By Tangerine Clarke
As the novel coronavirus continue
its destruction, claiming
lives of hundreds of thousands
around the world, families of
Caribbean nationals are coping
with hardship and sadness,
as many of their loved ones
become fatalities in the climbing
numbers in New York city.
Brooklyn Principal Dez Ann
Romain, reported to have had
Trinidad roots, was one of the
first known in the public school
system to have contracted the
deadly virus and died from
complications, leaving scores of
her students and colleagues in a
state of shock.
According to a release, Dez
Ann Romain, 36, who led the
Brooklyn Democracy Academy
in Brownsville, a transfer school
that serves students dropped
out or fallen behind in credits
in traditional high school
settings, was celebrated with
a candlelight vigil hosted by
Brooklyn Borough President,
Eric Adams, via digital video
conferencing platform Zoom.
“Brooklyn joins together in
mourning and sorrow over the
passing of Principal Dez-Ann
Romain of Brooklyn Democracy
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Caribbean L 8 ife, April 3-9, 2020
Academy, who we lost to
complications from COVID-19,”
said Adams.
“Her work was dedicated to
uplifting students at a transfer
high school in Brownsville, one
of our borough’s most underserved
communities. Too many
in our society have written off
the young scholars under her
stewardship, but where others
saw problems, she saw promise
and potential.”
“Principal Romain and my
office collaborated together on
a first-of-its-kind urban farming
program at her school that
has students growing fresh produce
for Brooklynites in need,
and I was personally proud to
honor her leadership that has
left a positive imprint on countless
young lives. Every soul we
lose in this pandemic is a tragic
loss for our world,” he said.
“The loss of Principal Romain
is particularly painful for the
Brooklyn Democracy Academy
family, our larger public school
community, and a borough
grateful for her service,” said
Brooklyn Borough President.
“This is painful for all of
us, and I extend my deepest
condolences to the Brooklyn
Democracy Academy community,
and the family of Principal
Romain,” said Schools Chancellor
Richard A. Carranza.
“We’re all experiencing a deep
sense of confusion, uncertainty,
and sadness, and it’s more
important than ever to provide
support to one another.
We’ll be there for the students
and staff through whatever
means necessary during this
impossibly difficult time,” he
stated.
Like Romain, Guyana-born
Yvonne Wharton, sister of Guyana’s
preeminent saxophonist
Erwin “Flantis” Edwards, a caring,
selfless person who volunteered
her talents to educate
youths at the Guyana Cultural
Association’s annual summer
camp in Brooklyn, died from
Dez-Ann Romain with students of her school.
New York Times
COVID-19.
Cultural Director Claire A.
Goring thanked Wharton, who
was in her seventies, for her
service to the program, noting
that the talented woman had a
hand in all the activities offered
at the camp, where her grand
children attended.
Another Guyanese-American
Rita Yakum sadly died in her
eighties from COVID-19, after
being rushed to Kings County
Hospital where she passed
away.
The Grenadian community
is also in mourning after the
passing of Spice Angel Michelle
Joseph.
The report said it is with
deep sadness, Michelle Joseph
who hails from Spring Street,
Georges Grenada, a beautiful
soul, a talented, intelligent
Spice Sister, a minister in the
church and mother of four children
died from the Coronavirus
in Brooklyn.
Caribbean nationals among
thousands of COVID-19 deaths
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