Podcasts about Jamaicans

Bob and Monét break down Episode 5 of All Stars 11 and discuss the queens handing out points and Silky's unique brand of confidence. They discuss whether Saint Lucians and Jamaicans prepare food the same way and the best way to wash chicken before cooking. They question whether April and Selina are "daddies" and share their favorite instructional videos from the challenge. Plus, they review the "Barn This Way" runway looks, break down the lip sync, ask where Silky pulled those flags from, and try to figure out who will move on from this bracket. Rula patients typically pay $15 per session when using insurance. Connect with quality therapists and mental health experts who specialize in you at ⁠https://www.rula.com/RIVALRY⁠ #rulapod Take the first step. Visit ⁠WaldenU.edu⁠.  If you're struggling with OCD or unrelenting intrusive thoughts, NOCD can help. Book a free 15 minute call to get started: ⁠https://learn.nocd.com/rivalry⁠  Book your next stay on Airbnb! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A $74 million loss. A Chinese car brand most Jamaicans had never heard of. And one man who bet his 35 year old company on it. Dr. Matthew Preston and Dr. Thaon Simms sit down with Andrew Jackson, founder and executive chairman of Jetcon Corporation, to hear how he pivoted from used Japanese imports to an exclusive BAIC dealership and swung to a $95 million profit. Andrew reveals his 2026 sales targets, why he pulled back from solar, and why he thinks this could be Jetcon's biggest year ever.Chapters:00:00 Introduction and Andrew Jackson's Origin Story02:24 How Twins Forced Him Into Business04:47 The Moment Chinese Cars Got Good07:08 Why He Chose BAIC Over Every Other Brand08:33 "You're Crazy" and the Skeptics11:00 The BAIC X55, X35, BJ30 and BJ40 Walkthrough17:01 How Much Do They Actually Cost?19:45 The Resale Value Question Every Buyer Asks24:26 Why New Cars Take 5 Months to Arrive26:12 Sales Targets: 200 Last Year, 400 This Year28:01 Why Jetcon Is Pulling Back From Solar31:08 EVs in Jamaica: Why It Hasn't Worked Yet35:36 The After Sales Goldmine Nobody Talks About42:05 US China Tensions and the BAIC Risk45:06 "This Year We're Gonna Blow That Away"49:07 The Jackson Family and Succession Planning

What if Jamaican businesses could access capital without a bank ever approving them? Dr. Matthew Preston and Dr. Thaon Simms sit down with Stanley Thompson, EVP at Quantus Capital, to get inside the engine room of the Quantus Advantage IPO. Stanley breaks down structured finance, securitization, the 8% hurdle rate, and why the $11 billion private credit market in Jamaica is largely untapped. Whether you're a first-time investor or sizing up your next JSE position, this episode gives you the framework to decide for yourself.Chapters:00:00 Introduction and Stanley's Background01:37 From Mayberry to Quantus: Stanley's Finance Journey02:34 What Made Stanley Leave Banking for a Startup04:33 Traditional Financing vs the Quantus Way07:55 The Sandals Farmer Example: How Receivables Financing Works12:19 Structured Finance vs Securitization Explained17:00 The $11 Billion Market Jamaica Isn't Using19:05 How the Quantus Advantage IPO Fits the Bigger Picture25:29 Which Sectors Does Quantus Prefer?31:00 Stanley's Top 3 Investment Evaluation Criteria40:51 Why the 2% Fee and 8% Hurdle Rate Are Justified44:32 Junior Market vs Main Market: Why Quantus Chose the US Main Market48:52 Price vs Value: How to Actually Assess This IPO52:13 Closing Thoughts and Stanley's Message to Future Shareholders

On this week's episode of Afrobeats Weekly, Tunde and his co-host, Showontstop, discuss Fatjoe claiming Jamaicans started Afrobeats, Angelique Kidjo's New Album Hope!!, and New Music Friday reviewsOUTLINE00:00 - Introduction03:50 - Buju Banton, Fat Joe and Buju beef08:00 - Hope by Angelique KidjoModern Fantasy by Sute and RaytheboffinNew SongsFine Thing by FolaBack Outside by Buju and SarzAttack by Ayo MaffAra (600m) by Bella Shmurda and OlamideZion by Teni and OlamideNostalgia by ZinoleeskyBamboo by Tekno

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On this day, 23 April 1938, Robert Rumble's Poor Man's Improvement and Land Settlement Association sent a petition to the governor in Jamaica demanding a minimum wage for agricultural workers and peasants, and an end to exploitation by landlords: "We are the Sons of Slaves," they wrote, "who have been paying rent to the Landlords for fully many decades. [...] We want a Minimum Wage Law. We want freedom in this the hundredth year of our Emancipation. We are still economic slaves, burdened in paying rent to Landlords who are sucking out our vitalities." Rent strikes and land occupations began, and tenants seized lands and erected fences around them. Unrest on the island escalated until it was suppressed by British troops in June. More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/9533/rural-jamaicans-demand-minimum-wageOur work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.See all of our anniversaries each day, alongside sources and maps on the On This Day section of our Stories app: stories.workingclasshistory.com/date/todayBrowse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/dateCheck out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.comCheck out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.comIf you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History

