Last Sunday evening an extensive line of Brooklyn residents and others gathered at the St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Flatbush, Brooklyn to hear the discussion of the Grenadian author, George Glean Sr. as he revealed some of the main reasons how migration began in the West
Indies. The event marks the launching of Glean’s book, “Searching for Higher Ground.”
At the forefront, he explained that migration has always been a movement for West Indians and authoring the book explains that even within the Caribbean itself, migration was a part of the goal for islanders. “Searching for Higher Ground” was penned to give its readers
insight into island-to-island migration and to explain the British West Indian “Windrush.”
At the launching and signing of the book, the audience listened attentively demonstrating their understanding of the need for this kind of history to be told. Several purchases were made, another indication for the story to be known.
On hand to acknowledge the work of Glean were some of NY city’s local politicians who all congratulated the author and told him that they were looking forward to his next book.
New York City’s Public Advocate Jumaane Williams congratulated the author and asked that the audience use these stories to understand the perspective of the asylum seekers. The New York City Public Advocate told the audience he was proud of the author’s work and hopes
for more from him. Williams did not remiss the work of Glean over several decades, and presented him with a proclamation also from the Public Advocate’s office for his years of service to the community in Brooklyn, both as an educator and an author.
Giving congratulations also was NY City 40th Council Member, Rita Joseph. She welcomed and congratulated Glean for his great work and said he was a trail blazer for others in the community who wanted to have a dream.
In his response to the evening’s event, Glean told the audience that “Searching for Higher Ground” was an experience every islander embraced. He said that he hopes that “the book helps them to realized that we are all in this together, that migration
started a long time ago as island-to-island or island hopping was also a means for migration for many West Indians since the 1940’s.” The author also spoke about the “Windrush” event that has changed the lives of many West Indians in the early years of West Indian migrants.
He noted that the intention of the book was to explain the reasons why migrants are searching, “work was scarce, and the wages were low, and everyone wanted to go.”
Cynthis Hewitt, who left Grenada for England during the “Windrush” era as a child, said that the experiences since her childhood years remain with her, she told the Caribbean LifeNewspaper. Hewitt said that she was glad to have this kind of history chronicled, to be able
to read what she has lived. “The book made me cry,”she said.
