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How does a teen, diagnosed with dyslexia successfully complete secondary school and go on to complete degrees in Biology and Biochemistry? How does this same young man turn his passion for art and design into a sustainable career? By having drive, passion and being purpose-led. Atiba Borde has proven that you can pursue what ignites the flame within you, even if there are limitations. MENtions chatted with this fulltime illustrator and costume designer to learn more about his journey, his drive and why he is passionate about ensuring a sustainable and emotionally healthy future for young black men of the Caribbean. This is what he told us:

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Sangre Grande will always be my home. I was born and raised in a small house, surrounded by my extended family in this multi-cultural Eastern district. When I think of my younger years, I remember family, community and service: those were always our guiding principles as children. We always had family activities so there was very little time to yourself. Imagine how exhausting that was for an introverted child like me. However, I survived.

My parents worked hard to provide me and my siblings with a wide range of opportunities and experiences.  Our aspirations were therefore only limited by what we could not afford. Although there were financial restrictions, my parents never burdened us with those details.

In a sense, I was an ‘unremarkable’ student: I was never in the top 10 of any class and I was never seen as one to achieve much more than the average student. My biggest challenge in my younger years, however, was dealing with dyslexia, which was only discovered in my mid-teens. My school was highly competitive, and my classmates didn’t have a clue about my learning disorder. My teachers however were particularly patient with me and encouraged me to put in the extra work that was needed to be able to compete with my classmates. My learning disorder also resulted in me having to move to slower classes and even change schools. This affected my confidence and self-expression during those years. However, I would still describe my childhood as happy since my parents insisted that I shouldn’t dwell on challenges because challenges were meant to be overcome. For this and many other reasons, my parents will always be my biggest role models. They believed in me more than I believed in myself sometimes and they were always there throughout the years.

Growing up, I wanted to be a doctor. Even after discovering that I had dyslexia, I still believed that it could happen. Although my dreams were focused on a medical career, I was simultaneously obsessed with art, storytelling and culture. From primary school to tertiary education, I created drawings of characters I made up or ideas for carnival and fashion.

My drive and passion for art and creative designs, significantly halted when I received a U grade (Ungraded) in Art for CXC due to the disappearance of my School Based Assessments. When this happened, I started to think that perhaps I was never meant to be an artist. So, I began to focus on getting into medical school.  I didn’t get to study medicine but being the child of very ambitious parents, I was still able to complete degrees in Biology and Biochemistry at The UWI, St Augustine. After graduating, I worked on several community and small business development projects. Through those projects, I was able to develop and hone my project management skills.

I am thankful that an educator and an entrepreneur raised me. While education was always encouraged, I was never told that I had to be any one thing. My parents were never overly focused on the end goal but rather the importance of journey. Maybe they were too busy figuring out life for themselves; either way, I am happy with the outcome as their approach helped me throughout my life.

Role models and mentorship

While my family and friends were great sources of encouragement, most of my direct mentorship came from the church. When I was younger, the adults in my church community were very concerned with the spiritual and emotional health of the young people. I’m extremely grateful for their guidance. At school, I also received support from teachers and the swim coaches who used their area of expertise to guide and mould. As a creative individual, I have always admired Peter Minshall, Walt Disney and Stan Lee. These men have always seemed larger than life to me.

Greater diversity in the portrayal of black men

While mentorship can be done at school, churches and within community groups, we must find mentors who we can relate to and who can relate to our journeys. This is why representation is important. There must be greater diversity in the portrayal of successful black men. If this is done, then more young men will feel confident to aspire to their own greatness. For far too long we have been told through the media, society and even sometimes within the home, that the archetype of a successful black man fits one particular mould. Some men therefore grow up with a limited idea based solely on what they can see. The flip side of this is that society is often close-minded and hypocritical when it comes to men who break the mould because game changers are often perceived and labelled as distant anomalies. This has to change. We must realise that mentors can be game changers too.

Passionately pursue your purpose!

We are often told to “make your passion your profession and you will never work a day in your life.” In my experience, fulfilling one’s purpose is more rewarding. Usually, the things we are passionate about, come to us naturally. We are attracted to it like a magnet. Purpose, i.e. why we do what we do, it takes effort, it takes living, it takes humility. But when your purpose and profession align, the work is meaningful. It’s magic. So, think more about who you are, what you want to achieve with your life and then your career.

In addition to being passionate about ensuring a sustainable and emotionally healthy future for young black men of the Caribbean, Atiba is the Creative Director of AB Design Factory and Curator and Art Director of Folk Art TT. He has designed costumes for The Lost Tribe (Trinidad) and Revelmas and Revel Nation (Miami). His work can also be seen in some local films, theatre productions and even music videos.  His personal manifesto as a designer is “moving the conversation of Carnival and festival arts forward by changing the concepts of what is Mas, while creating costumes that are still marketable.” This QRC old boy, considers himself a “nerd that blends fashion, mas and comic books into costumes”.