On this episode, my guest is Dr. Devon Taylor, the President of the Jamaica Beach Birthright Environmental Movement (JaBBEM), an advocacy group founded in 2022 that fights for equitable beach access and environmental justice in Jamaica. He is a Biomedical Research Scientist and environmental and social justice advocate who leads efforts to repeal the colonial-era Beach Control Act of 1956, which he describes as discriminatory and a barrier to public access.JABBEM uses legal tools, including the Prescription Act of 1882, to establish long-standing community rights to beaches and rivers. The group is currently involved in multiple court cases, including those concerning Bob Marley Beach, Little Dunn's River, and Flanker/Providence Beach, to secure public access and prevent privatization by luxury resorts like Sandals.Dr. Taylor emphasizes that beach access is a fundamental human right and reparative justice issue, arguing that Jamaica's beaches—national treasures—should be accessible to all Jamaicans, not just tourists. He calls for government action to replace outdated laws with modern legislation that ensures constitutional protection for public access and sustainable management of coastal resources.Show Notes* The violence and displacement from which JaBBEM emerged* The Beach Control Act of 1956* Coastal colonialism / plantation tourism* Shoreline personhood and the birth of humanity* The medicinal space of the sea* Taking the fight to the courts in Jamaica* Pan-Caribbean solidarity and dilemmas* Critical mass: advice for guests/touristsHomeworkJabbem - Website - Instagram - Facebook - YouTubeStronger Caribbean TogetherTranscriptChris: [00:00:00] Welcome Dr. Taylor, to the End of Tourism Podcast. Thank you for being willing to join me today. And I'm wondering to start, if you could share with our listeners where you're sitting today and what the world looks like there for you where you are.Devon: Yeah. You know, funny enough, I'm sitting just outside of Washington, DC today.Chris: Oh.Devon: You know, I just got back from Jamaica. All right. And I'm just outside the capital of the “free world” today. Yeah, but Jamaica is home, so we just got back from some community service work, advocacy work. And I'm happy to engage the End of Tourism audience and share what the experience and the livity of the Jamaican people is like.Chris: Hmm. Thank you, Dr. Taylor. As far as I understand, you are the president of Jabbem, the Jamaica Beach Birthright [00:01:00] Environmental Movement, which was founded in 2022 as “a grassroots organization acutely aware of the adverse effects of misguided development and environmental injustices to beaches, beach property, and sensitive terrestrial ecosystems” And so I'd like to ask you, Devin, a bit about your story, about how and why Jabbem was created, if I can.Devon: Yeah. So my story is the story of my community - my community of Steer Town, a coastal community that I grew up in, but that's also the story of the descendants of enslaved Africans, really, and a former slave plantation known as Jamaica, right?There's a history that is rooted in displacement, disposition, and disempowerment of a people, you know. [00:02:00] So, Jabbem is a response to continued injustice, injustice not only to black bodies, you know what I mean? And the indigenous ones, the Tainos who were there first, right? But also the desecration of land, right?Land have a relationship with human beings and with indigenous people, and we have a relationship with land. But all that get disturbed, through this “development.” So, you know, myself, my community, experienced that displacement and disposition and disempowerment in 2019, at the heights of COVID.When our childhood beach that our community has been using for more than a hundred years, you know, we were displaced from it. And the displacement. It's around 29 acres of beachfront land that the community... as an extension of our community that we use for everything, everything that Jamaicans use the beach [00:03:00] for, right? You know, recreation, fishing, spirituality, I mean, courtship, artisan work, farming you know all that space that offers a multitude of opportunities, multitude of possibilities, right, which made it that node, that connectivity to the community of Steer Town, to the community of Chalky Hill, to the community of Epworth and Davis Town and, you know, parts of, and tourism mecca of Ocho Rios. You know what I mean? This is what this space represented. It was a community that birthed ideas and continual livity of our people.And we were displaced from it, displaced from it by force. You know, a force that was part of the state, the Jamaican police, private security, the political class. It was violent. It was a very [00:04:00] violent displacement. And so, if you have ever experienced disposition and displacement, it unsettles you. It arms you. You know, I mean, you are rattled, right?And so, we had to figure out how this happened and how we need to move, because we're a resilient people, we never give up. This is where we're able to survive 500 years of chattel slavery. So, it took us a minute to kinda understand what was happening and knowing that we have to move from the grassroots. We have to come together in solidarity and farm something that could push back at our displacement. So Jabbem was born through state-sponsored violence and private violence, the displacement of communities from beach ecosystems, from the sea, in that time.Chris: Thank you for that, Dr. Taylor. You know, you mentioned 2019 as a kind [00:05:00] of watershed moment for your community and for the creation of Jabbem. But of course most people have some understanding that the tourism industry has a long history on the island, in Jamaica. And there's something that arises quite a bit in the work of your organization and in the interviews and in the media that's come out, and specifically around a law that was created or enacted in 1956, The Beach Control Act in Jamaica. And so, I'm wondering if you would be willing to offer up a little bit about this law, why it's so infamous in your country and maybe a little something of what was happening in Jamaica before 2019 and perhaps since that act, that law was created in the fifties.Devon: Yeah. The struggle for beach rights, you know, access to the beaches use of the sea [00:06:00] is historical, right? There are giants before my time who stood in the fight. You know what I mean? We had Dr. Carolyn Cooper, you know what I mean, very instrumental. John Maxwell. We have Kabu Ma'at Kheru. We have Esther Figueroa and many other Jamaicans who lend their voice to a struggle, observing and seeing that, with every new hotel that's built, every new villa that's built, every new guest house that's built, is a loss of the Jamaican people to really continue to enjoy spaces that they have been doing since childhood. Right.You know, as you mentioned, there's a long history of tourism in Jamaica. Yes, there is. I mean, Jamaica is still a colony of England. The King Charles is still the king of Jamaica, right? With all that said, Jamaica does have its prime minister who runs the country, and the king don't really get in his way, so all the experiences of the Jamaican people now is [00:07:00] actually a product of the political class that is running the country.And the tourism model at one point was more integrated, right? There was more a blend of locals and visitors traversing in beaches and enjoying these spaces, walking around in the country, participating in other cultural activities that are not based along the beach, right? You would come into villages, enjoy villages. You know, that was true for, also, my community. My community was close to a couple of these hotels and guest houses at the time. Many members in our community work in these spaces. Some of those tourists would venture up into the village and enjoy all that we offer, you know, in the Jamaican life.I should point out that musical albums, between Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones was made with members of of the Steer Town community. “Wingless Angel” is the name of that album.So this was a time when it was more [00:08:00] of that kind of integration. But the colony that Jamaica is right, and just pre-independence, Jamaica became independent in 1962... a law was passed in 1956 just on the eve of independence, which you alluded to earlier - The Beach Control Act of 1956 - and we're still trying to fully grasp why there was a need to put a law in place that says that no Jamaicans have the right to the foreshore, or the floor of the sea and was translated by the head of the National Environment and Planning A gency (NEPA), that we do not have the right to swim, to bathe, to fish, to walk along the foreshore. All those rights are vested in the government, in what they basically call “the crown,” controls all that kind of things. And the thinking we are trying to understand, is that the [00:09:00] result is very clear, that it's stripped us of any inherent rights to the foreshore. Stripped us.And very important for accessing beaches is the rights, the land. So you cannot get to the beach or the sea without traversing land.Chris: Right.Devon: And so this legislation, really inherently, did not give us any land rights. And that is what you know happened post-emancipation. There was never any reparative justice around the rights of descendants of enslaved Africans to land, where compensation was given to the enslavers. They got millions and millions of dollars when slavery was abolished. There was no compensation to the descendants in any form. No rights to land, no distribution of land, nothing [00:10:00] that was constitutionally put in place, nothing for provisions were made. In fact, the secretary of the islands made sure that they put tariffs so high on government land that the descendants could not afford them.So it kept the Jamaican people, and for that case, most of the Caribbean Islands' peoples, landless, right? So we walk out of slavery as a homeless people, despite the many rebellions and revolutions that were fought by our ancestors to free our people. You know, the powers to be never gave us any of that rights to land.And so, the 1956 Beach Control Act is consistent with colonial logic of dispossession and disempowerment.Chris: Wow.Devon: And that's what that legislation has really done to us.Chris: Wow. Yeah. I mean some of the statistics that have [00:11:00] come up in Jabbem's research is that at least 35% of Jamaica's GDP is tourism, that 25% of all jobs on the island are tourism-based jobs, that 70% of tourism dollars go to foreign investors while only 10% goes to the community and 20% going to the government. Then finally, less than 1% and maybe less of Jamaica's shoreline is accessible to Jamaicans.You refer to this, I think as coastal colonialism. Is that right, Devin?Devon: Yeah, it is coastal colonialism. It's a kind of plantation tourism, right? And the numbers speak, for themselves. I mean, they're very consistent with colonial logic around ownership of land, possession of land, what land is used for, and who the [00:12:00] usage of land benefits. The resources of the land benefit the colonial master. Of course, in this case, it is the government of Jamaica with it's elite. You know, the elites are sometimes Jamaican. Sometimes they're multinational corporations. So all of these kind of things are linked to plantation tourism and the exploitation of labour. Now there's no way that you can have, in 2024, a tourism product made 4.3 billion US dollars, and more than 3 billion of it, did not stay in Jamaica. It may not even enter the country, because of the way all these transactions are done. You could book your tour from overseas, pay for your hotel from overseas, you pay for your flight, you pay all these things. So those dollars does not even enter the country.Even many of the Jamaican tours, their banking companies are in international spaces. Many of these entities are the owners of these hotel, these [00:13:00] corporations, also registered in other countries. You'll have some of them registered in other Caribbean islands, St. Lucia and other tax havens across the planet. So, I mean, all of these things are very similar to the way that the plantation work.And then of course the workers and the exploitations of the worker, being paid very low wages, wages that are not livable wages. I mean, they're overworked. And so, the whole thing is consistent just the way the plantation works, right? And so we have to call it what it is. And at the same time, you work at the hotel and you can't enjoy the beach, right? Not while you're working there. Neither can you go home and say, “I'm taking my family of five to where I work, and I'm gonna put my towel down on the beach and take a swim, or I'm going to go roll out, and I'm going to fish.So I mean, the whole model, as to how it's constructed right