Dear Editor:

“So hard to be a Seacolite, but oh so good” is one of the many cheers we, the ladies of Mary Seacole Hall, chant whenever the opportunity presents itself, as a symbol of pride for this, our home.

Our home is characterized by the sterling sisterhood demonstrated daily, the host of empowered and brilliant young women who leave the gates of the institution yearly, the superlative leadership training which the hall’s administration provides, and the many outreach initiatives organized by the residents and the hall’s administrative body.

We pride ourselves on being products of this awesome home. We are proud to be Seacolites. We are honoured to live on a hall named after such a phenomenal woman.

We strive to embody the resilience and determination demonstrated by Mary Seacole throughout her life. Her legacy has taught us that we should selflessly give unending service to humanity.

Most importantly, her life has reminded us that we must not be consumed by the prejudices we have to overcome, but that we must be unequivocally great in fulfilling our destiny. We laud the relentless work of the Mary Seacole Memorial Statue Appeal that ensured that our patroness, Mrs. Seacole is acknowledged for her valiant acts of heroism during the Crimean War. The statue of a strong, phenomenal, Jamaican woman being mounted in the United Kingdom speaks volume of the work she has done, and legacy we have been fortunate enough to inherit. We are women: strong, courageous game changers. We are proud to be called Seacolites.

We are MARY SEACOLE.

Roxanne Francis

Mary Seacole Hall Chairperson 2016-2017