Expressing Empowerment, Change and Unity
Born and raised on our gorgeous island, 21-year-old Ralph Cantave has recently completed his first book. Called Words of Change, the book has been over two years in the making. The young writer will be launching his new book this Sunday, August 14, from 5:00 to 7:30pm at Soil, the youth centre and snack bar, located right before St. Maarten Academy. The launch will feature poetry readings, performances, a number of speakers and a reading by Cantave himself.
A General Liberal Arts student at the University of St. Martin, Ralph’s advocacy started when he became known for his bold and thoughtful writings in the youth newspaper Teen Times. Through this medium, he has spoken on behalf of his peers on pressing issues, especially for young marginalized males. Words of Change is a collection of his best articles, essays and thoughts written in the past few years on issues and topics ranging from history and culture to politics. We sat down with Ralph to hear more about his book and upcoming book-launch.
How did you get into writing?
I remember drawing comics when I was six years old. Only later did I realize that although I was very young, these comics portrayed complete stories and I might’ve been a storyteller all along. But my true journey to becoming a writer began six years ago.
Growing up, I was always the mischievous one in class, the class clown, although I did make sure to get good grades under my mother’s watchful eyes. I started to get a bit more serious about school and my after school activities. I loved learning and got involved in the school government and Interact club. I noticed that by joining these clubs, I learnt more about topics such as culture, identity and politics on the island – topics that in my opinion, we did not get enough information about in our school-system.
In 2010, a friend of mine suggested that I should join Teen Times as a writer. I applied and was invited for an interview. Initially, I chose to write about entertainment, as this seemed like a fun and easy topic to write about. But as weeks passed, I got inspired by fellow Teen Times members to write about more intricate subjects. I saw them pushing themselves to become better writers, and I wanted to do that as well.
At that time, I also had a great teacher at St. Maarten Academy – Mr. Kenneth Cook. He spoke a lot about our culture, politics and history. This motivated me to focus more on these themes and grew my writing to new levels.
How did the idea for your book come about?
I was 16, and my mind was stirred by everything I was learning through school and my Teen Times assignments. Persons who played a major role in the development of our island captivated me. I asked if I could do a feature about them for Teen Times. As I was doing research for my article, I conducted a lot of interviews, read books and listened to lectures and was amazed by the vast number of stories I heard and things I learnt about politics, history and culture.
Not just one, but many of my articles and essays began to focus on concepts, issues and discussions around these themes. I expressed my frustration, hope and vision for the island as I gained knowledge, noticing so many areas we could improve on or be proud of as a community. I wrote so much, I thought to myself: “This could be a book!”
When I graduated, I did not feel like I was ready to leave. I wanted to leave my mark, make a difference and improve myself before heading off to university abroad. I decided to do this by enrolling in the Liberal Arts program at University of St. Martin to obtain my associate degree and complete the book I had envisioned in the past years.
What is your book about?
My book is a call to action. I feel that my peers are not informed enough about the history, culture and politics on the island. We do not receive enough information through school or our surroundings. I want to help change this and enrich young minds like myself. I hope my book brings about healthy informed discussions about the issues we are facing on Sint Maarten.
We should empower each other with knowledge so that we can change things we do not like within our society and become a more unified nation. With a stronger sense of unity, our national cry can grow stronger. With increased pride in our nation, we also strive to unify the Caribbean. I really believe that if we do this, we can come out a global power.
Word of Change is a compilation of my best articles, essays and thoughts I have written in the past years. It is split in two parts; the first is about my perspective on issues such as identity, language of instruction, tourism and independence. The second is about findings during my research on these topics.
“Be the change you want to see in the world” is something I truly try to live by. With Words of Change, I hope to inspire others to take action and be the change they want to see on our island.
What are some of your plans after the book launch?
During the coming year, I will be working hard to finish my associate degree; my goal afterwards is to further my studies in Jamaica or Cuba. I will also be volunteering my time to visit schools around the island and share my experiences and knowledge with students.
Cantave has already received a lot of positive feedback on his book, and more than 100 books have already been reserved. Reading Cantave’s book is the perfect way to prepare your mind for the upcoming elections. It is important to take time to reflect on your own thoughts, hopes and actions you want to see taken around you. It is equally, if not more important to take action – something Cantave hopes to persuade his readers to do is to play an active part in making positive changes in the running of your country.
Cantave would like to thank Shawn York for designing a great cover for the book, sponsors MP Leona Marlin-Romeo, Boolchands, a few other silent partners that made the book possible and all the elders that helped him gain information through the past years in forming and completing his work.
Get inspired this Sunday and head to Soil. Entrance is free; however, tickets are available for the event at $25, which includes a copy of the book, snacks and refreshments. Other items will also be on sale separately. A dollar of each book sold will go towards a literacy foundation. For more information, find Ralph Cantave on facebook.