now is very [00:14:00] oppressive, and is a continuation of the systems of oppressions that were characteristic of the plantation. So it makes it a plantation tourism model that the Jamaican government is supporting. And it is the government of the country because as you mentioned, you know less than 1% of beaches in the country is accessible by the Jamaicans, right?The country, the island is 494 miles around right now. 150 miles of it is technically sandy, right? Most of it is are rocky terrain, but the rocky terrains are beautiful terrains. You know, these are terrains that we all meditations from. You know what I mean, we go fish at, you find your moment in these spaces and they're becoming far and few, and that is supported by just the way all the legislation is constructed, and no government in the history of [00:15:00] “independent Jamaica” from 62, right... The law will be on the book for 70 years, and none of them changed that law to empower the Jamaican people with inherent rights.Not just to... because I know sometimes the reasoning is that, “well, we just wanna go to the beach to swim.”Well, we are thinking about a new imagination of our relationship with the coastline that we have been having for many, many, many decades.It wasn't just swimming.You know? No, no, no. It's beyond that.So, they may project that that's all we need: is just to go into the water.Right? I mean, absolutely. That's part of it. Absolutely we need to go there where our deads were washed upon the shores from these slave ships, that many were thrown overboard, many jumped overboard.But livity along the coastline for fisher folks, for vendors, for those who harvest [00:16:00] seaweed, right? For those baptisms, for the artists who get their inspiration there, for farmers who farm there, all of these possibilities, that we used to use the space for.We are saying that we should be able to continue doing so. Right? And we are fighting for this kind of a justice in this space.Chris: Wow. I mean, this is a theme, a through line, that that comes up in so many of the conversations I have with people like yourself who are fighting for land and land rights in their homes, in their places.It seems there's so much in common. One of the strange things... I don't know how strange it is really, but I was reading recently on the history of what they call “the enclosure of the commons” in Britain from I think the 13th or 14th century on, and how slowly, little by little, the rich landowner started kind of carving away, the land from the peasants and forcing them into the [00:17:00] towns and cities to work for wages, essentially, and to undermine, not only their ancestral relationships with the land, the places where they're dead were buried for many, many centuries, but also the kind of lived spiritual relationship they have with it. Right.And so, this is something that I've seen on Jabbem's website regarding the organization's principle goals. And that one of them is “the promotion of environmental personhood to beaches, selected rivers and important land formations to protect nature for future generations and to safeguard the intrinsic value of nature by recognizing them [that's the beaches, the selected rivers, and land] as living entities.”Now, I think this is something that's a common understanding, if not something that ecologists and environmentalists today campaign for, which is giving waterways and [00:18:00] land rights, but also legal and judicial protections.And so I'm curious, how do you think giving legally-bound personhood to land and water could change the lives or the relationships that travellers and local people have to those places?You know, when we come to live our lives in the presence of rivers and beaches and land as alive and sentient and as having history, their own personal history, how do you think our relationships to places might change, either as tourists or locals.Devon: Yeah. I mean these ideas are not distant to the human consciousness, because it was like that in the beginning. If we look at the scientific history of earth, right? You know, the sea, oceans are the birthplace of humanity. We crawled out the [00:19:00] sea onto land, and where did we enter first? It was on the shoreline?So, historically, ancient shoreline is the birthplace of humanity. And we just imagine, what happened in that space was the beauty of evolution. Evolution, physically. Evolution, spiritually. Evolution, in all ways and form you could think of. That space was a space of a multitude of births and rebirths. A space of energy, that led to all that we know it right now - plants and animal life, running around and terra firma.So I mean, that recognizes that this space of a right to exist because without it, I mean, I and I would not be in existence in this present formation. So it's not really a kind of thinking that is outside of the grasp of humanity. [00:20:00] It's just that a version of humanity turned its back against nature, you know, to degrade it, to use it without recognizing the relationship that it had with us.And so to really raise these ideas, that the space has its own consciousness, has its own intrinsic value, has its own understanding of I and I, knowing what I needed within such time. Give it to I so that I could thrive and manifest. So it did its work and it continues to do its work. It's just that humanity, a version of humanity, is robbing the space of its ability to continue to serve as a crucible for next generation, even the protection of the planet Earth.And you will hear it all the while that the shoreline is very important to protect us against the fallout of climate change, in terms of [00:21:00] protecting land. You know, we hear those words, but we don't live those words. So I think the recognition of personhood status to these kinds of ecosystem will bring us back to our relationship with the land, whereas we are custodian of it and it is custodian of us. And so that kind of duality, between man and environment can reign again, so the environment can serve its role in the next phase of human consciousness, right? It's not just a space to degrade, but it offers many things. I'm sure you go to the beach and when you go to the beach, you're alive. And you feel more alive when you go to a beach that is rustic, that when you look around you, you hear the sounds of nature. You can feel the beauty of that sun under your foot, and the smell that you are smelling is smell of a natural coastal forest, a natural ocean. You're not smelling [00:22:00] chlorine or suntans, or you're not hearing the bustling of engine mechanizations. You know what I mean? All what we have created in these spaces, right?You're not seeing the beautiful crabs run, the crustaceans in the space. You're not seeing the vibrancy of all the creatures that live in the ocean at near shore, because you take out hectares of grass beds, which is necessary for replenishing life.You know, the ocean produce more oxygen than the land, because earth is more than 70% water. So the importance there of understanding personhood status is for us to understand our livity and our life is critically linked to this space. And that's what we're trying to say.Understand this space for what it meant for human evolution, what it means for our continued survival, [00:23:00] and allow it to do so, but we have to give it that kinda legal protection. We have to make generations coming on board understand what it is in terms of how critical it is for livity.My work is based in the gift economy. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Chris: Wow. That's beautiful.Yeah. Thank you so much Dr. Taylor. When I think about all the times that I spent on beaches, I mean maybe not as many as other people, but I also think about how much, in our time, in the last few generations that so many people go to the beach to relax. And you know, as far as I know, this wasn't a very common thing around the world before the Industrial Revolution - to go to the beach to relax, at least en masse, at least with so many people. And it makes me wonder, what might be happening mythically or mythologically or mythopoetically, when people go to the beach, they lie down in front of the [00:24:00] sun and in front of the ocean, and in terms of what you were saying, I always wondered, this seems like a kind of devotion that people are almost, in a religious way, devoting their bodies to being in this place with the sun and the ocean.But also in this place, as you mentioned, just between the ocean and the land. Right. The shoreline. And while it seems like a kind of religious devotion, maybe the fact that it's kind of commodified and industrialized and manipulated in such a way so that people don't recognize the life or lives of the shoreline, of the rivers, of the beach, of the ocean, et cetera, that there's something in there that humans are longing to express, but it gets turned into this really, really strange and almost demented form of, you know, “oh, take my picture and let's put it on Instagram” and all that kind of thing, right?So yeah, thank you for that, Devin. It was really beautiful to [00:25:00] hear.And for our listeners who can see some of the work that Jabbem is doing on their website, there are many, many campaigns that your organization is involved in in Jamaica, and some of them involve court cases, but I'm curious if you'd be willing to comment, I guess, on how your organization, how your team has been dealing with the campaigns, what kind of successes or failures, what kind of learning has come your way. What can you tell us about the work that you've been doing with the people on the ground there and what, if any kind of successes you've had so far.Devon: Yeah. Yeah. So, so we have just been around like four years now. This is our fourth year. Right. You know, kinda listening to how you were kinda talking about the reverence when one goes into these spaces, because the sea is medicine. It's a medicine space. And I think that's why a lot of people gravitate towards it. And what we are trying to do [00:26:00] is saying that everyone should be able to experience their birthplace, which is the foreshore, right? And so our fight and our struggle is that, as the United Nation Convention and the Law of the Sea puts it, the sea is the common heritage of humankind. So what we are doing is consistent with what the United Nation goal, that this space, this sea, this ocean, these rivers are common edge heritage of humanity. And so, we must be able to access them, engage them, we must be able to experience them and they must remain protected for all generations.So, Jabbem's campaign on the ground are not campaigns that are just for the liberation of the communities, where these beaches are. But it's for the community of humanity, that when they come into our country, they will experience the ecological heritage of the country, not [00:27:00] restricted by how much money you have in your pocket, by how much you could pay to go to one of these all inclusive hotels. Or one of these high-end villas that are encroaching in the sea, or any of these hotels that they are now building in the sea, is that you could've travelled from another country to experience what the foreshore and the sea - which is your heritage, as a human - in Jamaica.So the campaign, we are fighting for liberation of the coastline, right? So we have five of these cases right now in the Jamaican court system, right? Yeah. We have the case fighting for Bob Marley Beach. I mean, I could speak uniquely to what these spaces symbolize, about what they have been for the Jamaican people. You know, that particular beach has been a space where Rastafari, who are oppressed in Jamaica as a black liberation movement, with its central spiritual nucleus being [00:28:00] Emperor Haile Selassie I. That beach was the cradle of where thoughts and ideas were born in versions of Rastafari, and we had to move into protect that space because ultra-luxury hotels is slated to be built here that was going to displace the community. And so, that fight continues, right?We have the fightof Mammee Bay, which is my childhood space. As we explained to you earlier, you know, more than a hundred years of usage within this space, an extension of our community. It's a space that provide livity for many, right?And we speak to Blue Lagoon, right? Very historical, very beautiful mix of salt and fresh water, which many underground springs being fed from the Blue Mountain, a space that was used by the indigenous Tainos and Africans used this space for spirituality, for food, for all that you could imagine beyond recreation. This space is being commandeered by elite private interests.We have that in the court. We're fighting [00:29:00] our own government for liberation of the Blue Lagoon, which is a national monument, which would means that, “oh, can a national monument be privatized?”But Jamaican laws allow