Influencer Chris Rosinda

Interview May 2023

Could you share with us some information about your family life?
I was born in Curaçao and raised partially by my grandmother, during the time my parents were constructing their own house. My caretakers, which included also 5 uncles, all were very supportive in allowing me to develop into who I am today and also supported me to explore and develop my interests in music and culture. I have 5 siblings of whom two are from my father’s side, with a very strong bond with each other. I am very happy about this, as my family is very important to me. I am single and have no children, but I definitely have the intention to have my own family.

Could you share something about your educational background and your experience? Where do you work at this moment?
I attended Chaya Willems school at the primary level, and the Albert Schweitzer college at the secondary school level, where I was challenged but overcame learning Dutch as a subject matter. I attended Marnix College, with Hospitality as my field of study, and won a prize as ‘Dushi hende’, went to the HAVO at Radulphus College, took a year’s sabbatical to attend a nautical course at Feffik, where I didn’t like the level that was taught and ended up, after a brief stint where I worked, at the UoC studying Papiamentu.

I am still at the UoC in the final stages of my study, to become a 2nd grade teacher.

I have savored the fact that I attended different schools and even formed a band that allowed me to practice music every week and meeting Princess Laurenteen when I was at the Marnix College was a great experience for me. Also playing on the Freewinds with very professional instruments was a great experience. I was always interested in history and wanted to know more. Of late, it was a great pleasure and honor that I met Jeanne Henriquez, as it helped me even more to know my culture and helped to develop my culture. Being now on the board of Fundashon Museo Tula has let me meet so many people like the Royal family and people like former Prime Ministers of the Netherlands Antilles Susy Römer and Maria Liberia Peters.

We know you to be a board member of Fundashon Museo Tula. How did you get involved?
I was at a seminar at the UoC and during that seminar, I expressed the lack that I felt of information, especially for the youth, about our past. Jeanne Henriquez approached me and wanted to collaborate with me and invited me to join the board of Fundashon Museo Tula.

This to me is an exciting experience with gives me a lot of fulfillment as I am now involved in many activities that I would never want to miss. I am a member of the National Committee on the 160th commemoration of the Abolition of slavery.

What is your BIG WHY or driving motivation to be who you are right now? And why is it that you want to find ways and means to contribute?
I have always been a curious person and I was always involved in looking for more information to expand my own experiences through these studies. This more in-depth approach for me as a teacher is very important as the is nothing more satisfying than transferring information to my students especially. Every class I have to prepare I dive deep into the subject so that I can have as much information as possible to share with my students. Not only my students but also all those that surround me, this makes me very happy and this is my BIG WHY.

What are your plans for the coming years for the coming 5 years from now?
My biggest priority is financial stability, and as I accomplish this, I will have more time to share and transfer information. The educational platform as a teacher will help me get to a place where through different projects, I will be able to spread information regarding our history among our youth, making me proud of my accomplishments via this platform. I will not only be at the next level regarding my knowledge of our history and social-cultural background, but I would have also impacted the lives of our youth, not only those attending my classes but also our youth in general.

What are the challenges that you are dealing with? And how are you dealing with these different challenges you confront?
At this moment, my biggest challenge is my time. I need to balance my time between finalizing my study and the work related to my organizational responsibilities. I am wearing a shirt with 11 sleeves. After my graduation, I will have more time to contribute to the historical and cultural dimension of the work that I am involved in and by doing that be better able to help our youth in their personal development.

Do you use your inner voice to evaluate when dilemmas show up? How does that work for you?
I love to give myself some time and calm myself. I will tell myself that I am here in whatever position I might be, in because people believe in me and I will not external factors influence me.

I also have people that trust me and that I trust, that are knowledgeable on the subject matter at stake. So I would approach them for advice. And some people are not knowledgeable on that theme and all this gives me a different perspective on the dilemma at hand. After giving it all a thought, I will take a decision.

How are you trying also to keep up with your knowledge and skill levels?
Nowadays, we have the internet. And by surfing the internet give me more time to discern after checking the sources of the information, what is the truth. The educational platform is a platform to practice what is already available and to practice the newly attained knowledge.

What are your strengths?
I am critical of myself and others, sincere, honest (integrity), patient, willing to help, dedicated, and persevering. When I start something, I finish it.

