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Who is your Tribe?

Over 3 years ago, I gave a graduation keynote speech, the theme of which was “the key to succeeding at life, academics, working, living, is to learn to adjust your sails as you navigate life’s ebbs and flows.”

We often have little control over the vicissitudes of life. They are as much a surety as the ebb and flow of the ocean and seas. What we do have control over, is our outlook and perspective, our narrative, and the strategies we cultivate to weather through the storms. We have but to face forward, adjust our sails and allow the storm to pass. In so doing, we will find that our strength increases, our tenacity is broadened, our self awareness is keener, our focus-laser sharp and our level of maturity-advanced in preparation for the next storm.

The Native Americans have 574 recognized tribes in the United States. I think they have the notion that human beings are social creatures figured out completely. The circumstances of our lives are impossible to tackle alone. We ALL need a tribe. Those who share in the values we hold most dear. Those who support us and bolster us against falls; those who anchor us in our strengths and nurture us through our shortcomings; those who celebrate us; those who elevate us and boost our egos, feeding our self-esteems with the good medicine of love, empathy, understanding and compassion. Who is your tribe?

I ask again, who is your tribe? What is a ‘tribe’? There are 574 native tribes in the US. Why? They are all Native American. But, your tribe has to have more in common with you than birthplace,, nationality, family lineage. Your “tribe” must “speak your “language,”share your worldview, share your values and possess the ability to appreciate, not tolerate you; be truly happy for you, not be in unhealthy, enviable competition with you, but, be truly happy and delighted at your genius and your accomplishments, because they are themselves, absolutely confident in their own. Who is your tribe? Take your time, arriving at the answer it is no easy task.

Published by: Local Lives, Global Voices

I, Chandra Young, ‘the moon that outshines the stars, was born in Kingston Jamaica to an Indian Father whose family migrated from India, and a mulatto mother, whose family, paternally and maternally, trace their history on the island to the 17th century sale of slaves, and slaves themselves. We migrated to the United States while I was a youngster. I later went on to graduate from The City College of New York, with a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science; then Yeshiva University’s Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, with a Jurisdoctor degree; and I am currently on hiatus from my doctoral studies in Law and Policy at Northeastern University. After graduating from law school, I successfully sat for both the Florida and New York Bars, and worked in both the Private and Public Sectors. Simultaneously, my role as mother and my passion for education pushed me into Academia, where I have lectured at colleges in the areas of Political Science, History, Business Law, Sociology, Pluralism and Diversity, Critical Thinking, Critical Academic Reading and English Composition. In these capacities, I have mentored inner city/urban college students, and have also served as Guardian Ad Litem to the Seminole County Courts, where I advocated on behalf of children of families in crisis. Being a scholar of Political Science in my collegiate years, I contributed my talents and passions towards championing of the rights of my fellow students, many of whom, like myself, were of Immigrant families. I was instrumental in a student movement that spearheaded a University-wide student boycott protesting tuition hikes in the City University system. The successful protest led to the shutdown of all the University’s colleges in every Borough, and got the attention of the media and politicians of the day. The result of the successful protest was a halt of any tuition increase for several fiscal terms. Today, the City University and State University systems are free to families earning less that $125,000.00, which include most urban, inner-city and immigrant students. While at City College, I was selected as a student ambassador contestant in the Ms. Jamaica-USA pageant, sponsored by the Jamaica Progressive League and the Honorable Una Clarke, the first Caribbean and Jamaican born woman to be elected to the legislature of the City of New York, and mother of United States Congresswoman Yvette Clark. A diligent advocate of affordable housing for New Yorkers, I was committed to the mission of realizing the American dream of home ownership for New Yorkers and I am the recipient of a Proclamation by the City Council of the City of New York, for my efforts in that regard. My dedication to the City of New York and immigrant communities, particularly those of Caribbean heritage, have been unwavering, and I was presented with the Marcus Garvey Award of Recognition by the New York based Jamaica National Movement, for service to Jamaicans and Caribbean people in the City of New York. I continued my passion of being a part of a mission to champion the rights of underprivileged and underrepresented persons in my recent milestone, the United States Peace Corps, where I dedicated 18 months of my life, away from home and family, to the people of Jamaica, as a Literacy Adviser and Community Developer. I am the mother of two children, a writer, blogger and poet. I always loved writing. As a child, I remember finding privacy and solace to write in my garage, where I could hide the written pages amongst the plethora of books our family stored there. I began blogging on my Facebook page and was encouraged by friends who enjoyed by posts, to start a blog. I officially started this blog during my Peace Corps Service, but it is certainly not limited to my service. In fact, it represents an amalgamation of thoughts expressed and lived through the direct and vicarious experiences that being a global citizen can provide. This blog is my way of building a bridge that connects our local lives experienced in our specific localities, with the global voices that unites us in the similar experiences, concerns, pains, passions, etc that joins us together as human beings in spite of geography. You there.......Me here. We....together in one world....one humanity.

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