Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashleigh Sean Rolle.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I’m a Bahamian writer and social commentator from Freeport, Grand Bahama, now based in London. My journey has been shaped by a mix of youth leadership, cultural advocacy, and a deep love for storytelling.
In 2014, I was appointed as the Bahamas’ Country Chair of Global Dignity by His Royal Highness Prince Haakon of Norway, and later went on to serve as a One Young World Ambassador, including two years as Coordinating Ambassador for Central America and the Caribbean. I was also a Global Shaper with the World Economic Forum, where I served as Curator of the Nassau Hub—becoming one of the youngest to hold that position. Around this time, I received the Ministry of Youth’s Most Outstanding Youth Award and was later selected as a Fellow during President Obama’s inaugural Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative in 2016.
As a writer, I’ve had the privilege of being published in outlets such as HuffPost, CNN, SheMedia, Fodor’s Travel, The Infatuation, Bonefish & Tarpon Trust, and the Bahamian platform 10th Year Seniors. My writing is often rooted in cultural memory, identity, and the everyday stories that shape how we see ourselves.
My work in cultural storytelling took a new turn in 2023 with the creation of The Bahamian Citizenship Test, a yearly digital quiz that celebrates Bahamian culture and nostalgia. What began as casual Twitter polls has grown into a cultural touchpoint that people look forward to each year. I believe BCT is an activity that genuinely brings people together, even when there’s smack talk or banter, we’ve cultivated a community of people that are willing to come together
digitally each year to learn more about Bahamian history and culture that many of us were never taught. The internet and social media can be such a negative space sometimes but The Bahamian Citizenship Test has done it’s best to carve out a space for all Bahamians and those that love Bahamian culture for a few weeks out of the year. We’ve heard from so many Bahamians that live abroad that look forward to the test because it makes them feel
so much closer to home.
The Bahamian Citizenhship Test has also acted as a fundraiser helping me to achieve my dreams of attending University. Today, I can say I’m pursuing a degree in Creative Writing at Kingston University in London, continuing to explore how storytelling, whether through writing or cultural projects can connect people, preserve identity, and spark conversation. I’ve just completed a story titled ‘A Lynching in Exuma’ that I hope to share with the world soon.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The road has not always been easy but that hasn’t made it any less rewarding. I’m not unique when I say that finances have been an issue but this has allowed me to seek unique and creative ways to bypass challenges that would have otherwise acted as road blocks to pursuing my own dreams.
Beyond that, A lot of Bahamian History is not as readily accessible as one would think. In order to create
questions that are both engaging but also historically accurate we often have to dig deep
for up to several weeks and months in order to double and sometimes triple check a question we’re
posing to the public. I’ve learned to lean on my immediate community, those that are so
much more learned that I am. People that are willing to share the stories they know and can
guide me in the right direction. BCT is also a labour of love with each team member
volunteering their time and energy to put forth a quiz that keeps everyone engaged.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m most known for my social commentary, which often explores socio-economic issues and niche cultural conversations within The Bahamas. More recently, I’ve also become known for creating The Bahamian Citizenship Test, a yearly digital quiz that celebrates Bahamian culture and identity in a fun, engaging way. I’m most proud of the team that I’ve been able to build with the test. While we do have men that contribute to the test during the semester, Having an all-women core team happened really organically. They were all women who reached out when the test
was still a poll and wanted to help bring to life the very first virtual graduation ceremony.
We all are very community focused and It’s this mindset that has driven BCT to what it is
today. A constant collective understanding that BCT is meant to be community first and
therefore each member of the team is continuously looking for ways for BCT to involve more
community partners and ensure the test itself is accessible to all.
How do you think about luck?
I never like to call anything random but BCT started off as a simple Twitter— now X— poll. During my lunch break I began humming a song and opened my phone to tweet a question
about the Mahatma Rice Jingle asking people to fill in the blanks. It was a few weeks before
the 50th Independence of The Bahamas so I decided to keep the questions going for 50
straight days. It felt like a small contribution to such a big celebration. This changed the trajectory of my own relationship with culture in The Bahamas and opened the floodgates for a much needed project to take off.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.ashsean.com
- Instagram: @ashsean
- Twitter: @ashsean
- Other: www.bahamiancitizenshiptest.com
