Fahie Urges VI Professionals to Network
Kevin S. Fahie, the first Virgin Islander featured at the Progressism Summit in Dominica on January 11, 2026, urged young professionals in the Virgin Islands to embrace networking, mentorship and alternative career paths. He said the territory has abundant talent—especially in the trades—and encouraged community organisations to create more opportunities for collaboration and support.
Fahie, the first Virgin Islander invited to speak at the Progressism Summit, used his platform in Dominica to send a clear message back home: network more, seek mentorship and accept that success does not follow a single, perfect path. Speaking at the Intercontinental Hotel Resort and Spa in Dominica on January 11, 2026, Fahie told Virgin Islands News Online he came to the summit to both learn and inspire. "I wanted to come here and learn from others and their experiences, and I feel I absolutely achieved that," he said.
He also expressed interest in bringing the event to the Virgin Islands in future conversations with summit organiser Liza Fabien. Fahie emphasised that professional success in the BVI can come through many routes. "Not everyone has to be an educated scholar to achieve their dreams," he said, pointing to the territory's strong cohort of skilled tradespeople and practitioners across various fields.
He argued that practical talent should be recognised and supported, and that academic performance alone should not determine opportunity. A central theme of Fahie's remarks was the power of collaboration. He noted that earlier generations in the Virgin Islands prospered by building networks and organisations that supported one another. "Sometimes we tend to keep to ourselves.
If we look at those who came before us and succeeded, we see that they thrived because they networked and formed organisations to support one another's growth," he said. Fahie also addressed cultural barriers to risk-taking, particularly within Black communities. "As Black people, we often are afraid to fail.
It seems like there's something instilled in us that makes us afraid to fail," he observed, urging a shift in mindset that treats failure as part of learning rather than a final verdict. For BVI residents, Fahie's advice translates into practical steps: join or form professional associations, attend regional conferences, seek mentors and offer mentorship to younger peers, and promote apprenticeships and trade training.
Local organisations, businesses and government can support this by creating regular networking events, mentorship programmes and partnerships with regional forums such as the Progressism Summit. Fahie made clear he intends to play an active role at home: "There is no perfect path, and everyone will experience failures.
What I strive to do in the Virgin Islands is mentor and encourage anyone who reaches out to me." His comments at the Progressism Summit were shared in an interview with Virgin Islands News Online, where he also voiced hope that the summit might one day be hosted in the territory.
Primary source: VINO