Jenifer Lewis urges youth to find purpose, reject judgement

Award-winning Hollywood actress, author and activist Jenifer Lewis challenged young Barbadians to discover their purpose, embrace self-love and reject prejudice during an interactive youth engagement session with campers in the National Summer Camp on Tuesday.

The event, hosted at the Frank Collymore Hall under the Division of Youth and Culture and the Office of Pan African Affairs and Heritage in the Prime Minister’s Office as part of the Season of Emancipation 2026 Marcus Garvey Celebrations, gave campers the opportunity to question the Hollywood star about her career, activism, mental health journey and life experiences.

“We want to thank you for taking time out of your schedule to come with us here in Barbados,” Minister of Youth and Culture Senator Shane Archer said. 

“You’re here for part of our Emancipation celebrations and here yesterday especially for Marcus Garvey Day. I think it is also important for our young people here to understand that story, that journey, where we came from, where we are now.”

Lewis said she immediately accepted the invitation because of Marcus Garvey’s impact on people of African descent around the world.

“I’ve been reading about Marcus Garvey for a long time,” she said. “Marcus Garvey was global. Everybody admired him for bringing us together. He wanted us to have our own… to become more of a village for African Americans, to be closer in order to unite and become a force.”

Describing her visit to Barbados as memorable, she added: “I’m having such a great time. I’m so happy to be here to celebrate Marcus Garvey Day… I went out on the ocean the other day. The water was beautiful. The company was beautiful.”

Throughout the session, Lewis repeatedly encouraged the young audience to pursue what genuinely fulfilled them rather than seeking approval from others.

“You ask yourself, what makes me happy? What is my passion? What makes me smile? That’s what your path should be,” she said.

Reflecting on her own success, the actress insisted that fame and wealth no longer measured her achievement.

“It’s not the money. It’s not the popularity… I measure my success by how big the smile is on my face. Every day I wake up, and I ask myself: ‘How do I take care of me? And how can I help someone else?’”

Drawing on her childhood in poverty, Lewis recalled discovering her love for performing at age five before working relentlessly toward a career in entertainment.

“I found my passion at a very early age,” she said. “Nobody could tell me that I couldn’t. When you trust your passion, nobody can stop you.”

She also spoke candidly about being diagnosed with bipolar disorder after struggling with depression, telling campers that seeking professional help transformed her life.

“I had a chemical imbalance in my brain, but that wasn’t going to stop me from being happy in my life and accomplishing what I wanted to do,” she said.

Encouraging young people not to fear seeking treatment, Lewis added: “It’s not your fault if there’s something imbalanced in your brain… Life is not easy. We were not promised a rose garden without thorns.”

The conversation also tackled discrimination, mental health stigma and intolerance after audience members raised concerns about attitudes towards depression, autism, ADHD and homosexuality.

“Don’t hurt nobody because of who they are. Don’t laugh at nobody for who they are,” Lewis urged. “Leave people alone and stop judging them.”

She encouraged young people to become advocates for themselves and future generations.

“Be bold. Be brave. Don’t sit back and let people tell you who you are,” she said. “It’s up to you. I’ve had my life. Yours is just starting.”

When a camper asked what motivates her every morning despite decades in the entertainment industry, Lewis offered a simple response.

“As soon as I open my eyes, I say: ‘Thank you for another day. Now get up. Get up and love yourself.’ Love is the answer to everything.”

The actress also reminded campers that setbacks were inevitable but should never become permanent barriers.

“You’re going to be scared at first. That’s OK,” she said. “Just keep moving. The river keeps moving… Sometimes you’re going to be so scared in life… but you’ve got to let it go.”

Lewis, whose career spans Broadway, television, film and voice acting, also shared that action films are among her personal favourites, naming Gladiator and 300 as movies she particularly enjoys.

(LE)