Dr Leroy ‘Jimi’ Hendricks, 29, is using his skills and knowledge as a medical doctor, entrepreneur, and through activism, which he says is new to him, to to empower Indigenous people in Guyana, and help the wider Guyanese population and people around the world to take pride in their indigeneity.
“Those of us, given opportunities as professionals, have to take up multiple roles, including that of advocate. Most times, the majority of our people are not given the opportunities to fulfil that purpose of being something more. Our education system does not favour Indigenous people’s development. It does not cater for the preservation of Indigenous languages and culture. That has to change and it has to begin with us,” he told Stabroek Weekend in an interview.
“As a people we don’t understand, fully, what we can do or what we are entitled to. Most days you see news about Indigenous people’s legal rights being trampled on. It’s just that we don’t know where we stand and most of that is as a result of lack of representation and lack of understanding how the system of government works.