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ContentS Spring
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2 018
Fall & 18| the riSe oF a hip hop rebel
the
embraCing breaStleSS beauty
22| gentriFiCation oF ganja
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mr. FantaStiC
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CreditS publiSher
Calibe Thompson brand Strategy
David I. Muir buSineSS development
Allison Hunte editor
Nikola Lashley art direCtor
Daryl Nagil Contributing WriterS
Hope Cunningham Carla Hill Bekim Betoni Rauseo Calibe Thompson
Culture
4. Committed to the Dream 10. Hidden Sounds of the Caribbean
Monique McIntosh Nikola Lashley Ghenete Wright Muir Sonia Morgan Claire A. Rene, MBA, Ed.D Sandra Spence David I. Muir
inveSt
16. A Studio in Your Pocket 28. Caring for Your Folks Without Going Broke travel
26. Take Some You Time health & beauty
30. Get Fit Caribbean Style
Contributing photographerS
Courtney Chen David I. Muir Robert Johnson on the Cover: The Entertainment Issue Haitian musician Wyclef Jean, poses for an exclusive photo shoot and interview with Island Origins Magazine, sporting the iconic guitar of Cat Coore from the Third World Band.
38. The List: Look Good, Feel Good inSpiration
32. Can I Trust Me? Style & deSign
34. Exquisite Curiosities taSte the iSlandS
40. Restaurant Review: Joy’s Roti
Copyright © 2018 by Island Syndicate. All rights reserved. Island Origins Magazine is published by Island Syndicate. This magazine or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a review. For permission requests, write to the publisher, addressed “Attention: Permissions Coordinator,” at Island Syndicate, 1310 SW 2nd Ct #209, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312. Printed in the United States of America.
42. Recipes: Bahamian Conch Fritters and Johnny Bread
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44. Restaurant Listing
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46. event Calendar 48. a Final thought
Find uS on:
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culture // Belén Pereyra-alem
Committed to the
DREAM
wrIter HOPE CUNNINGHAM
photography PAUL kOLNICk and ANDREW ECCLES
“THAT SOULFULNESS, THAT SYNCOPATION, SHE HAS A vERY INHERENT SENSE OF RHYTHM AND THE ABILITY TO MOvE HER BODY IN AN ARTICULATION THAT I THINk CAN ONLY COME OUT OF HER CULTURE. AND IT REALLY DOES INFORM HER DANCING.” Robert Battle (Artistic Director of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater) speaking on Belen
Of course in those early years, Belén faced her fair share of ups and downs. She graduated from the Boston Arts Academy as class It Is possIble she was born to dance.
valedictorian, but then endured a series of agonizing rejections from
They say the best dancers have a way of moving that grabs
dance schools she auditioned for before she tried out for Ailey.
you by the heart. The same is true of Belén Pereyra-Alem. Belén
“When I got rejected, I always concluded it just was not for me,
believes that on stage, dance, as an art form, has the power of
that something better is coming! I am a true believer that I manifest
transformation.
my reality with my thoughts, words, and choices, so I choose to stay
“It feels like the most organic, the most human of the genres,” explains Belén, “I feel I can speak a billion languages with my body - and I have A LOT to say!”
At the time though, she would sometimes question why, amid such disappointment, she continued to push herself so hard. For
Born in the Dominican Republic, the 29 year old Alvin Ailey dancer
her, dreams were not enough, and excuses were not an option.
wholeheartedly embraces her Caribbeanness, her movements
Dedicated to an unwavering work ethic, she prepared tirelessly so
reflecting resolute commitment to both her art, and her heritage.
she would be ready when the right opportunity was presented. Her
Professional dancing just sort of fell into Belén’s lap as a consequence of her mother’s love of the arts.
audition for Ailey was just that. As Artistic Director Robert Battle attests, the sense of rhythm
“It was her idea,” says Belén, smiling. “It felt like I started dancing
informed by Belén’s culture was something that made Belén a
more for my mother’s enjoyment. My family, like many others, didn’t
standout in her audition for the ethnically diverse Alvin Ailey
think of dance as a real profession, it was more of a fun hobby.”
American Dance Theater. Once accepted, Belén says she felt like she
Growing up in Lawrence, Massachusetts, a diverse region with strong Hispanic influence, she became involved in local Peruvian folk dancing. As a young girl, the love she developed for the craft laid the groundwork for her transition into styles like modern and ballet.
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positive.”
had finally come home, to a place that fully celebrated her creative expression. “I was able to feel loved, supported, and gain the courage to believe anything was possible.”
After high school, she says, “I realized this was a dream I had to
Now that she’s living her dream, her life isn’t just about work
hold on to and pursue! I had the determination of a billion suns.
and positive thinking. As an ode to her Dominican home, she
Although I didn’t know where I would end up, I was determined to
occasionally allows herself to indulge in her favourite West Indian
die trying—I would dance. I had to dance.”
foods, like “rice, beans, chicken, and plantains!”
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ENTREPRENEUR INSTITUTE
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JUNE 2 - 23, 2018
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Cultivate and advance your business skills over four consecutive Saturdays with AEI’s seminar. This series of 20 classes is open to South Florida artists in all creative fields.
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feature // Breastless Beauty
embraCing
wrIter CARLA HILL
photography JOE WESLEY
EvERY DAY I SPEAk TO MY FEARS TO LET THEM kNOW THEY ARE NOT REAL. IT IS MY BELIEF THAT WELLNESS BEGINS IN OUR HEADS.
the best medIcal advIce I ever received was from my
barber to trim my hair into a close cropped buzz cut. Then I chose
surgeon, Frederick Moffat, at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer
a mastectomy without reconstruction - only the right breast. I was
Center. Before any surgery or chemotherapy began, Dr. Moffat
young, and I had just had the kidney transplant. I didn’t want to
would urge me to begin the healing process in my head - with my
risk my new perky breast becoming infected, and then possibly
thoughts. This is how I learned to think about and visualize myself
damaging my new kidney. For what? To fill out a victoria’s Secret
back to wellness.
bra? In 2007, a mammogram helped me to find my second cancer.
a serIes of devastatIng dIagnoses
The first thing that crossed my mind was that if I needed another
As a young person, I did all the right things - I didn’t smoke,
kidney transplant, I’d have to be five years cancer free. I was only
I didn’t do drugs, and I took care of my body. One day in the
two years cancer free - with a second cancer! So in 2007, I had my
90s, my mother found me passed out on the bathroom floor after
second mastectomy.
exercising. Shortly after I was diagnosed with kidney disease. From what? Too many ab crunches? This led to a host of medications and treatments, including dialysis, and by 2000, a kidney transplant.
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decIdIng to thrIve Social media makes us feel that everyone is enjoying a perpetual,
In 2005 I was getting ready for a cousin’s wedding. After
bottomless mimosa brunch. While Instagramming can be fun, if
flipping my then middle-of-my-back, fresh-from-the-salon, blow
you’re not careful, it can make you believe that what you’re going
dried hair, I felt a lump in my right breast and immediately became
through is not the “brunch” of life, but a mere microwaved egg
frightened. Luckily, I lived in a house with a mother who was really
sandwich - from the gas station!
progressive, and encouraged me to be aware of any changes in
My kidney transplant and cancer journey (WHEW!) has forced
my body. By this time she herself was a breast cancer survivor of
me to be more bold about the way I approach life. I sat in a state
nearly ten years. I found out that this lump was stage two cancer.
of disappointment and “why me” for many years. I wish I didn’t
I knew I had to take control, and not let this new health
have to go through these illnesses, but they’ve forced me to find
challenge overwhelm me. I found a boldness in myself I didn’t
courage and strength I would never have tapped into, had my life
know I had. First, I made a private appointment with my husband’s
been “normal”.
islandoriginsmag.com
beauty
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feature // Breastless Beauty
TO THOSE SURvIvING THEIR OWN PERSONAL BATTLES I SAY - YOU ARE MORE POWERFUL NOW THAN YOU EvER WERE BEFORE. CAUSE A BACCHANAL!
I’ve tried to put my experiences out of my mind so much that I’m
still girly, fashionable, sexy, without breasts or luxurious hair. How
always in shock to hear that someone is inspired by my story. Until
truly courageous am I to totally shun traditional beauty standards
very recently, I wanted to be unremarkable.
and define my womanhood in my way?
If you asked me how things were going, I’d reply that everything
Chemotherapy has left me and my husband without the
was great! In the Caribbean community you’re expected to push
prospect of having kids. We have decided aloud that WE are our
through all your challenges quietly, and with a smile. But anyone
family. If, how and when we choose to grow this family is no one’s
going through cancer or any other life changing disease isn’t and
business but our own.
shouldn’t feel happy about such a diagnosis. They deserve the
My carnival-loving extended family is from Trinidad and Tobago.
right to be upset, and to grieve their old body, lost hair and altered
Trinis like to use the word “Bacchanal”. This word can mean
sense of self, without judgement.
all kinds of things. Bacchanal can be a great time. It can be a
I’m a good Catholic girl, but I don’t believe that God punishes.
scandalous event. Somebody can actually be Bacchanal! I’ve used
I don’t think that I did something wrong and somebody up high
my culture to assess the events of my life and I’ve now embraced
is zapping me with cancer. I think we live in a world that’s filled
my personal bacchanal. I don’t alter my clothing or my carnival
with things that we can’t avoid, that aren’t necessarily good for us,
costumes to give the illusion of breasts. I don’t hide the transplant
and that we just have to deal with the best way we can. I have a
scar across my belly when wearing my scanty regalia at Trinidad
support system that’s fortified me enough to deal like a champion.
carnival. I now channel my bacchanal when I’m marching down the road there, and proudly parade in all of my breast-less glory.
embracIng @brstlssbeauty After my second mastectomy, I made the decision to live a
To those surviving their own personal battles I say - you are more
breast-less life. I named my new alter ego and social media handle
powerful now than you ever were before. Cause a BACCHANAL!
