Che — A man on a mission for a better TT

As a man on a mission, this Chaguanas resident hopes to achieve this goal through his newly-formed entity Astella Arts and Entertainment Company (AAEC) whose given mandate is to stimulate Caribbean evolution through expressionism. The project has adopted the slogan “What can you do?” as he believes simple things like cleaning the environment, helping a person in need, distributing care packages to the homeless and helping a special needs home or an elderly person can make that difference which he and his peers want to see. He is confident he is on the right track and, as a result, invested every cent of his savings into his dream project. With many ambitious large-scale plans which he intends to execute in the future, Riley-Moodoo said he has gained the confidence of several of his peers who support his vision for a better TT and a better world. Sunday Newsday spoke to him about his project.

“We want to give back to the country,” said the accomplished poet and writer who is now fresh out of the University of the West Indies having completed his degree in social sciences. “We hope to do so through what we call the Improvement Initiative which is a call for people around the country to take positive action and try to make a dent on all the negatives affecting our country.” Riley- Moodoo said, “We often hear people speaking about things they have no control over, and it is very easy to feel helpless when you see all the problems plaguing our sweet Trinidad and Tobago.

People feel very trapped and powerless because of all the negative situations happening all at once and feel that not enough action is being taken by those who have the power to make changes.” He believes that power lies in the hands of the citizens and there are many things that can be done.

“Every citizen can take one step in the right direction and this can create an entire movement to go forward.” Riley-Moodoo made it clear that he is not one of the young people who is just satisfied sitting on the side and doing nothing.

This is what gave birth to AAEC.

It was the medium through which he was showcasing his poetry and writing but it soon morphed into a much larger entity. What he was about soon caught on and many of his peers came on board. He said there are about 20 of them and the movement is growing which has him beaming with pride. There are many projects in the pipeline.

Riley-Moodoo told Sunday Newsday the aim of this Improvement Initiative is to uplift the nation and bring a much-needed breath of fresh air to citizens.

He wants people from every age group and all walks of life to participate in a 40-day challenge which will see a better country.

There are two parts to #Improve TT and the first encourages people to go out and do anything positive like highlighting problems and finding solutions. Riley- Moodoo said they can then can go to their social media platforms and make posts in the form of statuses, pictures, or videos to highlight what they have done.

Using the hashtag #improveTT, he said everyone can access the positive posts of people and groups around the country. “The possibilities are endless,” he said.

“It’s okay to go out and do something different and creative.” With so many other groups around the country already showing interest and supporting the cause, Riley-Moodoo is hopeful a change will come.

He said part two of the project involves a seven-part video series where AAEC will have conversations with professionals in various fields to discuss different parts of our society and how the country can move forward.

(The video roster is posted below and people can go and follow the Astella pages to keep up with everything they do). Soon to be released videos will tackle the economy, crime, sports and other issues. As the initiative goes into full gear Riley-Moodoo is encouraging all groups and individuals to find something positive to do. “Every little thing you do can make a big difference.” A past student of Presentation College, Chaguanas, Riley-Moodoo told Sunday Newsday he draws his inspiration from his father Carlos Moodoo, author JK Rowling and actor /writer Donald Glover and rapper Drake.

He said he has the support of his parents as he tries to bring about change. But how did he come up with the name Astella? It was created from his longtime obsession and interest in the stars and constellations as he is of the firm opinion they represent endless possibilities. Sadly though, AAEC is yet to secure sponsorship despite their efforts.

“We need sponsors as I have been using my own money to fund this project and things are getting hard.” Already posted on social media are videos on The Concept and The Mission of AAEC