their most recent year. https://www.data.worldbank.org

What is the system of government? When did this system come into place? Was there a colonial power? (Or was it the colonial power.)

   According to https://getawaytips.azcentral.com the types of government in the Caribbean are Constitutional Monarchy of the British colonizations during the Queen Elizabethan era of the Golden Age which resulted in the islands becoming independent in the 20th century. Parliamentary Democracy of the European colonizations which consists of a president, a prime minister, a cabinet and a house assembly. In their cases the president holds fewer power while the prime minister has the most. The cabinet is appointed by the president from the advantage of the prime minister. Lastly the house of assembly holds 30 members voted into office by the public. Communist of Cuba being the only region that adopted communism in 1959 led by Fidel Castro. After his reign the country’s government is led by the president. Lastly American Territory of the island’s citizens that have American citizenship, but it’s not an American state. They have semi-independent territory led by a governor.

Name of the NY consul general. How long has he/she been in the role?

     There are several consulate generals for each island in power so there is no particular person that represents all of them, unless in the future that can change. 

Give three potential story ideas. (Doesn’t need to be a fully flashed-out pitch yet, but should be well thought-out.)

   1). My first idea I would like to interview more community leaders that can discuss what makes the islands more significant and if they could, what changes would they like to make that isn’t recognized by the United States or isn’t mentioned for people to be more familiar with and not just from the obvious.

 2). My second idea is I want to try and reach out to the Caribbean news channel representatives that can discuss opportunities of spreading worldly news towards the U.S. channels and they give their sides of the stories compared to how the U.S. interprets or not share enough of their stories. It would help make more names for themselves and to be recognized.

 3). And lastly I want to discuss my plans for working with Law Officer Kawal P. Totaram, whom I plan to interview since we made some appointments, to show how attentive he is to the Caribbean community which he quoted “it’s recognized little by little.” In this case he would also help me connect to more people outside the U.S. if possible.

   

 

And finally conduct an interview with a community leader.

Currently as of now Mr. Totaram as I mentioned earlier is out of his office, but will return to me as soon as possible to conduct a one on one interview. Hopefully once all goes well then I can officially update this story.

The estimated population of Caribbean/West Indians residing in the United States are about 13 million, in comparison as of 2019 approximately 44.42 million total continue to remain in their home country. As for the tri-state areas with the most populated groups include New York, New Jersey, and Florida. The estimated amount ranges between 4-8 million in these areas.     The American dream to them is considered finding better opportunities for themselves to survive in a world that is dominated by their opponents. Their idea of coming to America is to find a job, make a living, and form a family to expand their family tree and legacies. The areas I will be focusing on will be Richmond Hill, Queens and Crown Heights, Brooklyn which is populated by many West Indian-born and decents. They are impacted due to COVID-19 with job losses and less community help from their peers. I will conduct an in person interview with Private Law Office of Kawal P. Totaram, a Guyanese born, who settled in Queens to complete his law degree and form his own practice helping the community which he quotes “recognized little by little.”

My interview will be concise, discuss the opportunities during the pandemic, and how the West Indian community will obtain recognition for helping eachother. Also I will display photographs showing the areas focused on, how attentive Mr. Totaram is, and the purpose as why I chose to  discuss a whole nation that comes together and unified themselves as a community.

This semester I will be focusing on the entire Caribbean nation to discuss the positive roles they have accomplished rather than what the media portrays. The media and other news sources discuss the negative international affairs between a country and their government. For example: “The oil exchange and political crisis in Georgetown, Guyana affects the Indian and Afro Guyanese people. The Guyanese President David Granger is supported by the Afro-Guyanese which bistands the Indian Guyanese who are farmlanders. Both sides are in fear of exclusion from public spending. Guyana is ought to be one of the poorest countries in South America, but has excluded that because now the land is filled with richness of oil.” https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/06/world/americas/Guyana-election.html?referringSource=articleShare. Primarly I will be discussing the term “poor” since it describes the islands to be unstable and struggling rather than unique. I am a descendant from the island of Trinidad, adpated to my roots as a young child. Other islands have contributions of riches and minerals that are favored in the United States, but they never seem to be credited for accomplishments achieved in any type of businesses. In order to prove certain points and make my readers understand the logic and knowledge of the Caribbean I will be primarly focusing on major areas of residencies that center a large population of Caribbean people. Liberty and Richmond Hill in Queens, NY and Crown Heights and Flatbush in Brooklyn, NY. The significance of these places is filled with the people who came to live a better life and accomplish themselves and continue to still give back to their families back home. Often times the United States recognize people from the Caribbean such as famous musicians and athletes when there is much more we should recognize. Not only we should recognize the places we typically visit as a normal vacation spot, but what if we look beyond what we havent seen that could grasp our attention. More importantly its mainly about what the Caribbean can provide us and how we can recognize them for their accomplishments. Hopefully as well I can discuss if the Caribbean news channels can also broadcast towards the United States to share their views, also I do see myself broadcasting and traveling to the islands.

Caribbean News