The first thing many of you may have wondered upon seeing the title of this article is, "What is leggo career?" I've done my homework and have reached out to the creators of the movement themselves to give you, my avid readers, an insight into what it's all about.
#LeggoCareer2016 was started by two young men, Hakeem Bryan and Kirk Douglas of the University of the West Indies, Mona campus. "Leggo" when translated to standard English is "let go", and "leggo career" can be interpreted as "get your career going" or something around that. It all started out as a slang Hakeem would use when his peers spoke of their endeavors and accomplishments. Upon meeting Kirk in college and realizing they shared similar ideologies, the duo decided they would start a movement that would showcase the hidden talents and success of the Jamaican youth. The movement has gained impressive momentum across Jamaican Twitter and has received the attention of college students, young adults, as well as--but not limited to-- political leaders.
Based on the information I've received, these two brilliant young men have already put plans in place to develop their brand into support base for local ambition. Here's what they had to say, "As youths who have seen and experienced the lack of support for our fellow young people who are trying to achieve their personal goals, culture-related or otherwise, the decision was made to start a company which would seek to provide the necessary support and resources to help these youth move forward." They've stated that their emerging company, "Leggo Career JA", will be focused on using social media to market the content for start-up businesses, talents, resources and established companies.
Surely, there are those who question the intent of the movement, as they wonder if the hashtag is a means of bragging about one's accomplishments. As @ThaDervster tweeted, "Someone asked with cynicism if #leggocareer2016 is all about bragging. Well, yes it is. And it's bragging that is welcomed." His tweet has garnered a myriad of retweets thus far which makes it pretty clear that many people share the same view.
As a proud Jamaican, living in a foreign country, I saw it fit to use my voice and resources to share the movement to my online audience. This is more than just a hashtag, it is a way of actively engaging our youth in constructive and empowering discussions both "ah yaad and abroad". We are in fact our brother's keeper and our job is to inspire and uplift. The progress of our youth should not be left to life chances as there are a plethora of opportunities out there waiting for us. What we need to do is wake up and realize that if we don't take the first step in progress, there's no way we can reap success, and that is what the #LeggoCareer2016 movement wants us to do.
Check out the movement on Twitter by searching the hashtags, "#leggocareer, #leggocareer2016, #leggocareerja" and follow the brand @LeggoCareerJa.
We believe in you, so join us and be a part of the movement
