Money doesn't grow on trees. Or does it?

On Emancipation Day, I’m reminded of something my mother used to say: “Money doesn’t grow on trees.”

But here in the Virgin Islands, I’ve come to believe she was only mostly right. I see mangoes, soursop, tamarind, guavas and more falling to the ground unpicked, unprocessed, and unprofitable.

Emancipation Day shouldn’t just honor the moment our ancestors demanded freedom. It should also push us to ask: What would true freedom look like today? Freedom from economic dependence. Freedom from systems that keep us waiting. Freedom to create, produce, and thrive on our own terms.

Right now, we import 97% of our groceries. We rely heavily on federal funds. Tourism is still the only natural resource we seem to maximize. Our shelves are stocked with products that could easily be made here if we invested in our people.

What if we scaled up Cultured Naturals Body Care so every hotel room featured locally made soaps and shampoos instead of imported brands? What if Island Thyme teas islandthymetea.com were offered in every restaurant instead of Lipton or Earl Grey? What if one of our water companies was bottling our water instead of shipping in Aquafina and Dasani? These aren’t dreams, they’re decisions we can make.

Those mangoes falling to the ground? They could be juice, jam, salsa, chutney, or dried snacks feeding families, creating jobs, and powering exports. But instead, they rot.

The same thing is happening in healthcare, where we debate weight loss drug coverage instead of investing in fresh food and community wellness. In education, where our students graduate without the tools to build or own. In energy, where the sun shines every day, yet we import fuel. In tech, where brilliant minds are ready but underfunded.

If we want true freedom, we have to build it. Each of us has a role to play. We can’t keep waiting for someone else or keep pointing fingers. Let this Emancipation Day be more than ceremony. Let it be a call to invest in us. Let’s stop letting opportunity rot.