I remember back to my days of growing up in Brooklyn, NY. My parents are Caribbean — my father is from Jamaica and my mother is from Cuba. Every time they needed some work done around the house or the car fixed, they would go into their Rolodex and call someone for help. That person would always be from the Caribbean. This was an early lesson for me about supporting your people.

Fast forward to Althea, my girlfriend now wife also Jamaican, and I moving to Maryland from Boston, Massachusetts. We were looking for a local Caribbean restaurant for our Friday date nights and found one within walking distance of our apartment in Wheaton, MD. It was more like a market that served food. It was perfect. The owner was Caribbean. Her name was Rosemarie of Rosemarie's Market. The Caribbean had come home to Wheaton. We were so excited and happy to have a touch of home so close to us.

She greeted us each time with a big hug and a huge smile. We talked about home — the food, the weather, the music, everything. As time went on, we noticed a change in Rosemarie. Her hugs became less intense and shorter. The smile was not as broad. She shared that the market was not doing well. She had asked local Caribbean business people for help. They told her they had struggled, were struggling and were going to struggle — so she should just “figure it out yourself” like they did.

Months later, we went by the market. It was a cold winter day. The sign that at first used to say “Open” and mean it in multiple ways and later said “Closed” now said “For Lease.” Rosemarie was gone. I remember the cold of the bars through my gloves as I shook them in disbelief. “Figure it out yourself.” Cold advice disguised as help. What once was cold advice quickly became a directive and a passionate fire for me. I decided to do just that: figure it out.

I would create an organization where Caribbean businesses would meet, network and support each other. Like my parents had taught me back in Brooklyn. I would create a Caribbean-American Chamber of Commerce for the DMV. And that is what we did. Together. Come join a community of like-minded business people who also want to succeed…together. Walk Good!

— John S. McKenzie, Chief Servant Officer, CACCE-GWAN