Do you have hobbies or interests that you are also passionate about?
I love working on cars. I love concerts that I give to myself on my guitar. I love watching documentaries and if I have an idea, I will work on it and explore the possibilities.

If you Chris would meet a stranger on the bus (let’s say in New York or Quito Ecuador) and they would ask you to introduce yourself, what would you answer?
I will share my name and I will explore commonalities and some subjects of joined interest to start a conversation. And it depends if the person is a communicative person or not, you never know what might end up in a new friendship.

How would you describe Chris in one word or one sentence?
I am a conservative, dynamic, and flexible person.

Who are the persons that have inspired you the most in your life and career?
My grandmother, she taught me to become a fighter.

But also my mentor at Marnix College Mister Alves, my teacher that taught me the theoretical and practical sides of the hospitality industry. Mister Randall Rosalia, as I connected very well with him and this has impacted me a lot. And last but not least another teacher, Natasha Albert.

What is a trait that is still a work in progress?
The organizational part of my life. I like to help people, but that can be overdone, as I am not good at saying “no” to people.

What was a defining moment in your life?
There are different moments, but one that comes to mind now is when I was at primary school. I was a very quiet child. I was raised among adults and I was taught, when I was talked to, not to respond. I forced myself ultimately and had sufficient courage, to become more assertive and outspoken to defend myself. Only at the secondary school level that I learned to do this.

What would you want your Loved Ones, family, friends, and others to say about you let’s say 20 years from now?
I hope that they will say that I am a person that has achieved great things in our society. That I had impacted a lot of people in their lives. That I have written at least one book.

What makes you stay optimistic about the future?
If we don’t move and take action, nothing will happen. We have to motivate ourselves, as change is in our own hands. The change will come because I know so many people, that have the ambition to change things. That is why I am optimistic about the future. In this process, people need to understand how important education is on different levels, like the micro, meso, and macro levels.

One of the 250 Influencers

Chris Rosinda is a dedicated, curious, critical, sincere, and patient educator. Raised in a caring and stimulating environment, made him develop an interest in music and culture. Chris is very family-centered. He has also participated in different types of Education, which has added to his diverse experiential background. With a passionate interest in history and culture, his outspokenness has got him noticed and offered an opportunity to join the Board of Fundashon Museo Tula. He is a member of the National Committee on the Commemoration of the 160th year of Abolition of Slavery this year (2023). His drive to look for more information about our past and our culture not only makes him more knowledgeable but coincides with his clear intention to transfer information to students and the Youth in general as an educator. This is his BIG WHY, his way to Serve. Understanding the importance of education on the micro, meso, and macro level, made him decide to become a teacher and educator. Because of his perseverance, focus, eagerness to learn more, and his openness to be mentored and coached, we are sure to hear more of Chris, as he plans to impact our Youth via the educational platform and all other means available. For this, we consider Chris one of the 250 Influencers of Curaçao, representing the Educational and Cultural Sector. Look at the list of the Influencers we have interviewed or reported on, up to now.

The goal of the core group of Share2Uplift for 2023

The goal of the Share2Uplift movement is to: “Identify 250 leaders from all walks of life to connect, align and create impactful changes in all walks of life, which includes intergenerational collaboration by the end of 2023.” We will use interviewing Influencers, meet-and-greet events, “train-the-trainers”-programs on “Emotional Mastery” and “Intentionality “as national intervention strategies, to reach this goal on top of our goal to scale up the possibilities to connect, align and create impact via a virtual platform. We believe that by collaborating with Miguel Goede on the virtual Vision 2030 platform, we will accelerate the possibilities to connect the diaspora and others elsewhere in the world and on the island willing to constructively create impactful changes in Curaçao, to join.

As Share2Uplift, we are fully trying to align with this thinking of Center for Curriculum Redesign to promote this agenda in our educational systems and workplace. So, in that sense, we fully support any initiative to make our educational system 21st-century proof.

Share2Uplift aligners are those that:
– Create an inspiring vision of the future;
– Motivate and inspire people to engage with that vision;
– Manage the delivery of the vision;
– Coach and build a team, so that it is more effective at achieving the vision. These criteria are now being polished.

We also consider these 5 values the most important ones for Share2Uplift aligners. They are:

• Peace from within;
• Compassion;
• Respectfulness;
• Integrity;
• Responsibility.

As we will progress towards this goal, we will update you on the progress.