Ara

Ara Stanislas, aRadicalRadioXchange
I have termed the last 4 years my “re-invention”, part of which was my decision to take voluntary release from the British Army (BA) and settle in Munich, Germany. I say of myself, “I am an ordinary person engaging in extra ordinary conversations”.
A capturing conversation currently is about the condition of us Peoples of African Ancestry or Inheritance on Earth. In constructing this conversation, I began last year; Grow yOur Afro (Hair Natural) in Memory of Our African Brothers Who Were Assassinated. Inspired by my reading the book How Europe Underdeveloped Africa, a work by Walter Rodney plus my already engaging in pertinent research, reading and my aspiration to affecting a continuity of effort long begun for unity and uplifting of us/our African Peoples.
In the months before voluntary release from the BA, I navigated back to organising; I promoted the importance of us “Foreign and commonwealth” serving (and ex serving) whom I met in the Paderborn area Army Regiments to work towards creating “CAribbean Military Past and Present Serving” (CAMPPS) for us, as having shared heritage and background, to work together for supporting community development in the Islands we came from. I saw several challenges in that endeavour as with attempts at organising “The Marchand Project” from outside the community I grew up on the Island called St. Lucia.
I left the island to join the BA in 2002. The following years saw me be trained to be a soldier, Combat Medical Technician (CMT) Health Care Assistant (HCA) and finally Community Psychiatric Nurse (CPN) or Registered Mental Health Nurse (RMHN) at Birmingham City University. For the last 6 years of my service career, I worked within teams of Mental Health Professionals in London, UK and Paderborn, west Germany. Before leaving St. Lucia (in 2002) I volunteered with the St Lucia Sickle Cell Association while I, with others, started up a support group for persons with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) on the island. My employment before that was in the hospitality sector working at several hotels as a Social Coordinator or “Playmaker”.
I engage in conversation with (all) people and in cultural exchanges; I read, write, listen to music, dance and anything to do with learning (about others and) new experiences, I welcome.
I am thrilled about the possibilities that will be primed from extending and engaging in meaningful conversation, through radio with you and those we will reach and touch.
Bio in Brief, Ara Stanislas.

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