IslandMix

Here is the info that was given to IMIX and included in our latest newsletter (check inbox today)... pls provide some feedback on what can be done... and I invite WIADCA to send a official response to webmaster@islandmix.com

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Exploitation on the Parkway?

The West Indian American Day Carnival (WIADC) in Brooklyn is the largest North American Parade by share virtue of spectators. WIADC also boast the oldest West Indian Parade outside of the Caribbean. What makes this entity tick, and Why is there so much “commese” around putting the parade together?

History

A governing body called the West Indian American Day Carnival Association (WIADCA) controls the parade. WIADCA has been in existence for over 35 years! Carlos Lezama who is the brainchild of this organization had the foresight to grow the carnival into what it is today for millions of people outside of the genre to enjoy our culture. Hats off to you Carlos! When the carnival first started there were only a few small bands on the parkway that were not really organized as they are today, but just merely chipping down the road to steel drums and iron. One of the most notable organizations that has been around since the carnival’s inception and continues to thrive, is Hawks International & Borokeete USA. The carnival originally started as a “Trini Ting.” However, more islands have become more and more involved representing their country and the carnival continues to grow in the numbers of participants and spectators. However all that glitters is not gold, everyone has a story! So what is the story behind the carnival on the Parkway? Is it exploitation or is it business as usual? You be the judge, read on…

The story

To be able to comprehend the story you will need a brief synopsis of business 101 and the semantics behind a parade. If you are an investor in a business and this business thrives and gives you a significant return on your investment (ROI) would you continue to invest more $$ into the business? You would be crazy not to do so. A carnival parade typically brings in millions of the dollars into the state/city/province in which it takes place. Typically the state/city/province will assist in funding (sponsoring) the infrastructure of that parade to insure its sustainability. This is done in Trinidad & Tobago, Caribana, London all over the world except in New York. So one will have to ask, who benefits from the Carnival on the Parkway? Is New York City not investing the necessary funds into the carnival? More importantly, why hasn’t anyone taken a stance against this to represent the Caribbean demographic? Research has indicated that the Labor-day carnival generates in excess of $300 million in revenue for the city of New York in which none of it is returned for further investment to grow the business (remember business 101 theory). So why hasn’t the governing body done something about this exploitation of the parade, the culture, and our people?? To answer this intoxicating inquiry, you will have to understand the underpinnings of WIADCA.

WIADCA

This 35 year old institution which is supposed to be custodian of one of the richest cultural expressions of the people of T&T, is a family ran business. Carlos Lezama is no longer at the helm of WIADCA. The organization (family) is now operated by his daughter Yolanda Lezama. This organization collects all
monies, sponsorships, registrations fees, and takes care of all fiscal matters related to the carnival. This organization answers to no governing authority, therefore their activities often go on without being monitored to ensure that ethical standards are being kept.

It would take many hours of discussions to outline the many problems, which is the life of WIADCA. The one question that has gone unanswered for over 3 decades is, what happens to the monies that WIADCA receives as a 501 c 3 not-for-profit entity? Why are their books not open for public review as stipulated by
law as a publicly supported entity? What is wrong with this picture?

WIADCA’s Response?

WIADCA has many political contacts from the Governor all the way down to the New York City Council in their corner. In essence they get funding on behalf of the Steel and MAS bands that they do not redistribute as required by contract to the entities that actually bring the productions. In fact in 2002 they
received over $50,000 from the New York City Council for support for the carnival. A couple of questions should arise here, where did the money go? Why are they settling for this “chump” change when the returns are over $300,000,000. In essence WIADCA has opted to settle for penny support while the $$$ generated from the carnival are channeled into other non-participating communities. WIADCA has failed to articulate the economic and political clout, which is ours to utilize. Take reference to the Puerto Rican Day parade that does not even pull half the participants that the Labor Day Parade draws yet they have a tremendous amount of support from the State/City/Corporate Sponsorship. In 2003, WIDICA is slated to obtain over $600,000 from the New York City Council for the benefit of the entities that actually bring the production. What’s going to happen this year? With the current economic climate and the lack of fund raising ability by the bands, will we see noted MAS bands on the Parkway in 2003? Hawks? Borokeete? Blackfoot? Last year Hawks boycotted in protest and Issued a statement called “Pause for the Cause?” Is this the beginning of the end or change for the sake of the perpetuation of our cultural expression abroad?

Future of Labor Day on The Parkway

The Labor-day carnival spectacle is facing a slow death for want of financial support. In the past the bands relied on back yard parties as a means of raising funds. This method is unique to Brooklyn and acknowledged by the community as indeed a source of annoyance to the neighbors who are subjected to the blaring DJ music on weekends. With the institution of project “Nighten-gale”-a quality of life law in NYC, where outdoor parties are prevented after a certain hour citing noise pollution- these means of fundraising are stifled. So what are the alternative means of raising funds for the production on the parkway? More importantly why is it that the producers of this product have to go through this task? Are they indentured servants working for New York City & WIADCA? A note must be made that it is not only the MAS bands, but the Steel Bands also have been feeling the pain for over 3 decades. A typical production cost to bring a band on the parkway is estimated anywhere between $15,000 - $60,000 depending on the size of the band. WIADCA’s prize money for first prize is $500. This is an absolute insult! How is change to be inflicted on this entity for the sake of our culture and what is
rightly ours!

What can we do?