@brstlssbeauty. I’ve claimed my “beauty”. I have decided that I’m
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culture // sounds of the cariBBean
hidden SoundS oF the
cARibbEAn
WELL BEFORE THE JUMPING, THE WAvING, AND THE CHIPPING ON THE ROAD WEARING
PRETTY COSTUMES DURING CARNIvAL SEASON, CARIBBEAN MUSIC WAS AN ExPRESSION OF OUR MOST HUMAN NEED - FREEDOM. wrIter BEkIM RAUSEO
photography SUPPLIED
to fully understand the orIgIns of Caribbean music is, first, to understand the region’s dark history.
creating guitar melodies seeped in the storytelling traditions of
During the 18th and 19th centuries, African freedom,
Africa. Twoubadou is melodic, lyrical and sinuous, with tones
throughout the islands, was strangled by the hands of colonial
that swirl over the tempo of the short slightly sporadic tapping
rule. But, in its firm grip writhed a strong and passionate people,
of drums.
discovering new forms of self expression.
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its name from the word ‘troubadour’, a medieval poet-musician
Mento hails from Jamaica. It is a delightfully mellow music,
The horrors of slavery in the Caribbean can be traced back to
and is considered the founding beat of ska and reggae, with
a time from 1662 to 1807, when a generation was yolked by
audible similarities to Trinidadian Calypso. However, Mento’s less
foreign others. Yet, out of this pitch black, events like the Haitian
aggressive treatment sets it apart from other pre-calypso genres.
Revolution of 1789 set an amber blaze that lit a path to new life
Then there’s Zouk from the French Caribbean islands, and
surrounded by the Caribbean Sea. From this rigid and oppressive
Benna, a scandalous, call-and-response, calypso-type music
hold, a vibrant people gave birth to our earliest music sounds,
from Antigua and Barbuda that held the social power to topple
expressing hope, sorrow and joy.
politicians. Quelbe, also known as scratch band music, is the very
Rara, a type of festival music, was born out of the Haitian
heartbeat of the virgin Islands. Scratch bands perform pieces
rebellion. Twoubadou is another Haitian musical style that takes
with a briskly moving baseline, peppered on top with the delicate
islandoriginsmag.com
CARIBBEAN MUSIC INCLUDES AND GOES BEYOND THE DISCOGRAPHY OF kASSAv’, C DAvID RUDDER, BOB MARLEY, BARRINGTON LEvY, AND CHALkDUST.
tinkle of iron implements and the feathery sound of flutes.
cockpit country of Jamaica, and the deep green of Haiti during
Junkanoo, a passionate music from the Bahamas, is synonymous
the 60s and 70s, reinvigorating island music as we know it today.
with the intonation of the “rake and scrape” resting underneath
Caribbean music includes and goes beyond the discography
big band sounds of blurting brass instruments, like the trumpet
of kassav’, David Rudder, Bob Marley, Barrington Levy, and
and euphonium.
Chalkdust.
The sounds are strikingly similar yet pleasantly individual. All
The post-colonial music catalogue of the region and diaspora
these, amazing yet hidden sounds that inspired and uplifted a
stretches far into the corners of recent history. Even the
people from the darkest hours of our islands’ history.
contemporary sound of Drake, Tory Lanez and Diplo owes a debt
Despite their connected origins, the distinction of each
to the score of island music’s history. Despite its rich and treacle
genre in Caribbean music is defined by nuanced sound. Simple
past, most people understand the beginnings of Caribbean music
instruments were made by hand, often from found objects
as the pastiche parade of entertainment performed in songs like
gesticulated to create simple beats. Each island was populated by
Calypso Blues by Nat king Cole.
various European rulers. Their music was influenced by Africans
But if one were to pull back the beaded curtain for a less
from multiple tribes such as the Ashanti of Ghana, Yoruba of
obscured view, one would discover the true and hidden sound
Nigeria, Imbangala of Angola, and the Nyamwezi of Tanzania,
of the region. At house parties and other family functions, in and
bringing with them their unique customs and religions. Once
around carnivals, weddings, and christenings, you will still hear
forced into the perimeters of these tiny countries, this clash of
the faint sounds of yesteryear in the music of the day enjoyed by
cultures fused together in ways that none would have expected.
those closest to its heritage.
This melange of Dutch, French, English, Spanish, Chinese,
The rebellions and riots that inspired this artistic and extremely
Indians and Africans created a kaleidoscope of sonic color that
powerful form of resistance also transformed a people and the
continued to evolve as the music shaped the identities in each
celebrations they observe to this day. From Junkanoo parades in
country.
the Bahamas, held on Boxing Day and New Year’s Day, to the
Pre-calypso Caribbean music is so much more than just songs
many iterations of carnival celebrated in Trinidad and Tobago,
about rum and coca cola, or Harry Belafonte twisting and gyrating
Jamaica, Saint Lucia, and Grenada (just to name a few), there’s
to the ping and pang of a steel drum. The decades following
no denying that today’s island music continues to resonate due
Emancipation were witness to the symbolic pongin’ and tinkering
to the jewels hidden for us in the closed fists of a people under
of the sound that was refined in the hills of Laventille Trinidad, the
pressure.
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inspiration // Shaggy’s Good Works
writer Calibe Thompson
photography Robert Johnson
Jamaicans love a great party, sometimes just for the sake of music, wine (the waist variety) and spirits. In the case of Orville Burrell, better known as shaggy, the diamond selling reggae artist, and his wife rebecca, the real fun comes after their annual celebrity bash, when they’ve made proverbial truckloads of money, then given it all away!
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islandoriginsmag.com
Steve James
Steve James
The 2018 Shaggy and Friends concert, held on the lawns
Then, he met a man whose daughter was being kept alive by
of Jamaica House in St Andrew, Jamaica, was the sixth installment
one of the instruments he had donated. That man’s profound
of the lavish event. Every other year, it is hosted by the Shaggy Make
gratitude touched him so deeply, that he realized that there was a
a Difference Foundation (SMADF) to raise funds for the benefit of
much greater need than he alone could fulfill, and decided that he
the island’s Bustamante Children’s Hospital.
was not just able, but willing to do something about it. Together
Two-storey, white tents draped in luxurious fabric, with high
with his wife Rebecca, who is a production professional and the
ceilings, dripped with crystal chandeliers. The platinum area was
executive director of the SMADF, he pulled together the first Shaggy
heaving with partygoers. Jamaica’s elite, and a throng of well-
and Friends concert on January 3, 2009, only eight weeks after his
heeled guests, packed in tight, dressed to the nines and out in force
interaction with that grateful father.
for a great cause. A lineup of international superstars including Sting, Wyclef Jean,
Building a Legacy
Third World Band and of course Shaggy himself, performed this
Shaggy’s charitable deeds have an ongoing prominence in his life.
year, with stars like Lauryn Hill, Eve, Damian Marley and Maxi Priest
Himself a child of humble beginnings, he speaks passionately about
lending their star power in years gone by.
giving back, now that he has seen fame and financial success.
The stage was breathtaking, with huge LED video walls and
He is a patron of organizations such as Food for the Poor and the
multiple levels. The production quality was on par with any
American Friends of Jamaica, who produce annual fundraising galas
internationally televised concert.
to raise money for good causes on the island. Food for the Poor also
For Shaggy though, it’s less about the glitz of the limelight, and
builds homes and teaches sustainable living practices throughout
more about attracting generous donors with deep pockets. He’s
the Caribbean and Latin America. They now provide the online
confirmed that his charitable work through the SMADF is far more
platform through which donors around the world can make their
important to him now than is his music. According to the megastar,
contributions to the SMADF.
“to be put in the same place as these people, where I can get them
Since that first concert in 2009, not only have the crowds grown,
to do amazing things with their wealth to benefit the poor ...I’m
but donations have increased significantly. At each event, the concert
going to take that opportunity.”
focuses on a particular funding challenge faced by the hospital.
The goal of the event was to raise US $1 million to fund ten new
From the combined funds raised in 2012 and 2014, SMADF financed
beds at the Bustamante Children’s Hospital intensive care unit (ICU).
the first Catheterization Laboratory and the first Cardiac Unit for a
Although Bustamante is the only full-service children’s hospital in
children’s hospital in the English-speaking Caribbean. Prior to the
the English-speaking Caribbean, until now they had only five ICU
2018 event, SMADF made contributions to Bustamante Children’s
beds.
Hospital to the tune of over 450 pieces of equipment, over 3500 treated children and over $1.6 million US dollars. According to the
How it all began
team, 100% of event proceeds goes to the hospital.
In 2001, during a visit to Bustamante, Shaggy came to learn
His commitment to the Bustamante Children’s Hospital doesn’t
just how underfunded the hospital was. For years after that, he
go unnoticed. Shaggy can now count the doctors and nurses, the
made his own private donations, sponsoring equipment and facility
children and their families among his adoring fans.
upgrades.
