Hailing from the inner-city community of Seaview Gardens in Kingston, 21-year-old Ossarie Clair has always been hungry for impact. It’s this passion that has led the aspiring chemist and budding philanthropist to dedicate much of his free time to volunteering at various institutions.

Determined to inspire those within his community and the wider Jamaican society to achieve their educational goals, Clair is ready to make his mark and be a positive force for good.

“I made the decision to pursue higher education because I was motivated by my older brother who did not have the opportunity to go to university. I worked very hard and obtained a scholarship in my first year,” said The University of the West Indies (UWI) applied chemistry student.

“I have always been fascinated by chemistry, because it has helped me to better understand the world. But my true passion is to live a life of service, giving back, and providing opportunities for those who would like to pursue higher education.”

Beyond the lab, Clair is looking to use all available tools to make the most impact. “Social media has become our way of life. We are so reliant on this online world. When I leave university, the plan is to use that space in a more meaningful way to really push the idea of giving back and encourage people to get on board,” he noted.

Clair was among a group of men invited to a recent ‘reasoning session’ with popular businessman and music mogul Romeich Major, hosted by stout brand Dragon and the D&G Foundation. Major, also known for his philanthropic efforts, led a lively discussion, giving the group advice and challenging them to think big.

“It was very informative because there were a lot of things that I did not know before. We talked about self-expression and selflessness. I think we have been socialised as men to not express or show any emotions. It’s almost robotic, so I am happy Dragon is addressing this. I’m looking forward to attending more sessions and hopefully getting the chance to bring along more men from my community. I think having these sessions will help us solve a lot of the ongoing issues that plague our society, it was truly inspirational,” expressed Clair.

The Dragon ‘Be the One’ Reasoning Session was the second in a series of informal conversations around positive masculinity with a focus on empowering men and helping them to manage and express their emotions in productive ways.

“We have so much work to do as a society to change the way in which we interact with each other. It’s going to require a greater degree of emotional intelligence and a change in the mindset that says if you’re a strong man you have to be violent and exhibit other antisocial behaviour,” said Nathan Nelms, Dragon brand manager.

“Real men stand strong without unnecessary aggression. Real men strive for better and set good examples for their families and community. And that’s what Dragon is hoping to promote among our male consumers,” he continued.

The message was well received by Clair who is urging his peers to find an outlet when it comes to expressing their emotions.

“It’s hard sometimes to figure out how and where to channel how you feel. I would suggest finding people you trust to talk to, especially older persons who may have gone through something similar. Maybe you can even try playing sports, just do what you need to do to practice positive emotional management which in return develops your emotional intelligence, trust me, it is worth it. Your future may very well depend on it.”