Why Our Dreams Sometimes Know Us Better Than We Do

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By Ron Cheong

News Americas, TORONTO, Canada, Tues. Dec. 9, 2205:  With Christmas fast approaching, thoughts inevitably turn to ‘A Christmas Carol,’  Charles Dickens’ timeless tale of Ebenezer Scrooge, a man so tightly wound that even his dreams staged an intervention.

Behind the ghosts, the moral uplift, and the supernatural theatrics lies something very down-to-earth: a man being forced to sit through the psychological cinema of his own unconscious. Scrooge didn’t get spirits – he got dreams with a production budget.

So, in the spirit of the season, we take a lighter look at the dream world Dickens so wisely tapped into, where forgotten memories, repressed feelings, and questionable late-night snacks all come together in a show that nobody bought tickets for.

The Nightly Movies No One Asked For

Whether we like it or not, we all operate a small, unregulated cinema in our heads. Every night the projector snaps on and we’re shown a private screening:

a thriller,

a romantic comedy (starring people we’d never cast),

or an anxiety-fuelled disaster film directed by leftover curry.

Sigmund Freud, Victorian psychology’s biggest Dickens fan, believed dreams were windows into the unconscious. And while many of his original theories have since been gently retired, one idea still resonates:

Still, the old idea lingers: our dreams often know things about us that our daytime selves politely ignore.
And thank heavens they do, because without dreams we’d have no idea what our minds get up to when left unsupervised. Dreams are basically the office Christmas party version of the mind: louder, stranger, and someone always ends up dancing with unresolved trauma.

Once consciousness clocks out for the night, the unconscious grabs the keys and announces:
“Right then. Time to unpack your emotional baggage. But let’s do it in costume.”

What follows is our cheerful, seasonal walk through the Dickensian theatre inside all of us—minus the ghosts, plus more questionable symbolism.

The Grocery-List Dreams: A.K.A. Brain Maintenance

Some dreams are incredibly practical:

the leg-cramp emergency broadcast,

the “where’s the toilet?” scavenger hunt,

and the famous “what demon possessed me to eat spicy food at midnight?” drama.

These are the Scrooge-before-redemption dreams: blunt, cranky, and strictly task-oriented.

The Universal Classics: Humanity’s Shared Embarrassments

Then come the classics:

falling,

flying,

showing up to work naked except for confidence you do not possess.

Dickens taught us that the human condition is universal. Dreams confirm this by reminding us that everyone, everywhere, occasionally imagines themselves accidentally attending a meeting in their underpants.

When Dreams Hit A Little Too Close To Home

Then there are those dreams -the sticky, symbolic ones where your childhood home, your boss, your ex, and a giraffe all merge into one confusing emotional metaphor.

These are the dreams that force you, over your morning coffee, to mutter:
“What exactly is my brain trying to tell me, and why did it choose interpretive chaos as the medium?”

Modern psychologists would say: because you ignored it during the day. Dreams are emotional customer service—and they work night shifts.

How Our Inner Scrooges Shape Our Dreams

Just like Dickens’ ghosts tailored their messages to Scrooge, our dreams reflect our personality styles – some gentle, some dramatic, some in full Broadway regalia.

1. The Well-Adjusted Dreamer: Christmas Spirit Lite

If you’re generally optimistic, your dreams tend to be more “gentle nudge” than “haunting.”

A dream of missing the train =
Pardon me, maybe lighten your schedule? Kind regards, Your Brain.

A forgotten exam =
A small reminder that you need a break. Warmly, The Subconscious.

These dreamers get the Ghost of Christmas Past with a cup of tea and a kindly tone.

2. The Timid or Anxious Dreamer: Christmas Drama Edition

For the worriers, the unconscious does not hold back.

Missing the train becomes:
THE ENTIRE RAILWAY NETWORK HAS COLLAPSED AND IT’S YOUR FAULT.

Forgetting the exam becomes:
You’re writing it in the wrong century, with the wrong people, in a towel.

These dreamers get all three Dickensian ghosts at once, each carrying a clipboard.

3. The Narcissist: A Full Scrooge-Before-Redemption Production

Meet “Victor” a modern Scrooge minus the self-awareness.

By day:
He radiates confidence, avoids introspection, and posts heroic quotes about misunderstood brilliance.

By night:
The unconscious stages symbolic catastrophes:

He wins awards – but no one claps.

He gives a grand speech – but his microphone dies.

He enters a room – but the room sighs.

These dreams aren’t punishing him – just giving his ego the performance review it refuses to schedule.

But like pre-conversion Scrooge, Victor wakes up annoyed and blames the bed, the pillow, or society at large.

How Dreams Smuggle In the Truth

Dreams use symbolism because it’s the only way the unconscious can slip difficult truths past security.

Annoyed with someone? They show up in your dream disguised as a hybrid of:

your boss,

your mother,

and someone who once cut you off in traffic.

Avoiding a problem? It shows up as a symbolic plot twist so bizarre even Dickens would say, “Alright, that’s a bit much.”

Everyone’s dream symbols are unique – a private dictionary the ghosts of past, present, and future all share.

Why Talking Helps (Scrooge Could Have Used Therapy)

Freud called it the “talking cure.”
Dickens called it “three supernatural visits and a moral reckoning.”

Whether through a therapist, a friend, or a long reflective walk, acknowledging what a dream hints at often provides the relief we didn’t know we needed.

Scrooge did it with ghosts.
We can do it with fewer nightgowns and less fog.

Final Word: Don’t Wait for Three Ghosts

Dreams don’t always hold grand revelations. Sometimes they’re just housekeeping. But they do highlight the parts of ourselves we ignore during daylight hours.

Well-adjusted people get gentle seasonal reminders.
Timid people get Dickensian drama.
Narcissists get full musical productions – though they rarely give them good reviews.

If there’s a lesson, it’s this:
Pay attention to your inner life now, so your dreams won’t have to stage a Christmas-themed intervention later.
Scrooge waited for ghosts.
You don’t have to.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Ron Cheong, born in Guyana, is a community activist and dedicated volunteer with an extensive international background in banking. Now residing in Toronto, Canada, he is a fellow of the Institute of Canadian Bankers and holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Toronto. His comments are his own and does not reflect those of News Americas or its parent company, ICN.

