Noël Gordon has just completed his BA in Political Science, Philosophy, and Sexuality studies. He has been active in the LGBT community, particularly among LGBT people of color. Noël was selected as a Truman Scholar in 2011. This is his first time teaching, and he writes about this experience in Kingston. He calls it “Jamaican ‘Leaders and Best.” Enjoy.
Jamaican “Leaders and Best”
Noël Gordon
Today I felt like a proud father! Over the past two days, I’ve had the pleasure of working with a group of young Jamaican men who are peer health educators in their local communities. These men are bright, energetic, and talented. Had they grown up in a different time and place, they surely would’ve been among the “leaders and best.” But for all the good things I could say about my group, I’d be lying if I said I did not have my doubts. Yesterday the group appeared skeptical of the module. They were put off by its simplicity and failed to see how it could be useful to the people they serve on a daily basis (e.g. men who have sex with men, sex workers). Rather than get defensive, I tried my best to sympathize with the young men and explain to them how the module could benefit their communities. It took a lot of convincing for some in the group, but I had faith in the module and the men themselves.
Given all of this background, imagine my surprise when many of the young men returned the next day ready and rearing to go! Not only had they studied the module overnight, they had inserted their stories and found ways to make it more authentic to a Jamaican experience. One young man – who takes pride in calling himself a motivational speaker – found great joy in the module’s insistence on being “faithful to one’s self.” Another man – Pinto – amazed everyone with his fantastic rendition of the “L” in “LUCK,” which stands for “Love” [VIDEO HERE]. It was incredibly humbling to see my students perform the module after the bumps and snags in the road. I’m excited to continue teaching, learning, and growing myself.
