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PULSE OF THE CARIBBEAN PEOPLE | 3
Contents
Vol #13 JUly/august 7th edition Articles Feature Articles 8 Enhance Your Resume 11 How I Became a Merritone Fan 12 The Illusion of “White Supremacy”
30 The 10 Happiest Nations in the World are not in the Caribbean
pg 10
32 Entertainment Buzz
Nigerian Billionaire
35 Rising Star-Omi 36 Caribbean Roots
16 Forever Young 22 A New Blue Marble
37 Why am I doing this?
38 Without a Hitch 24 Th is Jamaican-Roots player caused the Wimbledon Upset 39 How I became a Merritone Fan Women’s World Cup
Caribbean Roots
pg 36
40 Delaware Valley Voice
28 Th e Caribbean’s Future looks Bright
CHAIRMAN & PUBLISHER
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
PHOTO JOURNALIST
LEGAL COUNSELOR
PHOTOGRAPHERS
DELAWARE VALLEY
CLIVE WILLIAMS
ADIKA BUTLER
MARJORIE FLASH
GARNETT H. SULLIVAN, ESQ
MARJORIE FLASH OF MY FLASH KEN/UNIVERSAL
PRESIDENT & ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER ART DIRECTOR
NEW MEDIA INITIATIVES
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
MEDIA
(PHILADELPHIA, SOUTH JERSEY, DELAWARE)
CHRISTOPHER C. WILLIAMS
VICTOR STOUTE JR
ROCKSTONE MEDIA GROUP
ADIKA BUTLER - DR. CLIVE WILLIAMS - MARJORIE ON THE COVER IMAGE BY MARJORIE FLASH
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT
MANAGING EDITOR OF ONLINE CONTROLLER MAGAZINE MICHELLE WILLIAMS
ANNETTE GORDON
FLASH - CHRIS GODFREY SHERON P. - REUBEN
CICLEY TYSON, DUSTIN BROWN, KADEISHA
JAMES - BEN CASSELMAN
BUCHANAN, OMI
NAKISHA DUNCAN
INQUIRIIES
(917) 749-7613 editors@whereitzatmag.com clive@whereitzatlive.com
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WhereItzAt Magazine is published monthly by WhereItzAt Media Group Inc. All Rights Reserved. WhereItzAt Magazine is a registered trademark of WhereItzAt Media Group Inc. Reproduction in whole or in part without written consent is prohibited. Views of editorial content do not necessarily reflect the views of WhereItzAt Magazine, WhereItzAt Media Group Inc. or its advertisers. For questoins, comments and concerns address your letters to: WhereItzAt Magazine • 219-10 S. Conduit Avenue • Springfield Gardens, NY 11413 or email:editors@whereitzatmag.com WhereItzAt Media Group Inc. 461 Elmont Rd. Elmont,NY 11003 Phone: (917) 749-7613 4 | PULSE OF THE CARIBBEAN PEOPLE
PULSE OF THE CARIBBEAN PEOPLE | 5
PUBLISHER’S VIBE
OH! The Complexity of Communication Clive Williams, CEO/ Publisher _________________________ Very recently, I experienced a sharp reflective moment of internal awareness and introspection which revealed clearly – that despite my ability to craft words and ideas and assemble them in some meaningful narrative, my failure to communicate effectively to others became increasingly evident. This revelation was of course crushing to my ego but, a palliative to my growing awareness and understanding of the phenomenon of emotional intelligence and the world of vibrations and energy. It must be understood that the man made chaos in the world, (wars over religion, race, territory, mineral resources and so on…) all emanate from man’s inability to communicate in an impartial, just and authentic language that is understood by most. I call it the Communication Conundrum With respect to language we are reminded of the mythology of the Tower of Babel where man’s unifying language was confounded, rendering them confused and no longer able to communicate as before. To the native speaker of a particular language, the nuances and usages of their language is usually
6 | PULSE OF THE CARIBBEAN PEOPLE
fairly simple, but to a foreign language person, those nuances and complex usages create great difficulty. Even though it seems that America has become a melting-pot of diverse cultures and civilizations, on closer examination, America is more like crabs in a large pot, each one fighting to get on top, but that’s not all - there’s always someone like Donald Trump to stir the pot, dredging up sediments that should remain at the bottom. Trump is a textbook example of the “the complexity of communication,” despite his irrational outbursts, the irony is, he convinces a constituency to accept and believe what he says. So here is what I’ve discovered; my randomly organized thoughts that are crystallized into words and delivered as such, are misunderstood, taken out of context and to add insult to injury, they’re forgotten almost as fast as it takes to drink a cup of coffee. So for those of you who are as fed-up and disgusted with Trump as I am, those consequences are reassuring; his bombast will soon be forgotten- but he certainly will be remembered for his bigotry and stupidity. This brings us to the part you already know – we communicate either “verbally” or “non-verbally,” i.e, we speak or we use our bodies to communicate. BUT, this is what I really want to share with you; after much observation and anecdotal research, I have come to the conclusion that- if the communicator and
the recipient are on two different (planes/levels of consciousness), that exchange is doomed to misunderstandings. It’s much the same way if I were to speak American English to someone who speaks only Mandarin, without an interpreter we would both be lost in the world of words. Even if I smile or gesture in a friendly manner that persons cultural traditions may conflict with their interpretations of my gestures. So if there exists a communication problem on the physical plane, isn’t it only logical that you will encounter the same problem on the psychic plane? It’s not hard to understand, if your mind and my mind are on different planes or levels of consciousness our relationship will also be on different planes or levels. This might come as a shock to you but, if you have grown emotionally and your partner hasn’t, you both will be having problems. Once you make the decision to expand the limits of your potential – you have gone to another plane or level. You now have to communicate verbally and non-verbally in a whole different way; because of your evolution, but don’t be discouraged your evolution is a validation of your worth and purpose in a world where communication is Oh! So complex.
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SELF-HELP
Enhance your Resume
Highlight resume strengths. Camouflage weaknesses By Jennifer Anthony get frustrated while reading them because they Do you speak another language? Can you can’t figure out where or how you gained your troubleshoot a faulty computer? Do you have experience and abilities. the ability to soothe ruffled feathers? These are all assets and should be listed as such. The best alternative is the combination résumé, If you love to spend hours surfing the Net, which is a style I use quite often. It merges the detail your research skills. If you enjoy a good chronological and functional résumé styles by conversation, talk up your people skills. Surely, presenting your knowledge and abilities gained there are plenty of ways to set you apart from Here are some tips to help you create a winning from work experience in reverse chronological the competition. résumé. order. The benefit to this format is that it still looks familiar to the chronological style that If you just graduated from school or don’t have Format is Everything most employers are accustomed to reading much in the way of employment experience, fear not -- you still have skills. At which courses So, you’ve been unemployed for the past seven while emphasizing your applicable skills. did you excel? What papers received high marks? months. The last thing you want to do is draw How to Stand Out from the Crowd Did you win the high school science fair? These attention to those dates. Instead, focus your résumé to highlight your abilities. By listing your What makes you unique? If you’re talented are all worthwhile résumé contributions. skills over your experience, you’re highlighting in unexpected areas, bring these to light on If you want to be called in for an interview, those areas that are most important. your résumé. Whether you spent years as a file your résumé has to stand out. Even if you clerk, or flipped burgers, you still have skills. There are basically three types of résumé Highlight these. How did you contribute don’t have as much experience as your peers, formats: chronological, functional and at past places of employment? Detail your or a mottled work history, you can still make this happen! combination. When trying to hide your flaws, achievements and honors. avoid the traditionally used chronological format that is organized by your employment history. This format will draw attention to negative aspects such as employment gaps or limited work history. If you’re job hunting, the last thing you need is weakness in your résumé. Any bit of negative information can keep you from landing your ideal job. Issues such as lack of a college degree or minimal job experience don’t have to hinder your efforts. All you need to do is work a little résumé magic.
