Dennis Anthony Glasgow is a 20-year-old Caribbean Youth Advocate for the advancements of Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) of young people. His advocacy career began at the Guyana Responsible Parenthood Association (GRPA) some years ago. It was this foundation and involvement in youth development that led him to found ASPIRE Youth Network Guyana.
The Youth Network deals primarily with Adolescent and Women’s Health and Rights while still preparing young people to take part in meaningful advocacy and political engagement. Glasgow also is a member of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Youth Advisory Group in Guyana.
Glasgow serves on a few Regional Committees that deal with various SRHR issues. These include the Youth Advocacy Steering Committee for PANCAP, the Caribbean Right Here Right Now Platform, the PAHO Technical Working Group for the Elimination of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV & Syphilis, Women Deliver Young Leaders Program, the Youth Coalition for Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights, and Bold Leader.
He holds a Diploma in Communication Studies from the University of Guyana, where he is approaching his final year for a degree in the same field. When he pictures himself at the prime of his career, he sees himself as being a Caribbean Cultural and Social Anthropologist working in the area of youth development through education and health.
Glasgow is also an actor and poet, and intends to continue channelling those talents to affect social change through “Art advocacy”. Apart from his obsession with Soca and Reggae music, he also enjoys reading, writing and socialising with other persons who share the same principle of human rights for all, regardless of their background.
He completed his early education at the West Ruimveldt Primary School and went on to the Bishops’ High School. It is his intention to study cultural anthropology upon completion of his communications degree.
“I aspire to be a cultural anthropologist, dealing primarily in the area of health and education of young people across Guyana. Given Guyana’s rich cultural diversity and the fact that we share so many social issues – each with its own challenges; I strongly believe that we need trained professionals to address these issues in a culturally sensitive way. The way you address something like education or even health in a country like this can never have a one-size-fits-all approach. The way I address it in Region Four, I cannot do the same in Region Six; and definitely not Region Nine where English is sometimes the third language. Cultural anthropology affords you to see these issues and solutions through cultural lenses and that I want to say I can help with.”
Anthony comes from a family of volunteers, and his mother is still actively involved with the Guyana Relief Council. It was the values instilled of helping those in need that led him to start ASPIRE Youth Network.
“ASPIRE stands for “Advocates for Safe Parenthood; Improving Reproductive Equity”. ASPIRE is a regional organisation in a few other Caribbean countries, but Glasgow’s is the first “Youth Network” to be established, followed by one in Trinidad.
“We are a youth led, youth serving group and we think that this is important to stress, because Guyana has many ‘youth organisations’ and some of them are led/managed by adults who may not always have our interests at heart. Every decision is made by a team of young people who make up the board. The main areas of focus include: Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights Advocacy, Women’s Rights are Human Rights, Gender Based Violence, Mental Health, Youth Leadership, Empowerment and Development, and, frankly, any issue that young people deem necessary.
“It was a passion of mine to always do more; however, networks I’ve been associated with were often so adult-infested and they muzzled and shut down young people with vision, so this network was to give young creatives and young advocates a voice to do as they like with other like-minded people working to ensure their vision is realised. Fostering “initiative” and creating a space for young people to be critical in their thinking, but active and visionary in their lives and actions,” he notes.
ASPIRE does a lot of outreaches to educate people about family planning and gender-based violence. In addition, it also hosts public forums and dialogues with other groups to address the key issues that it represents.
“We fully support young people being able to reach their fullest potential by overcoming hurdles like unintentional pregnancies, contraction of STDs & STIs, violence, mental illnesses and other issues we face. We believe that through education, awareness, community service, capacity-building training and physical activities, we can create a positive social change that ensures that our young people are “fit and proper” and, of course, healthy to assume leader positions in the future. ”
Glasgow says he hopes that his passion and experiences could be the kick starter to something great in someone else’s life. He wants to change the world, but is not naïve to the fact that he cannot do it by himself.
“My favourite line I never fail to share with young people desirous of social changes, is it first starts with “building self-enough, so that self can afford to be selfless”. I also think that charity literally begins at home: if you can wake up tomorrow and challenge (respectfully) something like gender roles in your home, then you’ve made some impact….” (Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)