There It Is, The G-Word: An Exploration Of Gentrification, Memory, And The Unfinished Fight For Home

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By Nyan Reynolds

News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Tues. Dec. 9, 2025: There are certain words you avoid as a writer because they carry emotional landmines. You avoid them because they evoke old wounds, introduce political tension, or reveal uncomfortable truths that society is still not ready to confront. Gentrification has always been one of those words for me. I remained silent on it for years. I stayed away from debates that felt too charged or too politicized. I convinced myself that objectivity required restraint. Yet, there comes a moment in a writer’s life when silence becomes a betrayal of lived experience. Today is that moment. There it is, I finally said it. The G-word.

I grew up in inner-city America. Before that I grew up in Kingston, Jamaica where race was not the lens through which people experienced the world. My understanding of privilege and oppression was shaped by class structures and colonial residue, not by skin color. When I moved to the United States at the age of thirteen, the first place I lived at was the South Bronx. Simpson Street, Intervale Avenue, then Gun Hill Road, etc. These were not the glamorous symbols of the American dream. They were gritty and alive, tough yet communal, and they carried a pulse that outsiders rarely understood. If you were not from those neighborhoods, you stayed away. But for those who lived there, these places were home. They were the first chapters of my American story.

I remember my early visits to Harlem in 1999, long before its renaissance was mainstream, when 125th Street exploded with music, laughter, street art, food, and the distinct feeling of belonging. You could walk down Adam Clayton Powell Boulevard and feel the rhythm of a people who had created beauty from struggle. Harlem was a cultural mecca, a world within a world, a place that reflected the fullness of Black identity. To someone coming from Jamaica where racial tension was not embedded into everyday life, Harlem was powerful. It was bold. It was love wrapped inside resistance.

Over the last twenty years, however, the Harlem I knew has changed. So has the South Bronx. So has Brooklyn. So have dozens of communities across the United States. And the leading force behind that transformation is the very word I avoided: gentrification.

The First Lesson: What I Thought I Knew

When I started my graduate program in Public Health, I had a professor who altered the course of my worldview. Dr. Green, a white American woman with a fierce understanding of socioeconomic inequality, assigned a simple task. She asked us to write about whether gentrification was good or bad for minority communities. At the time, my argument was that it was good. I came from neighborhoods lacking resources. We did not have access to fresh groceries, quality schools, healthcare facilities, or safe recreational spaces. Businesses did not dare enter certain blocks of the South Bronx or East Harlem. When gentrification brought stores, transportation upgrades, and new buildings, it felt like an upgrade. It felt like the kind of revitalization every forgotten community deserved.

I wrote my paper with conviction. I believed my stance was morally sound. I believed improvement meant progress. And I will never forget the look Dr. Green gave me after reading it. It was not disgust. It was disappointment. She challenged the inadequacy of my position because I had missed the heart of the matter. I had overlooked the most critical element of gentrification: its human cost.

What she explained to me became the foundation of my evolving understanding. She showed me that gentrification is not merely about economic uplift. It is about the destruction of culture. It is about the erasure of history. It is about the displacement of families who have already survived decades of hardship, only to be forced out once the value of their neighborhoods becomes recognized. She taught me that revitalization without protection is not improvement. It is invasion. It is the theft of memory masked as progress.

Walking Through Harlem With New Eyes

Years later, as a more seasoned scholar and professional, I walked the streets of Harlem again. It was 2015, and I saw a very different landscape. On the West Side, near Frederick Douglass Boulevard, I saw Whole Foods, designer shops, trendy restaurants, and buildings with rent prices that rivaled Midtown. They were marketed as the new Harlem, the reimagined Harlem, the “finally improving” Harlem. But when you crossed east of Fifth Avenue, reality shifted. Suddenly it felt like a different world. It looked like the aftermath of a society that had given up on its people. It looked like abandonment.

East Harlem had become a shoebox in many ways, overcrowded and starved of opportunity. It was still plagued by drug use and homelessness, yet ironically, many of the homeless individuals you saw on the East Side were formerly housed West Side residents who were priced out of their homes. They were pushed across avenues and told to make do. They were casualties of an economic model that rewarded newcomers and punished the original custodians of the community.

It is here that the moral and societal implications of gentrification become unavoidable. If a new community can only flourish when the old one suffers, is that truly progress? And why has gentrification become such a zero-sum game? Why does someone have to lose their home for someone else to gain convenience? Why does someone’s cultural identity have to be erased for fancy coffee shops to appear?

This is not an argument for equal distribution of wealth. This is not an argument for everyone receiving the same opportunities in a capitalist society. The point is far deeper. It is about acknowledging that urban development without equity is simply modern displacement. It is repackaged inequality. It is the same injustice with a cleaner tone and a more polite vocabulary.

The Movie That Warned Us Before We Understood

There was a film I watched when I was younger, starring Laurence Fishburne, Cuba Gooding Jr., and Ice Cube. Fishburne played a professor who warned the younger characters about gentrification. At the time, none of us truly grasped what he meant. It sounded theoretical and distant, a concept belonging to policy analysts, not the average kid on the block. As children, we saw it as an academic idea, not a lived threat.

Years later, many of the kids who watched that movie saw their own families pushed out of their homes. Many saw their parents lose their property, not because they were financially irresponsible, but because the rules of the game shifted. New developers, new buyers, new price points, new language, new loopholes. And suddenly the people who had held their communities together through the drug epidemic of the 70s, the violence of the 80s, and the crippling hardships of the 90s were being told they did not belong in the very places they helped sustain.

Communities that survived poverty, racism, underfunded schools, disinvestment, police aggression, and systematic neglect were defeated not by drugs or violence, but by rising rent. They were defeated by an economic apparatus they never agreed to. They were defeated by valuation models that had nothing to do with their lived reality.

What happens to a community’s spirit when the last blow comes not from hostility but from “progress”? What happens when survival is no longer enough to stay?

A Question That Cuts To The Soul: Can These Communities Ever Heal?

A friend once asked me whether the people who lived through these eras could ever truly heal. It is a profound question. Healing is possible when harm is temporary, when the wound is localized, and when the environment eventually becomes safe again. But how do you heal from something that takes not your possessions but your place? How do you heal from losing your community, your roots, your cultural ecosystem, your memories? What do you do when survival is followed by displacement rather than relief?

People have survived the 70s slums, the 80s crack era, the 90s policing crisis, mass incarceration, unemployment, and urban decay. Many of those same people now face the emotional devastation of losing their homes to rising rent, legal manipulation, or private development. They survived decades of external threats only to lose their neighborhoods to a process disguised as improvement.