for this to happen. And if we don't fight to protect the space for humanity, then you may not be able to see this majestic space.It is the same that is true for a Little Dunn's River. Again, the intersection of a beautiful waterfalls with the Caribbean Sea, that was occupied by Rastafari from in the fifties. This space is majestic. You know, the rush of the water, the sound that we hear in this space, just brings you to these meditative spaces. You know, feel the blend of sea water meeting fresh water and how that turns into the warmth. Right. It is just beautiful.We are fighting for that and we are fighting... you know, our newest case is in Providence/F lanker in Montego Bay. One of the tours in mecca, which, you know, the hotel [00:30:00] giant, Sandal Resort International, applied to the National Environmental Planning Agency for a permit to build hotel rooms in the sea and to build villas on this land.And so we are in the courts trying to defend that, because when we lose these spaces, right, it's not just Jamaicans lose. It's just not, you know, “we have been ripped from our culture.” I mean, it's that humankind loses. Humankind loses.You know, it's cultural desecration, right? It's exploitation. It's a form of capitalism that see the concentration of wealth in the hands of few people. And the exploitation of labour and, degradation of coastal forests.So we are fighting with communities, so the way we work, every community that we go into expresses their willingness to protect their spaces. I mean, most of the time they reach out, because we're grassroots. You know, we're not a NGO. We don't [00:31:00] operate and move like these spaces. We are truly community-run. You know, as members from the community that leads up those fights. And we collaborate and we build, because we are one people. And the struggle is led by these communities. You know, I mean, we are just networking the struggle across the island, just as the struggle for people across Earth is always finding brotherhood, sisterhood, and connection in the struggle for liberation.Chris: Amen. Amen, brother. I'm curious as well if that solidarity has reached beyond the island's shoreline, if you have any brothers and sisters that you've been working with in other Caribbean islands or other countries to forward the cause.Devon: Yeah, man. Yeah, man. We work very closely with Stronger Caribbean Together Network. It's a network with other Caribbean countries who are undergoing similar things, similar land struggles for coastal spaces all across the [00:32:00] Caribbean. You know, so while Jamaica has this Beach Control Act that gives us no inherent right to access the beaches and to use the sea, most of the other Caribbean islands, you can access the foreshore, and you can use the sea.All right. You know, Jamaica is one of the unique countries that does that. It's not withstanding though that the tourism product across the Caribbean is now where most Caribbean economies are moving towards in terms of investment. So, they are building out these hotels and these overwater bungalows across the Caribbean, which is impacting lives and livelihood as well, because yes, you can go on some of these beaches, but you can't truly enjoy them in their fullness. And they are building on these beaches, as well, which is also causing environmental issue.So, I mean, it's funny that the commonality among Caribbean Islands, since the time of enslavement was plantation [00:33:00] economy, based on sugar and cotton and rum and all these things. And that was not good for us. And the region now is moving towards a very similar tourism model, that doesn't pay its people as much. Seeing these lands, coastal lands, being owned by private interests, that is actually displacing the indigenous population, and the descendants of enslaved Africans from these spaces. So we're not really benefitting at scale to the kind of tourism that is coming into the Caribbean.I mean, I think you are in Mexico, you are seeing it in different parts of Mexico too. I mean, wealthy people come and buy coastal lands or, lease them, I guess in the case of Mexico, of a slightly different kind of law where you, I don't think you can own coastal lands. I mean, you have a right to beach, but there are barriers that are put in place that makes it difficult for you to sometimes traverse these spaces. And they're intentional. [00:34:00] All right. You know, I mean, we have experienced them in Puerto Rico as well. You know, we're seeing them emerging in places like Costa Rica and and in St. Lucia.In spaces, they're wide open, but in spaces you can see the creep is coming, Because there's a thing about capitalism where when it comes in, it takes everything. It swallows everything. It's not a good political economic model, that takes the environment into consideration as to what it gives back to humanity.So it takes, and it takes, and it takes, and that's not the sustainability that you will hear being preached on the planet. If we truly want to be sustainable, then the environment must have as much rights as a moving animal. It was here [00:35:00] before I and I. Earth existed before I and I. So, all I and I come, in the context of Earth, and treated Earth like it's a second class entity in existence. It must be afforded that right.I mean, it's only 3% of the planet that is water, fresh water. So, we know water is a very essential source for life. So we cannot allow this to be controlled. Access to the sea, access to the oceans, must not be controlled by no entity. We must freely move in these spaces. So Jabbem is at the view also that all coastal land must be public land. You know, must be public land.Chris: Yeah. I mean, I completely agree, you know, that offering rights in these regards can definitely change our understanding of how we are with land, of how we [00:36:00] are with other people. And I think that in order for the function of rights to work that we need to undertake a degree of responsibility for how we are with the land, with each other and the way we implement those rights.And you know, it's been a great pleasure to speak with you Dr. Taylor. I know we're just running out of time now. Before we finish off, I'd like to ask in regards to those responsibilities, you know, I'm sure this conversation or question has come up many times for you and your team, your people there on the island.If local people have a responsibility to their homes, to their places, to how they live and even host in those places, then what do you think the responsibilities are of the guest, of what we would otherwise call the tourists in our time? What do you think their responsibilities are when, either coming to your island or just even thinking of planning a vacation, because I've had many guests on the podcast who are [00:37:00] fighting similar fights as you and your people are.Some of them say, “please come, please come, and we'll figure it out.”And some of them say, “please don't come. This is not the time.”So I'm curious what those conversations like look like with Jabbem.Devon: Yeah. Yeah. No, it's a good question, because we know that there are some countries that too much tourists goes there, and it has a critical mass that it can't take anymore. And so there's need to kind of regulate the number of people.You know, Jamaica's not at that point right now. And myself and our team believe in freedom of movement. We see this as a world without borders, despite how politicians, and kings, have drawn artificial borders across the world to limit all your move, and requires visa to go in spaces and validation, that you can afford your stay within spaces. Yeah. We don't have that view still, you know. Those kind of views are colonial logic, because [00:38:00] if that unconsciousness was birthed in humanity, then the migration of I and I outside of Africa would never have happened, and would've never had the multitude of nations that make this planet a very beautiful space. So freedom of movement is something that we cherish. So come to Jamaica.What we would say is that you need to do your homework. You don't want to participate in injustice. You don't want to participate in discrimination. You don't want to participate in displacement and disempowerment of people, so do your homework. Before you come to Jamaica, look where you are staying. And check out whether or not these communities can freely access these beaches, use the sea, whether these fishing communities are thriving, as they were before, whether or not workers are compensated enough, whether the social health of the [00:39:00] community where this hotel is is good, whether or not the space that you are actually coming to is degraded. I think these are question for you to ask yourself.I would say you boycott those spaces, because I think one thing that the capitalists understand is that when his money is in danger, his behaviour changes. He first gets violent. He first gets violent and come after you, which would be we the people, but if we have the protection of the international community who is demanding a more equitable and just product interact with, a product that is fierce. So you can't be charging me $3000-$6,000 to stay in a hotel room or $500 to stay in a hotel room, but you're paying your people minimum wages that are, I think, $15,000 Jamaican dollar might be a hundred US dollars a week. You know, I mean, that is labour exploitation.“ Then I'm not going to go there. I'm gonna participate in some other products across the island.”[00:40:00] I know Airbnb have their own sets of issues, but though that's a growing space in Jamaica. Small mom-and-pop establishments that are there. So it might not be easy, but search them out, you know?And we are getting ready to actually help the international community by importing some of that resources on our page, so you could see places that you could stay. So we are saying, being responsible, be responsible in your travels.And when you come, venture out. You know, come amongst our people, come experience the real Jamaican culture. You know, those things are important because tourism is an educational thing, right? It's idea sharing, right? It is cultural exchange, right? It's getting to feel outside of your normal space and getting to a new mindset to understand how other people are living around the world, and what adjustment you can make in your life. What can you impart? What can you take back? And these things are important for the [00:41:00] growth of humanity, for us to understand each other. I think these things prevent wars and conflicts. But contrary, you know, I mean, what we see world leaders are doing is driving domination of particular cultures, domination of particular economic systems that are unjust.And Jamaica is still growing. We still have a lot to offer to the world. We provide real good, music to the world, but we are beyond music. You know what I mean? We are very creative people of just a lot of goodness and a lot of niceness. So come to Jamaica, but you know what I mean? Be responsible in your travel and seek out the spaces that are equitable and just, and help in our struggle, advocate on our behalf in the international community for the repeal and replacement of the Beach Control Act of 1956, for different tourism models to come into play.Chris: Mm mm mm Thank you, Dr. Taylor. Our listeners can find out more about [00:42:00] the actions and campaigns on the Jabbem website, jabbem.org, if I'm not mistaken.Devon: That's it.Chris: And I believe on Instagram as well.Devon: JabbemJabbem on Instagram. We are also on Facebook and on your Tiktoks, and all your other spaces. You know, I mean, and reach out to us. We have a GoFundMe page where we are trying to raise money for legal struggles.You know, we have many more cases that we need to push forward to protect communities. So if you want to help out, you know check us out on GoFundMe there.And when you come to Jamaica, just link us up and we'll bring it to couple of the spaces and in some of the communities then you'll get the real Jamaica, you know?Chris: So, I'll make sure that all those links are up on the End of Tourism website and Substack page when the episode launches. And on behalf of our listeners, Devin, I'd like to wish you an amazing, amazing day and to your team, to your organization. It seems like you're doing incredible work and with a really grounded and [00:43:00] equally political and spiritual basis or foundation for the way that you and your team walk in the world.I'm very, very grateful for that and for your time today. So, I wish you also the best of luck in the so-called, capital of the free world there, and all the best.Devon: Yeah, man. Give thanks. Give thanks, Chris, and give thanks to you and your team for having us. Give thanks.My work is based in the gift economy. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Chris Christou at chrischristou.substack.com/subscribe

