Veronica Airey Wilson and Doreen Forrest

Recorded August 20, 2021 Archived August 20, 2021 41:01 minutes
0:00 / 0:00
Id: mby021002

Description

Veronica Airey Wilson [no age given] shares a conversation with Doreen Forrest [no age given] about how they each came to the US and about their involvement in the West Indian Social Club.

Subject Log / Time Code

DF talks about her experience coming to the United States in the 1960s from Jamaica.
VAW talks about her experience of coming to the US in 1962. She also talks about her first exposure to the West Indian Social Club.
DF talks about how she first became involved in the West Indian Social Club.
VAW talks about her parents' involvement in the Club and how she came to be involved in the club.
VAW talks about the Junior Auxiliary part of the Club.
DF talks about the different positions that she has held in the Club and about the election processes at the Club.
DF talks about how being a woman in leadership role at the Club affected her social life. VAW also talks about the roles she has held in the Club and committees that she served on.
DF and VAW talk about possible areas for improvement for the Club.

Participants

  • Veronica Airey Wilson
  • Doreen Forrest

Partnership Type

Outreach

Initiatives


Transcript

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00:06 Good morning. My name is Veronica, Airey Wilson. And I'm 21, plus, and Holden. I'm here today on Saturday, August 21st. 2021, and here is one of my favorite places home away from home. The West Indian Social Club of Hartford Incorporated, and I have the pleasure of having this conversation today, with my dear friend, long time, friend Doreen Forrest.

00:54 Aesthetic.

00:57 Brad.

00:59 Good morning. My name is Doreen, Forrest. I'm 60. Plus, I'm at the West, Indian Social Club of Hartford, which is our home away from home. And I'm today's August 21st. 2021. I'm here with my friend Veronica Airey Wilson. We have been friends for over 50 years.

01:22 Now, they know my age.

01:42 Okay, Doreen. It's great to be here this morning to share our memories and how we developed in this organization, baby. You can just tell us about when you came to this country in and how did that lead to us being here today? Okay, 6 is the late sixties and I went to Weber high school. And of course, when I got there, they were many.

02:23 I got there. They were many Jamaicans but you know, we weren't really affiliated with each other because they were somewhere here, long time ago. And as I had just gotten to this country at the high school, and of course, I was a little bit scared because first, I couldn't speak the language as well as American recall.

02:48 The Yankee. And so, you know, I'm from Jamaica and of course, my accent was very sick. So I was very intimidated by the Americans and the school system because I'm come in different order. So, you know, each time that I was in school and the teacher would call and ask for a question or for anything to interact with classes. I would stand up and everybody would laugh at me.

03:27 And, you know, and they would say go back home to the art, and it would seem dale dale, the American, which some of the friends are the newcomers in America and to the school system. So we formed our own body. So that's my beginning in Hartford and

04:09 Well, I can see that we had similar beginning story and I came here in 1960 to February like the coldest month of the year and I immediately had some difficulties and Justin because I might idea of America prior to coming here was this land of ours and we thought the streets were paved in gold and everything was going to be bright and beautiful and we landed in New York and had to come through the Bronx to get Medicaid that I remember walking around with my brother thinking who could live in such high places, buildings, are all very tall and it was a dreary day. So it wasn't bright sunshiny like America. And then we got to, I was in the fifth grade at the time. We got choir Elementary School with your bracket and it wasn't very well.

