Narratives from Golda Lee Bruce

FOR Caribbean storyteller Golda Lee Bruce, storytelling is a thread that runs through her personal and professional life. A television journalist for many years and now a communications professional, Bruce said she is motivated by the desire to live out her purpose, and is compelled to share her version of the Caribbean which is full of complex characters, unique experiences, and inexplicable magic.

“I have always told stories. I believe that all of us have something that we have been gifted to do,” the first-time author told All Woman. “My gift is to motivate and inspire through my stories. I am determined to share that gift with the world.”

Bruce, who is from Trinidad and Tobago, recently published the book Born on an Island: Stories from a Trinidadian Girlhood,which is a series of short stories from her life as a young girl growing up in the Caribbean wherein she believed that her place was small because of the size of her island.

As a child she questioned why no one on Sesame Street looked or sounded like her. It was the first sign that her life was different from what she saw in mainstream media.

The book highlights the richness and uniqueness of life in the Caribbean while following Bruce’s journey to find her faith and her place in the world. It’s already available on Amazon and at select bookstores in Jamaica.

The University of the West Indies (The UWI), Mona graduate said the stories she shares are relatable to people everywhere in the Caribbean region.

“I think many people, especially women, will relate to the stories in the book,” she said. “I have come to realise that as Caribbean people we share many experiences. The places may be different but the principles and characters are the same. And in addition to reading and enjoying my story, I believe the book will inspire the readers to think about their own experiences in new ways.”

Bruce said the root of her resilience comes from faith.

“I come from a family of strong believers. From a young age I was taught to rely on God,” she said. “And that faith has sustained me through very difficult seasons in my life and empowered me to do many things, including publish my first book.

“In my free time I do motivational speaking and I use social media to share inspirational stories,” the wife and mother of two added.

She lists her children among her greatest contribution to the world — she’s aiming to raise global citizens who have a heart for loving and serving people.

“The second thing is my inspiration — I believe that words are powerful, and I pray that the words I speak and write will inspire positive behaviours in others for many generations.”

Bruce said the book allows her to give honour to God, her family, community, country and region, and “I am very proud of this record that will live on. It is my way of saying thanks”.

“I have always loved writing and I always planned to write a book. For many years I would live through something and think, ‘That will go in the book.’ For the last few years I have shared many of my life experiences on my social media. The book is a continuation of that sharing.”

Readers can look forward to finding out about Bruce’s time spent in Jamaica as a UWI student, a period that was central to who she is today.

“Jamaica is where I discovered my Caribbean identity,” she shared. “It is where I came to know my true self. Jamaica is a place I love and respect, and Jamaicans are a unique and beautiful people. In the book I share my first experiences with Jamaican culture as a 19-year-old arriving on campus for the first time.”

It was here that she would deliver a message for her younger self to “not waste time being afraid”.

“Go and do the things that you know you are called to do,” she admonished. “Don’t fear criticism or failure. You have everything you need to overcome. Go and do your work.”

As a girl her memories are bounteous, and she shares many of them in the book.

“I remember spending a lot of time with my grandmother. She taught me to read, she taught me about life, she taught me how to live out my faith. Many of us had a grandmother like that. I realise it is a blessing [which] many across the Caribbean have in common,” she said.

She explained that she grew up in a house filled with women, having lived with her mother, aunt, grandmother and sister.

“They were all powerful and very intelligent, but humble and kind. In our house there was always healthy discussion and disagreement; I grew up learning how to express myself in a respectful way. I also learned to listen to others and to do everything in love,” she said.

Bruce, who played the role of First Lady in Mozart’s opera Magic Flute in 2013, performing in nine shows, said she hopes to publish much more in the future.

“Writing is a part of my life, it’s a form of therapy for me. I have always kept journals. This book is a natural progression of that and so I expect to keep going,” she said.