More Chinese diasporic history!

Godfrey is joined by Mark Gregory, Dante Nero, Akeem Woods, Eva Evans, and Vishnu Vaka to talk about how Jamaicans cheat in their songs, John Witherspoon's son doing his voice, Dick Gregory on Michael Jackson's death, Bohemian Diet, Epstein Conspiracies, Kabbadi and India Cricket, Bill Clinton's son and Leonardo DiCaprio eats babies allegedly.Legendary Comedian Godfrey is LIVE from New York, and joins some of his best friends in stand up comedy, Hip-Hop and Hollywood to talk current events, pop culture, race issues, movies, music, TV and Kung Fu. We got endless impressions, a white producer, random videos Godfrey found on the internet and so much more! We're not reinventing the wheel, we're just talking 'ish twice a week... with GODFREY on In Godfrey We Trust.Original Air Date: ----------------------------------------------

Godfrey is joined by Mark Gregory, Dante Nero, Akeem Woods, Eva Evans, and Vishnu Vaka to talk about how Jamaicans cheat in their songs, John Witherspoon's son doing his voice, Dick Gregory on Michael Jackson's death, Bohemian Diet, Epstein Conspiracies, Kabbadi and India Cricket, Bill Clinton's son and Leonardo DiCaprio eats babies allegedly. Legendary Comedian Godfrey is LIVE from New York, and joins some of his best friends in stand up comedy, Hip-Hop and Hollywood to talk current events, pop culture, race issues, movies, music, TV and Kung Fu. We got endless impressions, a white producer, random videos Godfrey found on the internet and so much more! We're not reinventing the wheel, we're just talking 'ish twice a week... with GODFREY on In Godfrey We Trust. Original Air Date: ----------------------------------------------

This episode dives into the heart of Jamaican culture—its traditions, confidence, and the everyday experiences that shape the Jamaican identity. From the meaning behind phrases like “Yuh tek up a book from mawnin?” to the importance of foods like run and squash and a classic Sunday dinner, the conversation explores what makes Jamaican culture so unique. I also discuss why Jamaicans carry so much confidence, what the culture is best known for around the world, and what changes could help Jamaica shed the “third world” label while still preserving its powerful cultural roots.

