The Tribune

By Fay Simmons

Tribune Education Reporter

jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

Two young Bahamians are taking on new roles aimed at encouraging their peers to become more engaged in shaping the country’s future, with their platforms focusing on sustainable communities, gender equality and access to quality education.

Kenrick Stubbs, a 25-year-old engineer in training, has been selected as the male SDG Youth Ambassador, with a focus on Sustainable Cities and Communities (SDG 11), while Ava Richardson, who has a background in international development and civic engagement, is the female ambassador, focusing on Gender Equality (SDG 5) and Quality Education (SDG 4).

The SDG Youth Ambassadorship gives young Bahamians an opportunity to represent The Bahamas while promoting sustainable solutions and supporting the United Nations 2030 Agenda. Ambassadors lead community outreach, participate in local and international forums, support youth initiatives and co-chair the annual SDG Youth Conference.

For Mr Stubbs, his focus on sustainable communities was shaped by living in six cities across Canada and Europe between 2018 and 2024.

The experience required him to adapt to different forms of transportation and infrastructure and gave him a greater appreciation for how decisions about the built environment can affect people's everyday quality of life.

“It exposed to me what the urban environment says about our priorities,” Mr Stubbs said.

He said the principle of prioritising efficiency and sustainability without sacrificing safety, which he encountered repeatedly throughout his engineering studies, became the foundation for his interest in SDG 11.

As an ambassador, Mr Stubbs hopes to bring that perspective to The Bahamas through tactical urbanism — using relatively low-cost, hands-on projects to encourage people to engage directly with the spaces around them.

He said his goal is to bring solutions to the table rather than simply identify problems, while encouraging young Bahamians to recognise their own ability to influence the country’s development.

“You have agency, and you are responsible for what happens in this country, even if no one has shown you exactly how to take action,” he said.

Outside of engineering and his ambassadorial role, Mr Stubbs is a soccer referee with the Bahamas Football Association, a drone pilot and pickleball enthusiast. He also enjoys hiking with his dogs and trying new activities, including bee lining and spearfishing.

Ms Richardson’s platform centres on the connection between gender equality and education.

Her interest in equality began while growing up in The Bahamas and observing the ways gender expectations and stereotypes could influence everyday life. Her involvement with the Bahamas Girl Guides Association gave her a broader understanding of the systemic challenges affecting girls and women, including socioeconomic barriers that can limit access to education.

Those experiences eventually led her to pursue a Bachelor of Arts in International Development Studies at the University of Guelph, where she developed a deeper understanding of social justice and sustainable development.

Ms Richardson said gender equality is important not only as a standalone Sustainable Development Goal, but because it intersects with progress across the wider SDG agenda.

Through her ambassadorship, she wants to promote initiatives that give young people equal access to the tools, resources and opportunities needed to help build a sustainable future.

She also hopes to encourage young Bahamians to recognise that creating change does not always begin with a large initiative.

“Making a difference can start by having conversations with friends and family about their concerns, and connecting with like-minded individuals to raise awareness, take action, and advocate for the issues they are passionate about,” she said.

Ms Richardson is also an intern at the Organization for Responsible Governance, where she supports outreach and policy initiatives focused on civic engagement, and writes for the Sugar Apple Tree, a multimedia collective dedicated to preserving and celebrating Bahamian history.

Together, the two ambassadors will be responsible for developing youth-focused SDG platforms, supporting the annual SDG Youth Conference, participating in speaking engagements, identifying projects to advance the SDG agenda and co-chairing the National Youth Steering Committee.

Their appointment also gives two young Bahamians an opportunity to put their own interests and experiences into action — and encourage their peers to do the same.