Healing requires acknowledgment. Healing requires truth. Healing requires inclusion. Yet in gentrified landscapes, the narrative rarely centers the displaced.

It centers property value.
It centers new businesses.
It centers rising tax revenue.
It centers the “new community.”

So where does the healing begin? And more importantly, who leads it?

The Moral Examination Of Gentrification

Gentrification is often framed as an economic phenomenon, but beneath the economics lies a moral crisis. It raises questions about justice, equity, and dignity. It forces us to confront who deserves stability and who is treated as replaceable. It exposes the cracks within urban planning, public policy, and political priorities.

At its core, gentrification represents a failure of policy and imagination. It exposes our inability to revitalize neighborhoods without sacrificing the people who built them. It shows how far we are willing to go to pursue growth, even when growth becomes synonymous with erasure.

We must ask whether revitalization is truly revitalization when it excludes the original residents from enjoying the benefits. We must ask whether it is progress when affordability becomes a relic of the past. And we must question why displacement has become an acceptable byproduct of development.

Where Do We Go From Here? A Future Beyond Zero-Sum Thinking

If we are willing to confront the truth, then we can also imagine a future that does not rely on displacement. A post-gentrification vision is possible. It requires leaders, policy makers, developers, and communities to rethink the fundamental principles of urban development.

A better model would include:

1. Affordable housing guarantees for original residents.
Long-term affordability must be protected through legal structures, not political promises.

2. Community land trusts and resident ownership.
When the community owns the land, displacement becomes optional, not inevitable.

3. Cultural preservation zones.
Protect the identity of neighborhoods in the same way historic districts are protected.

4. Equitable development frameworks.
Prioritize local hiring, local businesses, and generational wealth for long-time residents.

5. Mixed-income models that center dignity.
Housing should not segregate communities based on economic worthiness.

6. Public health analysis in development decisions.
Look at the psychological and social effects of displacement, not just economics.

7. Policy reform that places humanity at the center.
Cities should not become playgrounds for the wealthy at the expense of the poor.

Healing begins when people are no longer treated as collateral damage. Healing begins when development becomes inclusive rather than extractive. Healing begins when we stop believing displacement is the price of progress.

Final Thoughts: The G-Word And The Courage To Confront It

For years, I avoided speaking about gentrification. I thought neutrality was safer. Yet neutrality in the face of cultural loss is a quiet form of surrender. Gentrification is not simply a policy issue. It is not merely an economic trend. It is a human story, one filled with memory, identity, displacement, and unspoken grief.

Communities are not just geographical spaces. They are living archives of struggle and triumph. When they are erased, something irreplaceable disappears.

So here I am, no longer silent, finally naming it. Gentrification. The G-word that reshaped the communities I knew, the neighborhoods that raised me, and the places that shaped who I am today. We must explore it, question it, and challenge it, not with rage but with understanding. Not with despair but with vision. Not with resignation but with hope that the future does not have to mirror the past.

This is the real work of writers, leaders, and thinkers. To see what is broken, to understand why it matters, and to imagine what can be rebuilt.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Nyan Reynolds is a U.S. Army veteran and published author whose novels and cultural works draw from his Jamaican heritage, military service and life experiences. His writing blends storytelling, resilience and heritage to inspire readers.  

Veteran Gospel Artist Releases New Single Offering Hope To Jamaicans Affected By Hurricane Melissa

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News Americas, New York, Tues. Dec. 9, 2025: A veteran gospel artist has released his highly anticipated new single, “Breakthrough,” dedicating the uplifting track to Jamaicans recovering from the devastation of Hurricane Melissa.

Robert Bailey with sons Joel (left) and Renaldo. (PHOTO COURTESY OF MARIE BERBICK MINISTRIES INTERNATIONAL)

Described as an “anthem of hope,” the single is now available on all major streaming platforms. Jamaican Robert Bailey, says the song is a reminder that “no matter how dark the storm, a breakthrough always follows the struggle.”

BREAKTHROUGH

“Breakthrough” marks a vibrant new chapter for Bailey, whose music ministry spans more than 35 years, including his years as one half of the celebrated gospel duo Robert and Jenieve. Blending Afrobeats and reggae, the track features lyrics penned by Bailey and his wife, Reverend Marie Berbick-Bailey, and aims to resonate with listeners navigating hardship and uncertainty.

Although its message seems tailor-made for the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, Bailey revealed that the single was completed before the storm, with its release originally planned for the same week the hurricane hit Jamaica.

“My producer friend Leighton Murray encouraged me to get back into the studio, and ‘Breakthrough’ was the first fruit of that season,” Bailey explained. “But when I saw the devastation in Jamaica, I knew I had to dedicate it to my people. It’s a song to uplift, strengthen and remind us that God always carries us through.”

Bailey, who now resides in Queens, New York, said watching heartbreaking scenes from the island compelled him to offer the single as a source of healing. Still, he remains confident in Jamaica’s resilience.

“My heart broke, but I know my Jamaican people – proud, hardworking and strong. We will bounce back,” he said.

BROWNS TOWN BORN

Born in Browns Town, St. Ann, the same area where the father of former US VP Kamala Harris was born, Bailey grew up in a musically gifted Christian family and began performing widely as a teenager. After winning the Youth for Christ singing competition, he joined The Life Singers, managed by Dale Flynn. He later married fellow group member Jenieve Hibbert, daughter of reggae legend Toots Hibbert, and the pair achieved international gospel acclaim with hits such as Preacher Man, I Can Never Outlove the Lord and The Clay.

Despite their 2018 divorce, Bailey and Hibbert’s contributions remain foundational to contemporary Jamaican gospel music. Bailey has since returned to the studio and plans to release a full album in 2026.

“Breakthrough,” more upbeat than Bailey’s traditionally soulful style, signals an intentional evolution. Bailey credits his wife Reverend Berbick-Bailey – known as “The People’s Pastor”- for helping shape the song’s direction and melody.

“I’m blessed to have my wife walking with me through this new musical season,” Bailey said. “This song was birthed through faith and partnership.”

Robert Bailey and his wife Reverend Berbick-Bailey – known as “The People’s Pastor.” (PHOTO COURTESY OF MARIE BERBICK MINISTRIES INTERNATIONAL)

Bailey continues to perform across the United States and internationally, often alongside his sons Joel and Renaldo, whom he describes as “tremendously gifted singers.” He says balancing family, ministry and music has only strengthened his gratitude.