There are two formats that will conceal résumé weaknesses well: functional and combination. A functional résumé lists skills categories and accomplishments over dates. Instead of listing job experience, the résumé would present categories relating to skills. For instance, if you are a medical transcriptionist, you could list “Transcription” as one of the categories and detail your words per minute and your accuracy record. You might also list your computer skills and software proficiency. While this style works well to hide weaknesses, employers typically 8 | PULSE OF THE CARIBBEAN PEOPLE
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CULTURE
Nigerian entrepreneur becomes billionaire after Apple purchases his brand By Victor O
HotStop.com, a navigation service founded by Nigerian entrepreneur Chinedu Echeruo, has reportedly been acquired by Apple Inc. for $1 billion as part of the tech giant’s efforts to improve its web and mobile mapping infrastructure. The HotStop.com acquisition deal was first reported by The Wall Street Journal blog, “All Things Digital.” It is, to an extent, seen as Apple’s response to an earlier acquisition of a similar service by rival tech company Google, which paid slightly more than $1 billion to buy Israel-based mapping startup Waze. HotStop.com had often been compared to the Waze map application in terms of the services it offers. Echeruo reportedly founded the site back in 2005 as a result of the difficulties he used to have navigating through New York City while he was working on Wall Street. This led him to create the innovative mapping service which provides directions and assists people in finding nearby bus stops and subway stations. HotStop.com has applications for iOS and Android mobile devices and covers over 300 cities across the world, including San Francisco, Toronto, London and Paris. HotStop.com enables Apple to provide mass transit directions — an aspect that the company’s map application was not covering previously. The Cupertino, Californiabased company had in fact been relying on Google for map data since 2007. Echeruo, who grew up in the eastern part of Nigeria, had worked as an analyst at several hedge funds and investment banks before starting HotStop.com. The Syracuse University and Harvard Business School graduate worked for a number of years in J.P. Morgan Chase’s Mergers & Acquisitions and Leveraged Finance groups. He also worked with AM Investment Partners, a $500 million bond arbitrage hedge fund. Black Enterprise’s 2007 Small Business Innovator of the Year started another U.S.based Internet company called Tripology.com in 2010, according to BET Global News. African Leadership Magazine reported that the company was sold to Rand McNally, a U.S.-based travel and navigation information company. Echeruo is now a partner and principal investing group chief at a West Africa-based investment bank, Constant Capital. His new mission is to help small businesses in Africa grow through his latest solution-based project. “There is no reason why every entrepreneur should have to reinvent the wheel every single time in all the countries in Africa,” Echeruo said in a 2012 TED Talk which can be viewed online. “My idea is to essentially have one place where a budding entrepreneur can access a template for starting a business, and then customize it to suit their own situation; essentially, a business-in-a-box.”
10 | PULSE OF THE CARIBBEAN PEOPLE
CULTURE
“HOW I BECAME A MERRITONE FAN” - THE BLAKE EXPERIENCE DEDICATED TO TREVOR – WINSTON – TYRONE – MONTE very close friend and protector from 1950 at MorrisKnibb Preparatory School on Hector Street, close to what, years later, was to become the Gun Court. Along with another Morant Bay youngster, Phillip Clarke, we chased girls together, especially so one Yvonne Anderson, who I am sure my friend Winston recalls more than the rest. No further comment on that.
Laurie Foster
Sometime late in 1962, the year after leaving Jamaica College, I was working with the Jamaica Government as a young Customs Officer, stationed at the Hanover Street Wharf cargo delivery point. My colleagues, who controlled that crucial section of any seaport operation, were Basil Alvaranga a Kingston College man as the Wharf Delivery Officer and his junior, an exceedingly bright student of Excelsior, Jonathan Goodrich, performing the role as Gate Pass Clerk. They both were employees of the facility owners, Kingston Wharves Limited. The job was tough and demanding, very little time for fun and games, my Customs bosses holding the reins on any activity not job-related. Bearing in mind, it was a 7.00am to 10.00pm slog every day journey (except Saturday) not even my party going habits, grounded in high school, could be considered. Visitors from other sections of downtown, former Jamaica College fellow students and some friends, dropped in from time to time, and depending on their own work discipline, spent some long hours, enjoying my interaction with wharf labour. One of these visitors was Trevor Blake, someone I grew to respect highly and who, at the time, worked with the Malaria Eradication Centre of the Ministry of Health. Younger brother, Winston had been my
Down the pecking order, there was Tyrone, now sadly departed. He came to light as an alleged, but never proven, terrorizer of Jamaica College’s boarding school’s cheering contingent, heading home from another Purple whipping in the Manning Cup football completion, in those days, exclusive to Sabina Park. Please note, that as to who flogged who, is not mentioned. I can hear the sigh from North Street. Then there was Monte, who entered my world of Customs operations, when he, immaculately clad, as always, was a most dedicated servant of Uncle Peter in his bedding business, to mushroom to greater proportions, in years, to come Trevor’s conversations introduced me to the world of “discotheque” which, as he explained, meant “continuous music.” This led to an invitation to a session at Wembley Club on Dunoon Road, which was the Blake Brothers sound system’s first party in city Kingston, coming out of neighboring Parish of St. Thomas. It is to my deep regret that for some clear reason, I missed that one, not having then decided that work and party must co-habit. The reports from a Jamaica College friend, Tony Benjamin, my junior at Hope and party goer to epidemal levels, were rave – the Blakes had blasted their way into the hearts and minds, souls (take any meaning) too, of the most critical music lovers. Songs hitherto heard only on the USA black music programs ---WWRL’s Frankie Crocker, and those, were being hummed all over the city the following week. A session or two more, the words would be learnt. Chelsea Avenue and a few Olympic Gardens/ Waterhouse sessions, Kling Kling Avenue and Grass Quit Glade venues come to mind, their names,
overwhelmed by this new musical experience. Again nudged, in fact badgered by Tony, emphasizing, “Laurie, if you call yourself a music lover, you have to be a part of this,” it was not long before some drastic schedule changes had to be made. My weekend nights, waterfront duties notwithstanding, had to be altered. I signed up for Merritone action at Wagon Wheel on Fridays and Copacabana on Saturdays, both on the St. Thomas Road. Now, the avalanche of girls came into the mix as “man mus’ step with the finest.” Tony again was the provider out of Sunrise Crescent and Mona Heights, some selected few from Inner City and completed by a sprinkling of Vineyard Town, where he resided. Common factor, they could all dance well, the only consideration at that time. Those beach front Merritone Music parties, although they were not then so called, presented a brand new experience. It first impacted while interacting with persons who shared a common bond and space. Most were either players of sports or enthusiasts to whom I always extended thoughts of goodwill since schooldays, not necessarily knowing them personally but the “ties that bind” were overpowering. Walter “Blubber” Campbell, Carl Percy, Jackie & Carl Bell, Bunny & Kingsley Goodison, both pair of brothers, coming with a host of siblings, had already carved their own niche in sporting and musical appreciation folklore. Employees of motor vehicle dealers seemed to swarm the place, Honey and a crew from John Crook and “Bumpy” Herdsman and his posse from United Motors. Boys Town was all over the place. They understood and appreciated the music more than most. ‘’Lager’’ Reid, ‘’Gabby” Shaw, “Shabazz”Comrie and baby brother, Lance, the Tivoli Gardens massive, who have all left us, on loan from Soul Shack, passed by intermittently. They all huddled under this musical tent, pitched by these Blake Boys from St. Thomas. A social explosion had overtaken, this uptown son of a middle class Medical Practitioner, stepping aside from the league into which birth had consigned him.
