DEN HAAG- ‘Mag ik hier zijn?’ was the poignant question at the heart of the event ‘Empowering my Caribbean Identity’ organized by Stichting WeConnect. The educational foundation brought together around 50 Caribbean students in The Hague on June 28 to discuss racism, discrimination, and feelings of exclusion. The event fostered an open dialogue where participants showed vulnerability and strength.

The question ‘Mag ik hier zijn?’ was part of a sketch created and performed by two WeConnect staff members. They posed the thought-provoking question, ‘Do they see me or just my color?’ to the attentive audience. Many young people shared their often extremely painful experiences, such as being questioned about their loyalty to the Netherlands during a job interview, not being taken seriously as a doctor because they are from Curaçao, and always having an empty seat next to them on the bus even when others have to stand.

Durwin Lynch, a lecturer and master coordinator in Health Science at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, led the substantive part of the event. He encouraged the students to discuss moments when they felt strong or not. “Embrace yourself,” he urged, encouraging authenticity. “We wanted to strengthen that resilience by providing a safe environment for the young people to speak out. It’s beautiful and moving to see how they do that,” explained WeConnect manager Tanja Fraai.

Rabin Baldewsingh, the National Coordinator against Discrimination and Racism since 2021, was one of the attendees. He shared that his name also appeared on the infamous lists of the Dutch tax authorities related to the childcare benefits scandal. When asked for a concrete action point to support these Caribbean students, he suggested, “It would be great if the Dutch government worked on forgiving student debts.” This suggestion received loud applause.

Commemoration year

Representing the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations, Director-General Roald Lapperre attended in person and was impressed by the stories shared. This meeting was part of the commemoration year that focused on the abolition of slavery. Various activities were organized both in the Netherlands and in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom. This commemoration year will conclude on July 1, with the celebration of Keti Koti.