Pressure has to be placed on WIADCA to either stand up and fight for what is ours as a people or step aside and let others who are more savvy and empowered to get things done on our behalf effect change. We need leadership. We need suggestions from the carnival goers and what has to be done to help maintain and grow Brooklyn Carnival. Want your voice to be heard, send an email or write to:

-Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz: (askmarty@broooklynbp.org)
209 Joralemon St Brooklyn New York
11201 USA

-Send WIDCA a message directly: younglao@optonline.net or info@wiadca.com or write to 323-325 Rogers Ave Brooklyn, NY 11225 or call 718 467 1797

Other Notes: Most recently it has been suggested by the city (security council) that the parade should end @ 4pm... i bet you never heard about that or when the last meeting was held and what was discussed... there were even other suggestions that would attack the culture of the parade... get involved ppl... attend the public meetings... become aware... this aint time to attack and become part of the problem... let voice our opinion and come up with a solution

thx 4 the info. will review and submit comments/ideas 2 wiadca. insightful.

salt

500 prize money... its disrespect for those who make the carnival possible. With out the mas and steel bands there is no carnival as we know it and that is what these carnival comittees who are in control fail to realize.

Ok thank you for people like Lezama who formed these committees but i think its time that these committees be open for public participation and elections of officers every year. Once there is no change in leadership then there is corruption.

Things have to and will change. The young people who are coming up are smarter and more educated... therefore i am confident change is on the horizon.!

This is exactly what we've been fighting and complaining about for three years now.

I'll send them my views along with my opinions on their ignorant cunnts.

I will print this out and read it through but I have to say it's a crying shame that the organizers don't place the same value of our culture like we do. If they don't show they value the culture by giving real prize monies and showing respect to those who make it happen then we will not get the coverage that other parades get like St. Patrick's Day and the Puerto Rican Day Parade. Respect starts from within and WIDCA has to show those who make this carnival happen the respect that is long overdue.

They will definately hear from me.

__________________
"Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken winged bird that cannot fly." - Langston Hughes

"Life is like a game of cards. The hand that is dealt you represents determinism; the way you play it is free will."-Jawaharal Nehru

"Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds." -Albert Einstein

I've attempted on many occassions to get info from the WIADCA and they have NEVER responded. I feel will have to pull a trinidad and start a separated committee entity for labor day.

I second that .....

There has been so much controversy over there years in regards to panorama... From bands being cheated to not receving prize money in a timely manner. I agree with Trinibaje. Thanks to people like Carlos Lezama who started this off but it's time to get some new young blood on those committees. I have a great love for pan and to see panorama be pulled apart in two like it has been for the past couple years is painful. All this politics, money, and corruption just takes the fun and love out of the culture.

i was going to get a both for jouvert....but now i don't know what to do..

I THIRD THAT, LET'S TALK BUSINESS

I FOURTH THAT!!!...CHUN LI leh we go, u got supporters....

Marty Markowitz...I'd be careful with the last name on the person signing/organizing this petition. Ain't sound Caribbean and is likely some white person trying to take over the carnival.

There are many valid points there and it's obvious that the organization needs to be transparent and accountable. For example, the organization can have a carnival board that consists of members of the community (usually members of the contingents) and all fiscal things go through them though they are not really the ones making the decions on how money is spent.

A $500 prize is ridiculous. I have the same beef with the SF carnival because they spend 20K on festival entertainment and 19K on the stage and tents. Needless to say entertainment sucks.

Given that WIADCA or whatever it is called has so much political clout and has been around for so long, seems a better approach would be to join them and make them better rather than start from scratch. There are so many ways money can be reinvested in the community. Many artists in Trinidad are dealing with this now, asking for a cultural arts center. It would be interesting to know where the money goes. Maybe that needs some revamping to ensure it goes to an entity that benefits many people and can be used for profit ventures etc. or some great community service.

I also agree with Chun Li

Isn't it amazing how we take advantage of our own ppl for our own personal gains.......................come on $500. for first place................what dey go do wid that buy shandy for everyone in de band......................

This can not go on like this, soon there will be no carnival in NY...... that is a scary prospect.

I will think on this and send my taughts to marty and to WIADCA.

Let our voices be heard ppl......... we have the power to make change.

THIS SO-CALL GENTRIFICATION IN NYC IS BAD ENOUGH

WHEN I FIRST START COMING TO BROOKLYN IN 1993...MAN STREET CORNERS HAD CALYPSO AND CALYPSO JAMMING ALL DAY

SINCE GUILLIANI AND HIS SHATE THAT DYING YEAR AFTER YEAR

POLITICIANS SCREW UP THE PARADE ALSO!

I FEEL LIKE A TRAPPED RAT WHEN I GO ON THE PARKWAY WITH THOSE FRAYGIN POLICE BARRACADES

THIS IS NYC BIGGEST PARTY...BUT IT TOO BLACK FOR SOME PEOPLE

SOME OF DEM DAM JEWS DOES ACT LIKE CROWN HEIGHTS IS PART OF THEIR HOLY LAND!

MAYBE OTHER AVENUES MAY HAVE TO BE EXPLORED:

EXPAND THE PARADE ROUTE TO SPREAD THE DAM CROWD OUT INSTEAD OF HAVE ALL THOSE PEOPLE IN THAT SHORT ROUTE

HAVE MORE PARADES

HAVE A REAL JOUVERT WITH SOME BANDS AND JAMBANDS INCLUDED...NO DISRESPECT TO THE PANMEN OF BROOKLYN