continues on pg 39 PULSE OF THE CARIBBEAN PEOPLE | 11
EDITORIAL PAGE
The Illusion of “White Supremacy” and the Media’s Power of Depiction “The media is the most powerful entity on the earth. They have the power to make the innocent guilty, and the guilty innocent, and that’s power. Because they control the minds of the masses.” - Malcolm X “White Supremacy” is a political fiction. If it were real, it would not affirm itself so frequently and so aggressively in the absence of a legitimate challenge. But there is a legitimate challenge to the perception of white dominance. It’s called the truth. The system that has commonly been identified as “White Supremacy,” is in truth a malignant inferiority complex which has metastasized within the body politic of minorities across the globe who identify themselves as white. The initial symptom for this diagnosis of the White Male Inferiority Complex was the violent suppression of white female sexuality at the onset Europe’s Christian era. White Supremacy is a man with 73 years behind him, flexing his flaccid biceps in the mirror with a prosthetic penis bulging from underneath his speedos. “White Supremacy” is a media term designed to assume itself into our daily reality through careless repetition. The rusty downstream media calls groups that are Black Supremacist in ideology “Black Separatists” or “Militants” because to identify them as they are would give power to the mere notion of Black Supremacy. Imagine if Black people turned on their TV sets and kept seeing white people complaining about “Black Supremacy” day after day. Black women may start creaming their thongs and Black men might get erections. Any consensus notion of Black dominance on a social-political level would translate into increased Black vitality on a psychospiritual level. The thought of Black Supremacy is a scary one for someone who has been shielded from honestly examining their inferiority complex through several generations of stolen privileges. This sense of inferiority that many whites have may actually prove to be unfounded, but white America is too afraid to find out for certain by relinquishing white privilege. 12 | PULSE OF THE CARIBBEAN PEOPLE
It goes without saying, that Black America must exercise its unalienable right to selfdetermination. Whether or not many of us will strive to do so in the United States is something that remains to be seen. What I do know, is that we can no longer afford to be content with these meaningless and petty symbolic victories we go after as a direct response to racial hatred and injustice. Black people in America have already secured the greatest symbolic victory it will ever receive in the election of a Black president who has served the better part of a decade in office. Eradicating the Confederate flag from public view will do nothing for us. All it does is conceal the identities of potential enemies who might otherwise be out in the open. Besides, the confederate flag is no more of a symbol of institutionalized racism and oppression than the American flag is. Did the Southern Confederacy plot to sabotage Marcus Garvey’s U.N.I.A movement and succeed in doing so? Did they initiate the Tuskegee syphilis experiments that destroyed the lives of numerous Black men? What role did the confederacy play in the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X? The U.S. government was involved in all of the above. Let’s not be cowards in our political activism by going after the low-hanging fruit and the vulnerable bully while ignoring the elephant in the room that has historically committed some of the most heinous crimes of racial hatred against Black Americans, post reconstruction era. A pole dancer pulling down the confederate flag is nothing to get excited about. As soon as Black America started asking itself the really important questions after the Charleston South Carolina shooting, the downstream media distracted it with the irrelevant confederate flag “controversy” and many of us fell for it. By the way, I loved the TV show Dukes of Hazard
as a child, especially the car with the confederate flag on it. Maybe media mind control has influenced me and my stance. All jokes aside, I believe that there are more important national issues for Black people to focus on. Besides, the stars and bars were adopted by Freemasonic southerners who stole the iconography from the Blacks who founded ancient Egypt. These southerners took a symbol of resurrection and made it synonymous with racism. But that’s another story for another day. We can’t just be passionate about our plight in the wake of tragedy. We have to live our lives in accord with these serious concerns on a yearround basis. Our progeny will depend on it. Economic solidarity is critical. Every Black person in America should be going out of their way to support and promote sustainable Black businesses with mutually beneficial profit motives. We must put our money where our mouths are or die. These words are not written to offend, they are written to inspire our people ascend, and they are coming at you, at full speed, straight from the Editor’s Desk. Adika Butler Editor-In-Chief
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HAPPY INDEPENDENCE We at WhereItzat and our advertisers are delighted to extend to all Jamaicans here and throughout the Diaspora congratulations on your 53 years of independence. August 6, 1962. To our brothers on the twin islands of Trinidad & Tobago we also extend our congratulations on achieving the same milestone. August 31, 1962.
We too congratulate Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago on 53 years of independence 14 | PULSE OF THE CARIBBEAN PEOPLE
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Forever Young
Michael Jackson defies mortality through ageless music By Adika Butler
accompanied by slave-sniffing bloodhounds. For Michael, however, they came in the guise of a hounding news media equipped with electric eyes and flashing cameras to scrutinize his every move. Since the Arch Angel of Pop (“Will You Be There,” “Earth Song,”)—died in the City of Angels on five years ago (the same day as Farrah Fawcett of Charlie’s Angels fame) there have been numerous newspaper and magazine articles indicating that a brutal bout with prescription drugs dealt him a crushing blow. Meanwhile, the internet has been crawling with all sorts of creepy, yet elaborate conspiracy theories to explain the Gloved One’s sudden demise. In his essay entitled “The Ben Ishmael Tribe: Fugitive Nation of the Old Northwest,” Virginia historian, Hugo Prosper Learning, discusses the history of African Americans in what eventually became the state of Indianapolis in the late 18th century. Learning explains how Black runaway slaves from Kentucky fled to what was then a sprawling wilderness in the Mid West before they interbred with the Pawnee Native Americans whom they encountered there. Upon settling, these former slaves are said to have appointed their own king and queen, known respectively as Ben and Jennie Ishmael. With time, the Ishmael clan cultivated a reputation for being fine artisans, musicians and dancers. How conceivable is it, how fitting would it be, if Michael Jackson—the seventh of nine children born to Katherine and Joseph Jackson in the town of Gary, Indiana—were a direct descendant of these former slaves? Like those pioneering Africans who may very well be his forbearers, Michael knew what it felt like to be on the run from smooth criminals for much of his life. For the Ishmaels, the crooks took the form of shotgun-wielding rednecks 16 | PULSE OF THE CARIBBEAN PEOPLE
“Killer Thriller Party” where he clobbered his then parent company, Sony Music. Whether or not these songs were recorded remains to be seen, but don’t be surprised if MJ has enough posthumous album releases to rival the late Tupac Shakur.
