I had the pleasure of talking with Bunny Rugs at the 2012 Caribbean American Heritage Awards in Washington, DC.  He was gracious, kind, and very encouraging to my son, as this was the very first interview that he filmed for me.  He told him he was doing a great thing by helping out “mom” and to keep up the good work.  The boy was so nervous, he got him to calm down some, and shook his hand. The encounter was brief, but meaningful.

Bunny Ruggs, leader of the legendary reggae band, Third World, passed away in a Miami hospital just four days shy of his 66th birthday after battling cancer.

Socamom: What are one or two [pieces of] advice that you can give to a mom or a dad who lives in America that wants to make sure that their kids stay connected to culture?

William “Bunny Rugs” Clarke: I think that they should expose them to what they were exposed to as far as food is concerned. I think they should introduce them to the Caribbean type of eating and constantly remind them of who you are, and where you’re from, and how it took a journey to make that transition here, so that they could have a better life or a better future…. more access to education.  I think that by showing them that they’ll appreciate it much more, and probably much more cooperative to mom.