05:08 Then we to got teased about our accents way. We dress answering questions in class. As a matter of fact, at the time. I think the whole idea of America was to create its melting pot. So individualism was not singing as an asset. So they used to send us the speech classes. We would be taken out of class everyday. It was three of us, my brother. And I, I think we're the only two Jamaicans and there was a Spanish young lady from Puerto Rico and they used to send us the speech classes, every afternoon to learn to pronounce words with H's and so forth. And then we would encounter at the school children, who really pick them up and beat us up and our parents did not encourage fighting. So when we got home, they would be upset because they're closed would be torn. And they would be saying we only

06:08 Here for your education and that's what you should focus on that. I'm like, Mom than beat. What's the best year was. How can you focus on education when this is going up? But anyway, they kept saying that. And so right from the very beginning, my encounter in Hartford. I buy, indicated was not very good. But the few times that we did get a chance to socialize, I can remember my first big social event was at the West Indian Social Club came in 1962, and it just so happened that in August of that year did Jamaica. Got their independence and the folks and Hartford decided that they were going to have a parade to celebrate that event. So the West Indian post public on Barbour street at the time. So my father was we went nowhere without our

07:09 I think I went to visit their friends. They brought us with us if they went to the club. We went in during the days of course, and we set out on the porch while they go inside because you just couldn't be around the bar s kids. So we would play out in the yard until they were ready. They spent a lot of time Ankeny park at the cricket field. And so we would just follow them. We've had no idea what it was all about. That least. I didn't. So we would just play in the park. So my first exposure to the West, Indian social club was very early on in, in 1962, when we went to the parade that they had even before, Jamaica celebrating Jamaica's celebrated the Monday and we celebrated the Saturday before. So that was pretty exciting. That was a place to go and pretty much outside of school. That's where we met.

08:09 Okay, so, during how did you get involved with the club when I came to America? Or was it hard for my mother did not believe that a young girl should be at the club. So I was never able to get to it, come to the car unless I would hide with my friends and, you know, and come but like three from friends with almond bark and barber Campbell. And so we would hide and come to the club and you know, so at that time, I think they were starting to use up and I went home. I told my mother cuz I was so excited. You can't go to the club and I think it was the same thing with when they would not allow us to go.

09:05 Because it was kind of different at the time too. So I wasn't able to come to the club and like like Veronica ditch. But if we were, we came as a family and it would be like a Christmas party or other stuff, but not just let go to go to the club because my mother said I'm going to stay there all day, you know, we just could not do it. So I actually never came to the same as I had except for that. I came here after I became like a I don't and I was able to come sometimes my mother would still be met her husband. So which was George Wallace. Then and I guess you're kind of like nope about the club because he was a

10:05 In the West, Indian social club for the club. And so that's how I got to really, but it was really just visit it.

10:24 And then I kind of got more involved after I got married. And my children are grown up, and then I decided and that was in the late 80s to 90s that. I really got involved in the tub to come in here to join the club and to do things. But even join another challenge because I had a friend, Janet, and I was coming through there all the time. So people thought that I was a member and one night, I came here. It was December and I came here and Veronica sister Doreen that we got the applications and we went to meet the board and when I went to meet the board, and I said, no.

11:23 Add and you know, and of course because I was working at the club this evening and I was at the door helping out my friend, join the club at the time and that's why I got involved. So

11:40 Well, I'm a little bit of people. The club was there, home away from home. And I think our home on Cabot Street was a lot of people's home away from home. My mother used to come on Saturday. Remember, most of the men who were here at the time were married to African-American women who did not know how to cook the West Indian food. So the few West Indian, women Jamaican women, who were in Hartford at the time, especially those, that were living in the city of Hartford was, they were glad to visit my father, cuz they knew they were going to get beef soup on Saturday.

12:40 So eventually, they encourage my mother to start selling this so that they could come, they would know that at least once a week, they would get this food. So my mother would do that. And then before that all living social events in Hartford was held at the Hilton downtown or the Jewish American Center, the Italian American. And so people still wanted to party. So I told my parents would clear out the living room, the dining room and we would pick up here early in the day to have the after-party. So my

13:25 Father was a big would go to the dance. My mother would cook the curry goat before she left and my father would set up a little bar. They would go to the party and the damn says, they would leave a little early. Everyone would know that they should come to Cabot Street for the party after and during the day, my father and I would go through the music. Can we would have one backup records? That was slow music, American Music, Soca calypso music and reggae music and so it was my job. So when they came home, they would wake me up out of bed, sometime. I still at on my pajamas and my mother and my sister Doreen, they serve the food in the Kitchen and Bar, my brother. My father was handle the bar and my brother would dance with all the American women who tastes things.

