Born in Montreal, Quebec, and raised in Jamaica from age six weeks until age 16, when I returned to Montreal to reside with my parents, my early worldview was influenced by Jamaica's motto “out of many, one people”. My experience at McGill was shaped in large part by this inclusive worldview.
My appreciation for differences in ideas, beliefs, traditions, goals, religious practices, abilities/disabilities, among others, was cemented through the opportunity to learn together with French, Japanese, Korean, Jewish, Russian, Muslim, European, Afro-Canadian and Caribbean classmates at McGill. The opportunity to engage in conversation with international students on campus sensitized me to world issues beyond Roddick Gates. Despite raging debates at times, we worked together, learned together, and, in so doing, helped each other overcome challenges.
Having the opportunity to meet, converse with, and foster friendships with students from a variety of diverse cultures and countries, socio-ethno-cultural backgrounds, gender identities and minority sexual orientation validated my worldview, including my belief in the inherently unique value of each human being. This experience was so enriching that it remains one of my most cherished memories of medical school.
Years later, I began to reflect on the underrepresentation of people who look like me at McGill and in the medical profession in general. I feel immense gratitude for the sacrifices of my ancestors and my inspiring mentors, who helped pave the way for me to access post-secondary education, including undergraduate and post-graduate medical education at McGill University.
I choose to invest time and energy to support McGill, inspired by the ongoing initiatives to improve outreach to historically underrepresented communities and to support student success.”
Likewise, I have aspired to do my part to encourage youths and my peers along my journey. Through effective advocacy and collaboration with allies in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences’ (FMHS) Social Accountability and Engagement Office, meaningful engagement with the University, FMHS, and the Faculty of Dental Medicine and Oral Health Sciences’ leadership, in collaboration with the Dr. Kenneth Melville McGill Black Faculty and Staff Caucus, and in partnership with community leaders, promising progress is underway.
I consider education an essential life support to which each person, regardless of age, socioeconomic status, cultural or religious background, gender identity, sexual orientation, physical or mental ability/disability ought to have access – a human right. This key driver of innovation is a powerful tool with potential to transform lives and uplift entire populations out of some of the most complex, chronic, global challenges – such as poverty, homelessness, and existing health disparities among historically underrepresented/marginalized communities.
To this end, I have welcomed every opportunity to help improve access to post-secondary studies at McGill – an institution renowned for excellence in higher learning – through fundraising to support scholarships, outreach, and mentorship of students.
I choose to invest time and energy to support access to McGill, which not only reinforced my worldview through my lived experience on campus, but also provided me with tangible support through summer research scholarships. I choose to invest time and energy to support McGill, knowing the opportunities it offers to transform lives – and society – for the better. I choose to invest time and energy to support McGill, inspired by the ongoing initiatives to improve outreach to historically underrepresented communities and to support student success.
And I choose to invest time and energy to support McGill because I treasure the gift of family, including my nuclear family, the cradle of which was created at McGill, where I met my spouse, oral and maxillofacial surgeon and Bahamas Ambassador to the Federative Republic of Brazil, H.E., Dr. Dexter Gregory Johnson, BSc’84, DDS’89, MD, FRCD(C), OMFS.
Thanks to McGill, “out of many, one people” has become my mantra for life, whether working to improve care of the elderly, leadership development for at-risk youths or socio-culturally responsive healthcare.
Giving back to improve the lives of others is not only gratifying but energizing, and our responsibility. Working together, we can make the world a better place. It is an honour, a privilege, and our duty to contribute.