Choc'late Allen

[In Her Own Words]

“The cycle of life created a union between two beings, Kurt and Fabi Allen. It is through this union, bonded by love, respect and honor, that I was born; on June 19th 1993.

My parents are indeed my best friends. They laid a foundation in my life that I have full appreciation and respect for. In our house, nothing was his, hers or mine; it was always ours. I was included in all family meetings, discussions and decisions; and my opinion/contribution was always respected and valued. A major lesson in our house was, if you have an opinion, articulate it. If you do not communicate effectively then it gives room for misinterpretation. My parents were and still are strong believers of “Children must be seen and HEARD.”

Of all the “laws of our house”, “Taking Personal Responsibility” ran from number one to ten; and the others followed. Little did I know at that time, “Taking Personal Responsibility” would be the core value of my life.

I am a child of the Universe. As child of this Universe, I believe that there is a calling beyond what the eyes can see, but within the range of where the soul can feel. I trust everyday that the Universe will guide. I know that I don't know, and therefore my mind remains exposed to new possibilities. There is not a single word I found yet that can describe me in totality. But as someone once told me, maybe that word is Choc'late.

"…Sometimes the things we desire are not the things that would be most beneficial to us... Is our motive in life to blend in and find a space or to make a space and leave a positive legacy?... Prioritize wisely my friends. The world will not wait on us to discover, understand, apply and live."

[Who is Choc'late?]

Choc'late is a home-schooled student, who as a toddler showed qualities of determination and enthusiasm towards learning. This led to her being a consistent A+ student and heavily involved in cultural, sporting and social activities. From 1993 to 2000, she lived in Trinidad and Tobago and was known by everyone that she met as; “A bright, intelligent, old soul; with a promising future”. In 2001 Choc'late began touring the region as an actress, singer and dancer; with the organization Caribbean Vizion. She was now exposed to different Caribbean cultures, history, people and was having direct contact, relations and negotiations with Prime Ministers, Presidents, Political figures, NGO's and the Private Sector. But according to Choc'late, it was at age eleven that she began to identify a direction for her existence.

In 2004, Caribbean Vizion lost its St. Lucian C.E.O – Ms. Jany Williams – to a vehicle accident that Choc'late and four other C.V cast members were involved in. After campaigning against a 34-year-old, Choc'late was elected C.E.O of the regional organization Caribbean Vizion. This position proved to bestow her with responsibilities that many of her peers didn't experience at that age. Through Caribbean Vizion tours, Choc'late and her Caribbean colleges were able to address social issues and inspire positive changes in lives of many Caribbean People. Tours took her within schools (elementary, primary, secondary, and tertiary institutions), prisons (adult and youth correctional facilities), communities (including those that are considered “at risk”), and other institutions (children homes, institutions for the hearing and visual impaired and for the physically challenged).

After touring with Caribbean Vizion from 2001 to 2006, Allen began putting structure to her own personal passions and concerns. Without abandoning her executive position and commitment to the NGO, she created an independent movement that was fully geared toward youth vision and development. This movement, as envisioned in the creation phase, would be presented through the medium of Educulture, Music, Workshops and Social Activism.

In 2007, 13-year-old Choc’late began the year with a five-day fast at the National Library in Port of Spain, Trinidad. Inspired after reading the biography of Mahatma Gandhi, she took a personal stance against the rising crime rate in Trinidad and Tobago; and sought to send a message of peace to citizens; by rejecting food and drink for five days. During the fast, she urged the nation to take personal responsibility for their thoughts, words and actions; and work together toward positive nation building. Her stance became a national issue and inspired the youth community to break their silence and become advocates for social issues. Following her fast, she went on to conduct motivational school tours, award ceremonies, summer camps, and form youth groups that flew the TPR (Taking Personal Responsibility) flag.

In 2009, Choc’late and her organization produced an audio disk entitled “Children MUST be Seen and HEARD”. This disk was the result of her “Creating a vision for our future” workshop; an extensive tour of schools, communities and institutions in all 40 parishes in Jamaica. The tour was supported by many organizations including, UNESCO, UNAIDS, UNDP, UNICEF, and UNEP, and was executed over a period of two years. The audio disk was endorsed by the then Prime Minister (Mr Bruce Golding) and then Minister of Education (Dr. Andrew Holness), and was implemented as a training tool for teachers, guidance counselors, peer counselors, and students; in all schools on island.

From 2007 to 2011; Choc’late has been a respected as a keynote speaker, motivational idol, child/ youth activist, recording artiste, radio and television hostess, newspaper journalist, educator; and (most recently) an author. She continues to tour schools, communities, and institutions and has always maintained her position and support for the ancient concept of “Taking Personal Responsibility”. The region is highly anticipating the launch of her book during 2012; which is said to recap the life of a young lady that captures our interest and hearts.

She is known to many people as many things, but to all, she is respected for her contribution to society.

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