When Loyalty Misses the Mark: A Bajan’s Reflection on Community, Support, and Self-Sabotage


This past week something happened that both disappointed me and reminded me of a truth I’ve wrestled with for years: as Bajans, we don’t always have each other’s back the way we should—and it’s hurting us more than we think.

I shared a message in a group chat full of fellow Bajans. I was excited to let everyone know about a major sale happening at my workplace—50% off gold items, a real chance to own something of value at an unbeatable price. I wasn’t just promoting for promotion’s sake either; I asked folks specifically to come and ask for me, to support me as one of their own.

Moments later—literally seconds—a Bajan woman from the group (I won’t call her name) ignored my message and privately messaged my Jamaican coworker—who was sitting right next to me—asking for pictures and details about the same sale. No "thank you" under my post. No “I’m interested.” Not even a courtesy thumb-up. Just bypassed me altogether. My coworker, surprised, showed me the message and simply shook her head: “No loyalty in the community.”

That hurt. I won’t lie. Especially since I support all Bajan initiatives!

It wasn’t just about a sale. It was the principle. The fact that I openly shared something valuable, represented all of us professionally, and still got sidelined—by my own. I sat there thinking about how other communities—Jamaicans, Filipinos, Latinos, Indians, Whites—rally for their own. They show up, they spread the word, they buy from each other, they build each other up.

Why do so many Bajans struggle with that?

Don’t get me wrong—there were Bajans who came out and supported me, and I thank them with every ounce of my being. You are appreciated. You showed what community should look like, and I will remember that. You hold a special place with me for life!

However, we need to have a serious conversation about this cultural flaw—this tendency to compete, undermine, or dismiss our own people rather than support them.

There’s a shadow looming over us as a people—economically, socially, and culturally. If we don’t learn to pool our resources, uplift our brothers and sisters, and recognize the strength we have when we work together, we’re going to get swallowed by systems and communities that already understand the power of unity.

Being Bajan is more than just where we’re from—it should be a bond. A pride. A support system.

But that only matters if we actually live it. Loyalty is not just about friendships or family—it’s about recognizing when your own is trying, pushing, building, and choosing to stand beside them instead of stepping over or around them.

So to my fellow Bajans: I say this with love, with fire, and with urgency—we need to do better. We need to show up. We need to share, buy, support, recommend, repost, refer, and encourage each other. Because divided, we are easy to ignore. But together?

Together, we can’t be denied. 



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Comments

  1. Trevor Best - mypristinewealth.com Pristinecapitalfunding.comJune 29, 2025 at 8:04 AM

    Unfortunately, this has been a trend in our community for many years as it relates to investing in each other. We are okay to buy a bit of this or that from the local vendor, but from the moment it seems someone will prosper significantly from the endeavor, we revert to selfish ways. This unfortunately extends beyond just the Bajan culture, but permeates within the Black culture as a whole. It is time that we acknowledge the significance of pooling our resources, allowing our monies to circulate within our communities for a much longer time than currently happening, and employ consistent efforts towards building a legacy and generational wealth within our own communities.

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