14:24 My job was the DJ so we knew me as a little girl and I will give DJ for a long time and they would always safe. Life and I don't know if I used to say but they weren't very impressed that I wanted to be a lawyer. It would take out a dollar and give me. So that is how I decided. I would tell them. I'm going to be a lawyer and a bunch of pocket because none of them know that I'm not.

15:24 There was no way I would wear my dress and I would have my outfit in my bag at the time. It was like you and Google boots and I'll let you know the initial purpose of the club wasn't really as a little girl. I don't remember the partying so much cuz obviously I remember is the picnics. They used to have these and every year you could count on and you

16:24 Picnic or a beach trip kinds of things that I remember about separation between the men and the women. So even though we say Club in, it was more like a social entity not Club as we know it today. So you had men who came drink and play dominoes and then you have women who have fashion show, little CDs. They would set up the long before we had this one, but you would have Sunday afternoon, teas. And you dressed up with your gloves and your hats and they would take you to show you how everything should be laid out. And how do you have your crumpets? And how you would imagine trying to teach my daughter?

17:24 If you were part of this out, the early Caribbean Experience, all the young girls had to participate in a fashion show at least once or twice a year and they had to go to these tea party. So that's really the kind of structure The Club at. So these women now would then tried to encourage the young people to be part of the organization. Most of the girls. I think the guys, I don't know something but the girls they tried to form an organization. I think it was called the the junior auxiliary and honestly, I don't recall, any boys being part of that. It was all a girl stink because of course, your parents are not going to send you to a meeting.

18:24 Association where they sing boys and girls are going to say. One was girls that we had the woman, Leslie Perry's wife Sylvia. She was young and we also had Leslie Perry from former president, lets you carry him. He was president at the time, but he was a member but because they were the younger part of the organization. They started help to start a junior celery and out of that. All the members who have kids, especially those who have kids, who came from Jamaica. The people who married, the man, who married American women, very few of their kids were really all that interested in being part of the association, in that same way a handful like to Mary Sutherland and a few other.

19:24 So we've that's how the Junior and I got involved in the junior. Auxiliary. It was started. It was already in existence. By the time I got the high school and then it was one waiting on a Sunday to get out to go and do something social. So I can say to my parents, the junior auxiliary is having a meeting and it better be at one of the members and their mother or father better be there. So I remember people like the Sutherlands. I remember people like the downers. I remember people like Tom, the Newmans. We would go to their house to have these meetings, and that's how I really got started my leadership abilities.

20:15 Okay. Well, I didn't have that experience. Like I said because I could not get out of the house. I can come up strict country, Jamaican family that did not. You need to go to church on Sunday and Saturday, you clean your house so you were not able to do all that stuff, but you're not liking my late and years. Now, you know what, I could make my own decisions then I was able to come to the club and you know, I didn't need a lot of people here. I met my husband in Boston, but I meant to say and I remember even though the Jamaicans here.

21:03 They were still never forget. So when I came to the club, they were always there. Always still trying to go out with me, but I've been taking a good story. I came to the club and we were sitting at the bar, my friend, Janet and I are, you drinking. And I met this very old. You came up to me, and he said he wanted to go out with me and sit with me. So you said, you can give us

21:46 All kind of cute, you know, you don't want to freaking school. He said, alright, so I didn't see him for about 3 weeks.

21:55 And one night he came and he took my book right in front of me, and he said to me, this all could be yours.

22:04 I didn't want to look but I don't ask it. What kind of people do that right in front of me. If you go with me. This could be yours.

22:24 Ivermectin.

22:35 I need to talk to me for a long time.