If you’d like to contribute to the cause, you can learn more at shaggymakeadifferencefoundation.org. #TeamShaggy4Kids
islandoriginsmag.com
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feature // mario Pignard Jr.
in the
spot
light wrIter MONIQUE MCINTOSH
photography CONTRIBUTED
IF FILM IS A TALE TOLD IN LIGHT AND SHADOWS, THEN CONSIDER MARIO PIGNARD JR. THE MASTER ILLUMINATOR. for 15 years, this highly-regarded motion picture lighting
No stranger to creatively demanding projects, Pignard Jr. is known
technician has created the perfect ambiance for some of our favorite
for thinking way beyond standard techniques. The challenge that led
Hollywood blockbusters, including ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’, ‘The
to him becoming an industry leader though, was the need for a system
Amazing Spider-Man’ and the ‘Batman’ series, as well as popular Tv
that could recreate consistent natural light for sensitive shoots, and that
shows including ‘The Sopranos,’ ‘Boardwalk Empire’ and ‘Orange Is The
could be manipulated on location. His response to that challenge was
New Black.’
to invent the pioneering ‘lighting balloon system’ for lighting company, Sourcemaker.
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islandoriginsmag.com
NO STRANGER TO CREATIvELY DEMANDING PROJECTS, PIGNARD JR. IS kNOWN FOR THINkING WAY BEYOND STANDARD TECHNIQUES.
The cutting-edge technology allows directors to mimic realistic
For young Caribbean-American creatives seeking to break into
sunlight and moonlight. The system is now widely used throughout
the film industry, Pignard Jr.’s advice is not to be afraid to make
the film industry.
your own way. Though his academic background and early filming
He most famously used it to generate 500 kW of balanced daylight, in rain created by special effects on the night set of the
experience focused on visual effects, that didn’t stop him from pushing the boundaries in another field.
2014, Darren Aronofsky film, ‘Noah.’ His innovative lighting also
“If you can’t afford to go to film school, that doesn’t stop you
came in handy for reenactments of the vietnam War in Steven
from making a movie,” says Pignard Jr. “Study whatever you can get
Spielberg’s recent film, ‘The Post.’ “I lit the scene up for him with
your hands on, and start your own projects. Don’t just talk about it,
four, ten-foot cube lighting balloons that had to be moved around
do it, because the film business is literally that. We are making films
the woods as a source of sunlight,” recalls Pignard Jr.
in rain, hail and snow. No matter what, this project is going to be
Creating day in the middle of the night for famous directors is
done. So don’t ever give up on your own ideas.”
just another day at the office for Pignard Jr., who is also a certified
•
member of The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) in New York, and a graduate of the International Academy of Design and Technology. “Troubleshooting is literally the job,” he explains, “We need to figure out the schematics of how to light a set, from the generator to the very last plug.” Pignard Jr. credits his Caribbean parents for his enterprise and
bARRy JEnkins
ambition. His Haitian mother, who was born in Hinche, and his
Film Director
father, a native of the Dominican Republic, met and married in
Did you know that Miami-born filmmaker Barry Jenkins (director of the Oscar-winning
Port-au-Prince before migrating to New York to raise their family.
film ‘Moonlight’) is of Haitian descent? He
Though American-born, Pignard Jr. has a deep appreciation for
grew up in Liberty City, the youngest of
his Caribbean roots, particularly after attending school for four
three siblings. He studied film at Florida State University, first broke onto the scene
years as a child in Port-au-Prince. The experience, “was definitely a
with his 2003 student short, ‘My Josephine,’
tough transition,” notes Pignard Jr. “Back then, as a child, I didn’t
and made waves later on, with his first film,
really understand what my parents were doing. But as an adult, I completely understand.” In addition to becoming fluent in Spanish, French and kreyol, and making close friends on the island, “I know
‘Medicine for Melancholy.’ AyAnnA JAMEs Costume Designer
I am the person I am today because of Haiti,” he declares, “because
Jamaican-born and South Florida-bred, costume
Haiti showed me what struggle really is - why you should always be
designer Ayanna James has quickly made a name
appreciative of what you have.”
for herself composing looks for the small screen.
He trains in the martial art of Jui Jitsu to maintain the stamina for his physically demanding job. Pignard Jr. recently completed work for Martin Scorsese’s next project, and will continue to work on the new season of ‘Orange Is The New Black,’ as well as Julia Roberts’ next film, ‘Ben is Back.’
A graduate of Florida A&M University, she serves as a personal stylist for the likes of Usher, Jidenna and B.o.B. She’s become most celebrated as the costume designer for HBO’s hit show, ‘Insecure.’ She works directly with showrunner Issa Rae on the characters’ distinctive looks, from the slick designer outfits worn by the show’s hot-shot lawyer, Molly, to the instantly viral t-shirts donned by the witty heroine, Issa.
islandoriginsmag.com
15
Invest // a studio in your Pocket
a Studio in
youR poCket
wrIter CALIBE THOMPSON photography JUSTIN ATkINSON
FOR ASPIRING MUSICIANS WITH LITTLE OR NO PRODUCTION BUDGET, ACCESS TO A ROSTER OF A-LIST PRODUCERS, RECORDING STUDIO AND vIDEO PRODUCTION FACILITIES IS THE STUFF OF DREAMS. ENTER, RECORDGRAM.
It’s an Ios (apple based) app that allows vocalists to
Startup Battlefield at TechCrunch Disrupt NY 2017, and they’ve
license beats from chart-topping producers like Timbaland, Will
been featured on the pages of Forbes and Billboard magazines,
I Am, Supa Dups and StreetRunner for as little as $1.00 per track.
and leading industry websites Medium.com and Crunchbase.com.
Using the app, you can then record original songs with multiple
The man responsible for developing the powerful technology
vocal tracks, and even create music videos, all from the comfort
behind the app is Grammy-winning music producer and DJ
of wherever you, and your iPhone or iPad, are. From within the
Winston “Blackout” Thomas, who in 2007 topped the worldwide
app, you post the masterpiece you’ve created to a social media
music charts with the record This Is Why I’m Hot in collaboration
platform of your choice, et voila! You’re on your way to super
with hip hop artist, Mims. The pair teamed up again to make the
stardom… theoretically anyway. Currently, the app is a $2.99 per
RecordGram app a reality.
month subscription, and music is licensed at a maximum of $5.00 per track.
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According to Thomas, “Mims came to me with the idea of putting my beats into a mobile recording studio that would help
RecordGram Inc, the development team behind the app,
us discover new artists. I loved the idea but wanted to make it
recently raised $1 million in capital from funders including
bigger by bringing in other great producers, taking it worldwide,
Lightspeed venture Partners, one of the major investors behind
and getting artists excited about working with original producers,
SnapChat. They’ve won a number of pitch competitions, including
as opposed to recording on karaoke beats.
islandoriginsmag.com
“I had a background in website design, so I immediately started
Thomas got his start in music following in the footsteps of
putting together ideas of what the user interface (UI) would look
his Jamaican father, who was also a DJ. He recalls selling out of
like, and had the first draft of the front end done within a week. I
mixtapes in high school, touring nationally with artists like Jadakiss
went and Googled ‘how to develop an app’, then got to work. We
in the early 2000s, and working in radio, before a chance meeting
had to bootstrap, meaning work with a very limited budget. I was
with Mims in 2004 catapulted them both to global success.
up at all hours of the night with our guys in India for months to get the original version done.” A growing number of monthly subscribers, as well as producers who also pay a subscription fee to list their beats, are currently using the app.
With their most recent round of funding, they’re developing a more robust version of the RecordGram app that also works on the larger android platform. It’s been more than ten years since the worldwide success of their hit song. Now, they are once again poised to share their
Beyond developing the app, the duo of Thomas and Mims,
collaborative efforts with a global audience, this time with an app,
along with business partner Erik Mendelsohn, have begun to act
and they and their million dollar investors are very hopeful that the
in an A&R capacity. They’ve already discovered multiple acts who
team can hit the top of the international charts, one more time.
are gaining popularity through the app, and facilitated recording
•
deals with major record labels.
islandoriginsmag.com
17
Feature // Wyclef Jean
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midnight robber writer copyseed.com
photography courtney chen
When Wyclef Jean’s name hit the headlines back in 2010, in the aftermath of the Haiti earthquake, we all sat up and paid attention.
“I made the decision to run for president of Haiti the minute I landed on the ground,”
in Kingston. That’s where Wyclef is at his best, on stage - philosophizing, prophesying, identifying.
said Wyclef. “I saw over 250,000 people under
For those of you familiar with carnival’s traditional
the rubble. I looked to the right and my wife
‘ole mas’ characters, Wyclef is the Midnight Robber
was picking up bodies. That puts everything into
of hip-hop, full of ‘robber talk’ or storytelling,
perspective.”
extempo style. But, unlike the Midnight Robber, he
Once we had adjusted our brains to the idea of a rapper and a beloved Fugee running for the
doesn’t carry a dagger or a sword or a gun in his hand. His weapon of choice is a microphone.
presidency of Haiti, we all collectively, said, OK, hey,
In 2010, when Wyclef Jean launched a bid for the
why not? And almost overnight his highly publicized
presidency of Haiti, he was a highly visible celebrity.
candidacy was met with international approval.
Half-way through the election race, he was kicked
But there was something more to it than that.
out due to a technicality.
