Governor Albert Bryan Jr. and the leadership of his Governor’s Millennial Council, from left, President Khalarni Rivers, Vice-President Shamari Haynes, Nyaila Callwood, Treasurer Michael Pemberton and Kevin Dixon. Photo Credit: GOV'T HOUSE
Governor Albert Bryan during a Tuesday press conference introduced the five-member leadership board of his newly appointed Governor’s Millennial Council, comprised of a group of 14 young adults who Mr. Bryan has tasked with providing the younger generation’s perspective for assisting the administration's policy decisions.
Government House said Mr. Bryan has been a strong proponent of involving more youth and young adults in the government of the Virgin Islands "as a way to bolster the future of the territory economically, innovatively and energetically by bringing in talented younger individuals who will influence the direction the U.S. Virgin Islands takes as it grows into his vision of economic stability with an up-to-date digital infrastructure and an open and transparent government," stated the release.
During his introduction of the Millennial Council leaders, held at the RT Park on St. Croix, Mr. Bryan recalled a conversation 10 years ago about the Millennial generation, telling colleagues that the younger generation wasn’t going to have to adapt to his colleagues’ world, but they would have to learn to live in the Millennials’ world, according to the release.
“Today, Millennials are the largest part of the American workforce. They’re actually disrupting and dictating how things will go, not only in America, but globally,” he said.
The five leadership members of the inaugural Governor’s Millennial Council, which according to Gov't House has a goal of “Amplifying Access and Innovation,” are: Nyaila Callwood, 25, who is a co-founder of V.I. Crawl and currently is developing a federally funded afterschool arts program; Kevin Dixon, 30, who is the territorial coordinator for Youth Services at the Virgin Islands Department of Labor; Millennial Council Treasurer Michael Pemberton, 28, who is a co-founder of the technology firm Avera Tech, which is a participant in the RT Park Accelerant Program; Millennial Council Vice-President Shamari Haynes, 29, who is the assistant director of the Division of Festivals at the Department of Tourism; and Millennial Council President Khalarni Rivers, 29, who is a co-founder of V.I. Crawl media and education company specializing in cultural programs.
The governor has tasked these individuals, as well as the other nine members of the council with providing regular reports on issues and policy to him, as well as playing an active role in developing the policies and innovations they come up with for the future of the USVI.
“In a time when we stand on the doorstep of a new territory and a bold new beginning in restructuring our education system, health care, our roadwork, sewer, you name it, for the next 10 years we’re going to have unprecedented development in the Virgin islands. It has already started,” Governor Bryan said. “We’ve devised a 20-year-plan to dictate this course that we will change to. But it can’t happen unless we get the people who will be most impacted by the course-change involved.”
Mr. Bryan noted that it isn’t enough that the Millennial generation simply be in the room, and they must also have a say in how the change is brought about, and have to have a part on boards and commissions to play an active role in dictating where things will go and who will get to access them, according to the release.
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