Michael cloaked himself in mythology and in the process he fashioned a fascinating legacy, one that will go unmatched for many generations to come: Over one billion albums sold worldwide, 8 Grammy Awards in a single year (1984), 13 number one hits on the Billboard Hot 100, the biggest recording contract of all time ($890 million). And the clincher? Well, Michael also owns the Guinness Book of World Records distinction of being the man who has given to However, Michael had long identified with more charitable organizations (39) than anyone the character Peter Pan from the J.M. Barrie else on the planet. Like his final studio album play/novel Peter and Wendy. Like the mythical Invincible, Michael’s resume isn’t Bad. As a character in the story, Michael was a magical, matter of fact, it’s kind of Off the Wall. yet mischievous individual (close friends and family members say he loved to play practical Michael did more to promote Black pride in jokes on people) who never wanted to grow up. nine minutes than many Blacks will do in a The extent to which you identify with something lifetime. When the music video for his single or someone is the extent to which you become “Remember the Time,” aired on prime time that person or thing. Michael identified with a television to millions of viewers across the fictional character that never got old, so like his nation in 1992, it was the first time anyone timeless music, he never did. He died at 50, a ever saw the ancient Egyptians as they actually relatively young age, after living a life that was looked on national television. as fascinating, and as riveting, as any character’s from a fictional tale. Through his exceptional Michael may have had his share of personal body of work, Michael has defied death, much issues, but we all do. So as his birthday like the ghoulish character he played in his approaches this August, it is important that we acknowledge his flaws while celebrating what music video for “Thriller.” defined the man, which is the fact that he is As a matter of fact, as I type these words Michael the single greatest entertainer that the modern is probably dancing with zombies, nimbly world has ever known. moonwalking his way through astral portals of infinity. “For every album that I record, I write like, literally—I’m telling you the truth—I write at least 120 songs every album I do,” said Jackson during a June, 15 2002 speech at his
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BIG AWARDS JUNE 2015
PULSE OF THE CARIBBEAN PEOPLE | 19
BIG AWARDS JUNE 2015
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BIG AWARDS JUNE 2015
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
A New Blue Marble By Neil deGrasse Tyson
Not mounted on a stand, with color-coded state and national boundaries, as schoolroom globes are prone to display. Instead, we see our world as only a cosmic perspective can provide: blue oceans, dry land, white clouds, polar ice. A sunlit planet, teeming with life, framed in darkness. In 1972, when NASA’s Apollo 17 astronauts first captured an entire hemisphere of our planet, we were treated to such a view. The Blue Marble, it was called. The Space Program’s unprecedented images of Earth compelled us all to think deeply about our dependence on nature and the fate of our civilization. Of course, at the time, we had other distractions. Between 1968 and 1972, the United States would experience some of its most turbulent years in memory, simultaneously enduring a hot war in Southeast Asia, a Cold War with the Soviet Union, the Civil Rights Movement, campus unrest, and assassinations. Yet that’s precisely when we voyaged to the Moon, paused, looked back, and discovered Earth for the first time. The year 1970 would celebrate the first Earth Day. In that same year, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) were formed with strong bipartisan support. In 1972, 22 | PULSE OF THE CARIBBEAN PEOPLE
the pesticide DDT was banned and the Clean Water Act was passed. And one year later, the Endangered Species Act would be enacted, the catalytic converter would be introduced, and unleaded automotive emission standards would be set. A stunning admission that we’re all in this together, with a common future on a shared planet. Regrettably, we still live in a turbulent world. But we now have at our disposal, not simply a photograph of our home to reflect upon, but continual data of our rotating planet, captured 13 times per day, by the robotic Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR), a specially designed space camera and telescope, launched and positioned a million miles from Earth. We will now be able to measure and track suninduced space weather as well as global climatic trends in ozone levels, aerosols, vegetation, volcanic ash, and Earth reflectivity, all in high resolution -- just the kind of data our civilization needs to make informed cultural, political, and scientific decisions that affect our future. Occasions such as this offer renewed confidence that we may ultimately become responsible shepherds of our own fate, and the fate of that fragile home we call Earth.
Neil deGrasse Tyson is an American astrophysicist, cosmologist, author, and science communicator. Since 1996, he has been the Frederick P. Rose Director of the Hayden Planetarium at the Rose Center for Earth and Space in New York City. The center is part of the American Museum of Natural History, where Tyson founded the Department of Astrophysics in 1997 and has been a research associate in the department since 2003.
Congrats to the Newlyweds
Roy and Dawn Petgrave
Ture and Chanel Stukes PULSE OF THE CARIBBEAN PEOPLE | 23
SPORTS/CULTURE
This Jamaican-Roots Player Caused the Wimbledon Upset Heard Around the World Shock and awe were probably some of the words that came to the minds of tennis fans on Thursday July 2, 2015 as a 102-ranked Jamaican-roots player ousted the number 10 seed from Wimbledon 2015. Dustin “@dreddytennis” Brown, born to a Jamaican father and a German mother in Germany, beat Spain’s Rafael Nadal Thursday, sending the two-time champion home once again early from Wimbledon. Brown defeated Nadal 7-5, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 to become the first qualifier in Grand Slam history. The upset comes on the heels of a disappointing French Open for Nadal, where he relinquished his crown in Paris for the first time since 2009. Brown broke for the first set in the 12th game when Nadal crumbled on serve. He continued that momentum into the fourth set, breaking Nadal out of the gates and never looking back. He earned two match points in the ninth game of the fourth
set that Nadal was able to save, but then closed out the dramatic encounter with astounding serving.
inspired by the late singer Dennis Brown, whom he believes is a relative.
It was Brown’s second win over Nadal in as many tries, having stunned him a year ago in Halle on grass, 6-4, 6-1 at the Wimbledon warm-up event.
Courtesy of NewAmericasNow.com
“Coming and playing for the first time on Centre Court I had never stepped on this court in my life,” Brown told the BBC after the win. “I thought I would freak out a little bit, but I didn’t. I don’t know if it was Halle [last year], but it felt familiar. It made me feel more comfortable.”
[Editor’s Note: Dustin Brown unfortunately lost his next match with a 6-4, 7-6 (3), 4-6, 6-3 loss to 22nd-seeded Viktor Troicki of Serbia.]
“It’s easy for me to play my game against someone like him because I have nothing to lose,” he said. “I just kept saying, ‘Dustin, just trying to concentrate. Even if you lose this, no one is going to say anything bad.’” The dread-locked wearing Brown was born on December 8, 1984 in Celle, West Germany to Leroy and Inge Brown. He goes between living in Montego Bay, Jamaica and Germany and is
Dustin Brown
Women’s World Cup’s “Young Player Award” Winner Has Roots to Jamaica The Jamaican flag may not have been out at BC Place Stadium on Sunday July 5, 2015, but the roots of the Canadian soccer player who took home the Young Player Award at the 2015 Women’s World Cup definitely stretched to the Caribbean island.
Buchanan’s father was born in St. Thomas, Jamaica, while her mother is originally from Montego Bay. She is the youngest girl in a family of six sisters and was raised by a single mother in Toronto.
Buchanan was one of three finalists for the Hyundai Young Player Award. FIFA announced the shortlist last Thursday. Buchanan was the only Canadian on the shortlist and beat out Ada Hegerberg of Norway and Jiali Tang of China.
When she was called up to the Canadian women’s national team in 2013 while still in high school, Buchanan became one of the youngest players on any women’s national team.
Buchanan was also named Canada’s Under-20 Women’s Player of the Year in 2013, and anchored the host nation’s defense at the 2014 Women’s U-20 World Cup Canada in 2014.
In the opening match of the 2015 FIFA Women’s Buchanan was 14 years old when she was World Cup, Buchanan was one of Canada’s Kadeisha Buchanan, the 19-year-old who won recruited to the Canadian youth program in starters versus China. the award and plays for the West Virginia 2010. She won a silver medal at the 2012 Courtesy of NewAmericasNow.com Mountaineers and the Canadian national team CONCACAF Women’s U-17 championship in Guatemala. was born to Jamaican parents in Toronto.
