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Last Updated: Feb 6, 2017 - 2:32:04 PM |
 (BlackAmericaWeb.com) NASSAU - Sitting inside her spacious ocean-view home in Nassau, Nicole
Avant, the United States ambassador to the Bahamas, talked about helping
children.
"Education is my number-one priority," said Avant, 42, who was appointed
to her post by President Barack Obama last year. “A good education
changes everything and makes a huge difference in people’s lives. When
children are expected to do well, they usually rise to the occasion.”
The
first black woman to be appointed as U.S. ambassador to the Bahamas,
Avant is not a conventional emissary. In fact, Avant is something of a
celebrity diplomat: She is the daughter of music mogul Clarence Avant
and goddaughter of legendary music producer Quincy Jones. She was maid
of honor when Tracey Edmonds and Eddie Murphy were married.
Avant, who grew up in Beverly Hills, is on a first-name basis with
influential people like Bill Cosby, Diana Ross and Bill Clinton. She
worked at A&M Records and also served as vice-president of the
family businesses, publishing companies Interior Music and Avant Garde.
But today, Avant is taking charge of her own initiatives – and she’s
determined to help improve the lives of disadvantaged students in the
Bahamas.
Since becoming ambassador, Avant has focused on five priority
initiatives: Education, alternative energy, economic and small business
development, women’s empowerment and raising awareness about the
challenges facing people with disabilities. The U.S. Embassy, together
with the Ministry of Education, sponsors the national Read to Lead
program to encourage the country’s youth to develop a lifelong love of
reading.
When Obama called Avant to offer her the prestigious post in the Bahamas, the president immediately put Avant at ease.
“The president told me, ‘Just be you. Do what you do – there,’” she said.
So Avant immediately called on celebrity friends to visit the Bahamas to
help empower people who desperately need uplifting. She recruited Magic
Johnson, singer India Arie, “Access Hollywood” host Shaun Robinson and
Rodney Peete, the former NFL quarterback.
“I brought in celebrities for specific initiatives and specific
agendas,” Avant said in a 40-minute interview with BlackAmericaWeb.com.
Avant invited Johnson to serve as the keynote speaker at the Bahamas
Chamber of Commerce’s 2010 Business Development Seminar because, she
explained, the ex-NBA star understands small business and
entrepreneurship.
She invited Robinson to speak with female students one on one and sign
copies of her book, “Exactly As I Am: Celebrated Women Share Candid
Advice with Today's Girls on What It Takes to Believe in Yourself.”
Avant asked Peete to speak to black men about how to embrace boys with autism since Peete’s son is autistic.
“Rodney was being completely open, and you could see the men in the
audience ... some of them were crying, but you could hear men saying
thank you for connecting us to someone who gets it, someone who
understands what they were feeling,” Avant said.
Avant has personally hosted a number of prominent guests who have
participated in outreach events designed to empower youth and impart
positive messages about self-esteem and self-image.
She has also developed a special relationship with the Willie Mae Pratt
Center for girls, a detention facility for at-risk youth. Local advocacy
groups for people with disabilities and disorders have her support as
well, Special Olympics-Bahamas and REACH, a Bahamian support group for
families affected by autism, among them.
Bahamian officials are enamored by Avant, as she has embraced Bahamas'
culture and its people like few ambassadors before her. Most important,
Avant is immersing herself in the Bahamian community, instead of
observing from afar.
Read more HERE
© Copyright 2010 by thebahamasweekly.com
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