Haiti was in serious trouble and needed a visionary,
Then, the rumours ensued. Wyclef and his non-
a unifier and a leader. We, along with Haiti’s
governmental organization became the subject of
majority youth population, decided the preacher’s
much talk, suggesting funds raised by his personal
son, raised in New Jersey but a child of the soil,
charity, Yèle, had been grossly mismanaged. The
was just the man for the job. Or so we all secretly
preacher’s son, bloodied by his brief brush with
hoped.
island politics, issued a statement, in which he
As a Grammy winning songwriter, producer and one-time political candidate, Wyclef Jean has
denied the claims laid against him, calling them “misleading, deceptive and incomplete”.
achieved great highs and suffered some pretty great
“Yes, I felt betrayed. Not by the Haitians on
lows, privately and professionally. But through it all,
the ground in Haiti, but by the Haitian diaspora in
he has never stopped doing what he does best -
America. I wanted them to fight for me. I wanted
making music.
them to stand up and protest on Brooklyn Bridge
It’s 11:30 AM and I’m talking to him on the
and say ‘you won’t do this to our guy.’” He chokes,
phone. He’s somewhere in Jersey, or it could
his voice disappears for a moment, the hurt still
be Jamaica, where a few days earlier, he wowed
sounds raw. “I felt like Martin Luther King Jr.,” he
crowds on stage at the Shaggy and Friends concert
adds, “When they stoned him in Chicago.”
islandoriginsmag.com
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feature // Wyclef Jean
WYCLEF JEAN IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PREDICT, AND HIS CONFIDENCE IS HUGE. BUT THAT’S BECAUSE HE HAS A LOT TO BE CONFIDENT ABOUT. HE SURvIvED.
After that, Wyclef Jean sort of just - disappeared. That was almost ten years ago. Then, just recently, out of nowhere, Wyclef came back. Like a robber in the night, with all his swagger and musical genius. He
a French word meaning the untying of a story plot to reveal the final resolution.
re-emerged from his hiatus to present Carnival III, the final album
“Yes, it’s like a three act play,” agrees Wyclef. The initiation,
in the Carnival Trilogy, to the world. Billboard dubbed it ‘Top 10,
the confrontation, then resolution. “Through this musical journey,
critically acclaimed.’ Download it, you’ll immediately understand
you see me discovering things. Every song represents discovery
why.
of myself, and where I am, and where I come from. Every song
If Carnival II was about the fall of a refugee, then Carnival III is,
represents a place in time.
without doubt, the resurrection of hip-hop’s philosopher king. “I
“In Carnival III after the whole political thing, I felt like I had
think that my strength and resilience is that I am a Caribbean man.
sacrificed my whole career to try and move my people ahead, but
I understand my African culture so it’s going to be hard to take me
they tried to Marcus Garvey me using the Edgar Hoover method.
out of the game. When I show up in kingston, Jamaica - I’m like
But I was able to rise again”
a local artist. “My mentality is always hard wired to the Caribbean.” But how did Wyclef get back? How has he reconciled his past with his future? For the answers, he says, we must journey through the Carnival.
20
I ask him to unpack Carnival III, the final act, in theater, sometimes referred to as the denouement, (pronounced day-noo-mahn). It’s
Wyclef Jean is impossible to predict, and his confidence is huge. But that’s because he has a lot to be confident about. He survived. “In the end it’s about where we come from and what we come through. We are a people that can’t be painted into a box.” Earlier on in the interview I ask Wyclef about growing up with
“The Carnival featuring Refugee Allstars was what it felt like
Christianity. “As you know my name is Wyclef Jean. I’m named
as an immigrant coming from Haiti and showing up in Brooklyn.
after John Wycliffe, the English reformer. But I denounced my
About how I pulled through as an immigrant. And it was a
father’s form of saying “this is what you have to do,” the same way
narration of what I saw and experienced - that clash of cultures.
John Wycliffe redefined the Catholic Church. But at the end of the
So we start with records like ‘Apocalypse’ and ‘Guantanamera’
day I’m a believer of God, and I’ll always be a believer of the faith.”
expressing a fusion. And these albums have all of us in them - four,
On the question of the musical legacy he’d like to leave behind,
five languages, on purpose - including patois.”
there’s a thoughtful pause. He replies, “It’s yet to be written.”
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feature // the gentrification of ganJa
the gentriFiCation ation oF o
wrIter GHENETE WRIGHT MUIR and SONIA MORGAN
photography SUPPLIED
CAN JAMAICA CASH IN ON CANNABIS? IT’S LIkE WALkING INTO A CAFé AND ORDERING A SPECIALTY COFFEE DRINk, OR A BAGEL WITH BUTTER - ExCEPT YOU NEED ID. THE MAN BEHIND THE COUNTER, A MIDDLE-AGED WHITE MAN, WANTS TO kNOW WHAT kIND OF HIGH YOU WANT FROM HIS SELECTION OF PRE-ROLLED SPLIFFS, EDIBLES AND BAGS OF WEED. THE ExPERIENCE IS SURREAL BUT SURPRISINGLY NORMAL. YOU THINk, HOW IS IT POSSIBLE TO LEGALLY BUY WEED HERE IN SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, BUT NOT IN kINGSTON, JAMAICA?
22
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the truth Is that thIs plant, once demonized as the black and brown man’s drug, today is dressed up and repackaged as a legal, economy-boosting product. Cannabis is sold for recreational use in eight states throughout the US, and medical marijuana is legal in 29 states, though it remains illegal at the federal level. Marijuana, as a traded commodity, is becoming an investment option for many, luring high-profile investors such as rapper Snoop Dogg, PayPal cofounder Peter Thiel and former boxer Mike Tyson. Forbes magazine recently reported that the legal marijuana industry in the US will create more jobs than manufacturing. In 2016, the legal cannabis market was estimated to be worth $7.2 billion, and it is expected to be worth $50 billion by 2026, eight times its current size, according to Bloomberg. The question is, how can Jamaica, the cultural epicenter of marijuana, profit from this multibillion dollar cash-crop? stIll fIghtIng agaInst ganja Michael Burgess, a Jamaican living in Canada, who has invested in the cannabis industry there said, “the whole illegality surrounding marijuana has been fraught with lies and misrepresentation for decades.” In fact, the war against marijuana started in the United States in the 1930s and continues to be waged today. Over the years, this campaign moved well beyond the US. It not only made millions
JAMAICA HAS DECRIMINALIZED GANJA,
of people into criminals, it also helped to cripple the economies of
EFFECTIvELY ALLOWING INDIvIDUALS TO HAvE UP
countries like Jamaica, that could have benefited significantly from a legal cannabis industry. Decades ago, Jamaica made its mark as the capital of cannabis.
TO TWO OUNCES FOR PERSONAL USE AND FIvE PLANTS PER HOUSEHOLD.
The growing Rastafarian movement, in the 1970s, branded Jamaica as the place to get the ‘good ganja’. Reggae music, which in many
first commercial cannabis company in the region, MediCanja. It was
ways is the gospel of Rastafarians, helped spread that message
not legal, but I saw where it was going. Everybody thought I was
worldwide. Yet, today Jamaica is struggling to figure out how to
crazy. How can you do this? The government hasn’t approved it,
enter and profit from the booming marijuana industry. Peter Tosh in
everybody else is against it.” Now, four years later, his company has
his 1975 reggae anthem Legalize It pleaded with the government of
eight pharmaceutical products made from cannabis, and recently
the day singing, “legalize it, don’t criticize it and I will advertise it.”
received FDA approval for a ganja based anti-cancer drug.
Of course, much like today, Jamaica was under immense pressure to adhere to US marijuana regulations.
So what’s holding Jamaica back? Dr. Lowe thinks that “We shoot ourselves in the foot, or we don’t shoot at all.”
It’s ironic that the US, which played a major role in ensuring
Jamaica has decriminalized ganja, effectively allowing individuals
that Jamaica criminalized marijuana, is now enjoying the financial
to have up to two ounces for personal use and five plants per
benefits of legalized weed.
household. Rastafarians who have long been persecuted for using
Island Origins had the opportunity to speak with world-renowned Jamaican scientist, Dr. Henry Lowe. He, along with his colleagues,
the plant as a sacrament can now practice their ritual without risk of prosecution. But ganja is still largely illegal on the island.
Dr. Albert Lockhart and Dr. Manley West, used cannabis, back in
Jamaica still has to adhere to the United Nations Drug Treaty,
the 1970s, to develop Canasol, an eyedrop medication used to treat
which means the road to complete legalization and capitalization is
glaucoma, that was sold only in Jamaica. However, Dr. Lowe said
yet to be paved. This is not to say the country doesn’t want to move
the US discouraged any continued research and development of
forward. According to the Cannabis Licensing Authority of Jamaica
pharmaceuticals from ganja.
(CLA), “If Jamaica is to have any real opportunity in the business
But Dr. Lowe had a reawakening when he saw a CNN report by Dr. Sanjay Gupta promoting medical marijuana. It was then he
of ganja, there must first be evidence of the ability to maintain a responsible industry.”
realized a momentum was building. “I was very bold and set up the
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23
feature // the gentrification of ganJa
“OUR GOvERNMENT IS TIPTOEING TO EvEN ALLOW MEDICINAL AND SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH. THE WHOLE THING IS vERY SLOW IN TERMS OF GETTING OFF THE GROUND,”
burdensome and cost-prohIbItIve
what does the future hold for jamaIca?
