Submitted by PUDRYR
Attn: Ms. Rihanna Fenty
My name is Ryan Brathwaite and I am a Gold Medallist from Barbados (110 metres hurdles 2009 World Championships).
I have a question related to developing a support mechanism for talented Barbadians that I hope might be of interest to you.
I am starting an NGO called Outside the Winners Circle whose focus is to provide support to local talent, young (and not so young) bajan men and women who currently depend on government support which is, as you may know, not at an optimal level.
This initiative would focus on things like athletic scholarships, support for talented artistes, or indigenous initiatives in need of financial/technical support I propose to build a virtual mechanism to support these resource-needy applicants, persons who are already “tried and tested” and are already “in the business” but fall just short of that “tipping point” and success.
I propose to create a Portal at www.outsidethewinnerscircle.com to manage the enrolment and critical facilitations for our best (and while I am an athlete our portal will reach out to our best) and, with your support, I plan to demo that system via an online encounter with you (wherever you are in the world) on 30th November, from here in Barbados.
I know that you have a lot of experience in “what the local talent and performer sector needs, and currently lacks” and I am wondering if you would be interested in supporting this initiative.
I am promoting a virtual gateway for young people seeking investment, irrespective of the initiatives with a view to generating jobs for new breed entrepreneurs.
Do you think I should be focusing on a self sustaining web infrastructure or a business development/promotion option?
What do you think of us doing a limited pilot (which would be a combination of both elements mentioned above) and then, given the buy-in, decide to focus on promoting the web portal model or the dedicated business financial support aspect?
In summary the portal would assist people like me, who might have “finite windows of opportunity”, but may have slipped out of “the Winner’s Circle”, not because they (we) dropped out, but because they (we) did not have the additional resources needed.
I’d love to know your thoughts Miss Fenty.
As a separate matter, I was also wondering if you’re seeing any possibility for you to promote a Second Tier Performer circuit which would bring lesser known performers to Barbados as your “guests” and create a following using such an activity to promote tourism and expose our local performers. I believe that many local hoteliers would support that program via discounts etc.
It would be leveraging your name for what could be called The Rihanna Get Together. Do you think there is some currency there? It’s a bit hard to assess if that idea can work and if you could would assist it but, it might be a way to help Barbados if say you got Port Ferdinand and a few other hotels to band together with this.
Miss Fenty, thanks for reading this….you’re probably up to your eyeballs with the Rihanna vs. Beyonce Concert in addition to your World Tours at the moment.
Continued success with your career I remain one of the many Barbadians who have so much pride and joy in your success and ongoing achievements
Best Regards
Ryan Brathwaite
CEO
Outside the Winners Circle
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