Send a textThis week on Please Don't Spoil The Movie, we're spoiling the 1993 sports comedy Cool Runnings. The film follows a group of Jamaican sprinters who unexpectedly form the country's first Olympic bobsled team. Tune in as we talk about Terri Joe, the Olympics, and why this movie still makes us emotional.

Back in the early 90s, while attending college in London, Ontario, Canada, my buddy Aaron and I'd made the drive back and forth to Toronto on a regular basis, and it was on these numerous rides that we'd stack the pockets with our cassettes - road trip soundtracks, and one of our favourites was Two Seven's Clash by Culture. Fire up the engine, insert the tape and kick off with See Them A Come, one of my all-time favourite cuts, and we'd be jacked up and ready to roll. During college, Aaron, I, and another buddy, Marcus, journeyed to Toronto to catch Culture at The Great Hall - to say this was a magical musical night would be doing it a disservice. We had balcony seats right above the stage, so we could catch everything up close. Seeing Hill with the backup singers, lock-step groove, sweet harmonies - it was an out-of-body experience, that could have been down to the little spliff that we'd partaken in beforehand, but whatever the reason, this concert, the countless hours of being on the road have left music of Culture indelibly marked in my musical consciousness. So today I shine the musical spotlight back to the early years of Culture in the mix Culture: Roots Reggae's Most Righteous Voice Jamaica in the mid-70s was a pressure cooker. Political violence, poverty, and a deep spiritual hunger for something beyond the immediate reality of Kingston's yards and tenements all found a voice in roots reggae, and few groups channelled that voice more purely than Culture. The group came together in 1976, initially calling themselves the African Disciples: Joseph Hill on lead vocals, his cousin Albert “Ralph” Walker, and Roy “Kenneth” Dayes on harmonies. Hill had already put in his time as a percussionist with the Soul Defenders, the house band at the legendary Studio One, and had been working the sound system circuit for years before stepping out front. He knew the machinery of Jamaican music from the inside. They rebranded as Culture, found their producers in Joe Gibbs and engineer Errol Thompson, and cut a run of singles that crackled with urgency, among them “Two Sevens Clash.” The song predicted apocalyptic consequences for 7 July 1977. When that date arrived, large numbers of Jamaicans reportedly stayed home. Shops closed. People waited. The record had crossed the line from music into prophecy. Those singles became the backbone of their 1977 debut album, also titled Two Sevens Clash — dense with Rastafarian theology, political fury, and some of the tightest three-part harmonies in reggae. Rolling Stone would later name it one of the 50 all-time coolest records ever made, the only reggae album to make that list. Not a bad debut. After the Gibbs sessions, Culture moved to producer Sonia Pottinger's High Note label, one of the very few labels run by women in Jamaican music at the time. She brought in the best session players available: Robbie Shakespeare and Sly Dunbar in the rhythm section, Ansel Collins on keys, Cedric Brooks on horns, and percussionist Sticky. The result was a run of records that still holds up: Harder Than the Rest (1978), Cumbolo (1979), and International Herb (1979). Three albums in roughly two years, each one focused and fully realised. The UK connection proved crucial. Two Sevens Clash had been finding its way into the hands of British punk fans as much as reggae fans, largely through John Peel's BBC Radio 1 show, and it charted at number 60 on the UK Albums Chart in April 1978. Virgin Records signed the group to its Front Line imprint, giving Culture international distribution just as their output was peaking. At the time of the first Rolling Stone Record Guide, Culture was the only act in any genre whose entire catalogue received five-star reviews across the board. The original lineup dissolved in 1981, but reunited in 1986 and returned with two strong albums rather than coasting on reputation. The 1990s brought further records on Shanachie and Ras Records, often with Sly and Robbie back in the rhythm section. Joseph Hill died in August 2006 while on tour in Europe, collapsing mid-performance. What happened next became part of the Culture story in its own right. His son Kenyatta stepped up and completed the remaining nineteen shows of the tour. Critics and fans were stunned. The voices were eerily similar, the conviction just as real. The phrase that circulated afterwards said it plainly: magic, not tragic. Kenyatta has led the group ever since, alongside original founding member Albert Walker. Fifty years on, Two Sevens Clash still sounds like a warning. PLAYLIST Culture - Iron Sharpening Iron - 2000 Digital Remaster Culture - See Them A Come Culture - The International Herb Culture - Behold I Come Culture - Two Sevens Clash Culture - Them A Payaka Culture - Stop The Fussing And Fighting - 2000 Digital Remaster Culture - I'm Not Ashamed Culture - Natty Never Get Weary - Remastered 2000 Culture - Addis Ababa Culture - Baldhead Bridge Culture - Zion Gate Culture - Tell Me Where You Get It - 2000 Digital Remaster Culture - Down In Jamaica - 2000 Digital Remaster Culture - Love Shine Bright - 2000 Digital Remaster Culture - The Shepherd - 2001 Digital Remaster

This week's topics: • Helping people on the street asking for help • Fake help stories • English v Yoruba sensual language • Checking taxes • Yoruba not having its own text / characters • African languages being lost due to colonization • Racial Tourette outburst at the Brits • BBC's issue with quality control • Gen pop's ignorance on Tourette's • Should people with Tourette's always have to apologise • Gianluca Prestianni alleged racial abuse to Vinicius Jnr • How to deal with receiving racism in football • Vinicius Jnr crying in press conferences over racism • Football players violent outbursts • Mourinho's disappointing views on racial incident • Irish MP, Thomas Gould, gaining notoriety for having a Jamaican sounding accent • The connection between Ireland and Jamaica • If indigenous Jamaicans could pass for Black or not • Are indigenous people from around the world, Black? • Farmers being systematically eradicated for nefarious purposes • The 'mark' being placed onto people as a mode of control • GM fruits with no seeds • The problems with removing cash • Gold & Silver at record highs • AI bubble burst • Lock down test • #StavrosSays : Nigerian Modernism @ Tate Modern [https://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-modern/nigerian-modernism] & Los Angeles: A Visual Lineage @ Woodbury House [https://artplugged.co.uk/los-angeles-a-visual-lineage-woodbury-house/] Connect with us at & send your questions & comments to: #ESNpod so we can find your comments www.esnpodcast.com www.facebook.com/ESNpodcasts www.twitter.com/ESNpodcast www.instagram.com/ESNpodcast @esnpodcast on all other social media esnpodcast@gmail.com It's important to subscribe, rate and review us on your apple products. You can do that here... www.bit.ly/esnitunes