“I see the hand of God moving. I’m honored to share this journey with my family and to offer music that inspires hope,” he said.

“Breakthrough” is now streaming on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music and all major digital platforms. More information is available on Bailey’s social channels at RobertOBaileyMusic.

LISTEN to “Breakthrough” here

New Caribbean Music This Weekend: Dancehall, Soca, Dub & Conscious Vibes Drop Fresh Tracks

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By ET Editor

News Americas, New York, Fri. Dec. 5, 2025: It’s another big weekend for Caribbean music lovers as dancehall, reggae-rock, chutney soca, dub and afro-fusion artists roll out a wave of brand-new releases. Here are the new Caribbean music this weekend. From Notnice’s festive Christmas project to Mr Eazi’s dancehall mixtape teaser, GI’s 2026 soca fire, Gaudi’s genre-bending dub album, Orange Sky’s conscious anthem, and Pablo YG’s international collaboration.

Notnice Drops “Merry Christmas From Yaad” With Jah Vinci, D’Yani & More

Dancehall hitmaker Notnice serves up early holiday cheer with Merry Christmas from Yaad, a collaborative project featuring Jah Vinci, D’Yani and a lineup of rising voices. The producer, known for shaping modern dancehall’s emotional and melodic sound, brings a festive twist to the genre with smooth hooks, holiday-themed storytelling, and classic Jamaican rhythms.

Stream here: https://onerpm.link/MerryChristmasfromYaad

Mr Eazi Returns With Dancehall-Infused “Dance Pon Me”

Afrobeats star Mr Eazi leans deeper into the Caribbean on Dance Pon Me, the latest drop from his forthcoming dancehall-inspired mixtape with Mixpak Records.

Following his Popcaan-assisted smash “Sekkle & Bop,” Eazi teams up again with top-tier producers Dre Skull (Vybz Kartel, Burna Boy) and Cadenza (Jorja Smith, Beyoncé) for a breezy dembow-driven anthem. The result? A hypnotic, body-moving track that celebrates whining, diaspora joy, and dance-floor ease.

Stream: https://zaga.lnk.to/DancePonMe

Tanto Metro & Devonte Link With Yellostone For “Model Up”

Dancehall veterans Tanto Metro & Devonte return with “Model Up,” featuring Yellostone. The uptempo single channels the duo’s signature flirtatious energy and showcases how effortlessly they continue to bridge classic 90s dancehall charisma with today’s digital sound.

Stream: https://lnkfi.re/Tanto_Metro_x_Devonte-Model_Up_ft_Yellostone

GI Lights Up 2026 Chutney Soca Season With “My One Only (Fire Water)”

Trinidad’s multi-hyphenate artist GI returns just in time for early Carnival season with My One Only (Fire Water) — a warm, melodic 2026 chutney soca release crafted by a powerhouse production team. Recorded across Oneness Studios, BassLab, and Badjohn Republic, the track blends smooth vocals with irresistible rhythmic energy.

Stream: https://lnkfi.re/GI-My_One_Only

Gaudi Unveils “Jazz Gone Dub” – A Masterclass In Fusion

For dub and jazz enthusiasts, UK-based producer Gaudi delivers Jazz Gone Dub, a stunning four-year project bridging heavy dub atmospherics and improvisational jazz. Featuring legends like Sly & Robbie, Ernest Ranglin, Jah Wobble, David Hinds and more, the album stands as one of the year’s most ambitious Caribbean-influenced experimental works.

Stream: https://vpalmusic.ffm.to/jazzgonedub

Jahman & Amieyre Team Up On Smooth Caribbean R&B-Dancehall Blend “See Mi”

Virgin Islands artist Jahman teams up with singer Amieyre for “See Mi,” a polished, melodic fusion produced by Masai Harris under Splatter House Records. The track flows with a sensual groove, driven by island-infused R&B and clean vocal chemistry.

Stream: https://lnkfi.re/jahman-see_mi-feat_amieyre

Orange Sky’s Nigel Rojas Drops Afrobeat-Infused Conscious Single “Too Many”

Trinidad’s reggae-rock legend Nigel Rojas returns with an emotionally charged solo release, “Too Many.” Inspired by a moment of contrast between nature and global violence, the song blends Afrobeat rhythms with Rojas’ signature roots-rock storytelling. The track arrives ahead of Orange Sky’s 30th anniversary EP, coming April 2026.

Stream: https://allmylinks.com/orangesky

Pablo YG Links With Netflix’s “Supacell” Star UglyAndz For “Tek A Shot”

Dancehall rising star Pablo YG partners with London rapper and actor UglyAndz for “Tek A Shot,” a melodic dancehall track produced by YGF and Phantom Beatz. Recorded during Pablo’s first UK tour, the single highlights his global momentum – from Reggae Sumfest to viral international freestyle performances.

Stream: https://pabloyg.lnk.to/TekAShotSingle

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The Trump “Third World” Immigration Ban: Who Exactly Is He Targeting?

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By Felicia J. Persaud

News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. Dec. 5, 2025: Let’s talk about this new phrase Donald Trump has resurrected from the graveyard of outdated Cold War language and his new plan: The Trump “Third World” immigration ban.

A term the world has long abandoned for being racist, colonial and ignorant is now back in circulation – courtesy of the President of the United States – as he pushes a promise to “permanently pause migration from all Third World countries.”

But who is he talking about? Spoiler: It’s not Europe.

Demonstrators demand action to prevent Immigration and Customs Enforcement from detaining and disappearing thousands of migrants after the New Orleans City Council meeting is delayed in Louisiana, USA on December 4, 2025. Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino has moved hundreds of agents to Louisiana in the “Catahoula Crunch” sweep to detain and deport thousands of persons, following Donald Trump’s orders to deport a million undocumented immigrants by the end of the year. (Photo by John Rudoff/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Trump rolled out this latest scare tactic after the tragic shooting of two National Guard service members in Washington, D.C., allegedly by an Afghan immigrant, Rahmanullah Lakanwal – a man who, ironically, had once worked with the CIA, guarded U.S. forces at Kabul airport and risked his life as part of the U.S.-funded Kandahar Strike Force.

But nuance has never been the strong suit of an administration determined to paint every immigrant of color as a terrorist-in-waiting.

Within hours, Trump declared a full stop on immigration from “Third World countries,” while his appointees scrambled to produce policy to support his rhetoric.

USCIS quickly issued guidance authorizing officers to use “country-specific negative factors” when vetting immigrants from 19 so-called high-risk nations – all of them, by the way, non-white, non-European countries. They are: Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.

