Tenika, Emancipation queen from Techier

As Tenika Griffith grew up in Techier Village, Point Fortin, socialising with everyone was second nature.

But, in Griffith’s opinion, the village is not as close-knit as it used to be.

The effect? Griffith said there has been a rise in teenage delinquency, but she is not sitting by and watching it happen.
“Now, the younger community members are not as close knit with each other.

“It would have been much different when I was growing up,” said Griffith, 23, in an interview with Sunday Newsday.

During this year’s Emancipation Day celebrations on August 1, Griffith won the inaugural Point Fortin Borough Corporation Emancipation Queen Pageant.

“I like to get myself involved in organisations and events that can help me further advocate for the causes I am passionate about,” she said.

Griffith’s participation in the pageant was part of her drive to elevate the profile of Techier Village.

Winning now raises Griffith’s own profile as a community ambassador and she hopes it can make her a model example for youths.

But, in addition to her current volunteer efforts, she hopes the win can also provide her with the opportunity to collaborate with organisations, at different levels, to promote holistic youth development.

“I liked working with young people. I have come to realise they tend to relate more to people who are closer to their age bracket.”

Griffith’s passion for community development started in 2010 when she joined the Progressive Youths volunteer group.
Based in Point Fortin, the group aims to engage youths in productive activity during their free time and, over the years, has hosted events like community and beach cleanups, Easter treasure hunts and sporting activities.

“For me, volunteering all comes back to being able to give back to my community. My hope for Techier is for the community to get back that close-knit feeling we once had.”

Outside of the Progressive Youths group, Griffith has worked for the now discontinued Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs youth summer camps, volunteered for the Ministry of Education’s “EduVans” initiative and is an active member of the Techier Village Council. Through her extensive volunteer work, Griffith has been able to speak to youths about prominent social issues and notes the messages are often well received.

Griffith, a customer service representative for ReMaia Co Ltd, holds a bachelor’s degree in geography from UWI, St Augustine.

Griffith’s passion for geography was no mistake and is well aligned with her interest in community development.

She explained that geography is not only limited to learning about the natural environment but in studying the subject area, one learns about political structures, human development, and socio-economic/environmental issues. “A misconception about geography is that it is something that only focuses on the physical aspects of our Earth.

“But the field also explores human life and the way we live. Being someone who is interested in community development, I think geography is fitting to my goal.”

With the importance of learning and gaining real-life experience, a central theme when Griffith interacts with youths in her village, it was no surprise she accepted the opportunity to represent the village at the pageant.

“People see pageants as a platform to put on makeup and look pretty but for me it’s not. Pageantry is about showcasing yourself, personality, intelligence and talents.”

Griffith said the covid19 pandemic reshaped Emancipation Day celebrations in Point Fortin and the pageant was part of restructured events.

Usually, there is a large street parade and shows to commemorate the holiday but due to covid19 restrictions the events were cancelled.

The pageant was streamed on Facebook.

Despite the new format, Griffith said the pageant was “an educational affair.”

“Each delegate, including myself, had to learn about different African-American inventors and share what we learnt.”
Griffith was tasked with learning about inventor Lewis Howard Latimer. He invented a durable and inexpensive carbon filament for lightbulbs which made them more practical. Latimer’s work also contributed to the invention of the modern telephone.
Delegates hailed from different electoral districts with Griffith being the representative for Techier/Guapo.

However, this was not Griffith’s first pageant experience. At 17, she participated in the 2014 Point Fortin Borough Beauty Pageant which is different from the Emancipation Day show.

While a friend told her not to enter the 2014 pageant because she did not have “the looks”, a then shy but determined Griffith decided to participate. She would go on to become the pageant’s first runner-up and won the Miss Congeniality and Miss Intelligent awards.

For people who question the relevance of pageants, Griffith said, “I see pageants as a platform for young women to show the world that it’s not only about surface beauty but it’s also about what’s inside.

“When I first started pageants, I was timid. As the years passed by, I have become more comfortable in on-stage environments and articulating myself.”

She said women feel more confident as contestants, especially when their public-speaking skills improve.

And while Griffith’s time may be consumed by work and volunteering, she does take time to recharge and channels her extra energy into creative spaces.

She enjoys playing the steelpan, which she learnt to play at eight, and while she does not play with any steelband, she has started branding her pan skills.

Adopting the pseudonym Pan Fanatic, she has and continues to book solo pan gigs.

“I also intend to start tutoring young children, between the ages of five and 12, on playing the steelpan. I would love to share my knowledge about our national instrument with people.”

Griffith has studied with the Stafford Duncan Music School in Guapo, Point Fortin. She holds distinctions in grades 1 and 2, in music theory, and has a merit in grade 3. She is also certified by Trinity College London.

Griffith is also into sports and as a netball player with the Southern Netball Academy, she competes in tournaments and assists in the management of the academy’s under-16 team.

As a youth advocate, recent national developments have caught Griffith’s attention and she is calling for greater dialogue as it relates to racial harmony.

“We in TT should definitely learn how to stand together as a nation regardless of who wins elections.

“At the end of it all, when a government is elected, they are mandated to work for everyone. It is wrong for anyone to think that a government’s election would only ensure the wellbeing of one group of people.”

Following the death of George Floyd in the US and the subsequent global Black Lives Matter protests, which started in early June and continues today, Griffith said many questioned the relevance of the movement to TT.

With an uptick in racist comments on social media, following the 2020 general election, Griffith said she hopes many can now see why conversations like the Black Lives Matter movement are crucial in TT.

“We have all faced injustices in some form, given our country’s history, so it is wrong for us to continue injustices against each other knowing that…it shouldn’t be that.”

So, what is next for Griffith?

While she does not want to disclose the specific details, just yet, Griffith is developing entrepreneurial plans which she hopes to release soon. She is also expected to begin her master’s degree in geoinformatics at UWI in September.

Involving the use of the geographic information system (GIS), Griffith hopes to one day use the skills gained through her studies to help TT become better equipped in disaster preparedness and management, especially as it relates to flooding.

“I want to work in disaster management and preparedness. I feel that TT can do much better when it comes to being informed and taking disaster preparedness more seriously.”

People can follow Griffith on Instagram @pan_fanatic if they are interested in her reign as the 2020 Point Fortin Borough Corporation Emancipation Queen.