We will be featuring each of the Queen's Young Leaders of the OECS, their stories in youth development, their experience in being a Queen's Young Leader and their plans for their country. In this interview we speak to Regis Burton of Antigua & Barbuda.
OY: For people across the OECS, who may not be familiar with your work, what youth programs/initiatives are you involved with in your country/across the region?
RB: The primary program I’m involved in is Nolan Hue which is both a for profit and non profit company focused on creative positive professional environments. The for profit arm is a retail business providing suits and professional wear in Antigua. The non-profit arm works on professional development seminars, events and networking opportunities for young people in Antigua.
I was also involved in coordinating the first ever political debate in Antigua - The National Youth Forum. I was also chairman of a local non-profit organization called Project Sync.
OY: What sparked your involvement in youth development and affairs?
RB: I actually studied in NYC and I moved back home after I graduated. Once I returned home I realized there were a lot of holes in the system that i could assist with addressing. I am young person, so naturally I concentrated my efforts on issues affecting young people.
I knew I wanted to start a business providing professional attire for men. Once I started conducting my market research I realized that men in Antigua didn’t really wear suits unless it was for church or a wedding. To sell these type of clothes there needed to be occasions - for people to wear suits. So I decided to create the non-profit arm of Nolan Hue to fill this need and replicate the opportunities I had with Antiguan flavor. The was the seed that i planted which is now growing into more than just about the clothes but rather about giving the people the opportunity to express their full professional potential.
OY: Undoubtedly the Queen’s Young Leaders week was an unforgettable experience. What activity/event/experience had the greatest impact on you?
Meeting her Majesty the Queen was the greatest highlight of my trip. Leading up to meeting her, we all tried to think of what we would say, and how we would start the conversation. Once I approached her Majesty the Queen, to my surprise she spoke first asking me about my work with Nolan Hue.
Once we had this exchange I told her “so this is how it feels to be a King” and got her to laugh! This was a powerful moment for me as it wasn’t strict and formal - I had a truly candid, human interaction with her Majesty the Queen.
In addition to that moment, the network that I’ve built from this experience is astounding. If nature takes it’s course and continue striving we are going to be the next leaders and we will need each other in the future.
OY: What are specific tools/ideas/concepts from the experience were the most important/useful to you?
RB: Prior to the trip, for the past year we were all enrolled in a course offered by the University of Cambridge called “Leading Change”. Through this course we were prompted to answer why we are doing what we’re doing. This concept required us to stop and assess whether we were on the right track and following what we originally set out to do. Another concept was thinking big and being a creative thinker. We were encouraged to truly think creatively - almost like children do - to think without limitations in order to find solutions.
OY: How do you plan on taking the knowledge & experience you gained and applying it to your country/region?
RB: I feel like there is no purpose of receiving this knowledge, if we do not share it with others. From July 15th - 17th I’ll be hosting a Youth Empowerment Retreat which is the first of it’s kind in Antigua. Forty persons between the ages of 16-25 will be participating in this retreat where I hope to share everything I have learned with them. Topics we plan on covering are life lessons, coaching, retirement planning, etiquette and much more. My hope is based on the success of this initiative that I can reproduce it in other islands.
OY: What advice/encouragement/message do you have to share with young people in the OECS?
Be proactive. Identify what you want and work towards it. Don’t wait for someone to hand it to you.
Be patient. We as young people love instant gratification but sometimes things take time.
Think outside the box. Focus on a career rather than a job - always think about the future.