Burgess said he would also like to invest in a Jamaican marijuana
But there may be a light at the end of the spliff.
industry, but finds that the country “is too far behind the gate at
Rennalls is also director of Canna Headhunters, an employment
this point.” He believes it would be difficult for the island to cultivate
agency for the emerging legal marijuana industry. At the helm of
the plant on a significant scale. “Jamaica doesn’t have the seed
Canna Headhunters is Florida-based Jamaican Attorney Scheril
production. People of influence in Jamaica are not rallying behind
Murray Powell. She practices in the field of agricultural and cannabis
the industry, and there are still stigmas attached to ganja.” He also
law, and together they navigate this new terrain. They want to help
points out Jamaica’s obligations to The World Bank and IMF loan
Jamaica play a significant role in the ganja industry. Murray Powell
regulations, and that “government has not really rallied behind any
believes that “through education and research, Jamaica will reclaim
agricultural industry.”
its place as the cradle of cannabis.”
Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley, the youngest son of reggae legend
Dr. Lowe is also planning a medicinal ganja cafe at his wellness
Bob Marley, has entered the market powerfully with his burgeoning
resort, Eden Gardens, in kingston. But legal recreational use is still a
empire Stony Hill. He bought a California prison and converted it
pipe dream. “Our government is tiptoeing to even allow medicinal
into a marijuana farm, opened a dispensary in Colorado, and has
and scientific research. The whole thing is very slow in terms of
invested in High Times Magazine.
getting off the ground,” Dr. Lowe said.
But what about the small farmers and entrepreneurs who
Does legalized marijuana have the power to lift Jamaica out of
don’t have the resources at the ready? In other words, is there an
“third world” status? Dr. Lowe doesn’t think so. “Jamaica is losing
opportunity for regular Jamaican people to cash in on this now
the edge. We have lost about 75% of our potential…and will not
booming industry?
significantly benefit from the cannabis industry.” For Jamaica to
Dr. Lowe doubts the small farmer can be a significant part of the
benefit, it will take a joint effort between the Jamaican government,
new industry. The licensing for cultivating in Jamaica at this point
the private sector and local farmers, as well as the support of
starts at US $2,000 per acre annually, and is likely to be out of reach
influential foreign entities.
for those farmers. Burgess agrees, adding that the process is quite “burdensome and cost-prohibitive.”
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It may be that Jamaica’s best hope is to rely on ganja tourism— festivals, “bud and breakfast,” tours, and more—marketing the
Billy Rennalls, a Rasta residing in kingston, has been a part of the
cultural experience of enjoying Jamaican ganja and its products in
activism that led to decriminalization. He lamented that the CLA also
Jamaica. Rennalls said, “Ganja is Jamaica’s brand, like our coffee,
requires farmers to have a title to the land they use to grow ganja,
rum and reggae. We have a unique product that no one can get
which is a challenge, because many of them don’t own the land
anywhere else. People need to come here and experience it. It’s part
they’re farming.
of our brand Jamaica and cannot be duplicated.”
islandoriginsmag.com
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travel // take some you time
wellness & beauty “Give us your body for a week and we’ll
sleep retreat Grenada’s True Blue Bay is about to
wrIters’ retreat This 6 day writers’ retreat held in Negril,
give you back your mind,” is the irresistible
launch what they say is the Caribbean’s
Jamaica promises aspiring authors (that’s
promise made by the folks at the all-
first sleep retreat. This exclusive 5 - 7 day
81% of all Americans by the way) daily
inclusive BodyHoliday Retreats, Saint Lucia,
sleepover was designed in conjunction
free-writing exercises. You’ll delve into
ranked one of the world’s top spa resorts
with neuro scientists and world renowned
the poems of the late Sir Derek Walcott,
by Conde Nast Traveler. With some of the
sleep experts. Aimed at a growing number
knighted lord of the British realm, and one
regions best facilities and an indulgent
of sleep deprived adults, this revolutionary
of the Caribbean’s most eminent writers.
array of state-of-the-art therapies and
holistic approach to a lack of sleep
On the grounds of the hacienda-style villa,
treatments, they can help you decompress
incorporates exercise, personalized diet
you can discover the inspiration you need
and feel whole again. Try their infrared
regimes and mindful meditations, and is
to reignite your literary dreams, receive
detox therapy and the deep tissue ayurvedic
designed to detoxify our overstimulated
feedback on your work, and practice your
back massages with ancient herbs.
brains and improve our sleep habits. It’s so
craft with fellow writers.
thebodyholiday.com
new, you’ll have to call for details.
kahini.org/caribbean
Contact: 473-443-8783 or truebluebay.com
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you
time
ta k e Som e
wrIter COPYSEED.COM
photography SUPPLIED
when the next long weekend rolls around, the islands can be the perfect cleansing antidote to postChristmas spending blues, lapsed New Year’s resolutions and the general stresses and strains of everyday life. So you don’t have to lift another finger, we’ve done all the hard work for you. From realigning your chakras on a yoga getaway to unwinding in a thermal hydro pool at a top-notch wellness spa, or catching up on some much-needed sleep, we’ve rounded up just a few of the loveliest and most surprising retreat options the Caribbean has to offer.
whether your Ideal yoga detox
cookIng classes With a 4 star rating on Tripadvisor,
Located along the stunning coastline
wellness retreat Involves cookIng classes,
Graycliff Hotel, Nassau, Bahamas is a
of Rincon Bay in the Dominican Republic,
must-visit spot for food lovers everywhere.
Hotel villa Serena is a sanctuary where
wrItIng workshops or
The Graycliff Culinary Academy offers
the mind, body and spirit can heal. The
days spent pamperIng
interactive cooking classes under the expert
resort consists of 21 spacious rooms with
guidance of the hotel’s Executive Chef.
calming ocean views that have the power
every Inch of your body
Using local ingredients, you will learn how
to trigger your pleasure neurons. As well
to prepare a variety of exotic, Caribbean
as daily yoga instruction, tai chi classes
spa, why not hop over
infused dishes, and the best wines to pair
and customized vegan meals, your retreat
to the carIbbean to kIck-
them with. Class sizes are small and all
includes ‘Art of Raw’ workshops that teach
utensils are provided.
you about the amazing health benefits of
start your goals and
graycliff.com/culinary
clean eating.
recalIbrate your senses
Contact: bookyogaretreats.com
In style.
In a heavenly-smellIng
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Invest // caring for your Parents
1.
understand theIr fInancIal sItuatIon
No matter what, caring for elderly parents will cost money. You will need to find out how well your parents have prepared for retirement with savings and investments including Social Security, IRAs, 401ks, etc. You will need to think about future care, medicine, supplies and very importantly, you must
Caring For your FolkS Without
going bRokE wrIter SANDRA SPENCE
photography SUPPLIED
consider where your parents will live, and how much it will cost. 2.
get professIonal help
Most people have no experience in caring for the elderly, and are unaware of how complex it can become. Fortunately, professional guidance is not hard to find. Consider getting a care manager to assess your situation. These professionals work with families to determine the best course of action for housing, legal services and other necessary considerations. A good resource is the National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers. (www. caremanager.org). You will also need to find an attorney to guide you regarding a living will, healthcare proxy and other legal issues, on your parent’s behalf. 3.
learn about medIcare and medIcaId.
Most younger people assume that the standard programs will cover an elderly person’s healthcare when the time comes. Alas, they don’t. Medicare
AS OUR PARENTS AGE, THEY MAY
for instance, in most situations, will cover hospital, medical and prescription drug costs, but it will not cover nursing home stays. Medicaid will take care
BECOME MORE DEPENDENT ON THEIR
of nursing home expenses, but only for people who have exhausted most
CHILDREN AND ExTENDED FAMILY FOR
of their assets. The limitations of these programs often come as a shock to
BOTH PHYSICAL AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT. WHEN IT’S YOUR TURN TO HELP TAkE CARE OF THE FOLkS WHO WERE ONCE YOUR CARE GIvERS, HERE ARE A FEW TIPS TO HELP YOU BE A GREAT GUARDIAN, WITHOUT GOING BROkE.
children, so do your research and know the facts. 4.
get the famIly Involved
If you have siblings or other willing family members, don’t try to do it on your own. Enlist help from other relatives to help ensure that it’s a family effort. 5.
make your own retIrement plan
Consider your own financial situation carefully. How will your future be affected by your new role as a caretaker? Are you able to live comfortably if you are unable to work? Planning for yourself is just as important as planning Sandra Spence is the VP of Advertising and Public Relations at We Florida Financial Credit Union
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islandoriginsmag.com
for your parents. Seek advice from a qualified adviser to prepare for a stable future and a good quality of life for your parents.