Not a single white-majority country made the list.
Imagine that.

USCIS Director Joseph Edlow claimed that former President Joe Biden, spent “four years dismantling basic vetting” – which is false on its face – and declared that Trump’s approach will now prioritize American lives.

Yet, here’s what’s missing from Trump’s angry declarations:

The suspect was already vetted – repeatedly – by the CIA and U.S. intelligence before being granted entry.
The U.S. recruited him.
The U.S. trained him.
The U.S. relied on him.
The U.S. brought him here.

But instead of questioning America’s own intelligence failures or the mental health toll of war – Trump is blaming 19 countries and millions of brown and Black people who had nothing to do with this shooting.

And while he was at it, the administration has announced it would pause reviewing all pending applications for green cards, citizenship, swearing in or asylum from immigrants from these 19 countries listed in a previous travel ban.

PLAN

The President also announced plans to:

End birthright citizenship,

End all federal benefits for noncitizens,

Re-examine thousands of existing green cards issued to immigrants from those 19 countries,

And suspend all Afghan immigration entirely.

The UN had to remind Trump – again – that the United States is party to the Refugee Convention and cannot just deport people into danger.

But Trump’s anti-immigrant rhetoric doesn’t stop at Afghans. Haitian immigrants are the next target.

This week, the administration moved to terminate Temporary Protected Status, (TPS), for over 500,000 Haitians, effective February 3, 2026.

These are people who have lived in the U.S. for over a decade, built families, raised American children, paid billions in taxes, and kept entire industries running.

REACTION

As Aline Gue, Executive Director of Haitian Women for Haitian Refugees, put it: “We are the backbone of entire industries… Our lives are here. Ending TPS threatens entire families and communities.”

She is right. Haiti is not safe. Not today. Not tomorrow. Not with kidnappings, mass rape, political terror, and gang rule. Sending Haitians back now is not policy – it is cruelty. But cruelty is the point. Whether Trump is threatening Afghans, Haitians, Venezuelans, Iranians, or Somalis, the message is the same: Brown and Black immigrants are the enemy. White ones are not.

That’s why white South Africans get prioritized refugee slots, but Haitians lose TPS. Afghan allies are suddenly “security threats,” but Europeans are “partners.”

Trump’s immigration agenda has never been about safety. It is about reshaping America’s demographics. And using tragedies – even before facts are known – to justify mass deportations and mass fear. Sadly, the many immigrants who helped him get elected are the ones whose families will now pay the price. I’m referring especially to the Haitians For Trump and the Cubans, Somalians, Venezuelans and other Hispanic immigrants who despite hearing the xenophobic rhetoric for years and seeing it in action in the first administration, voted for him.

Meanwhile, the truth is simple, as Jeremy McKinney of the American Immigration Lawyers Association noted: “Radicalization and mental illness don’t know nationality.”

But bigotry does. And it’s now being written into federal policy – country by country. Because when Trump says “Third World,” what he really means is: non-white. And when he says, “pause immigration,” what he really means is: punish immigrants of color.

When he says, “put Americans first,” what he really means is: return to a country that never actually existed.

As always, the people paying the highest price are the immigrants who have done everything right – and now live in fear that everything they’ve built can be taken away with the stroke of a pen.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Felicia J. Persaud is the founder and publisher of  NewsAmericasNow.com, the only daily newswire and digital platform dedicated exclusively to Caribbean Diaspora and Black immigrant news across the Americas.

Countdown On To Star-Studded Jamaica Strong Concert In New York

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News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Thurs. Dec. 4, 2025: As Jamaica continues to grapple with the widespread devastation left by Hurricane Melissa, some of the nation’s most celebrated artists are uniting for the Jamaica Strong concert, a major fundraising concert set for December 12th at the UBS Arena in Long Island, New York.

FLASHBACK – Jamaican reggae star Shaggy on the scene in Blackriver, Jamaica, handing out supplies after Hurricane Melissa devasted the area. (Jamaica gleaner image)

The benefit event is a collaboration between Irie Jam Radio, RoadBlock Radio, and Jammins Entertainment, and aims to raise at least $1 million for urgent relief and long-term recovery efforts.

“We want to use this star-studded event to raise a minimum of $1 million dedicated to immediate relief efforts for those most severely affected by Hurricane Melissa,” said Bobby Clarke, CEO of Irie Jam Radio, in an interview with Caribbean Today. “People are suffering right now, and we must respond with speed, accountability, and scale.”

A Powerful Lineup For A Critical Cause

The concert will feature performances from Grammy winners Sean Paul, Shaggy, and Inner Circle, along with a stacked roster of reggae, dancehall, and gospel talent including Kes, Ky-Mani Marley, Marcia Griffiths, Gramps Morgan, Richie Stephens, Aidonia, Chronic Law, Mikey Spice, I-Octane, T.O.K., Kevin Downwell, and Tessanne Chin, the Season 5 winner of The Voice.

Shaggy was the first artist to commit, said RoadBlock Radio’s Kacy Rankine, who co-founded the initiative with Clarke while both were aboard the Welcome To Jamrock Cruise in November. After witnessing the destruction across Jamaica, the two agreed that immediate action was needed. Rankine then tapped veteran booking agent George Crooks of Jammins Entertainment to help shape the lineup.

Long-Term Support Beyond The Concert

Clarke emphasized that “Jamaica Strong” is only the beginning. “We recognize that this devastation cannot be fixed overnight. It requires a sustained, organized, long-term effort,” he said. “That is why Jamaica Strong NY Inc. intends not only to produce this benefit concert but also to create a full three-to-five-year calendar of fundraising initiatives. Our mission is to support both urgent needs and long-term rebuilding efforts until our communities are stable, restored, and thriving again.”

Communities In Crisis

Hurricane Melissa, a powerful Category 5 storm that struck Jamaica on October 28th, devastated rural parishes, destroying infrastructure, homes, medical centers, and power lines. The storm caused 42 deaths and left hundreds homeless.

Artists across the reggae and dancehall landscape – including Spice, Buju Banton, Vybz Kartel, Wesrok, and Richie Stephens – have already begun mobilizing relief supplies for affected communities.

Shaggy has been particularly vocal about the ongoing challenges on the ground, urging the diaspora and international supporters not to underestimate the scale of the crisis.

