Kingston, Jamaica – Digicel Foundation is reaffirming its dedication to promoting literacy through a generous donation of $600,000. This contribution will specifically assist in establishing Resource and Reading Rooms and supporting literacy programs at the primary level. The four recipient schools, two of which cater to Special Education Institutions, will each receive an equal portion of the donation. This commitment was made by Digicel Foundation in conjunction with the Read Across Jamaica Day festivities, which took place on Tuesday, May 9, 2023.

Ravaged by World War 2, Britain’s desperate call to the commonwealth for help to rebuild the country was eagerly taken up by many of its Caribbean colonial subjects. Attracted by the prospect of employment in the motherland, or simply seeking a new kind of life, on 22 June 1948 the first batch or newcomers arrived on the Empire Windrush. Welcome signs greeted the ship filled with British citizens from Jamaica, Barbados, Trinidad & Tobago, and other islands. But the reception they expected did not match the reality as it dawned on local British folk that ‘these people are too different from us’.

GEORGETOWN, Guyana – The Guyanese government has re-launched the “Guyana Prize for Literature” with newer categories, features, and prizes as the country aims to foster, improve, and share Guyanese literature and talent locally and internationally.

A world-class literary event, the Calabash International Literary Festival is back — May 26-28, 2023! The free to all three-day word fest, founded in 2001 by novelist Colin Channer, poet Kwame Dawes, and producer Justine Henzell, has taken a leap ‘For Word’ this year after a long 5-year absence.

ST. MARTIN, Caribbean — The Anticanon Project (Proyecto Anticanon), dedicated to promoting the literary works and women writers of the Dominican Republic, presented its first Anticanon Lifetime Achievement Award for Literary Women to Sherezada Chiqui Vicioso, on October 22, 2022. The award ceremony was held at the elegantly restored Casa Mella-Russo in Zona Colonial, the old historic city center of Santo Domingo, said Jacqueline Sample, Vicioso’s publisher here at HNP.

HAVANA, Cuba—In the first half of the 1970s, the Curacao couple Diana Lebacs and Pacheco Domacassé appeared in Havana, Cuba. Both were young musicians and writers, she an actress and he a theater director.

“Deep breath. Grab a fistful. Cut. The blade slice halfway through one lock and he have to cut again, sawing his way through. He stare at the black coils as they fall in the bag at his feet. Something catch in throat. Like walking uphill. Another fistful and the hill steeper, and it harder to breathe.”

Terrified, excited, and free. Those were the words that Kiffy Greaves used to describe the experience of putting her life on paper and publishing her first memoir If Shame Came in Flavors. “One of the biggest lessons I have learned from this experience is that you cannot be brave without first deciding to be vulnerable,” said Ms. Greaves as she recounted her decision to talk about her experiences. Kiffy is indeed vulnerable and the reader can feel the rollercoaster of emotions as she vividly recounts the grief, anxiety and depression she faces as an unemployed, full-time student at the University of the West Indies when her name is repeatedly published in the local newspapers by the bank regarding a defaulted loan.

iIn the book, Kiffy does not shy away from expressing her raw emotions and addressing topics like money, family and relationships. She weaves a narrative that highlights the impact of cultural shame on mental health and generational hurt, especially for Caribbean women. “More than anything I wanted to bring to the fore the issues of cultural shame and how it can affect a person’s perspective on their place in the world, their worthiness and their ability to seek help in their time of need,” she explained. “Let’s face it, how many times as a child did we hear the adults say “do that again and I will embarrass you in front of everybody” or overhear Aunty Jenny and Aunty Patsy gossiping about the cousin who had the child out of wedlock and is bringing shame and disgrace to the daily name.” “We have people who will literally die of shame rather than ask for help,” she added.

As for the unique name of the book, she explains that the title of each chapter is likened to match the taste of an actual fruit based on the feelings she was experiencing at that time. She uses local fruits like soursop, tonkabean and sapodilla and seamlessly tells a story that can easily rival any episode of your favorite daytime soap or a Danielle Steel novel. Kiffy's biggest hope is that people will not only identify with her story but will find the courage and be unashamed to speak the truth and extend grace to others without judgment.

Kingston, Jamaica - Already a wearer of many hats, publicist Susan Smith is now stepping into a new world, officially debuting as an author with the release of her first book, “Little Black Girl.” The story's main character is 5 year old Kayra-Rose, named after Susan’s own infant daughter.

Toronto, Canada — Jamaican-Canadian journalist and writer Desmond Loren Brown makes his debut as an author of fiction with his children’s book publication, The Boy and the Honeybees.

Fort Lauderdale, FL - Jamaican co-authors David I. Muir and Sean “IYA” Henry were greeted by a packed house on October 8th at Island SPACE Caribbean Museum for the authors’ first book signing together for their new coffee table photo book, Pieces of Jamaica®: Jamrock Edition. The book signing attracted an auspicious crowd of diaspora members and fans of brand Jamaica who enjoyed autographs, live music and emotional highlights.

GULF BREEZE, FLA.  — Destin, Florida, author and illustrator Andi Scurto, author of “The Accidental Adventure of Mattie the Giraffe,” will celebrate World Giraffe Day, June 21, with a meet-the-author and book-signing event at Gulf Breeze Zoo in Gulf Breeze, Florida. Scurto will donate 50% of onsite book sales to the care of the zoo’s giraffes and 50% of online sales to the Giraffe Conservation Foundation.