THE MONTHLY GLEANER | FEBRUARY 20 - MARCH 22, 2023 | www.jamaica-gleaner.com | FEATURE 12 NEWLY ELECTED Governor of Maryland in the United States, Wes Moore, would like to strengthen economic ties between his state and Jamaica. Taking office just over a month ago, GovernorWes Moore told The Gleaner in an exclusive interview that he was focused on how to increase trade opportunities between Maryland and Jamaican businesses. Buoyed by the presence of very strong Jamaican communities in Maryland, he sees the strengthening of economic ties between the state and Jamaica as a win for both. But beyond business, he claims a very strong emotional connect to the island and its culture. Noting that his Jamaican roots run deep, Moore told The Gleaner that Jamaica is the place where he finds peace and solace. “Jamaica is very dear to my heart,” he said. “I take real pride inmy Jamaican heritage. I am a yardie. The island rages deeply in my DNA,” he said. Governor Moore says he travels to Jamaica at least once per year including shortly after winning the election to become governor in November last year, when he visited, the St James capital to relax. The 63rd governor of Maryland, Moore is the first black man to be governor in the 246-year history of Maryland. He is only the third black man to head a US state as governor. Born in Takoma Park, Maryland, on October 15, 1978, to Joy and Westley Moore, his life took a tragic turn when his father died of a rare but treatable virus when he was just three years old. After his father’s death, his family moved to the Bronx to live withMoore’s grandparents, before returning to Maryland at age 14. Moore is a proud graduate of Valley Forge Military Academy and College, where he received an associate degree in 1998, and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the US Army. Afterward, he went on to earn his bachelor’s in international relations and economics at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, where he graduated Phi Beta Kappa. In 2005, Moore was deployed to Afghanistan as a captain with the 82nd Airborne Division, leading soldiers in combat. Immediately upon returning home, he served as a White House Fellow, advising on issues of national security and international relations. Moore built and launched a Baltimore-based business called BridgeEdU, which reinvented freshman year of college for underserved students to increase their likelihood of long-term success. BridgeEdu was acquired by the Brooklyn-based student financial success platform Edquity in 2018. ... ‘Jamaica is very dear to my heart’ Lester Hinds/Gleaner Writer WHENWESTLEYOmariMoore strode to the stage on January 18, to be formally introduced as the first black man to be elected governor in the state of Maryland’s 246-year old history, it was with the full knowledge that he wasn’t there by chance; that his success was the result of years of challenges and changes borne by the black community, and with the welcome weight of the responsibility that somuchmore needs to be done. AND THAT is why his focus is on pressing hard for education and economic empowerment, especially for young black men. At 44 years old, Moore has been heralded as a change maker, and a dynamic force for good. An astute businessman, he has also worked as an investment banker. The Robin Hood Foundation, an anti-poverty non-profit, said of his tenure that he led the organisation to ‘one of its strongest years in the anti-poverty group’s 33-year history in 2020 – raising over $230 million as the organisation filled a critical role in response to the pandemic.’ The foundation noted in a release that in 2020, “Moore announced the creation of Robin Hood’s Power Fund, an initiative to fund and elevate nonprofit leaders of colour who share Robin Hood’s mission of increasing economic mobility, while addressing racial and economic injustice through their work. This initiative is designed to help address the disparities in funding seen in the philanthropic sector among non-profits led by people of colour.” A combat veteran and social entrepreneur, he is a Rhodes Scholar and bestselling author. But he has always insisted that it was support and guidance that were key to his success. One of his books, the non-fiction, part-autobiography - The Other Wes Moore - is celebrated for its emphasis on helping persons understand how life is shaped by certain key decisions. He is convinced that with solid support, guidance and opportunities many of the barriers which dog persons and larger communities can be overcome. “It is our job to create the opportunities for more people to continue to make progress. I did not become governor of Maryland by chance, but because of the work that had gone before by others,” he said. Challenging and guiding youth, and underserved communities have become his mission target. Governor Moore says he is creating space in economic empowerment zones that will allow people to become owners of capital instead of just employees. “When I say I don’t want anyone left behind, I am committed to providing the necessary opportunities where people, especially young black men, can participate in wealth creation and will lead to a better life for themselves and their loved ones,” he told The Gleaner. There are barriers to overcome to have access to capital, he said, but stressed, too, that with education and opportunities these barriers can be overcome. The governor says that he wants to build a strong educational system in the state of Maryland, as this will ensure that there are more employers than employees. “As a society, we must believe in creating ownership of businesses, as this provides a sense of equity,”he said. He noted that the challenges that young black men face have more to do with their lack of active participation in the ownership structure. He wants to change this and make them owners of capital. He has faith that the changes will come. He believes that Black History Month and its attendant celebrations and messages provide a good forum for individuals and communities to grow, change and become stronger. Governor Moore, whose mother, Joy Moore, was born in Jamaica, says there needs to be ongoing conversations about the contributions blacks have made to the United States. He says this can serve as motivation for the youth, and should never be confined to a single month. Asked whether he believes the messages of Black History Month - hope, resilience, determination excellence - are getting through to black youth he said, “The attempts to make changes are encouraging among young black men, but we have to be more effective in how we communicate this message.” Governor Moore feels that education as well as economic empowerment are means of showing in concrete terms the progress being made. This, he believes, will go a far way in challenging the youth to strive for more. Maryland Governor Wes Moore: Boldly creating the change Maryland Governor Wes Moore gives his first State of the State address, two weeks after being sworn in as governor, Wednesday, February 1, in Annapolis, Maryland. AP “Moore announced the creation of Robin Hood’s Power Fund, an initiative to fund and elevate non-profit leaders of colour who share Robin Hood’s mission of increasing economic mobility, while addressing racial and economic injustice through their work.
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