Tickets

Tickets for the “Jamaica Strong” benefit concert are available at ubsarena.com. Net proceeds will go directly toward the Jamaica Official Hurricane Relief & Recovery Fund to provide shelter, resources and assistance to affected communities.

The AI Revolution And Least Developed Nations

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By Deodat Maharaj

News Americas, Gebze, Türkiye, Fri. Nov. 14, 2025: Artificial intelligence, (AI) and the AI revolution, is rapidly changing our world. It has helped a few companies in developed countries set record-breaking profits. This week, Nvidia, a leading US AI company, hit a market value of USD5 trillion. Nvidia, together with the other six technology companies known as the Magnificent Seven, reached a market capitalization of USD22 trillion. This value easily eclipses the combined GDP of the world’s 44 Least Developed Countries, (LDCs), Small Island Developing States and Landlocked Developing Countries.

These businesses continue to make massive investments in this transformational technology. Not only are investments being made in AI for the future, but benefits are also already being reaped as it accelerates global commerce and rapidly transforms markets. According to the World Economic Forum, AI is streamlining supply chains, optimizing production, and enabling data-driven trade decisions, giving companies a big competitive edge in global markets. Thus far, the beneficiaries have been those living in the developed world, and a few developing countries with high technological capacities, like India.

By and large, developing countries have lagged far behind this technological revolution. The world’s 44 LDCs and the Small Island Developing States are those that have been almost completely left out. According to UNCTAD, LDCs risk being excluded from the economic benefits or the AI revolution. Many LDCs and Small Island Developing States struggle with limited access to digital tools, relying on traditional methods for trade documentation, market analysis, and logistics. This is happening as others race ahead. This widening gap threatens to marginalize these countries in international trade and underscores the urgency of ensuring they can participate fully in the AI-driven global economy. AI holds transformative potential for developing countries across sectors critical to economic growth and trade. The World Bank has noted that in agriculture, AI-driven tools can improve crop yields, forecast market demand, and enhance supply chain efficiency. It can also strengthen food security and export earnings. In trade and logistics, AI can optimize operations, reduce transaction costs, and help local producers access new markets.

Beyond commercial applications, AI can bolster disaster preparedness, enabling governments and businesses to allocate resources efficiently and minimize losses. The use of AI can be a game changer in responding to massive natural disasters such as the one caused by Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica a few days ago. Despite these opportunities, the poorest and most vulnerable countries face significant hurdles in accessing and benefiting from AI. The International Telecommunications Union has noted that many countries lack reliable electricity, broadband connectivity, and computing resources, impeding the deployment of AI technologies. This is compounded by human capacity constraints and limited fiscal space to make the requisite investments.

Given this, what is the best way forward for the world’s poorest and most vulnerable countries? Firstly, policy and governance frameworks for leveraging AI for development transformation are urgently, and we can learn from others. For example, Rwanda, a leader in the field of using technology to drive transformation has developed a National Artificial Intelligence Policy. Another example is Trinidad and Tobago, which recently established a Ministry of Public Administration and Artificial Intelligence.

Secondly, capacity building, especially for policy leaders, is key. This must be augmented by making the requisite investments in universities and centers of excellence. Given the importance of low-cost and high-impact solutions, building partnerships with institutions in the global south is absolutely vital.

Finally, financing remains key. However, given the downward trends in overseas development assistance, accessing finance, especially grant and concessional resources from other sources will be important. Consequently, international financial institutions, especially the regional development banks, have a critical role to play. Since the countries themselves are shareholders, every effort should be made to establish special purpose windows of grants and concessional financing to help accelerate adoption of relevant, low-cost, relevant and high-impact AI technological solutions. In an adverse financing environment, achieving the above will be difficult. This is where Tech Diplomacy comes in and must be a central element of a country’s approach to foreign policy. This will be the subject of another piece.

In summary, AI is shaping and changing the world now. For the poorest and most vulnerable countries, all is not lost. With strategic investments, forward-looking and inclusive policies, and international cooperation via Tech Diplomacy, AI can become a powerful tool for their sustainable growth and development.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Deodat Maharaj is a national of Trinidad and Tobago and is presently the Managing Director of the United Nations Technology Bank for the Least Developed Countries. He can be contacted at: deodat.maharaj@un.org.

Vertières, With The V For Victory

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By Guillermo Barreto

News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Tues. Nov. 18, 2025: This year marks the 222nd anniversary of the Battle of Vertières. It took place on November 18 south of Le Cap, in what was then known as Saint Domingue. In that battle, which lasted five hours, Napoleon Bonaparte’s elite troops were defeated by battalions of former slaves led by Jean Jacques Dessalines, who consolidated the independence of what would henceforth be called Ayti or Haiti.

An infographic titled “1,247 killed in Haiti between July and September” created in Ankara, Turkiye on November 12, 2025. The United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) published its quarterly report on the Caribbean island nation, documenting 1,247 murders and 710 injuries between July and September. (Photo by Elif Acar/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Haiti is always mentioned in the media in connection with misfortune. The poorest nation in the hemisphere, famine, cholera, violence. What is not mentioned is the cause of poverty or famine or the cholera epidemic or violence, consequences of centuries of colonial and neocolonial domination. At this moment, the situation is particularly serious, especially in the capital Port-au-Prince and in the Artibonite Department. In fact, a series of heavily armed gangs have taken control of large areas, unleashing unprecedented violence that has claimed more than 5,000 lives this year and caused the internal displacement of more than 1.3 million Haitians to safer areas of the country. The situation of children is particularly alarming. According to reports from UNICEF, 680,000 children have been displaced from their homes, 300,000 have interrupted their studies, either because schools have been destroyed or are being used as shelters, and 288,544 children under the age of 5 are at risk of malnutrition. It is important to note that displacement places children in a vulnerable situation, including health risks due to poor hygiene in shelters, malnutrition, and even forced recruitment by armed gangs. A recent report by Catherine Russell, Executive Director of UNICEF, estimated that 30 to 50 percent of gang members were minors, who are used as messengers, kitchen workers, sex slaves, and even forced to participate in acts of armed violence.

It is important to note that these gangs have destroyed vital infrastructure, including 38 hospitals, six universities, and libraries, and have forced more than 1,000 schools to close. All of this, and the resulting demobilization of the population that this violence entails, calls into question the idea that these are simply conflicts between criminal gangs. These gangs regularly receive weapons and ammunition from the United States, and this action indicates a project that seeks to make the functioning of a nation unviable. But this attack on the Haitian nation is not recent. Haiti has been under siege by imperial powers since its independence.

