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left to right:
USSA Vice Chairperson Douglas Martin, Office
of the Brooklyn Borough President - Ann
Marie Adamson, USSA Chairperson Keith
Marcelle |
New York
- A new beginning, era and focus
were ushered into the steelband movement as a new
administration took the helm of the North American-based steelband music organization, United States
Steelband Association (USSA).
On Monday January 13, 2010 When Steel
Talks was invited to witness USSA’s election of
their board of directors and officers. The
election was orderly and without the secrecy and
contention normally accompanying similar past
proceedings. Present were members from CASYM,
Crossfire, Despers USA, Pantonic, Pan Ambassadors,
NY Pan Stars, Sesame Flyers, Sonatas and Women in
Steel.
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left
to right: Travis
Roberts,
John James, USSA
Chairperson Keith Marcelle,
Office of the
Brooklyn Borough President - Ann Marie
Adamson, USSA
Vice Chairperson Douglas Martin, USSA Chairperson Keith Marcelle, Godfrey Jack - 2nd
VP WIADCA, George Dowden,
Kamau Hutchinson |
There was a pledge of
transparency, accountability and support of members
by the newly-elected board. In addition, there
was an announcement that there would be a concerted
effort among the board members to facilitate the
involvement of the upcoming generation of young panists,
and to directly address their needs and concerns.
Additionally, the organization
noted the need for the involvement and resources of
non-pan related persons with specific expertise and
focus that would be beneficial to the organization
and steelband community.
This new USSA administration said
that it is focused on fulfilling the enormous
promise, potential and expectations entrusted to them
by the steelband music community in general -
and in particular the New York steelpan music
contingency and steelband franchises. The
directors went on further to vocalize that they were
open to new ideas and would break with the
selfishness, leaderless and visionless approach that
frustrated and stagnated all processes by the
organization in the past.
With the admitted understanding
that mistakes were made in the past, USSA stepped
confidently into the future and held its
installation of directors and officers today,
Sunday, January 17th. On hand to witness the installment
and among the invited
guests were representatives
from the office of Brooklyn Borough President, Marty
Markowitz and the West Indian American Day Carnival
Association (WIADCA).
The future looks very bright for
USSA.
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click to see USSA’s goals and directives
contact USSA at
keithmrcll@hotmail.com |
United States Steelband Association -
USSA: New Beginning, New Direction, New Promise