Buchanan scored her first international goal She landed on the list after the first two Canadian against the United States on May 8, 2014 in games in Edmonton and sealed the deal with her Winnipeg, Manitoba, in front of the second play in the final group play game in Montreal largest crowd to ever watch a women’s soccer game in Canada. The game ended in a 1–1 draw. and the two knockout games in Vancouver. 24 | PULSE OF THE CARIBBEAN PEOPLE
Kadeisha Buchanan
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SPORTS/CULTURE
The Caribbean’s Future Looks Bright in CONCACAF Gold Cup Forget Jack Warner, Jeffrey Webb and the CONCACAF Caribbean scandal! For the first time since Guadeloupe’s improbable run in 2007, the Caribbean’s future in the CONCACAF Gold Cup is looking very bright. The region is guaranteed to have a semi-finalist in the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) championship this year. All four of the region’s Gold Cup teams are into the quarter-finals. Given Cuba’s defeat of Guatemala and Trinidad and Tobago drawing with Mexico to win Group C Wednesday, the Caribbean is looking good. Garath McCleary sent Jamaica through to the Gold Cup quarterfinals in fine form, notching a late goal to give the Reggae Boyz a 1-0 win Tuesday night over an El Salvador side fighting for their tournament lives and the top spot in Group B. And Haiti’s Les Grenadieres put themselves in position to make the knockout stage of the CONCACAF Gold Cup for the first time since 2009, closing out Group A play on Monday night with a 1-0 win behind Duckens Nazon’s opportunistic 14th-minute strike. M&T Bank Stadium, in Baltimore, Maryland, will host the first of doubleheaders on Saturday, July 18th as the defending champion United States takes on Cuba (5:00 p.m. ET), followed by an encounter between Caribbean heavyweights Haiti and Jamaica (8:00 p.m. ET). A day later, MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, will be the location for the Trinidad & Tobago-Panama (4:30 p.m. ET) and Mexico-Costa Rica (7:30 p.m. ET) pairings. Each of the winners will advance to the semi-finals set for July 22 (6:00 p.m. ET & 9:00 p.m. ET) at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. The Gold Cup finals weekend will kick off with the match for third place on July 25 (4:00 p.m. ET) at PPL Park in Chester, Pennsylvania, and conclude with the grand finale on July 26 (7:30 p.m. ET) at Lincoln Financial Field at Pennsylvania. Tickets for all matches are available for the knockout round of the Gold Cup by visiting www.GoldCup.org. Courtesy of NewsAmericasNow.com
28 | PULSE OF THE CARIBBEAN PEOPLE
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CULTURE
The 10 Happiest Nations In The World Are Not In The Caribbean
Despite its abundance of sea, sun and sand, no Caribbean nation managed to crack the top ten of happiest nations in the world. The latest World Happiness Report states that the happiest nations on earth are mainly in Europe. Switzerland is the happiest nation in the world followed closely by Iceland, Denmark and Norway. The rest of the top 10 are Canada, Finland, Netherlands, Sweden, New Zealand and Australia. Six key variables were used to measure happiness, including real GDP per capita, healthy life expectancy, having someone to count on, perceived freedom to make life choices, freedom from corruption, and generosity. The only Caribbean nation to break into the top 40 was Suriname which grabbed the 40th slot. Trinidad & Tobago was second at 41. Jamaica came much further down the rank at 65. The Dominican Republic was listed at 98th while Haiti came in at 119th.
14 and Costa Rica at number 12. The World Happiness Report 2015 shows that at both the individual and national levels, all measures of well-being, including emotions and life evaluations, are strongly influenced by the quality of the surrounding social norms and institutions. These include family and friendships at the individual level, the presence of trust and empathy at the neighborhood and community levels, and power and quality of the over-arching social norms that determine the quality of life within and among nations and generations. When these social factors are well-rooted and readily available, communities and nations are more resilient. The report, produced by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), contains analysis from leading experts in the fields of economics, neuroscience, national statistics, and describes how measurements of subjective well-being can be used effectively to assess national progress. Courtesy of NewsAmericasNow.com
The US also was not in the top 10, coming in, instead at 15th overall, behind Mexico at number
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Entertainment BUZZ Shaggy’s new album, “Out of Many, One Music,” earned him a 2015 Grammy Award nomination for Best Reggae Album and the music video for “I Need Your Love” has garnered more than 50 million views on YouTube.
Shaggy Brings Jamaican Vibes to New York City’s Rockefeller Center Photo: Shaggy
Two of reggae music’s leading young lions, Kabaka Pyramid and Iba MaHr, embarked on a month long tour, hitting the West, Mid-West and East Coast of United States. The tour, which was rightfully titled “Young Lions Tour” kicked off on June 11th at the World Beat Center in To further support the event, the Jamaica Tourist San Diego and ended in New York. Board (@visitjamaicanow) hosted a Twitter chat on Monday, July 6 with Shaggy (@direalshaggy), With a schedule of 28 shows in 32 days Kabaka which resulted in over four million hashtag Pyramid, Iba Mahr and the Bebble Rockers impressions (#JamaicanMusic). band, consisting of Shane Greensword (keys), Christophe Smith (drums), Craig Higgins Courtesy of Finn Partners (bass), Shackair McQueen (guitar), Richard Kabaka Pyramid & Iba Mahr Wraps Nelson (guitar), Robert Malcolm (percussion) and Jodian Blake (background vocals). The Up Young Lion Tour with a Stellar entire team was firm on making each show a Finale in NYC memorable one and that they did. With stellar performances throughout the tour accompanied Photo: Kabaka Pyramid by solid turnouts, Kabaka Pyramid and Iba Mahr were ready for their finale. “The tour was a success overall. We got the opportunity to spread our music throughout the US and meet our fans and share the message of positive Reggae” says Iba Mahr.
On Tuesday July 7, 2015, Grammy-winning Jamaican recording artist Shaggy performed live on NBC’s TODAY Show at the latest installment of the Toyota Concert Series at Rockefeller Plaza. Sponsored by the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB), fans and supporters created a sea of Jamaican flags as Shaggy opened up the stage with his newest single “I Need Your Love,” followed by a variety of his classic hits including, “It Wasn’t Me,” “Mr. Boombastic,” and “Angel.”
Photo: Iba Mahr
With their final performance in New York, the jam packed, wall to wall crowd inside SOBs was ready. With a high level of anticipation for the young lions performance, many concert goers were not sure if Kabaka Pyramid and Iba Mahr had the stamina after being on the road for the past 32 days. At 10 pm Bebble Rockers band touched the stage to a warm welcome and the crowd danced and sang along as they performed a cover of “Trenchtown Rock”. M.C and DJ for the night Max Glazer of Federation Sound, came on stage and announced the first of the young lions Iba Mahr and the crowd was ecstatic. Iba Mahr who gave a stellar one hour performance maintained the crowd’s attention from beginning to end. Singing songs like “Let Jah Lead the Way”, “Great is H.I.M”, “Traveling
32 | PULSE OF THE CARIBBEAN PEOPLE
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Entertainment BUZZ Home”, “Mama Rosie” and “Diamond Sox”, just to name a few, left patrons in amazement. The interactive crowd participation type of performance made patrons feel very familiar even though 95% of the crowd had never seen Iba Mahr perform before.
Sumfest in Jamaica and Iba Mahr is putting the final touches on his upcoming album. Courtesy of Destine Media
I thank the media houses, DJs, my team and selectors all over the world playing “Gain the World”, says Jahmiel. Recently, performing in Montego Bay, Jamaica
Rising Reggae Artist Jahmiel Goes on at Caribbean Girls - Carnival and Wata Party, a Media Blitz Right Before Grenada despite technical difficulties, Jahmiel gave a solid performance leaving his fans pleased “Iba Mahr was just great! He captivated me Fest with his voice and the way he interacted with the crowd, as well as he incorporated the band Photo: Jahmiel as a part of his performance. It was one Unity with everyone inside SOBs that night” says Suzanne McDermot of New York City.
It was now time for ‘the lyricist’ Kabaka Pyramid to hit the stage and it was evident that the crowd was ready. Lighters went up, phones turned on and the cheers began to crescendo. There he was Kabaka Pyramid who opened his set to popular single “Never Gonna Be A Slave”. As the crowd sang along many realized this was going to be a memorable night. Kabaka Pyramid performed his hits “Capitalist”, “Lead the Way”, “Warrior”, “King Kabaka”, “Mi Rising reggae artist Jahmiel is staying busy Alright” and “Selassie Souljahz” just to name while promoting his current single “Gain the a few. World”. With recent interviews on popular local media programs such as ‘Onstage’, Performing for an hour and ten minutes, ‘Nightly Fix’ and ‘Weekend Smile’. Jahmiel Kabaka Pyramid was joined onstage with Iba currently gaining a momentum he is pleased Mahr as they closed off their final Young Lion with the feedback “The energy and press we are performance. Both artists paid homage to receiving so far surrounding the single is great. some of the influential artists in their career from reggae and dancehall. Taking turns in a fun competitive format Iba Mahr and Kabaka Pyramid took turns to see who would receive the greater forwards from the crowd as they performed songs from Bob Marley, Sizzla, Capleton, Super Cat, Buju Banton and more.
and requesting more. Immediately after his performance Jahmiel was off to Grenada for his scheduled performance at Grenada Fest. Grenada Fest is an annual event celebrating music, Caribbean culture and always highlighting an international act from outside of Grenada. Performing alongside Grenadian acts Tall Pree, Mr Killa, Jab King and many more Jahmiel was happy for the opportunity to spread his music with hopes to inspire others while in Grenada. “My main focus is to give the Grenadian massive a great show and inspire them through my music, while at the same time, gaining new fans,” Jahmiel said. Jahmiel is currently back on the island of Jamaica as he gears up for his Canadian promotional tour and working with top producer KickRaux. With so much in store Jahmiel is taking everything in stride and staying focus on giving his fans good music.