The island of Haiti was invaded by Christopher Columbus on his first voyage in 1492, establishing the first European settlement in Our America. The entire island became a colony of the Castilian, then Spanish, empire. In 1697, the Treaty of Ryswick between France and Spain granted the western part of the island to France, henceforth to be called Saint Domingue. The island was rich in resources, and Europeans, in need of labor, brought in millions of Africans who were kidnapped and enslaved to work in mines, plantations, and estates. It would not be an exaggeration to say that it was this wealth that provided the economic basis for the development of imperial France. In 1789, the year of the Storming of the Bastille in Paris, the colony had 793 sugar plantations, 3,150 indigo plantations, 3,117 coffee plantations, 789 cotton-producing units, and 182 rum distilleries. With a population of 40,000 whites and 28,000 free mulattoes, production was sustained by the slave labor of 452,000 Africans and their descendants, who made up 86% of the total population.

Control of the colony was characterized by unimaginable cruelty. Rebellions took place from the very beginning of the conquest of the territory. I highlight here the ceremony of Boïs Caiman in 1791, when Dutty Boukman and the voodoo priestess Cecile Fatima managed to gather 200 slaves and, in a ceremonial cry, swore to fight for their freedom. That same year, a massive uprising began with the burning of plantations and the killing of settlers. It was Tousant L’Overture who managed to organize an army and defeat the occupiers, declaring freedom for all. L’Overture trusted revolutionary France with its ideals of Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity, but that same revolution betrayed him, and he ended up dying in a cold prison in eastern France.

France decided to send an expeditionary force of 84 ships with 25,000 soldiers to regain control of its most precious colony and placed a sinister character in command: Donatien Marie Joseph de Vimeur, Count of Rochambeau. In his novel Estela, Emeric Bergeaud describes him as follows: “his small stature, his angular features, his haughty gaze, which complement the approximate portrait of his moral ugliness.” Rochambeau committed atrocities from the moment he landed in Saint Domingue, including the use of dogs trained to hunt and kill. In a letter to his commander Ramel dated May 6, 1803, he writes: “I am sending you, my dear commander, a detachment of 50 men from the Cape National Guard, commanded by M. Bari; they are bringing 28 mastiffs. These reinforcements will also enable you to complete your operations. I will not let you ignore that you will not be paid any rations or expenses for feeding these dogs. You must give them blacks to eat.”

Rochambeau did not count on the determination of a people fighting for their freedom. L’Overture did not die in vain, and the flags he waved were taken up by Jean Jacques Dessalines, who led the resistance and heroically defeated the most powerful army in Europe at Vertières 222 years ago.

Dessalines assumed power as emperor, as Napoleon Bonaparte would do that same year. But unlike Napoleon, Dessalines promoted a constitution for a nation of free men and women. Slavery was abolished forever, freedom of worship was established, and divorce was permitted. Likewise, respect for the self-determination of peoples was established, without this preventing Dessalines from supporting revolutionaries such as Francisco de Miranda or, later, Alexandre Pétion and Simón Bolívar. The latter not only obtained ships, weapons, ammunition, and combatants. Bolívar obtained a political project from the Haitian revolution, and from there the Liberation Army would become a popular army that would end Spanish colonial rule from the Caribbean coast to the Andean highlands. Haiti was a beacon of light on the continent.

Today, when US imperial arrogance threatens the entire continent with its military power, we must remember that powerful imperial armies have been defeated time and again by the Caribbean peoples. The Battle of Vertières is a historical milestone that has been rendered invisible by hegemonic historiography. The Haitian feat must be studied, discussed, and understood. Haiti was a beacon of light that today succumbs to the interests of the Global North but carries within it the seed of rebellion, just as the Caribbean peoples who inherited that seed. Today, in the face of the military threat from the United States in the Caribbean, we remember the Battle of Vertières and what peoples are capable of when they are determined to decide their own destiny.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This article was produced by Globetrotter. Guillermo R Barreto is Venezuelan and holds a PhD in Science (Oxford University). Retired professor at Simón Bolívar University (Venezuela). He was Deputy Minister of Science and Technology, president of the National Science and Technology Fund, and Minister of Ecosocialism and Water (Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela). He is currently a researcher at the Tricontinental Institute for Social Research and a visiting collaborator at the Center for the Study of Social Transformations-IVIC.

Trump Slips Up And Tells The Truth: America Needs Immigrants

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By Felicia J. Persaud

News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. Nov. 21, 2025: Every now and then, the impossible happens. Water runs uphill. Pigs fly. And Donald J. Trump tells the truth.

Yes, you read that right. The man famous for “alternative facts” and creative truth-telling has done something few thought possible – he admitted a fact backed by evidence.

In a recent interview with Fox News’ Laura Ingraham, Trump acknowledged something that economists, CEOs, and anyone who’s ever tried to hire a qualified engineer already knows: there aren’t enough skilled workers in the U.S.

“You don’t have certain talents, and people have to learn,” Trump said. “You can’t just say a country is coming in, going to invest $10 billion to build a plant and take people off an unemployment line who haven’t worked in five years and they’re going to start making their missiles. It doesn’t work that way.”

Well, imagine that – Trump, the man who built a political brand on blaming immigrants for everything from job losses to border chaos, now admitting that America needs immigrant talent.

The $100,000 Visa Wall

Of course, this flash of honesty comes wrapped in contradiction. Just weeks earlier, Trump imposed a $100,000 one-time fee on H-1B visas – the very program designed to attract high-skilled foreign workers in fields like tech and engineering.

The result? A policy that economists say could “kneecap” American innovation. According to the National Bureau of Economic Research, startups with higher H-1B hiring rates are far more likely to go public, get acquired, or secure major patents and funding.

In fiscal 2024, nearly 400,000 H-1B visas were approved – double the number from 2020. And leaders like Elon Musk have long argued that these visas help keep the U.S. competitive globally. Yet, Trump’s fee ensures only billion-dollar corporations, not startups or universities, can afford them.

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick defended the fee at the time, saying, “If you have a very sophisticated engineer and you want to bring them in… then you can pay $100,000.” Easy to say when you’re not a small business owner trying to hire one.

Raiding The Future

Protesters demonstrate against anti-immigration raids while outside a closed Latino-owned bakery on November 18, 2025 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Some businesses have shut down in Charlotte, fearing federal agents will target their customers during the ongoing Operation Charlotte’s Web to detain undocumented immigrants in the city. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

Trump’s newfound appreciation for skilled immigrants also comes after his ICE agents raided a Hyundai factory in Georgia, detaining 475 workers like common criminals – most of them South Korean specialists building EV batteries.

