Terneille "Tada" Burrows was our speaker last week. She spoke about RISE Bahamas which she founded in 2014 after a 48 hour accountability protest dubbed "Occupy Rawson Square". She wanted to show young persons that there were alternative methods to violence and also to show that government should be held accountable for their actions. She also lobbied for freedom of information and questioned the government about public disclosure. Terneille said that children are the most innocent among us as they do not have the capacity to protect themselves from harm. Her child protection activism and advocacy began in 2009 after she heard of a violent crime against a child. She continued working for child protection in 2011 after 11 year old Marco Archer was abducted and murdered. A law in his honor was passed in the House of Assembly in 2013 which called for the establishment for a missing child alert system and sex offender registry. RISE Bahamas has relentlessly championed the implementation of this legislation since they were formed nine years ago. More recently the murder of baby Bella prompted her to propose Bella's Bill which seeks to expand the categories of people that must report suspected cases of child abuse or face penalties. The clergy, principals, doctors, nurses, etc., are already on the list but she wants the list expanded to include immediate family members, guardians and caregivers. She seeks to have a more engaged citizenry instead of just complaining about wrongdoing or issues we face because that will not bring about the necessary change. She said that service organizations like Rotary, grief organizations, etc., can be instrumental in movements taking off. Various organizations coming together to work on a central focus could be impactful. Terneille said that we must unite, organize and strategize to raise awareness about the issues we face. She said that community leaders and service organizations should come together and join forces. You can learn more about RISE Bahamas at risebahamas.net
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