"HERE NOW and THEN" in collaboration with Hamilton-Selway Fine Art (@hamiltonselway) opening during Frieze LA and a Black History Month Exhibition on Wednesday, February 25th at 5PMThe exhibition includes works by emerging and blue chip artists such as Gregory Saint Amand, Moses Salihou, O'Neil Scott, Floyd Strickland, and Candice Tavares, as well as works by Jean-Michel Basquiat, Julie Mehretu, Mickalene Thomas, and Kehinde Wiley.HERE NOW and THEN is based on lived realities, memory, and enduring legacy of the Black Diaspora. Together the artworks in the exhibition offer a distinct yet interconnected perspective on Black identity across time, place, and experience.A percentage of proceeds from sales in the exhibition will be donated to American Friends of Jamaica, (@afjcares) a not-for-profit 501(c) (3) organization dedicated to support Jamaican charitable organizations and social initiatives committed to sustainably transforming the lives of Jamaicans.Conversation with: Ron - Hamilton-Selway Fine Art GalleryTanya Weddemire - Gallery Owner Candice Tavares- ArtistFloyd StricklandWednesday FEB 25th5PM - 9PM​Hamilton-Selway Fine Art8678 Melrose AveWest Hollywood, CA 90069JamirSmith.com@jamir_smith#fyp #explore #thejsjournals #iheartradio #power975la

Jack and Brian return after a little bit of a hiatus that was mostly Jack's fault. Bu it didn't help that Brian's retina detached while he was busy helping Jamaicans. qmpodcast.com

Jamaicans are claiming a Cork TD as one of their own after a video of Thomas Gould speaking in the Dáil went viral.People on social media say that his strong Cork accent sounds “uncannily” Jamaican, and even Gould himself is seeing the funny side, joking he won't be releasing a Bob Marley album any time soon.He joins Seán, as well as DrEllen Howley, Assistant Professor at the school of English in DCU, to discuss.

On this month's episode, Jessica speaks with Dr. Norma Gregory (founder and director of Nottingham News Centre) about her efforts to document and educate the public on the industrial heritage history of the African diaspora. Dr. Gregory's work to develop her book on Jamaicans in Nottingham led her to shift her life work to making sure that Black coal mining history got the attention that it deserved. We talk about some of her different efforts to promote this history as well as how all of us can do better public education in our own work. We also talk about her work for the Windrush museum, on Nottingham Carnival heritage, as well as her future dream vision for continuing this work.LinksDr Norma Gregory & Black Miners' HeritageBlack Miners Museum ArchiveNorma Gregory – WebsiteNorma Gregory – ProfileNorma Gregory BBC article ‘History Project on Black Miners comes to South Wales'Norma Gregory BBC Article ‘Nottinghamshire Black Miners' History Project Launched'Norma Gregory BBC Article Wales Black Miners programme (archived)Nottingham News CentreJamaicans in Nottingham : Narratives and Reflections (Book by Dr. Norma Gregory) (to purchase signed copies email: info@blackcoalminers.com)Industrial Heritage & ArchaeologyThe Association for Industrial Archaeology UKThe International Committee for the Conservation of the Industrial HeritageNational Coal Mining Museum, Yorkshire UKInternational Council of Museums (ICOM)The Association for Heritage InterpretationWindrush Scandal UKWindrush Scandal – Timeline of events, The Guardian NewspaperOffice of the Windrush CommissionerNorma Gregory Windrush article, The Nottingham PostThe National Windrush Museum UKFurther LinksThe Nottingham CarnivalNational Lottery Heritage FundGlobal Action Planhttps://www.greenpeace.org.uk/TranscriptFor a rough transcript of this episode head over to: https://www.archaeologypodcastnetwork.com/heritagevoices/104ContactJessicaJessica@livingheritageanthropology.org@livingheritageAArchPodNetAPN Website: https://www.archpodnet.comAPN on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/archpodnetAPN on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/archpodnetAPN on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/archpodnetTee Public StoreAffiliatesMotion Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this month's episode, Jessica speaks with Dr. Norma Gregory (founder and director of Nottingham News Centre) about her efforts to document and educate the public on the industrial heritage history of the African diaspora. Dr. Gregory's work to develop her book on Jamaicans in Nottingham led her to shift her life work to making sure that Black coal mining history got the attention that it deserved. We talk about some of her different efforts to promote this history as well as how all of us can do better public education in our own work. We also talk about her work for the Windrush museum, on Nottingham Carnival heritage, as well as her future dream vision for continuing this work.LinksDr Norma Gregory & Black Miners' HeritageBlack Miners Museum ArchiveNorma Gregory – WebsiteNorma Gregory – ProfileNorma Gregory BBC article ‘History Project on Black Miners comes to South Wales'Norma Gregory BBC Article ‘Nottinghamshire Black Miners' History Project Launched'Norma Gregory BBC Article Wales Black Miners programme (archived)Nottingham News CentreJamaicans in Nottingham : Narratives and Reflections (Book by Dr. Norma Gregory) (to purchase signed copies email: info@blackcoalminers.com)Industrial Heritage & ArchaeologyThe Association for Industrial Archaeology UKThe International Committee for the Conservation of the Industrial HeritageNational Coal Mining Museum, Yorkshire UKInternational Council of Museums (ICOM)The Association for Heritage InterpretationWindrush Scandal UKWindrush Scandal – Timeline of events, The Guardian NewspaperOffice of the Windrush CommissionerNorma Gregory Windrush article, The Nottingham PostThe National Windrush Museum UKFurther LinksThe Nottingham CarnivalNational Lottery Heritage FundGlobal Action Planhttps://www.greenpeace.org.uk/TranscriptFor a rough transcript of this episode head over to: https://www.archaeologypodcastnetwork.com/heritagevoices/104ContactJessicaJessica@livingheritageanthropology.org@livingheritageAArchPodNetAPN Website: https://www.archpodnet.comAPN on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/archpodnetAPN on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/archpodnetAPN on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/archpodnetTee Public StoreAffiliatesMotion Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

 Ryan Strachan is back!

fen-phen, FSU player & Dillards, Jamaicans vs blacks

Bad Bunny's Super Bowl halftime show draws a record audience AND the ire of President Donald Trump, who calls it "absolutely terrible, one of the worst EVER". We get into alllllllll the details with Supriya Dwivedi (2:30) in our feature interview presented by Mercedes-Benz Edmonton West. We cover Conservative MP Jamil Jivani's trip to D.C. (21:00), Trump's now-deleted social media post depicting the Obamas as primates (38:40), Stephane Dion calling out Danielle Smith (48:45), and developments in the Canada-India relationship (1:09:00).  TELL US WHAT YOU THINK: leave a comment below or email talk@ryanjespersen.com  THIS EPISODE IS PRESENTED BY RapidEX FINANCIAL. THE CRYPTO WORLD MOVES FAST, BUT YOUR TRUST IN AN EXCHANGE SHOULDN'T BE A GAMBLE. RapidEX IS SECURE, FINTRAC-REGISTERED, AND NON-CUSTODIAL. SAVE 50% ON FEES ON ONLINE INTERAC E-TRANSFER TRADES WITH PROMO CODE RYAN50 AT https://rapidexfinancial.com/. 1:18:30 | Real Talker Ryan can't help but wonder what might have been, had Calgarians voted to bid on another Winter Olympic Games. Would you like to see the Olympics back in Canada?  1:34:30 | Real Talker Garth shares a firsthand perspective on the damage caused by Hurricane Melissa, and how his Alberta employer is aiding Jamaicans in need, in this week's Positive Reflection presented by Solar by Kuby.  SHARE YOUR POSITIVE REFLECTION: talk@ryanjespersen.com BOOK A FREE SOLAR QUOTE TODAY: https://kuby.ca/ FOLLOW US ON TIKTOK, X, INSTAGRAM, and LINKEDIN: @realtalkrj & @ryanjespersen  JOIN US ON FACEBOOK: @ryanjespersen  REAL TALK MERCH: https://ryanjespersen.com/merch RECEIVE EXCLUSIVE PERKS - BECOME A REAL TALK PATRON: patreon.com/ryanjespersen THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING OUR SPONSORS! https://ryanjespersen.com/sponsors The views and opinions expressed in this show are those of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Relay Communications Group Inc. or any affiliates.

