What It Means to Be a Citizen.
- Nadia Renata
- 3 days ago
- 6 min read
Updated: 7 hours ago
There’s a lot of noise in the air right now.
Campaign slogans. Accusations. Promises wrapped in pretty bows. Voices raised. Tempers flared.
It’s “silly season” again in Trinidad and Tobago and with the upcoming general elections, it’s easy to get caught in the chaos and forget something essential: what it means to be a citizen.
Citizenship is more than a passport or an ID card. It’s more than standing in a line to cast your vote or singing the national anthem at an event. It is a living, breathing responsibility. It is a relationship, not just with the state, but with the people beside us and the land beneath our feet.
To be a citizen is to understand that your presence, your choices and your voice matter in shaping the future of your nation.
But what does that really mean?
1. Citizenship as Belonging
Citizenship is more than a label. It’s an active, dynamic role in your community and your country. It’s a relationship between the individual and society, rooted in a shared history, values and responsibility. And while many of us may think of citizenship solely in terms of voting, it’s much more than that.
Being a citizen means that you belong here. Not just legally, but also, spiritually, culturally, historically. Your roots may stretch through enslavement, indentureship, migration or resistance, but they ground you in this soil.
For many of us, especially those from communities who were once denied the right to be heard, this sense of belonging is not a luxury. It is an act of survival.
In a nation like Trinidad and Tobago, which has a rich history of colonialism, struggle and hard-won independence, our citizenship carries with it both privilege and responsibility. Citizenship represents freedom, but also the duty to uphold the rights and responsibilities of every individual in society. It’s not just about being part of the systems; it’s about engaging with them in ways that foster justice, equity and empowerment for all.
2. Citizenship as Accountability
It’s easy to demand accountability from leaders. And yes, we should. But citizenship also means being accountable to each other.
We often hear the call for our leaders to be transparent, honest and responsible for their actions. And rightly so, leaders are entrusted with power and we have the right to demand that they use it for the good of the people. But here's where the challenge lies: before we can truly demand accountability from those in positions of power, we must first hold ourselves accountable as citizens.
Citizenship doesn’t just stop at the top, it flows throughout society. We are all part of a shared community, each playing a role in shaping its values, its behaviour, and its future. The very fabric of our nation depends not just on the actions of its leaders but on the everyday actions of each of us. Are we contributing to the kind of society we want to live in, or are we allowing negativity, divisiveness and malice to creep into our daily interactions?
It’s easy to criticize politicians, to point fingers at institutions or systems that we believe are failing us. And yes, those criticisms are necessary. But true citizenship goes beyond just pointing out flaws; it’s about actively participating in creating solutions, in fostering change, in standing for what’s right even when it’s hard.
So, we have to ask ourselves: Are we helping to build a society rooted in dignity, respect and empathy, or are we contributing to the noise? Every day, we make choices that either support or undermine the values that bind us together. Whether it's the way we engage on social media, how we treat the people around us, or how we interact with the systems of our society, each decision carries weight.
Are we spreading misinformation, fuelling division, or ridiculing others who think differently? Or are we choosing kindness, understanding and productive dialogue? Are we tearing each other down in the name of political beliefs, social status, or personal grudges? Or are we lifting each other up, recognizing that, despite our differences, we are all part of this same human community?
True accountability isn’t just about holding leaders to the fire. It’s about examining our own actions and attitudes, challenging ourselves to be better, and ensuring that our conduct reflects the values we want to see in the world. We need to remember that the choices we make as individuals can have a ripple effect, whether positive or negative, on the communities we are part of.
Citizenship is a mutual responsibility and it starts with each of us.
3. Citizenship as Participation
Being a citizen doesn’t start and end with voting, though that is an important right we should never take for granted. Every election, every referendum, is a reminder that we hold the power to decide who leads us. However, the work doesn’t stop at the ballot box.
It’s about how we engage with our communities, how we treat our neighbours, how we advocate for the vulnerable, how we show up in boardrooms, classrooms, WhatsApp groups and street corners.
It’s about the everyday actions we take to contribute to a better society. Supporting local businesses helps build a resilient economy and creates opportunities for everyone. Respecting our environment preserves our cultural and environmental heritage. These actions show that we are not just citizens of the state but stewards of our collective future.
It is asking hard questions and doing the uncomfortable work of imagining better.
4. Citizenship as Legacy
Our citizenship is not just for now. It’s for the children growing up in this land. To be a citizen is to pass the torch. It's about helping the next generation understand the importance of being active participants in their communities. Whether you're mentoring a child, leading by example in your workplace, or teaching your peers about the power of voting, you’re investing in a more engaged, thoughtful and compassionate future. The values we instil today will be carried forward in the decisions our children make tomorrow.
What kind of future are we shaping with our apathy, or our action? What kind of society will they inherit if we continue to pretend that none of this concerns us?
In this election season, don’t let the noise fool you into thinking your voice is small. You are not just a voter. You are not just a bystander.
Why This Matters for Us, Here and Now
As a Trinbagonian woman, I understand the significance of what it means to be a citizen. I’m not just talking about the right to vote or the occasional protest, but about taking action every day in ways that contribute to the greater good. We have come a long way from the days when the vote wasn’t even an option for us. As descendants of slaves and former colonists, we understand the weight of this responsibility.
The ability to vote, to choose the direction our nation moves in, is something we should never take for granted. But it goes deeper than that. Every time we choose to be involved in our community, to be a responsible participant in society, we honour the legacy of those who fought for our right to have a voice. As black women, as members of marginalized groups, our citizenship is not just an individual right; it is a collective victory and it is something that we must continue to nurture and protect.
Citizenship is a lifelong commitment. It’s about what we do when we aren’t at the polls, when we aren’t protesting in the streets. It’s about living with intention, contributing to the community and holding ourselves and others accountable.
This is the kind of citizenship that we must embrace, not only for the sake of our future but in honour of those who came before us and fought for the right to be heard. The power of citizenship is in our hands and we must never let it go.
You are a citizen. That means you are part of the heartbeat of this country.
Own it. Speak with intention. Act with care. And remember, democracy is not something we inherit. It’s something we build. Every single day.
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This article is part of an ongoing series about what it means to show up as an engaged Trinbagonian citizen - especially in times like these.
Click here for Article 2: Why We Vote: Power, Voice and the Weight of History
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