Direct and aggressive racism isn’t an issue in Jamaica and Trinidad. However, subtle undertones of discrimination and disregard for human rights have been noted in the workplace. This stems from the fact that many Trinidadians and Jamaicans are unaware of their rights in the workplace. To compound matters, these Caribbean citizens are uneducated about means of redress when met with inhumane treatment. As such, campaign managers, Czevanique Heath , Janeé Sebright, Kiara Shields and Kian O’Connor have moved to launch campaign Nuff Respeck on Instagram.
This campaign was an avenue for the campaign managers to use their skills to give voice to a shared passion for social justice advocacy. Czevanique Heath is a graduate of the University of the West Indies with a BSc. in Marketing and Psychology. Janeé Sebright is a Trinidadian advocate for fair treatment in the workplace. Her move was to be a lighthouse for Trinidadians seeking redress for violation of their rights. Kian O’Connor and Kiara Shields are students of art and design and this was the perfect opportunity for them to hone their skills for a worthy cause.
@nuffrespeck
Nuff Respeck was launched on Monday, August 9, 2021 with the intention of raising awareness on covert discrimination and disregard for employees’ rights, wishes and feelings in the workplace. The campaign targets members of the Trinidadian and Jamaican workforce aged 20 – 25 years. Nuff Respeck moves to empower citizens to ask for respect, show respect, and to educate the target audience on laws protecting the employee. Within a week of launch, campaign Nuff Respeck has seen 15 organic followers and multiple likes on posts themed “Ask For It” and “Bet Yuh Neva Know Seh”.
Campaign Nuff Respeck moves to change the way the Jamaican and Trinidadian workforce perceive respect. The campaign launches in four phases:
– Phase 1: Raise awareness on laws protecting the employee
– Phase 2: Address managing unfair treatment
– Phase 3: Establishing personal boundaries in the workplace
– Phase 4: Respecting boundaries in the workplace
Nuff Respeck acknowledges that in many instances, Jamaicans and Trinidadians aren’t empowered to ask for things that contribute to their comfort in the workplace. Romar Muir, a psychoanalyst at Waystone Psychology weighs in on the matter noting that much of this attitude stems from these Caribbean states’ history of slavery. Today, members of this Caribbean state still struggle with the resulting
slave mindset. This mentality has been passed down through the generations and there are still instances of employees cowering at inhumane treatment from peers and superiors alike. During slavery, slaves felt they had no option but to bear abuse from slave masters. Their comfort and dignity were always secondary. There was no external party to come to their aide.
Today, though many employees are unaware, much of this has changed. Employees’ comfort and dignity are protected by the state from inhumane treatment. In Jamaica, institutions such as the Ministry of Justice and Jamaicans for Justice advocate for the rights of Jamaican citizens in the workplace. In fact, the Ministry of Justice is mandated to change laws for greater justice and to provide redress when rights are abused. Similarly, in Trinidad, the Labour Inspectorate Unit of the Ministry of Labour and Small Enterprise Development protects the rights of employers and employees.
The Nuff Respeck Campaign is a move to encourage a more peaceful and fair future for workforce members. As such, its bid for respect isn’t a lopsided approach. In breaking the chains of mental slavery, Nuff Respeck moves to nurture self-respect, high self-worth, and high self-esteem. This is with the belief that in being able to outline boundaries for self, members of these Caribbean states will be better able to show respect. The result, Nuff Respeck for all. If a fair and comfortable workplace appeals to you, join the movement. You can weigh in on the conversation by following the Nuff Respeck campaign on Instagram using the handle @nuffrespeck.