Both artists have returned to Jamaica as Kabaka Pyramid is scheduled to perform on Reggae
PULSE OF THE CARIBBEAN PEOPLE | 33
CAMBRIA SCHOOL OF EXCELLENCE GALA
Alumni Awardees with Sheree Palmer Sparkes
Presentation to Sheree Palmer-Sparkes
Conroy Allison, Gov. David A. Patterson, Rev, Saba Mchunguzi, Horatio Sparkes
Clive Williams, Annette Gordon, David Patterson 34 | PULSE OF THE CARIBBEAN PEOPLE
Una Clarke, Presentation from Yvette Clarke awarded to Sheree Palmer Sparkes
David Patterson, Una Clarke
Carl Stuart of Caribben Airlines, Annette Gordon, Clive Williams
Gala Event Planning Committee Members
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Rising Star- Omi Insightful Jamaican artist Omi (Omar Samuel Pasley) is bringing his breakthrough story to the U.S., with the compelling sheen of “Cheerleader,” leading the way. The smash dance song has notched more than 90 million Spotify streams, topping iTunes in 14 territories, including Germany, Australia, Sweden and others (Top 10 in nearly 30 other markets). Released in 2012, a cleverly understated remix by German DJ/Producer Felix Jaehn helped power the global momentum building around the infectious track.
Omi was also intrigued by Jamaica’s magnetic hold on popular music throughout history – “a lot of different genres have been touched by Jamaican roots,” he says. He began venturing to an underground studio around 2007/2008 to record material he wrote. “I became an explorer, going deeper into the idea of music as pure expression.”
He met Clifton ‘Specialist’ Dillon in 2009, and the two formed a special creative relationship, with Dillon (Shabba Ranks, Patra. Alborosie, Ky-mani Marley) setting up Omi with his The affable singer/songwriter, who hails own studio in Kingston. “To have that at my from the rural Jamaican parish of Clarendon disposal, where I could pour out my creativity – ‘a stone’s throw from Kingston’ he says – was unbelievable,” says Omi. “A great vibe was describes how art and music have always been born, another great learning process where I a part of his DNA: “My father did both. He fell even more in love with music and dedicated passed away when I was 9, but imprinted on myself to a fulltime career.” me the lessons and tools for a lifetime,” he says. “I think it was genetically encrypted. I started The touchstone song “Cheerleader” would writing music when I was 14, always interested eventually become part of that process. Omi in words. The poetry side of the music artist is quick to point out, however, that even from the start the track’s charm was its allegiance to fascinated me.” simplicity. “I had put together a nice portfolio Others began to notice by the time he entered of songs to show my depth,” he says. “But I high school, where Omi and his peers would also wanted to do something that only had rap and dance on top of desks during their vocals to a beat. ‘Cheerleader’ started out as class breaks. “Everyone knew I had a passion just two verses and a chorus.” for art, but when they saw me rapping over beats – and doing music that I wrote – they The song ‘grew’ on him, however, and when were like ‘you got to get into a studio, man.’” Dillon first heard it, he made a bold prediction. “He said immediately that ‘Cheerleader’ was Omi did just that – determined to ‘see what I going to be the ‘one.’ The hit,” recalls Omi. sounded like on a record,’ he says. He became “We put a third verse to it, worked on the beat, fascinated with lyrics, transitioning from and sent it out into the world.” influences like Tupac, Biggie, and Eminem, to a wider spectrum that included John Legend “Cheerleader” originally took off in Hawaii, and even mid-century crooner Nat King but Omi was getting a larger sense of the song’s Cole. But when it came to crafting his own ‘stickiness’ where ever he performed it live. identity on record, he promised to be hardest “People just gravitated to it, always remarking on himself: “I knew that if it didn’t sound like how it was their favorite.” Felix Jaehn’s 2014 something where I could make a difference in remix added to the combustible nature of the track,” but by deftly imbuing acoustic the world, I wasn’t going to pursue it.”
gestures into the mix – conga, piano, trumpet – embellishing its unornamented feel. “I loved the mix even before it took off,” says Omi. “So calm; And unusual for a remix, it made you want to listen to the words, too.” Always a student of durable songwriting, Omi is juggling in-demand tours of Europe and upcoming promotional work in the U.S. with the mission of returning to his studio and completing his newest batch of songs for a future album. “Touring gives you great unfiltered feedback. I’m always excited to use that in the studio. But my goals aren’t just to compose songs, but to keep mastering everything I can about music. To lock myself away and do what I need to do to become the artist I know I can be. Having this hit is a blessing, maybe even destiny, but I want people to look back and say ‘‘Cheerleader’ was just the beginning.”
PULSE OF THE CARIBBEAN PEOPLE | 35
CULTURE & EDUCATION
Caribbean Roots Actresses Among Kennedy Center Honorees
Two legendary Caribbean-roots actresses are among six icons of the arts who will this year receive the prestigious Kennedy Center Honors.
Actress Cicely Tyson, who was born and raised in Harlem to immigrant parents from Nevis, West Indies along with Puerto Rican actress and singer Rita Moreno will be lauded for Lifetime Artistic Achievement along with the musical band the Eagles, New York-born composer and singersongwriter Carole King, an American film director, screenwriter, producer, and entrepreneur George Lucas and former principal conductor of the Vienna State Opera, Seiji Ozawa.
TYSON
Tyson was also nominated for an Academy Award for Sounder (1972) and received her third Emmy Award for The Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All (1994) and was nominated for her performances in Roots (1977), King (1978), Sweet Justice (1994), The Marva Collins Story (1981), and A Lesson Before Dying (1999). Her film credits include The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter (1968), Fried Green Tomatoes (1991), Because of Winn-Dixie (2005), Hoodlum (1997), Diary of a Mad Black Woman (2005), Madea’s Family Reunion (2006), Why Did I Get Married Too? (2010), The Help (2011), and Alex Cross (2012). Since 1996, Tyson has served as the guiding force of the Cicely L. Tyson Community School of Performing and Fine Arts in East Orange, New Jersey. Her father arrived in New York City at age 21 and was processed at Ellis Island on August 4, 1919. He worked as a carpenter, painter, and at any other jobs he could find while her mother worked as a domestic to raise her.
MORENO
She will return to the Broadway stage in September 2015 in The Gin Game co-starring James Earl Jones. She is best known for her double Emmy performance (Best Lead Actress in a Drama as well as a special, unprecedented Emmy Award for Actress of the Year) as Jane in The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman (1974).
In 2013, her first book, Rita Moreno: A Memoir, published by Celebra Books instantly became a New York Times Bestseller. In January 2014, Moreno received the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award. This past June, she served as the 2015 Grand Marshal of the National Puerto Rican Day Parade and in September, Rita will be the voice of Abuelita in the new animated series, Nina’s World, on NBCTV’s Sprout Network. The recipients will be honored at the 38th annual national celebration of the arts on Sunday, December 6, 2015. The gala will be broadcast on CBS on December 29, 2015 at 9:00 p.m., ET/PT The President and Mrs. Obama will receive the Honorees and members of the Artists Committee who nominate them, along with the Kennedy Center Board of Trustees at the White House prior to the gala performance. The Kennedy Center Honors medallions will be presented on Saturday, December 5, the night before the gala, at a State Department dinner hosted by Secretary of State John Kerry.
