Notes on Spatial Planning, Indigeneity, and Resilient Futures: A Radical Reimagining

Editor's Note: The following is a combination of auto-transcribed voice recordings and handwritten notes in preparation for my presentation at the Caribbean Development Bank's YOUTH FIRE Forum at the 54th Annual Governor's Meeting in Ottowa, Canada - June 19, 2024. True to the intended style of this section, I have chosen to leave them unedited, hence occasional break in flow, repetitions, unfinished thoughts and grammatical errors. The conversation was thoughtfully moderated by Teocah Dove - Social Innovator, Development Strategist and  Chief Social Innovation and Strategy Officer, Hacoet Social Innovation Solutions. The conversation was so enriching and contemplative that we ran out of time before covering some of the points that excited me most. So Im sharing them here, along with the link ot the conversation when it becomes available..

Yesterday, I had the privilege of listening to the forum titled "Haiti Now Development Priorities and Interventions." The panel discussed what resilience looks like in the Haitian context and the wider Caribbean, especially regarding climate change and other emergent issues. The insights shared were striking and profoundly thought-provoking.

One particular statement by Barbados Ambassador to CARICOM, Mr. David Comission, resonated with me. 

He said, "Resilience defines Caribbean people." 

This idea struck a chord because it encapsulates the strength and pride we see in ourselves, our families, and our communities. 

It is woven into our history and culture. Resilience is indeed a powerful defining trait of the Caribbean spirit. 

And in the context of indigeneity, the question of Resilience is always factored into the discussion. In fact today it seems more urgent than ever. 

And generally , as offered by the panel yesterday, resilience involves the ability to survive …and most often catastrophic situations. 

This brings to mind our history of slavery, post-colonial struggles, and the having to withstand persistent challenges posed by our disaster-prone geography. Our resilience has allowed us to endure and survive these adversities, demonstrating an incredible strength of spirit.

However, while this survival instinct is empowering, it also stirs my curiosity. 

About whether or not Being defined by this perspective of resilience can seem ultimately passive. To be resilient often means to react to hardship, to be shaped by events beyond our control. 

This passivity, while showcasing our strength, suggests we are always in response mode—defined by an "afterwards," a reaction. And it brings to mind the question of whether or not we are limiting our access to potential opportunities and innovations by a predominantly reactive rather than active and initiative approach to resilience. 

And also whether as a region that has for so long been defined by resilience, do we have the experience and licence to now re-define resilience for ourselves.

Something else to note is that our self-image as a region also involves courage… resilience requires courage. The courage to face adversity and to recover from it. 

To me this courage provides a pivot point. Whereby After having donne enough time being  defined by resilience, how much that might qualifies us to now turn around a re-define resilience.  , do we now have the history, track record, capacity, and courage to redefine resilience? 

Can we transition from a passive/reactive state to an active one and redefine resilience on our own terms?

To me this redefinition is not a game of semantic; it could represent a shift from a passive to an active condition. 

Innovation plays a crucial role here. Innovation should be seen not only as a tool for fixing problems but also for building, pioneering and leading. You use Innovation to satisfy curiosity, follow inspiration and also to build wealth. 

This is something else that was mentioned in one of yesterday’s talks. Paul Barnaby (PB) Scott who did the key note at the William Demars Memorial Lecture (Economic Therapy for a Frustrated Regionalist) said something that I think should go on a T-shirt. 

He said ‘’We are a region that is very proud (And of course he was talking about being Jamaican) …but being proud doesn’t make you wealthy.‘’

So I like this because it involves thinking about a resilient community as not just a survivor but a beneficiary. 

And it also connotes a community that is defined as innovative, and courageous…and in as much as we have demonstrated resilience, we also demonstrate innovation and courage. 

And people who are innovative and courageous can use use a crisis or a catastrophe as a catalyst to not just survive but to drive radical development and even build wealth…. 

And Radical is also a word that has formed a part ouf our identity and history. 

So being innovative, courageous, radical and resilient can also create wealth.  And I think this is a good way to think about resilient futures. 

……

So Imagination is at the heart of this transformation. Often, imagination is seen as something fantastical, beyond human reach. But is IMAGE is at the root of imagination, then fundamentally, imagination is about vision—about what we see and how we see ourselves. 

To imagine is to look at the world with fresh eyes. To reimagine is to look again, to see new possibilities where we previously saw none.

This act of looking again is radical. It opens up the possibility of seeing something we looked at before,...and what what makes this radical is that we should then be compelled to act on these new insights. Which means to invite the possibility of failure.  

So could it be the fear of failure at the heart of some of what the Caribbean is struggling with? 

Yes there is lack of capacity and other vulnerabilities but actually those are often the driving factors of innovation. 

I see it in the creative sector, often when people are afraid to create it’s a fear of failure more than lack of capability. 

In the context of resilience, re-imagining means seeing ourselves not as mere survivors but as initiators and leaders.

So, in taking this idea of re-imagining being, re-looking, and re-seeing even further, I find myself applying the same consideration to the idea of indigeneity—Caribbean indigeneity in particular. So the caribbean not just as a unique people but a unique space. 

This is something I have been exploring globally and throughout Caribbean history to find deeper understanding, clarify my own misunderstandings, and hopefully gain new perspectives. 

This re-imagining is crucial for optimizing our relationship with the caribbean as a space…one that can be highly resilient by being highly productive and produce wealth…and how we think about spatial planning is all aspects, and how that can contribute to resilience….and this of course is a design function rooted in innovation. 

Effective innovation and design require us to define, redefine, and identify clearly. Must be willing to Expand our perspective 

So rethinking Indigeneity could add integrity and inclusivity to our collective development process, allowing us to arrive at nuanced and reflective solutions to the emergent issues. This ultimately enhances our efforts to define and design a resilient future. 

allowing us to arrive at nuanced and reflective solutions to the emergent issues like climate change, economic challenges, and social challenges.

