My Life in Dela Vega City, Spanish Town
Tristan’s Perspective: Life in Dela Vega City and the Impact of the Young Adult Circle Program
My name is Lamont Cooper, but everyone calls me Tristan. I'm 23 years old and I live in a community called Dela Vega City. I live with my mother, and my grandparents. I have three siblings: two brothers and one sister. My younger brother is Tyreese , my baby brother is Julian, and my baby sister is Kaylia. I'm the oldest in the family. My hobbies are listening to music, playing games, and watching movies and TV shows.
Young Adult Circle (YAC) Changed My Life
As a kid, I didn’t have many friends growing up because I was very awkward and antisocial. I didn’t know how to adjust myself or start a conversation with others. Every time they asked me If I want to hang out, I always said no.
I’ve been like that from childhood to almost adulthood. One day one of my grandparent’s next door neighbor, Erica, talked to me about the Young Adult Circle (YAC) program for young adults. So, I took her advice and joined the program.
The first time I joined I thought I wasn’t going to make any friends. However, when we started to go meetups, play games, have discussions and host events for the community, we started to grow a special bond. We always looked out for each other. To me, the YAC is more than just individuals working together. We are a family and I’m truly grateful to be a part of the family.
Crime and my Community
Crime has always been the main problem not only in Dela Vega City but in other communities in Jamaica. Often times you will hear about gang war activities, women getting raped, and gunmen firing gunshots both day and night. It had gotten so bad that people would have to stay indoors because they were too afraid to come outside. It was a nightmare for everyone.
Until one day, the government and the prime minister came up with the solution to stop the crime. They started an operation called Zones of Special Operations, otherwise known as ZOSO. They deployed the army and the special forces in troubled communities. At first, people weren't happy about it because they thought it wouldn't make any difference. However, after weeks had gone by, we did not hear about anyone getting raped or killed. From that time, crime stopped and people felt a lot more safe and secure.
Hopes, Dreams, and Work
I always said to myself after I finished high school I want to work in an environment where I would not just to earn money but gain experience and knowledge. However, I couldn’t decide which job I would like to do because I didn’t have any skills or unique qualities that can get me on the right path. Because of the lack of job opportunities in the country, young adults who finish school/college end up struggling to find a good job. Some manage to get jobs but some don’t and it leads them to smoke, drink, and join criminal gangs. Fortunately for me, I didn’t choose that path and luckily Jalawelo was there. Thanks to them, I was able to work. I did a summer job last August and I now have the skills, knowledge, and experience of what it is like to be in the working world.
God Still Does Miracles
When I was a child, my grandmother would take me and my brother to church every Sunday morning to pray and give thanks to God. My grandma, my brother, and I would sit and listen to the pastor preaching about God, how He is amazing, and how He gave His own life for us so that we can live to show kindness and love to one another.
I didn’t believe in God or miracles back then until my grandma told me that there is a God among us and if I believed and put my trust in Him, good things will happen. I remember the time when my brother and I were sick with a cold and my mother gave us cold and flu medicine to get better, but it didn’t work. Then, at our bedtime she prayed, asking God to make us feel better and by the next morning we felt much better. From that moment I believed that God did exist and miracles will happen if you truly believe.
My Dream for my Community
One of my main goals is to make Dela Vega City a safe and working environment for young adults to showcase their talents, and to make people in other communities and the world know that Dela Vega has a story that needs to be told aside from the violence that has been going on in the past week. This community has the potential to do something great and if we all work together that dream can become a reality.
Guest Blogger: Lamont Cooper (Tristan), Young Adult Circle (YAC) Member, 2018-2019.