Our Stories
My Story as a Jamaican and an American by Carlene Taylor
Growing up in Jamaica, I never imagined that I am spending most of my life in Jamaica. Both countries are important to my life and upbringing – Jamaica I consider my formative years growing up with family and the USA where I attended college, married and started my own family and my career.
Coming from Jamaica where the population is more that 90% of African descent, I acknowledge that I have not had the Black experience that some of my siblings in Christ at CCC have shared in conversations. In fact, the Jamaican motto is “Out of Many, One People” which I figure explains my heritage including African, Chinese and Scottish. Many tend to say that there may be more issues of classicism than racism in Jamaica, I am sure that there are some that may think otherwise.
I recall that when I was in high school, a teacher asked me what I wanted to do as a career and I mentioned to be a teacher as my mother and aunt were teachers and she basically laughed in my face. It was very hurtful and that gave me the determination that I could pursue anything as long as I worked hard at it, something my parents had instilled in my brothers and me. It also made me realize how much harder you have to work to be recognized when you are a person of color.
In September 1971, I made the decision to come to the USA, Boston specifically to attend college. I lived with relatives in Winchester, MA the bedroom community of Boston, that so happened to start A Better Chance (ABC) Program the year that I moved there. I enrolled at Northeastern University and spent my first year at the Burlington MA suburban campus; the next year I transitioned to the Boston campus quite a difference, but was with some good friends that I met to help with the transition. However, the campus was too big and knowing that I would have to spend 5 years in its Cooperative program and with the help of a family friend, I transferred to Boston State College (now part of the UMASS college system) where I met and have my two fellow college friends from Jamaica of over 50 years.
Boston State College is also where I graduated in 1975 with a Bachelors of Arts with a major in Spanish and a minor in French and in 1977 with a Masters of Education – Secondary teaching and taught Spanish for almost three years in the Winchester school system.
I moved to Connecticut in 1980 after marrying and started working as a trainee for the State of Connecticut in a new federal program assisting qualifies households with their heating bills. Over the years until my retirement in 2022, I continued working in the program, first as a Field Monitor and promoted over the years as Supervisor, Manager and Program Administration Manager for which I have had responsibility for the aforementioned program as well as the Weatherization Assistance program, Homeless Shelters, AIDS residences, Refugee Program and federal block grant programs and state funded programs. I was on the board of Operation Fuel for about 6 years and represented the Commissioner of the Department of Social Services on the Low Income Energy Advisory Board. I have also been recognized by the Immigrant Community.
The Anglican Community has been an important part of my life having been baptized and confirmed in the Anglican Church of Jamaica, attended the Church of Epiphany, Winchester, MA and upon moving to
Connecticut, All Saints, East Hartford, St. James’, Hartford, where for some years was a member of the Greater Hartford Regional Ministry (GHRM) and Christ Church Cathedral. I have been the Junior and Senior Warden, Secretary and Treasurer (by default) at St. James' and on Chapter, Congregation and Finance Committees at CCC.
Our CCC Black Heroes: Celeste Scott-Walker
I am from Antigua and Barbuda in the West Indies, an independent Commonwealth country comprising its two namesake islands. In the winter of 1979, I immigrated to Connecticut with my family, and I am now a naturalized American citizen.
A graduate of Simmons College with a B.A. in English and Public Relations, I work as an HR professional on the Training, Learning, and Development team at Tufts University (my husband's alma mater), where I develop and facilitate instructor-led workshops for faculty and staff.
Beyond my professional work, I spent nine years as a historic commissioner for the City of Lawrence, MA—a mayoral appointment. In this role, I worked alongside the Army Corps of Engineers and fellow board members to help bring Salvatore Lupoli’s vision to life: revitalizing the historic, long-abandoned 360,000-square-foot American Woolen Company building along the south bank of the Merrimack River. Once the longest buildings in the U.S. and a manufacturer of American military uniforms, it now houses 198 energy-efficient luxury apartments and Solectria, the #1 commercial solar photovoltaic inverter supplier in the United States.
For the past 12 years, I have been a proud member of the Junior League of Boston, one of the oldest chapters of this international nonprofit dedicated to advancing women’s leadership and creating meaningful community impact. As one of the only black women to have a top leadership role as Executive Vice President, my tenure was historic. I have had the honor of fundraising and volunteering to support our signature JLB STEM program and partner organizations such as the Boston Society of Civil Engineers Section/ASCE, Women’s Lunch Place, Dignity Matters, and Project Bread, to name a few.
When people ask how I find the time for all this work, my answer is simple: I want my nieces to grow up knowing the value of serving others and giving back to their communities. Being a member of the League allows me to set that example and help shape the next generation of female civic leaders.
When I’m not fundraising or working on behalf of the League, I’m executing milestone events for my clients as the Creative Director of Dream Imagine Studios - Heirloom Weddings & Special Events, a recipient of the WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Awards, and I'm also co-owner of my husband's mobile DJ company, QNR Productions.
I have been married to my husband, Eric Walker, for 22 years, and we share a love of antiquing, cooking, golfing, and, most importantly, spending time with our families.