A wise man , William Simms shared this keen insight about pioneers:
“Genius is the very eye of intellect and the wing of thought; it is always in advance of its time, and is the pioneer for the generation which it precedes.”
.
Well, this is a great description of a pioneering woman , named Felicia Persaud.
.
FELICIA PERSAUD, CEO
Hard Beat Communications, Inc
.
She migrated from Guyana to the US, and through her profession of journalism, she received deep insight into the myriad of challenges faced by immigrants. She has generously given of herself in getting vital information that has been making life changing implication for many.
.
Just consider this, she created ‘Immigration Korner,’ after she recognized the need by many Caribbean and other immigrants for correct information on the U.S. immigration laws. The column now appears in several papers including The Amsterdam News and The Haitian Times, in addition to its online home at: www.immigrationkorner.com.
.
The column has obtained rave reviews from many immigrants who submit dozens of questions weekly and Persaud’s knowledge on the issue is now sought consistently by many Caribbean radio and local cable television hosts.
.
She is a frequent guest on many of the Caribbean and Caribbean American, radio shows and has been quoted on the BBC, CNN, the New York Daily News, the Miami Herald and the Washington Post among other main stream newspapers.
.
Well, she is smart enough to know that codifying an issue into law has much sustaining power, so she has set out to ensure recognition of our Caribbean ancestry. She has promoted the introduction of legislation that would afford recognition of our Caribbean ancestry in future census. Here are four reasons you should care about the census.
· Census affects funding in your community
Census data directly affect how more than $300 billion per year in federal and state funding is allocated to communities for neighborhood improvements, public health, education, transportation and much more.
· Census affects your voice in Congress
Mandated by the U.S. Constitution, the census is also used to apportion seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and to redistrict state legislatures
· Census affects your representation in state and local government
Census data are used to define legislature districts, school district assignment areas and other important functional areas of government.
· Census informs your community’s decisions
The census is like a snapshot that helps define who we are as a nation. Data about changes in your community are crucial to many planning decisions, such as where to provide services for the elderly, where to build new roads and schools, or where to locate job training centers
.
It was my privilege to have a conversation with this pioneering woman.
Click to listen to her energy & wisdom.
.
.
