Jamaican Diasporans Making a Difference
Meet Diana, Jalawelo Advisory Board Member, and learn why she felt compelled to remain committed to her home country from afar.
For Jamaicans living overseas, life sometimes gets so busy that it can be easy to forget the many benefits and joys they had while living in Jamaica. However, there are some who choose to remember and decide to give back in a very real way.
Meet Diana, a Jalawelo volunteer. She is committed to giving back to Jamaica and she’s not afraid to take the hard road to do so. Diana is a diligent, organized thinker who loves to laugh, yet she is serious about helping people in sustainable ways. Like bun and cheese, Diana’s values and genuine concern for others are a perfect complement to Jalawelo’s commitment to helping people in ways that make sense for the long term.
Life as a “Country” Girl
A true "country" girl in her own right, Diana grew up in a "sleepy district" in St. Mary, Jamaica. She lived a modest life without many modern-day comforts, as money was often tight. As a child, she watched her mother study to become a teacher to provide for herself and her 8 siblings. Diana learned from her the priceless lesson of working hard and thinking critically to solve problems. To this day, her mom remains “a guiding light” for her.
During her teens, Diana moved to the metropolitan area of Kingston and St. Andrew. She eventually earned a Master's degree in Business Administration and, there, she also met her husband, Peter.
Onto New Shores
Though life was pretty comfortable, after having children, the couple decided that they wanted their kids to have a better chance at getting a college education than they had as youngsters. So, in response to the Y2K need for IT resources, Peter decided to take a job in the United States. This was not a difficult decision as they both felt they had hit a ceiling in their careers. Nearly two decades later, they now are settled in California where Diana works as an IT Business Analyst and Project Manager.
Though living abroad, Diana has never forgotten her small island home, Jamaica. She deeply misses the sense of closeness and community that she found back home. As a way to connect with and actively help her fellow Jamaicans, she served on the Scholarship committee for the Jamaican American Association of Northern California (JAANC) for a few years. It was through JAANC that she was introduced to Jalawelo.
Real Help From Afar
Diana felt quite drawn to the fact that Jalawelo’s approach: “Provide Real Help, Not Handouts.” She liked the fact Jalawelo focused on providing long-term solutions and forming strong bonds with people in local communities in Jamaica.
After donating to Jalawelo, Diana felt it was time to also offer her professional skills to serve her people. Through a happy accident, she got a chance to do this very thing. Diana has now been a loyal volunteer on the Jalawelo team for over four years! She contributes at least 3-4 hours of her time each week and now takes a leadership role with Jalawelo’s Young Adult Circle (YAC) program. She also now sits on our Advisory Team. The “country girl” within allows her to get up bright and early on Wednesday mornings in California to discuss the YAC program via Skype with team members in Pennsylvania, Jamaica, and Florida. Her contribution to Jalawelo has been invaluable. She uses her clear problem-solving and project management skills to boost the level at which the whole team operates.
“This is not the easy approach. It is slow going. However, things are happening. I am hopeful. I am committed.”
The Power of Every Jamaican
Again and again, Diana has refused to allow distance to prevent her from making her mark on the island. She believes that, as diasporans, we have an opportunity and a responsibility to contribute to positive change in Jamaica. In addition to offering some financial support, many can also give of their time and talents to make a change. Furthermore, people can stay connected to Jamaicans back home to offer emotional support. In other words, every Jamaican can do something!
Diana loves the idea of making a concrete contribution to the lives of marginalized people in Jamaica. By working with Jalawelo, she has been able to do that very thing. Now, as Jalawelo continues to impact lives for the long haul, Diana has the privilege of knowing that she is a important part of this change.
If you want to join us in making a difference in Jamaica, please reach out.
To explore the types of volunteer opportunities available, visit our Get Involved page.
We’d love to have you be part of our Jalawelo family!