•
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wrIter SONIA MORGAN
photography SUPPLIED
health & beauty // get fit - cariBBean style
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“GET FIT” IS WRITTEN IN BRIGHT, BOLD TYPE AT THE TOP OF YOUR 2018 RESOLUTIONS LIST. BUT SOMETHING EERILY FAMILIAR IS CREEPING UP ON YOU... IT’S THAT OLD, ANNOYING FEELING THAT YOU’LL CRASH AND BURN BEFORE MID-MARCH, AGAIN! YOU IMAGINE THE MONOTONY OF TRUDGING THROUGH A TIMED WORkOUT ON A TREADMILL OR ELLIPTICAL, COUNTING ENDLESS REPS, FANTASIZING ABOUT THE IDEAL SUMMER BODY IN STORE FOR YOU WHEN THIS IS ALL OvER. well, what If you could amp up your workout by embracing something a lot more fun, that’s guaranteed to feel more like a wild night out, than the slog of a boring old exercise routine? Think Caribbean-inspired workouts like ReggaeFit, Fet~Ness, Caribbean Cardio, and Brukwine. They let you “wine” like it’s Trini Carnival and “bruk out” like it’s “Weddy Weddy Wednesday.” Sure, you’ll sweat and feel the burn, but it’s that good sweat - the kind you get from dancing to your favorite mixtape when nobody’s watching. Remember, if you’re repeating the same exercises over and over at the gym, your muscles will get used to them and you’re bound to plateau. The beauty of trying something different is that when you switch it up, you automatically tap into the benefits of muscle confusion.
reggaeFit In South Florida, ReggaeFit is like a movement. This workout fuses Caribbean music and dance with highenergy aerobics, weights and more. The team promises ever changing routines that ensure their diverse community of clients have so much fun waving their flags and “chippin’ cross di dancefloor”, they don’t even realize they’re working out. They attest that their clients lose weight and see real health benefits in a matter of weeks. Classes held in Deerfield Beach, Plantation and Miami, leave no room for boredom, and are tailored to adults, seniors, teens and kids too! reggaefit.com
Fet~neSS Caribbean Cardio If you’re in Atlanta, try out Fet~Ness Caribbean Cardio. Their noble mission includes promoting Caribbean culture through health and fitness, but that doesn’t make their class any less fun! The workout combines the insane energy of a carnival event with high and low-impact aerobics, strengthening and muscle sculpting exercises, all done to the hottest new dancehall, soca and afrobeats! facebook.com/Fet4life
brukWine This sexy dancehall and reggae based workout craze shows women how to “wine” their waists to fitness, and is taking New York by storm. It claims to burn up to 1,000 calories per rump shaking, fat blasting class - and it’s all done in heels, booty shorts and full makeup! The classes are a combination of cardio and dance that particularly tone a woman’s legs and waist. And it can’t hurt that its pioneering choreographers have danced in music videos for A-listers like Sean Paul, Diddy, Beyonce, Lady Gaga and Rihanna. If their flash mob performance in Time Square is anything to go by, this workout “tun up!” Classes are available in Manhattan, Brooklyn, The Bronx and Long Island, and workshops are available all over the country. brukwine.com
SoCa’robiCS In Maryland? “Wuk up” and “buss a sweat” to the intoxicating rhythms of soca and reggae music at Soca’Robics Fitness Studio. This workout gets your adrenaline pumping in a calorie-burning explosion of culture that’s bound to have you fit and fine. Instructor Natalie’s clients say you’ll feel like you’re on the road at carnival! socarobics.net
so what are you waItIng ng for? tch the drudgery of the gym dItch bbean fIt! and go fInd your carIbbean islandoriginsmag.com
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InspIratIon // trusting me
Can i truSt
ME?
EvEN NOW AS AN OLDER ADULT, I CAN HEAR MY MOTHER WHISPERING IN MY EAR, TELLING ME HOW TO TALk TO PEOPLE, RAISE MY DAUGHTER, AND
DRESS FOR WORk. wrIter DR CLAIRE A. RENE, MBA, ED.D photography SUPPLIED
I confess, much of her sage advice was both useful and
our decisions are based on our emotions, so the right Emotional
meaningful. But here’s the problem with that: when you give those
Intelligence strategies can steer us to better decision making efforts
around you the power to influence how you think, as I gave my well-
and self-trust development. Let’s get to them!
meaning mother, it can debilitate your long-term decision-making abilities in multiple ways. 1. You minimize the validity of your own gut feelings and more often defer to the advice of others. 2. You second guess your decisions, even if the outcomes are favorable. 3. You find other people’s decisions smarter than yours. “Wow, why didn’t I think of that!” becomes a common inner-thought.
a good decision and the outcome is favorable, write it down in a journal and applaud yourself. • tough out the tough times. When you make decisions and the outcomes are unfavorable, take a moment to reflect (yes, it can be painful) before responding. Sometimes because we rush to respond rather than taking time to process the situation, we miss key teachable moments.
Underdeveloped decision-making skills lead to a lack of self-trust,
• rejeCt the negativity. Negative conversations and
and if you can’t trust yourself, then who can you trust? The answer
thoughts suppress optimism. You need to remove the negative
is likely, no one. Therein lies a multitude of problems that can impact
influences from your life and cultivate an optimistic approach in order
every area of our lives, from our intimate relationships and how
to make good decisions and solve problems.
we perform at work, to how we raise our children and respond to conflict.
• FaCts over emotions. EI theorists say the best decisions are made when you have all the facts and have considered all outcomes.
Ask yourself these five simple questions, and you can discover if
Think about what you need, based on facts, versus what you want,
you trust yourself implicitly, or if, like a lot of us, your self-trust muscle
often based purely on emotions. Prudent decisions are made when
needs a little workout.
our emotions are kept in check.
• Do you spend a lot of time regretting past decisions?
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• Celebrate your good deCisions. When you make
• Fin ally, seek adviCe and not opinions. According to
• Is it difficult for you to receive compliments for an
the dictionary, opinions are based purely on perspective, whereas,
accomplishment?
advice is ‘educated counsel’ given by a subject matter expert, like an
• Are you constantly comparing yourself to others?
attorney, doctor or accountant. When you need more validation than
• Is it hard for you to move forward with a plan to better yourself?
your own gut, it is okay to seek help, but it’s best if it comes from an
• Do you focus more on your flaws than your strengths?
informed source, rather than someone who may have questionable
Now, if you answered yes to more than two of these questions,
motives that may lead to your confidence being eroded.
don’t despair. There are a number of key behavioral strategies used in
Following these Emotional Intelligence strategies requires a level of
the study and practice of Emotional Intelligence that can help you. EI,
intentionality, a degree of patience, and a willingness to be kind to
as it’s also known, is a form of social science popularized by Dr. Daniel
yourself at all times, along the way. I believe in these strategies and in
Goleman. It is the ability to recognize and manage your emotions,
developing self-trust, because they hold the key to unlocking a truer
and other people’s, to produce favorable outcomes. Over 80% of
version of who we are.
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33
InterIor desIgn // exquisite curiosities
exquiSite
Curiosities wrIter CALIBE THOMPSON
photography ROLANDO DIAZ
IN THE TRENDY AREA OF MIAMI kNOWN AS DOWNTOWN BRICkELL, A TWO BEDROOM CONDO IN ONE OF THE AREA’S NEWEST BUILDINGS BECAME A BLANk CANvAS FOR CUBAN AMERICAN DESIGNER MAITE GRANDA.
floor to ceIlIng wIndows bathe living spaces in sunlight during the day, while offering the young Brazilian couple who have made this their vacation home, a breathtaking, panoramic view of the city. Clean, modern and eclectic are words that come to mind when observing Granda’s design aesthetic. A variety of bold patterns find their way onto floors, pillows and walls, never becoming overwhelming, always knowing their place. She says her biggest challenge on this project was the large, lean, structural column piercing upward through the living room, from the floor below and into the floor above. Instead of approaching it as an eyesore to be hidden, Granda embraced its peculiarity, and made it the focal point of the room, taming its rotund opulence by adding equally prominent blocks of muted color to its base. In the sitting rooms, the black and white color palette with grey and pastel accents suggests an effortlessness, belying the meticulous attention to detail that allows fuzzy pink pillows to coexist peacefully with a wicker basket lampshade, sleek modern cabinetry, and slick, white art deco chairs.
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IN THE SITTING ROOMS, THE BLACk AND WHITE COLOR PALETTE WITH GREY AND PASTEL ACCENTS SUGGESTS AN EFFORTLESSNESS, BELYING THE METICULOUS ATTENTION TO DETAIL THAT ALLOWS FUZZY PINk PILLOWS TO COExIST PEACEFULLY WITH A WICkER BASkET LAMPSHADE, SLEEk MODERN CABINETRY, AND SLICk, WHITE ART DECO CHAIRS.
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A swirl of deliberate, black paint strokes dance across a plain white canvas, rounding out the exquisite curiosities in the sitting room, meant to catch your eye.
PINk PILLOW IS NESTLED INTO SIMPLE, WHITE BEDDING, BASkING UNDER AN ACCENT WALL
In one of the bedrooms, another fuzzy pink pillow
WHOSE WHITE AND PINk PATTERNS ARE A
is nestled into simple, white bedding, basking under
SNEAkY, INvERTED NOD TO THE PILLOW’S
an accent wall whose white and pink patterns are
WHIMSICAL SILHOUETTE.
a sneaky, inverted nod to the pillow’s whimsical silhouette. Blue and grey tones add subdued points of interest here, and throughout the other rooms. There’s a work area whose black and white decor is punctuated by a single pop of red on a wall, a few green leaves, and a pair of wicker arm chairs. With a tidy collage of perfectly positioned wall hangings, the room is clean and simple, but far from boring. Granda’s clients left her with a blank canvas, and returned to a newly completed vacation home that they “absolutely loved”. She declares, “I just love the process. Reinventing and designing without limits. If you care about your craft and your ideas, you’ll take the extra time, and add the touches that you know will make your work really shine.”