22:42 But he was dying. He actually I had to come by and he actually called and asked what I told me what he wanted and that was kind of have a lot of respect for you. Never talk to me again until he was sick.

23:05 I had forgotten about him but you know, cuz he was very angry that I would even though our Jamaican men used to attract women in this community, a call after my parents broke up my dad dated, No, don't go to the carpet diem. Go to West Indian Social Club, where you can find a husband that will buy you a house. So they, I think they had in their mind that, that was the way to, for a better life, was Samaria. Jamaican who could buy you a house because they always had

24:05 Like home, even if we were leasing the land we always had our own home is to acquire as much as you can. And I think that's a very interesting that he tried to use his money to to attract. You have a story all the time.

24:37 So what was it like you when you tried to? I know that you came up to the channels.

24:43 In this organization. So how did you maneuver your stuff? Cuz I know I had my share of difficulties trying to work through and I'll mail organization pretty much until the 70s late 70s when women became officially part of the body here. After the first year. I became an officer and I was assistant secretary at the time and it was a lot of work. It's not like now when I came in Lester Terry was the president. Of course. He did. Last night. 914 Beach 1450.

25:43 If you did not write what they said, they would be in the meeting complaining that you know, that secretary did not what I walked in there and saw the greatness with the president and the officers. I always wanted to be one. I always wanted to be watched but I wasn't sure if I was the person that they were looking for. So I went from assistant secretary and I was unopposed and then I left assistant Secretary of the national secretary. I don't know why I went into Financial secretary because I really

26:28 Who was the treasurer? Told me that I will train you. I will train you. I need it. And it's going to be hard to tell you a story about that when I went to the first ball where they introduce the officers and they said we're going to go by.

26:53 Don't know what that means. But anyway, I knew called my neighbors because they always call the assistant secretary.

27:02 You know, I never had on that me and I just stayed there for two.

27:19 When I moved up, I realized how important that the national secretary was.

27:27 And so I went from there and I went to

27:31 I was an assistant picture because the secretary and I worked as a secretary, but I was not, I was not. I was having sex with you right now. I just work for her because her mother was sick. So I filled in for her. And so when it was time for election, I said to one of the older member asked me. So what position you going for you? Going for the secretary, secretary. Kind of December?

28:16 And so I moved to Second vice-president and I spend, I could I spend three terms as vice-president and then I moved to the first vice-president and then I prefer spice for you. I thought that I was kind of worn out. So I took a year off from office and then I came back into Old 32, because members asked me to run for president. And I said, I had the experience and other office. So when I came the same person, that told me that I could not run for vice president after you run for president, and you know, where is going on here, because this one and

29:14 Hey, it was running and I realized, you know, it was a hard fight because the other person was equally as good, but that person has never really served an office. So I win that I did my best and I lost my 40 points.

29:35 I bought last night 44 but there was a party for the person you asked me if and when that person went up there to see mr. X asking to be president. So he asked me and I got another couple of years old, but they called me a year. After they called me back and I came back and worked in the club and that work on every committee that I can remember. The time. I was on the trustee board. I was on a business committee chair. So I have the experience that I had to understand it and one of the things that I realized I did buy beans.

30:35 A lot of people do the pathway and I think many of our presidents have served as Financial secretary in 206. I was elected president on a post.

30:53 Add into.

30:56 205. And in 207, I was in lectin for my second term. Again, on apples. And in 2017. I was elected unopposed, which was very unusual because the election process at the West Indian Social Club is one of the most comprehensive because I'm going to tell you, if you can pass these barriers, you're not going to get there. Because one of the things with you have to go through the process of applying for the job, then going to the nominating committee and that is so hard. And then you think, okay. I'm gone your recommendation to membership and you know and doors open for anyone else.

31:52 And then after that, you have meet the candidates and meet the candidates is a heart attack, feel like the presidential debates. And anybody who don't like you or think that you have done one thing within the time of year, and then meet the candidates. It's over everybody. And their mother comes out. All the members are out the room. There's over a hundred people, and that's very intimidated. Any of the higher presidential caucuses, you get more time. So you need to find a way to talk.

