By Abena Rockcliffe
The stigma attached to being a “repeater” was not enough to initiate change in a young Chevy Devonish. Being the sleeping giant he was, the youth simply found a way to navigate his circumstance in a manner that allowed him to maintain some semblance of comfort during his high school years. Eventually, the pendulum swung. Devonish, now a lawyer, stands firm as a representation of black excellence, lending credence to the proverb, “no matter how far you have gone on the wrong road you can always turn back.”
At age 34, Devonish has already amassed considerable experience in at least three career paths. Under his belt is 10 years’ experience as a tutor and lecturer; 6 years in journalism and just over 3 years as an attorney. Rightfully so, when speaking about his law career, Devonish said, “I’m still a baby in the profession.” Also true is the fact that he is already being exposed to practice that might have escaped the reach of local giants in the legal industry.
A few months back, Devonish quit his job at the Attorney General’s Chambers as he was selected by multinational firm Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP to participate in the firm’s prestigious ‘Foreign Attorney Program’. He is the first Guyanese or Caribbean person to be selected for the distinguished programme which has been around for decades.
EBBS and FLOWS
Devonish said that from as early as memory recalls, his mother, Roxanne Devonish, made every effort to implore upon her children that a good education is paramount. “My mother’s words, and works set the tone for my brothers and I, even if we would only come to appreciate them later than she would have liked.”
Devonish attended Central High where he initially excelled and secured the admiration of his teachers and peers, so much so that he was appointed prefect.
But the trophy student soon deviated from that path.
In 2004, he failed the end-of-term exams causing him to spend an additional year in third form.
He was thus stripped of his prefect title. But that didn’t prompt him to pull up his proverbial socks. The very next year, Devonish failed again. He would have had to spend a third year in third form were it not for the “no child left behind” policy that was enforced back then.
“I watched my former classmates advance, and thus became very self-conscious. I shared a class with students previously junior to me. It was embarrassing,” he said. Devonish then adopted a nonchalant approach to school life as he wanted the conversation about him to be centered on anything but his “repeater” status.
He passively moved to fifth form, wrote CXC and obtained five Grade 2s, two Grade 4s and a Grade 5.
Devonish eventually moved on to the University of Guyana to read for a Degree in International Relations. In his first semester of year one, Devonish would only secure five ‘D’s and a ‘B’.
His first ‘A’ came in his second year. The effort for that feat was motivated by his desire to impress a girl but as destiny would have it, more ‘A’s followed. “I worked harder. I did better. I graduated with a credit, a GPA of 2.9”
In 2017 Devonish secured his LL.B with distinction. He then graduated Valedictorian of the Hugh Wooding Law School’s Class of 2019 and moved on to secure employment at the AG’s Office.
ONE CAREER LED TO ANOTHER
If one is to predict things for Devonish based on his history, it may be reasonable to conclude that law is not the end game. Who knows? politics might be the next stop.
Devonish first started out as a tutor at the University of Guyana (UG). He became a reporter in September of 2012 some two years after obtaining his first degree. By that time Devonish had been tutoring politics at the University of Guyana for about a year.
The pay was small; and, UG, back then, did not always pay on time. Devonish recalled that he become “desperate.” He needed another source of income, so as to better take care of himself and to assist his mom, and smaller brother who was still in school.
Armed with his new job, Devonish began reporting mostly on politics. He fell in love with the art of journalism but soon found himself lacking. Indeed, the youth moved from one extreme to another, the same Devonish who convinced himself that he was comfortable being a “repeater” now felt inadequate as a journalist despite the fact that he was, during his time of practice, regarded as one of the more proficient writers of the pool of journalists at that time.
“There was a lot I did not know. Those shortcomings prevented me from producing better stories and fulfilling my function as a reporter,” said Devonish. And that is what lead him to law. Devonish said that in 2014 he decided it was useful to pursue law with the intention to return to journalism.
But destiny had a different plan. “One thing led to another, and someone offered to pay for law school.” Devonish explained that tuition alone, around that time, was $6M. “So even if I had thought that I wanted to do it, I would not have afforded it. That is the short story of how I became a lawyer.”
His background in politics from the standpoint of an academic coupled with his experience as a journalist saw Devonish becoming very passionate about constitutional, public, and human rights law. “So, it was ideal that I eventually ended up at the Attorney General’s Chambers.”
WHAT BOX?
Many black men, especially those who want to be respected as “professionals” find themselves maintaining low hair styles and a clean shaved face. This is to avoid the stigma and discrimination that may follow those who wear locs or afros. But from the time he entered the world of work Devonish never shied away from proudly displaying his tightly curled hair.
He was the tutor who sported a “high fade.” By the time Devonish became a reporter, he rocked ‘fro-hawk’. Luckily for him, Stabroek News’ Editor-in-Chief, Anand Persaud, “never seemed to care about those things.”
“The locs came about after a colleague told me that locs were inappropriate for professional spaces. I got them to show her and everyone else that I can maneuver these spaces with this hair. That does not, however, mean that I have not thought about whether I would suffer setbacks because of it,” Devonish explained.
While he may occasionally be found wearing a European styled suit, it is not his first choice. Devonish prefers wearing suits inspired by African and Indian cultures. He said that while those aspects of his persona reflect personal taste it is also a deliberate decision to represent black culture in certain spaces.
Devonish believes that his representation has not cost him thus far, or at least he is not aware. “I do think it possible that I get a ‘free pass’ because of my reputation, knowledge, skills, and, perhaps most importantly, my network. I am fortunate to have cultivated a network which assesses me largely on my ability and track record as opposed to how I wear my hair.”
Devonish was also quick to point out that he is no trailblazer in this regard. He mentioned, Ronald Daniels, another attorney, who has been wearing locs for over a decade. “Hugh Park is another attorney who sports locs and a big beard. And before any of us, Selwyn Pieters has been doing the locs and the beard in Guyana, as well as Canada.”
UBUNTU
Devonish told Guyana Standard of his affinity for the Ubuntu Philosophy. He noted that he finds all of its principles equally important, and believes that the world would have been a much better place if more people were to observe the Ubuntu principles. Devonish said he clings more to the principles of mutual respect and solidarity.
“But this is lacking in the world,” said Devonish, stressing that people tend to think almost exclusively about themselves and families, a mentality that can do no good for the overall wellbeing of civilization.
“We should think more about, and do more for others. I suppose I am this way because I achieved success on the efforts and chances of persons who looked out for me. Since they did it for me, I have a duty to do it for others.”
Devonish said that doing more for others is his overriding moral objective. “It influences everything I do. This is why I have set up internship programmes for students, and organized for them to get additional opportunities to build and perfect their knowledge and skills.”
He also ponders excessively on the part he can play for the progression of his country and even as he functions outside of Guyana, Devonish is always keen to do well for his country.
A family man, a humanitarian, a patriot, a conscious black youth, there is every reason to believe that Devonish is nowhere near his pinnacle.