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IN ONE OF THE BEDROOMS, ANOTHER FUZZY
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thE List
LOOk GOOD | FEEL GOOD
Enbois oRiginALs
The pair of Zulu Walnut Wood Sunglasses and the Jafari Sandal Wood Watch are part of their exclusive wooden collection. They plant a tree in Haiti for every item you buy. $65 enbois-originals.com
itibA bEAuty
The deliciously scented line of allnatural skin care products is made in St Croix using plants, fruits and essential oils. $8 - $25 itibabeauty.com
isLAnD nichE Each open cuff bangle is unique, made of horn, with freeform agate gemstone set in sterling silver. $280 islandniche.com
thE JAMAicAn sAnDAL coMpAny Their Lucy sandal is made with fine leather and can be customized for color and finish. $64.99
jamaicansandalco.com
cooyAh cLothing Cooyah’s “Irie” line comes in women’s and men’s hoodies, tanks and even onesies for baby. $15 - $40 cooyah.com
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scenic route
Sawgrass Recreation Park, Weston
Here the road less traveled happens to be a river — of grass. Your journey begins at sunny.org. Join us for The South Florida Synergy Summit for Cultural and Heritage Tourism, May 16-18, 2018. culturalheritagesummit.com islandoriginsmag.com
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taste the Islands // restaurant revieW
wrIter DAvID I. MUIR
photography DAvID I. MUIR
LOCATED IN THE MIDST OF CENTRAL BROWARD’S CARIBBEAN POPULATED CITY OF LAUDERHILL, THE AUTHENTIC ISLAND EATERY, JOY’S ROTI DELIGHT, STANDS ALONE, JUST OFF THE LAUDERHILL MALL. ON ENTRY, YOU ARE GREETED BY THE SLIGHTLY-TOO-LOUD SOUNDS OF CARIBBEAN MUSIC, AND THE COMPLEMENTARY, YET COMPETING, CHATTER OF PATRONS ‘LABRISHING’ AROUND YOU. THE SIMPLE, PRACTICAL DéCOR DOESN’T TIP YOU OFF TO THE CULTURAL, CULINARY ExPERIENCE AHEAD. my starter - doubles - a common street food in Trinidad and
Joy’s Pumpkin, looks much like candied yams. Its creamy, buttery
Tobago, looks similar to a burrito, and is a favorite for breakfast or as
texture compliments the fusion of island spices vividly enhancing its
an appetizer. Doubles, made up of two fluffy, fried flatbreads, which
flavor. It pairs extremely well with “Buss-Up Shut.”
form its soft taco-like skin, is stuffed with a flavorful sweet and savory curried chickpea filling. The consistency of the chickpeas is mostly like minced meat, though I occasionally bite into fully formed soft peas,
To complete my meal experience, I drank freshly mixed Peanut
resulting in a texture combination that delightfully enhances the party
Punch, which looks like a glass of milk with ice, but tastes like a peanut
occurring in my mouth. Today’s Doubles are served with tamarind
flavored milk-shake, and served as my dessert!
chutney (mango chutney is another available option), and Joy’s hotpepper sauce on the side.
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The Curried Shrimp is a hot and mildly spicy treat, featuring fairly large, tender shrimps, submerged in a light, yellow, curry sauce.
Joy’s Roti Delight was opened on valentine’s Day in 1992, a few years after the family moved to Florida from Trinidad. Proprietor, Sheila Sawh
Chef Mike presents me with a platter of restaurant favorites including
Gowkaran recalls the day they registered Joy’s at City Hall. They arrived
Shrimp Curry, Curried Chicken, Curried Beef and vegetarian options -
at the city without having determined the restaurant’s name. Her now
Curried Potatoes and Pumpkin, as well as Dhalpourie Roti and Paratha,
late husband suggested they call it Shelia’s, but she insisted that Joy,
another flatbread more popularly known as “Buss-Up Shut.”
her late husband’s name, was a much better choice, and so they went
From the selection of foods presented, what really stood out for me
with that. When asked about the relevance of their valentine’s Day
was the Pumpkin, Channa (Curried Chickpeas), Paratha and Curried
start, Sheila reminds me that a main ingredient of the food at Joy’s Roti
Shrimp.
Delight is LOvE.
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taste the Islands // reciPes
reCipeS bahamian ConCh FritterS fritter ingredients ½ lb Conch meat, diced ½ medium Onion, diced 1 stick Celery, diced 1 ½ Roma Tomatoes, diced 3 tsp Salt ½ Habanero Pepper 2 tsp Hot Sauce ¾ cup Lakay Tomato Paste 1 tbsp Thyme Leaves 2 cups All Purpose Flour 2 tsp Baking Powder 1 ¼ cups Water vegetable Oil for deep frying
r it t er s F h c n o C n ia m Bah a
dipping sauce ingredients ½ cup Mayonnaise ½ cup ketchup 1 tsp. Mustard 1 tsp. Hot Sauce
method 1. In a large bowl, mix everything together except the flour, baking powder, and water. 2. In a smaller bowl, mix together the flour and the baking powder. 3. Add the dry ingredients to the large bowl, stir, and then add the water slowly. 4. Pre-heat a pot or deep fryer with oil, several inches deep, over high heat. 5. Scoop tablespoons of the batter into the hot oil and allow to fry until golden brown on all sides. Don’t over-crowd them, only fry a few fritters at a time. 6. Remove from oil and place on paper towels to soak away some of the oil. 7. Whisk all sauce ingredients together until smooth and creamy. Serve with hot fritters.
bahamian johnny bread ingredients 6 cups All Purpose Flour ¾ cup Sugar 6 tbsp Baking Powder 1 tsp Salt ½ cup Unsalted Butter, softened + ¼ cup Unsalted Butter, melted 2 cups Milk 1 cup Water 4 Eggs ¼ cup vegetable Oil
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method 1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease two 8” round baking pans. 2. In a mixing bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder. Stir in the sugar and salt. 3. Add the softened butter and gently knead until well incorporated. 4. Add the eggs, vegetable oil, milk and water. Mix well with a spoon until the texture of your mixture is between that of bread dough and cake batter, adding more water if necessary. 5. Pour the mixture into the greased pans and bake for 30 minutes. 6. Brush the melted butter over the top and continue to bake for 15 more minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean from the middle. 7. Cut into slices and serve warm with butter or jam.
Bah amian J oh n n y Br e ad
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taste the Islands // restaurant directory
reStaurant
liSting in
S o u t h
F lo rida
AveRAGe Cost peR peRson BefoRe dRinKs, tAx And tip. $ Under $10 / person $$ Under $20 / person $$$ Under $40 / person $$$$ Over $40 / person
Ali’s RestAuRAnt | $ Caribbean, Indian, Vegetarian Tiny counter-serve joint dishing up Trinidadian comfort food like doubles & aloo pie. 303 S State Rd 7, Plantation
Clive’s CAfe | $$ Jamaican Popular spot for jerk chicken and curry goat. 5890 NW 2nd Ave, Miami clivescafe.com
BAhAmiAn Reef seAfood RestAuRAnt |$$$ Seafood Low key and casual with colorful interior 7836 NW 44th St, Sunrise
ConCh heAven | $$ Bahamian Lots of conch based comfort foods, with locations in Miami, Plantation and Atlanta. 11275 NW 27th Ave, Miami conchheaven.com
el Bohio de mAmA | $$ Dominican Family style restaurant offering music, mofongo, shrimp and dancing. 2181 SR 7, Margate CAlypso RestAuRAnt & RAw BAR | $$ Caribbean Try their Caribbean-styled seafood, Jamaican Jerk and curry dishes. 460 S Cypress Rd, Pompano Beach calypsorestaurant.com
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ConCh KRAwl CARiBBeAn RestAuRAnt | $$ Bahamian, Seafood Enjoy traditional Bahamian and other Caribbean dishes. 2600 S University Dr #106, Miramar don ARtuRo RestAuRAnt | $$ Cuban Serving traditional recipes & drinks in a kid-friendly environment. 1198 SW 27th Ave, Fort Lauderdale donarturorestaurant.com
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donnA’s CARiBBeAn RestAuRAnt | $$ Jamaican Authentic Jamaican food all day, plus cocktails and Sunday brunch. 9 locations around South Florida. 5434 N University Drive, Lauderhill donnascaribbean.com finley’s BAhAmiAn RestAuRAnt | $$ Bahamian Try their breakfast served with Johnny cakes or grits. Lunch specials daily. 2710 W Atlantic Blvd, Pompano Beach finleysbahamianrestaurant.com hAvAnA 1957 | $$ Cuban Quick bites in a buzzing backdrop with Havana memorabilia. 405 Espanola Way, Miami Beach havana1957.com islAnd fusion GRill | $$ Jamaican, Cuban Jamaican, Cuban, Asian and Creole flavors with seafood and vegetarian options. 4816 SW 28th Terrace, Fort Lauderdale islandfusiongrill.com
JAmAiCA KitChen | $$ Jamaican known for their extra spicy beef patties. 8736 SW 72nd St, Miami jamaicakitchen.com Joy’s Roti | $$ Trinidadian, Indian Counter serve cafe with Indian inspired Caribbean cuisine. 1205 NW 40th Ave, Lauderhill joysrotidelight.com JuAnA lA CuBAnA CAfe | $ Cuban Cuban sandwiches & dishes like ropa vieja & roast pork. 2850 SW 54th St, Fort Lauderdale juanalacubana.com JuAnA’s lAtin spoRts BAR & GRill | $$ Latin Casual Dominican, Puerto Rican & American sports bar and grill. 11602 City Hall Promenade, Miramar juanaslatinsportsbar.com
lAs olAs CAfe | $ Cuban Freshly squeezed juices and Cuban sandwiches. 644 6th St, Miami Beach lasolascafesb.com
