STILL WAITING starts in New York City.
Dr. Atkinson, creator of ‘Equity without Borders,’ pays his monthly visit to a family he has come to know very well. In 2015, a migrant Jamaican family arrived in the states in search of a better life for their son. Their son suffers from crippling dyslexia, and after the family sat on Jamaica’s staggering educational evaluation waitlist for years, they decided a change was needed. They left the family, community, and country that they knew and loved to give their son better resources.
P.S. 244, a public elementary school in Brooklyn is where the family found refuge and resources. This family found help, but what happens to the families who can’t leave Jamaica? The ones who are still waiting for evaluations.
From 1971 to 2001, Dr. Linton Atkinson, was one of those kids awaiting help. Dr. Atkinson, who is actually the principal of P.S. 244, has always known he was a little different. He was unable to read up until the 4th grade; a glaring sign of a disability.
Much like the issues faced by students today, the programs and resources to aid those with learning disabilities were stretched
thin. If it weren’t for Dr. Atkinson’s unwavering dedication and an empathetic teacher with the patience to ensure he had the accommodations he needed, he also could’ve fallen behind, just as 70% of Jamaican students do.
Now, Dr. Atkinson is giving back with his ‘Equity without Borders’ program that will launch in October 2025. He will lead a group of 7 U.S. psychologists and social workers to The Sam Sharpe Diagnostic and Early Intervention Centre to help them tackle their growing waitlist.
While in Jamaica, we’ll meet the Williams family, who received their son’s evaluation at Sam Sharpe a year ago. Their story reflects the wider reality faced by many families—raising an autistic child while balancing the needs of siblings and limited resources. An evaluation is only the beginning, and the Williams remind us what life looks like after that step.
Our goal is to capture the broader landscape of education and health in Jamaica. We’ll continue following their journey, with a return visit in June 2026.