Let us consider two understandings of indigeneity: classical and contemporary. The classical view is rooted in historical and colonial frameworks, depicting indigeneity through essentialism and cultural purity. It focuses on first peoples and practices, often romanticized and static. This view was used to justify marginalization and lacked recognition of indigenous rights, which were often violated.

In contrast, contemporary indigeneity is not static but embraces a dynamic, fluid, and self-determined perspective. It recognizes the evolving nature of identity, self-identification, and agency. It acknowledges and makes space for diversity and cultural revitalization, promoting sovereignty and active positioning.

Adopting a contemporary understanding of indigeneity, a re-imagining that is radical, enhances cultural appreciation and identity. It promotes social justice and supports sustainable development, rooted in self-determination, adaptability, intersectionality, and innovation.

For example, consider mixed heritage as indigenous to the Caribbean, recognizing the intersectionality and evolving nature of identities. Indigenous identity, fluid and evolving, holds potential for innovation and pioneering beyond mere survival. Honeychurch's "In the Forest of Freedom" illustrates this fluidity through the Kalinago, who created a multicultural identity by assimilating survivors of various backgrounds.

Another example is the Rastafari movement, an indigenous belief system born in the Caribbean, not as a response to catastrophe, but as an inspiration-driven, radical, and new initiative. Rastafari redefined the Caribbean, demonstrating that we are creators of globally impactful movements, not just survivors.

Innovation is multifunctional, extending beyond technology to ideology. And you can have a innovative identity. We can innovate in belief systems, social structures, language, and education. 

Quick note - the last Bob Marley Movie, ‘’One Love’’ made something like $101.1 million worldwide after only 10 days in theaters …and the only reason hat movie could exists is because of the resilient, innovative, courageous spirit that is caribbean people 

And I wonder whether Every aspect of Caribbean identity can be used to create this kind of wealth and productivity that actually serves us and creates a resilient future…

…..

Now, I want to share a space of innovation that has particularly fascinated me: transit and transportation. This interest emerged from my research into spatial organization. 

Optimizing transportation is a key function of effectively organizing space 

It’s not just about positioning physical materials or people, but also managing their dynamic movement within evolving cultural and economic climates.

As industrialization, globalization, and other emergent forces reshape our society, we must rethink how we support people’s movement within our region. 

So I’m really happy that BP Scott touched on this in his talk. Because he mentioned free movement of people as a means of combating issues with scale and capacity. 

This is knocking on the door of innovation. It’s an opportunity to use our radical, courageous nature to come up with ways to fortify our communities and design a wealthy, expansive future.

Inter-regional and domestic transportation are critical. Moving between countries or within a country efficiently is essential for economic, social, and cultural vitality.

Currently, moving between Caribbean countries is costly and inconvenient. The routes we use for air travel don’t always reflect desired movements. Yes, we see increased movement during Carnival season, but our needs go beyond that. People want to move for work, expand relationships and networks, educate, produce new products and form innovative business structures but limited free movement is a hindrance to all of that. Of course digital technology is an obvious answer to this but it’s also one dimensional. 

It lacks the added opportunities that  in-person experiences can add to our productivity, and social cohesion. 

Imagine if someone wanted to learn Spanish by visiting multiple Spanish Speaking islands over a period of a year or a few months… it would be very challenging… language learning apps are . effective but don’t replace immersion

Domestically, many Caribbean nations face issues like congested roads that haven’t expanded to support growing populations and increased importation of private vehicles. Insufficient public transportation systems exacerbate this problem, 

as seen in my home country, St. Kitts. There, single carriage roads and a lack of national bus services lead to congestion and limited mobility.

This impacts productivity and social cohesion. For example, nightlife and social spaces are not well-served by public transport, forcing people to rely on cars or taxis. This restricts access and can hinder economic and social opportunities.

There are many opportunities that can arise from optimizing free movement ….Scott spoke primarily about re-thinking policies around manufacturing, he also mentioned civil aviation and customs, which is right in line with transportation and free movement… 

In recent  similar talks to this, the question has come up among colleagues about how Tourism as a main occupation for the region factors into all of this and what ways we can begin to re-look at what possible opportunities are there to support free movement…the way that many tourists who visit the region often visit multiple Caribbean islands via cruise ships more affordably than one can travel within the region. Perhaps there are ways to reimagine our relationship with cruise tourism, where we are more active than passive. Where we can take advantage of already existing routes and infrastructure and adjust policy, culture and practice to optimize the way we transit the region. 

Even domestically, there may be opportunities we’re looking at but not seeing. In St. Kitts, for instance, there exists a train line that almost circulates the island but is only used for sight-seeing (tourism) …not to optimize local productivity and ease of movement. 

An optimized transit system Or to echo Mr Scott, Free movement…boosts productivity and social cohesion, enhancing resilience. Reliable, affordable, and safe transportation expands opportunities for work, education, cultural exchange, and social relationships.

 For example, imagine learning Spanish by visiting every Spanish-speaking Caribbean country or starting a business requiring frequent travel between islands.

Do our current economic, social, and political structures support such endeavors? 

Can we create an inter-regional transportation system that is efficient and environmentally sustainable? 

Rethinking spatial organization and transportation can make the Caribbean more productive and resilient.

To conclude, I urge all of us to embrace this proactive and visionary approach to resilience rather than survivalist.

Let’s redefine what it means to be resilient in the Caribbean.

Let’s be the pioneers of progress and the creators of new possibilities. By doing so, we will not only survive but thrive, leading our region to a future of unprecedented potential.