32:37 But it is what it is and it's also hard to be a leader in this organization, How being Invisible Woman leader here, may have affected your personal life or because so many so many men lost their marriages and women lost their spouses as a result. It was easier for men because he's always someone at home, but it's always more difficult for the woman. That's how I found it, because when you're in leadership here, you're expected to be here and to perform. Well, you also have your obligation at home for dinner on the table. Looks like the house to be cleaned and I don't think men had that same.

33:37 When I came into the club, I was not married at the time you already have gone through divorce. So therefore, I had a chance to really focus on something else to do and I found this A happy place for me because you know, I was more involved in something so it was different.

34:03 Reminder need to do, you know, I signed that as a woman in this place. One of the things that was good for us as woman beats up on us as much, they had that respect. So even if they wanted to they would not, you know, they just it was that was good and but it was still a lot. It was it was talking to me, even though I wanted to be president was vice president. I didn't realize the tremendous work that we had at the time that I was the president. The first time we had almost three-quarters of a million dollar watch it at the time. So you're running the members the business and it was and you were

34:55 You have to make money because members demanded that there's no doubt that it's and it's so important. I think that people come up through the ranks. I know that in more modern time people tend to want to join this week and be president next and here is so much value to coming up to the ranks and understanding the various positions and the Dynamics of the people that you have to work with and to show some sort of level of commitment. That way people get to see you actually functioning in the various roles. I think somehow they have more respect. You kind of demonstration if you could get it done.

35:52 And I think that's probably that definitely helps my presidency to be successful because I had been around a long time and participate in every committee that you can ever think of people came back to the West Indian Social Club. A lot of young people did that and that's because one, I don't think they probably join for the wrong reason. A lot of young people want to put on their resume that's involved in the community. And I really wasn't my team. But the other team, they got frustrated, they came in with an agenda and they wanted it to be certain ways. And if they couldn't get it that way, I operate a little differently.

36:46 When did was things that I wanted to see happen and they weren't in agreement or I couldn't get it done through the business committee. I took that responsibility and I said, okay, let me show them that it can be done. So if it was a project that involved raising funds, I would just go ahead and show them that. So I always tried to demonstrate what I wanted to talk to do or how involved I wanted to have them and I think that's really big difference cuz then I can point back and say okay. You said it couldn't be done. You just need to get more involved. And so that I noticed that right now with the young people joining, if they can't get what they want, initially, write off private quit and they probably join another organization.

37:46 The same thing when they really should hang around and put their efforts into demonstrating that they were not elected to certain position. They leave, they would call me back because everything I was not going to be really because even though we had a lot of volunteers at the time when I went in my presidency.

38:27 We had a lot of volunteers, but I don't think.

38:33 We are one of the things that we didn't do right here. We did not plan for the future.

38:42 As an organisation and that really frustrated me because at this point we should have attained more much more than we did. And I'm not sure how we we got to this point right now, because I'm made of these people, that we have many of the people that join now Nathan, the cops in here to do not have the commitment like we did when we lack the ability to keep our organization going forever. And we have accomplished a lot in 70 years, but unlike when our parents were ahead in this organization, they reached back and make sure that the young people

39:42 Good morning, Tom. I don't see that happening. Now. The people who are in leadership, now the people who are head that these so-called adults, now, none of their children come to this organization for automatically, they're not involved in the youth group. They may come to a dance program or some other events, but they're not intricately involved. And that is where the planning. I think we're lacking because if we had the commitment from the young people, they would understand the history of this organization and they would be more committed. I think I had a wonderful opportunity to work on the numerous leaders that I admire the hardest Johnson. The Keith are the Leslie Perry, you know, these are men and women from the Lady Gaga.

40:42 All those women, they were just so powerful and you can't, I can't even put a value on that experience. It was really wonderful.