I constantly try to tell people, young Bahamians In particular that you don’t have to be some rich philanthropist in order to make a difference in the world. With World Humanitarian Day behind us I find that now more than ever we need to have more youth involvement, there needs to be a louder voice from this, our Bahamian Generation “Y”, an uprising of the free thinker so to say.

Where are our Change makers? Where are the young Bahamians that will stand up and say what is wrong and then in turn do what is undoubtedly right? Conversations with several locals led me to believe that they are hopeless about how young people fit into the scheme of things in Bahamian Society. Where are the young people that care for our Environment or our Economy or our Education system or just our country as a whole?

One might think that these young people don’t exist in The Bahamas but that would be a blatant disregard to the many youth organizations that never tire of their community service work and a slap in the face to the many Independent Young Activists such as myself that tirelessly contribute to the Future that we not only want but we desperately need. We do not need one specific day to go out and do good in the world but instead we should seek to constantly provide help for those that need it, information for those that want it, and hope for those that cannot find it.

I once looked around and tried to figure out where the Bahamian “Erin Schrode’s” or “Alec Loor’s” were but then I realized that we don’t need them. We have our very first Nevar Smith and our very first Olivia Curry and yes even our very own Nathaniel P. Lewis. The Point I’m trying to make is, Humanitarians come in many shapes and sizes and come from many different backgrounds but the one thing that makes us all united, the one thing that makes us all strong is the fact that we have a love for humanity.

So, when the time comes and you’re sitting down in a rocking chair next to a fire and telling your grandchildren about all of the wonderfully reckless things you did as a young adult what will be the first thing you say? Will you tell them about that one time you questioned the government because of something you knew deep down wasn’t right? Will you tell them about the time you contributed to the eradication of illiteracy in our Country? Or will you tell them about a frivolous trip to Vegas that you can’t fully disclose because we all know what happens there, stays there.

In this year 2012 and going into the New Year 2013 we should all take a vow to perform some act of humanitarianism, not because we have to, but because we care. I encourage every person out there to make their mark by doing something good. Be that one person in the crowd who will be able to smile and say “I was There”.

Ashleigh Rolle