little hAv hA vAnA | $$ vA hAvAnA Cuban Authentic Cuban Cuisine. 12727 Biscayne Blvd, North Miami littlehavanarestaurant.com
lAs veGAs CuBAn Cuisine | $$ Cuban, Latin American A dine in hot spot with 16 South Florida locations offering Cuban meals and cocktails. 2807 E Oakland Park Blvd, Ft. Lauderdale lasvegascubancuisine.com
el mAGo o de lAs fRitAs fRitA | $ Cuban Cozy spot for Cuban burgers. 5828 SW 8th St, Miami elmagodelasfritas.com
lC Roti shop | $ Indian, Vegetarian Cash-only eatery, serving Caribbean eats & housemade roti with pepper sauce. 19505 NW 2nd Ave, Miami
mAnGu CAfe RestAuRAnt | $$ Dominican Bare-bones Dominican spot serving pernil, goat stew, beer & wine. 2007 W 62nd St, Hialeah oRtAnique on the mile | $$$$ Caribbean Fusion Island flavors, local ingredients, creative cocktails, tropical-themed decor. 278 Miracle Mile, Coral Gables ortaniquerestaurants.com
pollo ollo tipiCo | $ Dominican Traditional Dominican dishes in a laid back atmosphere. 5011 SR 7, Fort Lauderdale pueRto sAGuA RestAuRAnt RAnt | $$ Cuban known for their soup and oxtail stews. 700 Collins Ave, Miami Beach sAzon CuBAn Cuisine | $ Cuban Tasty Caribbean cuisine and live weekend entertainment. 7305 Collins Ave, Miami Beach sazoncubancuisine.com shAlAmA’s hAlAl Roti shop | $ Caribbean, Indian Casual ethnic take out spot with authentic roti, curries and pepper sauce. 1432 SR 7, Margate sheiKs BAKeRy & CAfe | $ Caribbean, Indian East & West Indian food including halal meats, spices & baked goods. 154 University Dr, Pembroke Pines sheiksbakery.com
tAp tAp | $$$ Haitian Colorful interior and authentic creole cuisine. 819 5th St, Miami Beach taptapsouthbeach.com veRs veRsAilles | $$ Cuban, Latin American Serving tasty Cuban cuisine and culture for four decades. The gauge of the community’s pulse. 3555 Southwest 8th Street, Miami versaillesrestaurant.com yARumBA RestAuRAnt & lounGe | $$ Dominican Try their traditional stews or Churrasco with live music. 4740 NW 167th St, Miami Gardens yarumbarestaurant.com zest miAmi | $$$ Caribbean fusion A modern restaurant & market with creative island fare. 200 S Biscayne Blvd, Miami zestmiami.com
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entertaInment // event calendar
event
Calendar Admission: $75 - $125
3/2
4/14
info: jamaicanwomenofflorida.com
JAmAiCA ChARity GAlA
5th AnnuAl women of distinCtion AwARds
Features powerful Jamaican women speakers
wheRe: JW Marriott Marquis, Miami
BReAKfAst
Miss Universe Jamaica 2017 Davina Bennett and
Admission: $350
wheRe: BB&T Center, Sunrise
Chief Justice Hon. Zaila McCalla, Esq, as well as
info: theafj.org
Admission: $70 - $225
shopping gallery and silent auction.
Help The American Friends of Jamaica raise funds for education and healthcare charities on the island.
info: lauderhillchamber.com Honoring 10 influential Broward County women
3/24
for their professional leadership and community
pRestiGious hAitiAn musiC AwARds
5/19
contributions.
when: 5PM
hAitiAn CompAs festivAl 2018 - 20th
wheRe: Miramar Cultural Center, Miramar
AnniveRsARy
3/3 - 3/4
Admission: $55 - $175
when: 3PM to 11:30PM
CARnAvAl on the mile
info: prestigioushma.com
wheRe: Bayfront Park, Downtown Miami
wheRe: Along Miracle Mile in Downtown
A night of elegance and glamour, showcasing
Admission: $40 - $80
Coral Gables
a number of Haiti’s prominent voices while
info: eventbrite.com
Admission: $0
delivering an unforgettable show.
Among the Best in Live Music Entertainment events (Billboard Magazine), it’s the largest gathering
info: carnavalmiami.com Latin Jazz, Funk and Caribbean rhythms fill the
3/31
of Haitian music fans in the US with over 25,000
air during this weekend-long street festival in
CARiBBeAn ARt And musiC festivAl
patrons annually.
Downtown Coral Gables.
when: Noon to 10PM wheRe: Central Broward Regional Park and
3/11
5/27
Stadium, Lauderhill
Best of the Best musiC fest
CAlle oCho festivAl
Admission: $25
when: 2PM to Midnight
when: 10AM to 7PM
info: caribbeanartandmusicfestival.com
when: Bayfront Park, Miami
wheRe: Between 4th and 27th Avenues on
Cultural dance groups, masqueraders, steel
Admission: $30 - $5,000
Southwest 8th Street, Miami
bands, music performance, Caribbean cuisine,
info: bestofthebestconcert.com
Admission: $0
rum and more, supporting the Helena James
Performances in Pop, R&B, Soca, Reggae, Hip-Hop
info: carnavalmiami.com
International CAMF Scholarship.
and Caribbean music at one of the the largest International Music Festivals in North America today.
The largest Hispanic street festival in the Southeastern US, more than one million event-
4/17 - 4/19
goers celebrate Hispanic culture at this massive
miAmi hispAniCize
6/2
block party.
wheRe: JW Marriott Marquis, Miami
the tAste the islAnds expeRienCe
Admission: $50 - $795
when: 4PM - 10PM
3/17 - 3/18
info: hispanicizeevent.com
wheRe: Fort Lauderdale Historical Society,
JAzz in the GARdens
Expected to host more than 3,000 Latino
Downtown Fort Lauderdale
WHERE: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens
trendsetters and newsmakers in digital content
Admission: $95 - $125
ADMISSION: $75 - $125
creation, journalism, marketing, tech, and
info: ttiexperience.com
INFO: jazzinthegardens.com
entertainment.
Caribbean-inspired culinary event set on the riverfront, with tropical atmosphere, authentic sights
The City of Miami Gardens celebrates diversity, culture, and art through various genres of music
4/26 - 4/29
and sounds of the islands, celebrity chefs, gourmet
with world-renowned and local artists.
miAmi weB fest 2018
bites, Caribbean cocktails and fabulous people.
wheRe: Florida International University, The
3/17
Wolfsonian (South Beach)
JAmAiCAn women of floRidA women’s
Admission: $20 - $399
empoweRment ConfeRenCe & sCholARship
info: miamiwebfest.com
lunCheon
Discover the best web series and participate
when: 9AM to 4PM
in panel discussions, exclusive parties, and an
wheRe: Jungle Island, Miami
elaborate awards ceremony.
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a fInal thought // the value of entertainment
I LET PEOPLE kNOW UPFRONT, I’M ALLERGIC TO BOREDOM. I THINk THAT’S THE SAME FOR MOST OF US TODAY, WHETHER WE REALIZE IT OR NOT. Writer CALIBE THOMPSON PhotograPhy DAvID I. MUIR
amerIca’s
current
presIdent
has
this
issue,
we’ve
celebrated
Caribbean
entertainment - singers, dancers, filmmakers, pioneers
stream of controversial, but highly engaging
in tech, and even the origins of the music itself.
antics. Usain Bolt, one of the world’s most beloved
I’m personally grateful to have come from the
sportsmen, captured our hearts with his hijinks on
world of entertainment early in my career. I’ve
the track. The list of public provocateurs is endless.
felt the connection of 5,000 pairs of eyes trained
Love them or hate them, the most memorable
directly on me, and the energy in a room when
people on earth are the entertainers.
a passionate group of creatives is united through
They’re the folks whose social media posts you
music.
feel obligated to share, and whose stories stir
That experience has made me acutely aware that
emotions in you that you never knew you had.
how I channel my ability to create and engage,
They’re the musicians whose songs get stuck in
affects the legacy I will leave behind. very rarely
your head, or the actors whose characters keep you
is it the things you’ve done quietly that people
riveted to a screen for hours or days at a time.
remember you for. History, instead, holds on to
In business, the products and brands you choose to try next, are the ones that capture your attention
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In
monopolized public conversation with a consistent
the narrative you’ve emblazoned on collective imaginations - the way you’ve entertained.
with a jingle, mascot or catchphrase. Even the
Reality shows on television, and oversharing on
church with the pastor that keeps you awake the
social media, have made it so that our own eyeballs
longest and the liveliest choir, is the one you’ll
and cell phones seem to be recording unedited,
choose to visit week after week.
always-on reality Tv, and that we are the main
On the flip side of that, if you can’t hold your
characters in our show. Whatever your storyline,
audience’s attention, you’re on your way to
however you choose to entertain, make sure, as
obsolescence. If I lose you half way through this
Carla Hill would say, you’re proud of the legacy
article, I can probably kiss the possibility of you
you leave, with your own brand of bacchanal!
reading me again, goodbye. Please don’t goooooo!
#islandorigins.
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MONEY
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The Urban League of Broward County’s Entrepreneurship Center is designed to give small business owners the tools needed – technical training, market exposure and capital funding – to grow and develop their businesses. Contact the Entrepreneurship Center for a free consultation at 954.584.0777 www.ulbroward.org/smallbiz
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