Tyson is an actress, advocate, and humanitarian renowned for her portrayals of strong female characters on stage, screen, and television. From her stunning initial stage appearance as Barbara Allen in Dark of the Moon to her triumphant 2013 return to Broadway, Tyson has done it all. After a 30-year hiatus from the Broadway stage, Tyson returned as Mother Carrie Watts in Horton Foote’s The Trip to Bountiful, earning rave reviews and the triple crown of theater awards: the Tony, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Circle awards for Best Actress in a Play.
one-woman show, Life Without Makeup at the Berkeley Rep. She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2004 and the National Medal of Arts by President Obama in 2010.
Moreno, now 83, has won all four of the most prestigious awards in show business: the Oscar, the Tony, two Emmys, and a Grammy. She was born in Humacao, Puerto Rico and is the first Hispanic to have won all four awards. Her countless credits span more than six decades, beginning with her Broadway debut at age 13. Moreno has starred on Broadway; London’s West End; appeared in more than 40 feature films, and countless television shows; has performed in numerous regional theaters, most recently in her
“The Kennedy Center Honors recognizes the extraordinary and unparalleled talents of individuals whose impact and genius have left an indelible mark on civilization,” stated Kennedy Center Chairman David M. Rubenstein. “Quite simply, our Honorees represent the voices, soundtracks, and stories of our personal lives and memories. The music of the Eagles has endured as the quintessential American rock and roll sound for generations; Carole King’s heartfelt lyrics and tunes are woven throughout the tapestry of American music; George Lucas’ films have enriched our world with stories of epic adventure; Rita Moreno’s iconic spitfire roles are embedded in the heart of American culture; Seiji Ozawa’s artistic leadership as a conductor has set a new standard for orchestras around the world; and Cicely Tyson’s range of strong female roles on stage and screen have broken boundaries for women of color.” Courtesy of NewsAmericasNow.com
FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT
Why am I doing this? extraordinary financial outcomes. Many of the Financial Services operate primarily on product solutions that are far too detached from your immediate or future reality. Although products are necessary instruments, notably a critical tool for financial prosperity, to use them in the most effective manner requires going back to the fundamentals. Planning 101 is essential for success, unfortunately, it has been neglected due to complacency and irresponsibility. Too many Financial Planners direct their time and attention to household’s that will provide the greatest return on the investment of their time. Many Planners avoid certain communities and work purposefully to spend time on what appears more viable and sustainable investment opportunities. Planners develop a process that flow to the opportunities with the deepest pockets. If you challenge my assertion - think, when was the last time you sat down with a financial planner?
Someone asked me recently, “Why am I doing this service-based business as opposed to being the Banker, Advisor or Investor?” My response is, our community desires or requires a service like mine - a business whose central focus is promoting and ensuring personal finance knowledge while establishing a personalized pathway for a healthier and more balanced lifestyle. MoneyWorks is purposefully shining a light on your financial outcomes. You are probably wondering, how you can gain extraordinary outcomes with your finances. For you to personally achieve extraordinary outcomes (results) will require my getting to know you, so that I can put you in alignment with the core belief system that drives financial intelligence.
while rarely outlining their financial successes or accomplishments. Negative statistics serves no value in our community, yet it fuels and sparks the emotional beast as a constant reminder of the gaps. The universe wants equilibrium for you, through you, and with you, but “Do you want equilibrium?” To embrace positive experiences with finances, suggests a willingness or determination to transform the core belief systems with meaningful dialogue, content, resources and time, to shift your financial outcomes for positive results. When financial consciousness level increases, the banking and brokerage accounts increase. The mindset shifts acceptance to building assets, creating wealth, and amassing a sustainable legacy is possible. MoneyWorks is working persistently to bring a sense of financial empowerment, enrichment, and equality by focusing imagery towards those extraordinary new finance results while promoting positive experiences. Investments come from the resources you create. Illustrating positive statistics comes when we begin to increase our market share in the community by dispelling, releasing, and conquering our fears with finances. To achieve extraordinary results require a change in perception coupled with the core beliefs system and alignment towards the intended results- the recipe for financial freedom. Success awaits those who control their destiny and create a master plan. This article provides much context behind, My Why, Now, I am more intrigued and concerned with learning Your Why?
Restricting or discriminating with financial information and strategies perpetuates economic deprivation and disenfranchises others from envisioning the possibilities, this creates and fosters a willingness and acceptance of those unhealthy generational attitudes, habits, and behaviors, which are easier to hold close rather than identify alternative solutions. Much too often, financial considerations and decisions are based too heavily on consumption/ acquisition, speculation or risky investments which very often produce negative experiences. I was raised in an environment that promoted more conversations on education, going to work and obtaining a pension rather than raising financial consciousness. Travelling down the I am your Prosperity Coach, same ancestral path, I detoured and began my Yolanda Candelario mission to transform those in the community Tel. 5168413401 who demonstrate a desire to improve financially.
Our community lacks a core advisory service, where a human connection is established Most research data illustrates People of Color and where there is continual championing of as consistently lagging behind economically,
PULSE OF THE CARIBBEAN PEOPLE | 37
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Without a Hitch...A Day Long Event that was Groovin’ in the Park Festival 2015
By Grace Vanriel & Marjorie Flash Photos by Marjorie Flash
QUEENS, N.Y.- - For the fifth consecutive year an endless flow of fans into the thousands streamed non-eventfully into Roy Wilkins Park in Queens New York expecting nonstop entertainment at the day long Groovin’ in the Park Festival 2015. Although the early part of the day was marked by cloudy skies threatening summer rain, the lineup was so tight that even the threat of rain did not deter fans from coming out in full force to the family oriented event bringing chairs, blankets and kids who under twelve entered free. Groovin’ in the Park proceeded as advertised giving ticket holders excellent programming that included epic performances by everyone from emerging artists to some of the biggest most established and exciting names in Reggae, Rhythm & Blues and Pop. 38 | PULSE OF THE CARIBBEAN PEOPLE
Groovin’ in the Park producers opened the festival with musical presentations by up and coming artists in a segment they are calling “Groovin’ Idol.” Most noteworthy is an artist known as Iyata Safari; her rich melodic voice flawlessly belted out three original songs including “I’m a Black Woman.” Noteworthy praise for stellar performances are also awarded to Vision, Pres Fyah, and Taj Manchan who audiences should definitely look forward to hearing more from in the future. Clearly returning to his Dancehall roots nary missing a beat, Lieutenant Stitchie gave a dazzling uplifting performance that included a sprinkle of Gospel music and his classic energetic Dancehall style right up to his recent recording “Letter To Dad” backed by the charismatic bassist Derrick Barnett and the Statement Band. Reggae legend Judy Mowatt returned again this year to grace the stage and perform many of the songs she is loved for such as “I Shall Sing.” With a commanding and powerful performance her heartfelt songs were on the lips of countless fans. Next up was Luciano nicknamed “Jah Messenjah” whose usual high-energy antics was a crowd pleaser. Creating quite a stir, Luciano at one point left the stage and ran out into the dense crowd singing his heart out. While this caused a nightmare for his security forces his fans swarmed and greeted him warmly as he hugged and kissed everyone. Luciano sang many of his hit songs including “Sweep Over My Soul” and “It’s Me Again Jah” and “Give Praise” all of which had the audience singing along. Sweet Coco Tea’s brilliant performance stole the show. So musically appealing was his act that he quickly had the thousands of fans on his side when he declared that the twentyfive minute allotted performance time slot he received at NY shows was not nearly enough for
an artist with his terrific catalog and as much as he didn’t want to leave they didn’t want him to either. Capleton, also known as King Shango among other names, brought much energy to the stage with leaps and bounds several feet off the ground. Just as the audience began delving into Capleton’s presentation the already vocal audience was caught off guard that turned up notches in excitement with the unexpected entrance of multiple Gammy Award winning artist Stephen Marley. Together they sang “Rockstone” and a song released in 2001 by Damian “Junior Gong” Marley (that featured Capleton, Stephen and Rapper Drag-On) called “It Was Written” before the stage heated up even more! Within moments both Luciano and Coco Tea returned to the stage and the four sang the Bob Marley song “Three Little Birds”
with each artists adding their own personally styled variation. The next act that took the stage was Morgan Heritage who gave us explosions of music treating us to their excellent repertoire and dedicating their performance to Buju Banton and Toots Hibbert of the Maytals that provided us with the perfect ending to the Reggae segment of Groovin’ In The Park! The well-dressed charismatic Grammy Award
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT winning crooner from Trinidad Billy Ocean stepped up to the stage and as expected delivered a rousing performance! Ocean sang hit after hit including songs like “Get Out Of My Dreams,” and ‘When The Going Gets Tough The Tough Get Going;” by the time he let loose his 1985 Grammy Award winning song called “Caribbean Queen” the audience exploded in song, dance, screams and applause! A tough act to follow but celebrity Pop/Rock balladeer Michael Bolton, a two-time Grammy Award Winning artist performed a smart set reminding us why his name is as relative today as when he first started gaining recognition. His set included the types of hits he excels in performing such as “Sitting On The Top Of The Bay,” and the song that won him his first Grammy 1989 “How Am I Supposed To Live Without You.” From there Boltan pleasingly and smoothly slid into two great makeovers that simply capped off the perfect day, “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” and “When A Man Loves A Woman.”