The raid delayed production by months and infuriated South Korea and Hyundai’s leadership, which had just announced a $26 billion U.S. investment. Trump now admits the move may have gone too far.

“You know, making batteries is very complicated,” he told Ingraham. “They had like 500 or 600 people, early stages, to make batteries and to teach people how to do it. Well, they wanted them to get out of the country. You’re going to need that, Laura.”

So, after deporting the very workers teaching Americans how to build the clean energy technology of the future, Trump now realizes – oops – maybe we actually need them.

The Truth He Can’t Escape

For once, Trump has stumbled into reality: the U.S. simply doesn’t have enough engineers, scientists, and skilled tradespeople to meet demand. Immigrants fill those gaps – and have for generations.

But here’s the kicker – while Trump admits the truth about America’s talent shortage, he’s still enforcing policies that make it harder for those very workers to come, stay, or succeed.

Economists at the National Foundation for American Policy estimate that his immigration agenda would cut the U.S. workforce by 15.7 million people and shrink GDP growth by one-third over the next decade. In other words, “America First” is starting to look a lot like “America Left Behind.”

So yes, Donald Trump finally told the truth – but like so many times before, he’s standing in the way of it.

Felicia J. Persaud is the founder and publisher of NewsAmericasNow.com, the only daily newswire and digital platform dedicated exclusively to Caribbean Diaspora and Black immigrant news across the Americas.

10 Keys To Transformative Leadership

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By Dr. Isaac Newton & Olivia Lindsay

News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Mon. Nov. 24, 2205: Leadership is less a rank and more a moral architecture, a set of habits, priorities, and choices that shape institutions, cultures, and lives. Whether you are stepping into your first formal leadership role or have decades of stewardship behind you, the same essentials govern influence that endures. These ten keys are ordered not by novelty but by the values that sustain effectiveness and the performance that follows. They blend timeless wisdom with practical lessons drawn from advising governments, leading enterprises, and cultivating human potential across diverse contexts.

Use this list as a compass. Let it correct your course when tides rise and keep you steady when applause fades.

1. The Power of Asking
Great leaders move the world by opening mouths as often as they open doors. Asking is an act of agency and humility. It mobilizes resources, secures partnerships, and signals confidence in others. Ask strategically for help, for bold commitments, for the impossible. When you lean on this principle, opportunities stop being distant and begin to assemble around you.

2. The Strength of the Circle
Leadership is never a solo sport. Your inner circle is your operating system: loyal, wise, candid, and discreet. Invest in people who correct you, celebrate you, and expand your reach. Where strategy meets synergy, execution becomes inevitable.

3. The Impact of Integrity
Trust is the currency of lasting influence. Integrity is not a tactic; it is the soil in which reputation grows. Make truth your default posture, especially when silence or spin would be easier. The leader who pays this price earns loyalty that outlasts titles and withstands storms.

4. The Courage to Decide
Decisions create direction. The paralysis of over analysis steals momentum and morale. Weigh wisely, seek counsel, then decide with resolve. Even imperfect decisions are preferable to indecision, for they invite correction, learning, and forward motion.

5. The Duty of Leverage
Every platform, meeting, and acquaintance is a seedbed for mutual uplift. Leverage is not exploitation; it is stewardship, using your access to create returns for your people and multiply impact. Treat each opportunity like an investment in collective destiny.

6. The Balance of Reward
Discipline and delayed gratification are virtues, but joy fuels persistence. Reward your teams and yourself in ways that sustain morale today and secure the future tomorrow. A leader who neglects both risks burnout and the erosion of loyalty.

7. The Joy of Mentorship
Mentorship is leadership’s force multiplier. Teaching others to lead multiplies your influence and ensures continuity. Build apprenticeship into your culture. Your legacy will be measured less by what you build than by who you raise.

8. The Art of Common Ground
Progress is made where bridges are built, not where walls are fortified. Seek the overlap between competing visions and translate difference into shared purpose. Leaders who find common ground win the long negotiations that change systems.

9. The Strength of Struggle
Adversity is the crucible of character. The leader who avoids struggle often evades growth. Reframe hardship: it is not punishment but refinement. Let trials teach endurance, clarity, and humility.

10. The Value of Family
All leadership is ultimately relational. Family, whether biological, chosen, or communal, is the anchor that steadies vocation. Protect it, prioritize it, and let it remind you that the worthiest measures of success are human and not merely institutional.

How These Keys Fit Together

Values such as integrity, family, and mentorship form the foundation. Effectiveness expressed through asking, building circles, and leveraging opportunity is the engine. Performance revealed in decisions, rewards, struggles, and finding common ground is the outcome. The three exist in a living cycle: values shape effectiveness, effectiveness drives performance, and performance tests values. Make this cycle intentional and watch influence convert into lasting transformation.

A Short Practical Regimen
        1.      Ask for one bold meeting or resource this week.
        2.      Check in with your inner circle through one direct, honest conversation.
        3.      Make one decision you have been deferring.
        4.      Mentor or be mentored for thirty minutes.
        5.      Give one immediate, meaningful reward to someone on your team.

Five small acts, compounded over time, can change entire organizations.

A Leader’s Charge

Whether young in experience or seasoned in leadership, remember this. Leadership is both a gift and a stewardship. You will be measured by the causes you champion and the people you empower. Choose the long road of integrity over the short road of convenience. Ask boldly. Build faithfully. Decide with courage. Love your people and return to them the dignity leadership borrows.

History rewards those who pair vision with humility and strategy with conscience. If you carry these keys into your daily work, you will not only lead institutions but also transform lives. Let wisdom be your wealth, and let service be your signature.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Dr. Isaac Newton is a strategist and scholar trained at Harvard, Princeton, and Columbia. He advises governments and international institutions on governance, transformation, and global justice, helping nations and organizations turn vision into sustainable progress.

Olivia Lindsay is an entrepreneur and leadership strategist with over fifteen years of experience in marketing, business development, and strategic planning. She is the founder of 876 On the Go, a technology-driven logistics company, and a Justice of the Peace. Olivia holds degrees in Management Studies and Strategic Planning and is completing her Ph.D. in Business Administration.

Together, they champion a model of leadership where integrity meets innovation and influence serves the greater good.