Jewels of the Virgin Isles is a feature series profiling Virgin Islanders in the diaspora who are excelling in their respective fields and/or positively representing the USVI abroad.
“I am a Virgin Island Child, I am a jewel. However, I cannot sparkle unless I am polished…” These words, written by U.S. Virgin Islands poet, educator and entrepreneur, and my father, Lawrence R. Sewer, are the opening line of the renowned poem, “The Virgin Island Child,” and have resonated with children of the territory for more than three decades.
They were written as a source of empowerment for Virgin Islands youth in the late 1970s but their impact rings true today. On a personal level, these words helped to shape my pride in our beautiful home and are the impetus for the title of this biweekly column that spotlights the phenomenal contributions of Virgin Islanders who carry their love for the islands in their hearts even as they have charted their course outside of the territory.
For the last six months I have had the pleasure of featuring 11 outstanding members of the Virgin Islands diaspora who have been courageous enough to share their personal journeys with readers. These stories are meant to motivate, inspire and touch you at a soulful level. They are also meant to demonstrate why the U.S. Virgin Islands diaspora is an essential piece of the puzzle to the future growth and development of the territory. But most importantly, they are meant to put a face and name to what success can look like for Virgin Islands youth.
Each year, many young people leave the islands to carve out their futures in myriad ways. Unfortunately, not all of them leave feeling as though they have something to contribute to the community that provided the foundation for the men and women they are about to become. What many don’t realize, however, is that Virgin Islanders have made and continue to make a tremendous impact around the globe in many different professional and personal capacities – from military service to federal judgeships to international finance and entrepreneurship.
Regardless of the industry or trade, one thing is clear, the Virgin Islands produces outstanding talent, so one might ask the question, “What needs to happen to tap into this talent pool on a larger level?”
Here’s something to consider: It’s usually evident around Christmas and the carnival seasons that the Virgin Islands diaspora is an ever-growing part of the community that wants to remain connected, and these individuals have a special role to play in helping to develop our islands for the long term – especially on an economic level.
Think about this … Virgin Islanders living abroad are the best ambassadors because they love to tell others about their home, but if they go one step further and invite a few friends to join them on their next visit, then the impact immediately doubles. This same group then requires a car rental and possibly a hotel stay while on one of the islands, but even more, they will support the local restaurant economy while they are here. If this is multiplied by the thousands who return each year for various reasons, imagine the economic boost!
My hope is that this column serves as a reminder that we are all “Jewels” with a shared history and connected experiences. The people you read about are sons, daughters, mothers, fathers, neighbors and childhood friends and are an incredible group of people with a shared history and shared experiences. We are all “Jewels” and our stories have a common thread – our love for the place we call home.
I leave you with the full text of “The Virgin Island Child” poem to recite for yourself or to share with the young people in your life who will be the leaders of tomorrow:
Virgin Island Child
by Larry Sewer ©1979
I am a Virgin Island Child!
I am a jewel! However,
I cannot sparkle unless I
Am polished!
God, the maker of all
Solvents,
Created the greatest solvent
Of all…Care.
Care…can move
mountains.
Care…motivates my
Willingness to learn…
Care…expresses Love!
—
Loán Sewer is a marketing and tourism consultant and proud Virgin Islander who resides in Washington, D.C. She is also a founding member of the USVI Alliance Inc., an organization focused on reconnecting the Virgin Islands diaspora with the local community and host of the USVI Economic Development Summit on the U.S. mainland. Follow her on Twitter @LoTalksTourism or e-mail her at info@LoTalksTourism.com.