Groovin’ In The Park was presented by Christopher Roberts, CEO of Groovin’ Inc., and owner of title sponsor The Door Restaurant. Roberts is the festival’s founder and driving force behind its growing success along with some key sponsors who have obviously invested heavily to bring a high-quality mixed music event to NY. Groovin’ In The Park is an incredible testament to producers finding and filling an unexploited niche for audiences salivating for more star studded festival-type Caribbean mixed music event choices in the NYC area, and delivering that need to perfection.
“HOW I BECAME A MERRITONE FAN” - THE BLAKE EXPERIENCE DEDICATED TO TREVOR – WINSTON – TYRONE – MONTE Jamaica College and the sentiment is escalated if you were a boarder, was not an institution that had “socializing with your perceived lesser brethren (whatever that means) high on its agenda. Seated within the confines of your classroom, were the sons of the highly placed and even higher regarded – doctors, lawyers, merchants of Asian origin (important to note that) and even more importantly in this context, the rich, famous and strategically skin-colored to give social advantage. With all that as a guiding force, visiting dance halls was not countenanced as fellow 6th form friend Neville will testify. He was caught in Silver Slipper Club (a shopping centre is its only visible legacy) while, and it must be emphasized, on vacation time in 1960. Expulsion was first mentioned but cut to six weeks forced holidays when his sporting record at the school was factored. The Merritone Music at these seaside sessions – location could have been the catalyst – was like drops of sugar coated candies from some melodious
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fountain which had no break in its flow. The “shots” kept coming, Suavito, Lookie Lookie, the Latin gems, ‘’The whole world is a stage’’ by the Fantastic Four, “Looking for a home” otherwise called Boss of Soul sung by Little Buster, Inez Foxx’s “I see you, my love”, “Wish someone would care” by Irma Thomas, “We were Lovers when the party began” by The Exciters, Swamp Dogg’s “That ain’t my wife, Tony Clarke’s The Entertainer, Jerry Williams’ duo Run Run & Baby Bunny, ‘’I’ve got the feeling’’ by Allen Toussaint, James Phelps’ “I’ll do the best I can” which we all swore was Sam Cooke, Arthur Alexander’s “Anna” and flipside “You Betta Move On” – all exclusives and elusive as well. Those Merritone classics brought you to the parties, escorted you to the dance floor and had you toe-tapping all night. It was mind-boggling and spine-tingling all at once. “Can Music Sweet suh? “Only one ting can nice suh, and the debate is still on.”
appreciate the capital “D” (now I appreciate where that Merritone next generation name could, most legitimately have come from – MUSIC IN ACTION, LIVE!!) – “Old Beirut”, “You got to pay the price”, “Raindrops, Memories & Tears”, Village Caller and The Loop, both by Johnny Lytle and the Willie Bobo gem, “Sock it to Me”. These were the brands by which the Merritone Experience, will be remembered.
The Instrumentals were Divine and anyone so blessed to be a part of the Merritone Family will
Step up to the plate Jamaica. Let the Merritone Movement, be recognized as a group and honored, as such.
The exposure to the ultimate in music, brought this hitherto closeted boy from a privileged past, into the reality of the world of my brothers and sisters. The Blake Brothers, to their everlasting credit made it all happen. They are an institution in their own right and as such a lower level national honor to only one, demonstrates lack of knowledge of their collective input. This only drew me closer. I was transformed into an ardent Merritone Fan.
Written by Laurie Foster
PULSE OF THE CARIBBEAN PEOPLE | 39
The Pulse of the Caribbean People
Presents...
The Delaware Valley Voice
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Ras Professor Gearing Up To Release EP Conscious reggae artiste Ras Professor, real name David Wheatley based in Phildelphia, began his early musical career in his native country Jamaica from the tender age of 12. The talented crooner credits a neighbor of his who was a dj and writer as the person who inspired or motivated him to pursue a career in music. Originally from the parish of St. Elizabeth he moved to Spanish Town when he decided to do music full time.
release in summer. He said that he will be shooting a video shortly for one of the singles titled “Broken Bottles.”
At age 23, Ras Professor got an opportunity to migrate to the United States. It was here that he decided to take his career to the next level. In his own words, “In the US you have a broader playing field as it relates to music, there are more opportunities. Since moving here I have gotten the chance to voice for various producers and also to perform.”
He is now looking forward through the release of his singles and upcoming EP to get his music exposed more to the younger generation as he believes he has a message to pass on to them. “There is much from my life experiences that I have shared in my music, now I am seeking a platform to direct that music to the youth community.
Ras Professor revealed that he has done numerous shows across the United States in Florida, New Jersey and Philadelphia to name a few. The artiste is now busy working on various singles and also a seven to eight track EP he is hoping to
“Broken Bottles is a song that focuses on the youths and the killing in society, and how adults in general can relate to what is happening and how we can better mold the younger generation” Ras Professor said.
The EP will be produced and distributed by Humble Cap Music when ready. Written by Tracey Spence
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CULTURE & EDUCATION
The City Council of Philadelphia How Much Do You Know? The City Council of Philadelphia was founded by the Home Rule Charter in 1951. It consisted of seventeen members, ten of whom were elected by the district and seven by the city. Each member gets a four year tenure with no limits on the number of terms which they could serve. It was set up to function as the legislative body of the municipal government. Over the years the City Council has engaged in a number of activities and initiatives to help improve the welfare of residents of Philadelphia. The activities were geared towards addressing issues of housing, safety, education, immigrants, youth and wage increases amongst others. The City Council of Philadelphia actively encourages participation from various groups within the city. It is this kind of collaboration which has led to the success of many of their initiatives. There are lots of exacting plans for the city this year. Want to know more? Please see our August issue where we feature Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell and Mr. Stanley Straughter. Written By Callista Regis Source: http://phlcouncil.com/ [Accessed: 07/27/2015]
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