The American government really fucked over Black Americans. They used Jamaicans and Trinidadians to integrate with the Black Americans and double-cross them. This has been going on since 1880. Check out Ms. Linda G. Morris podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2500112/episodes/18254456-billy-murphy-in-conversation-with-john-morris-from-young-lawyers-to-seasoned-attorneys

Meg Daly uncovers her family's hidden history of slavery in Jamaica. In this programme, we hear from local Jamaicans who helped Meg in her search for her ancestry and their family connections with slavery. Meg and her family also speak of the profound shame they now feel over the behaviour of their ancestors. (2026) Produced by Chris Nikkel and Ciarán O'Neill with Tim Desmond, Ronan Kelly and the Documentary On One team. Diary reader: Patrick Dunne.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Emily, Matt and the other RESI Directors look back on everything that happened in the world of small islands during 2025, discussing hot topics, highlights and lowlights while looking forward to 2026 will bring. The team also discusses how their own policy and research has shaped conversations around different SIDS agendas - from debt and oceans to geopolitics and climate justice. NB: Hurricane Melissa cast a very long shadow over the final months of 2025 and will continue to do so for Jamaicans as they rebuild their country. If you would like to support those efforts, you can make a donation to the government's relief fund here. Featuring:o Emily Wilkinson (host) | RESI Director and Principal Research Fellow at ODI Globalo Matthew Bishop (host) | RESI Director and Senior Lecturer at the University of Sheffieldo Courtney Lindsay | RESI Director and Senior Research Officer at ODI Globalo Gail Hurley | RESI Director and Development Finance Experto George Carter | RESI Director and Deputy Head of Department of Pacific Affairs/Director of Pacific Institute, Australian National Universityo Jack Corbett | RESI Director and Head of School of Social Sciences, Monash Universityo Rachid Bouiha | RESI Director and Economic Affairs Officer, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)Resources:o Programme page | Resilient and Sustainable Islands Initiative (RESI)o Our RESI book | Sustaining Development in Small Islandso Courtney's AI report | Engines of Growth: Building Knowledge Economies in SIDSo Another AI blog | Why SIDS need to act quickly on AIo The documentary mentioned by Courtney | Life and Debto Hurricane Melissa op-ed | Climate disasters will send many countries into a debt spiral – but there's a way out o Matt and Courtney's Jamica debt report | Breaking the Cycle of Debt in Jamaicao The full RESI Debt Project (multiple papers) | Breaking the Cycle of Debt in SIDSo Our Global Voices piece from last year | Why small islands need their own Marshall Plano Gail and Emily's work on debt service costs | Tackling the cost of capital in small vulnerable nationso Gail and Emily's work on oceans | Turning the tide: enhancing ocean equity for SIDSo Emily's op-ed on UN climate negotiations | Why small climate-vulnerable island states punch well above their weight in UN climate talkso Emily's piece on climate justice | Tides of justice: how SIDS are redefining the fight against climate changeo Our work on capacity building | Fit for size: rethinking capacity strengthening in SIDSo Our work on the FfD4 process | Leveraging the Sevilla Commitment in favour of SIDSo Emily's work on anticipatory action finance | Bracing for Impact: a Caribbean blueprinto Our work on geopolitical competition | Geopolitical competition, bilateral aid, and the collective interests of SIDSo Short trailer for Emily's new documentary | Climate Blueprint: Barbadoso George's work on oceanic diplomacy | Reasserting indigenous pathwayso Rachid's work on productive capacities | Stronger and greener productive capacities for just transitions in Caribbean SIDSo SIDS Future Forum 2026 | Wilton Park Websiteo UN SIDS Partnership Awards 2025 | Partnership Brief Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

HAPPY THURSDAY COUSINS!!!This week we had Marlon and Duke from the Extra Gravy Show Podcast! We were so excited to have them on and we had some gooood conversations!From Black sitcom nostalgia to whether Toronto is really ready for its own Breakfast Club moment, we talk growth, respect, generational gaps, and what it means to build something meaningful in Canadian media. If you care about culture, ownership, and where the next wave is coming from, this one's for you.Grab your snack, turn up the volume, start your chores or go for a drive and hang with your cousins for another chaotic, wholesome episode. Thank you for the endless love, your messages, your comments, EVERYTHING.WE LOVE YALL SO MUCH ❤️Amir & SaraFollow us on Instagram:Extra Gravy Show Podcast - https://www.instagram.com/extragravyshow/https://www.youtube.com/⁨ExtraGravy⁩ @cousinconnectionpod - https://bit.ly/3n1QPk9AMIR - https://bit.ly/3HDFXAISARA - https://bit.ly/3zv1J6ZFollow us on:Tiktok | https://bit.ly/32PtwmApple Podcasts | https://apple.co/3yW9RvpSpotify | https://spoti.fi/3C8l1PJand every other streaming service, search 'Cousin Connection Podcast'----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A month ago, Hurricane Melissa hit Jamaica as a category five— one of the strongest storms ever to make landfall in the Atlantic. Scientists agree that Melissa was made stronger by climate change. We meet some Jamaicans that are wondering how to rebuild smarter for the possibility that another powerful storm may hit in the future.   Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

A Rexburg-based nonprofit, the Sephlin Foundation, is raising funds to support Jamaicans affected by Hurricane Melissa. Founder Sephlin Hepworth, who is originally from Jamaica, hopes the fundraiser will provide ongoing relief through blanket sales and donations.

Proceeds from this Hobi zine I wrote will go to Feeding America, a collection of nationwide food banks preventing hunger in America! You can get it here!If you have another cause you'd like to donate for, send me your donation receipt at heysheneestudio@gmail.com and I'll send you the zine! The image for sharing your curated BTS album is over at heyshenee.substack.com! I'll send it Thursday :) Here are some other links to help:Feed America — supporting local food banks: https://www.feedingamerica.org/https://www.mutualaidhub.org/Give Directly to people who need SNAP benefits: https://www.givedirectly.org/snapgap/?ref=homeGive directly to Jamaicans who need help after the hurricane:  https://gofund.me/b49c5bc67

October 28, 2025 changed the lives of many Jamaicans. Do your part, stay vigilant, and donate to Jamaica. Drop off donation sites are located throughout the US, Jamaica, and other countries, please be wary of scammers...yes, especially during this time. Volunteer aid is needed just as much as monetary and resources. If donating funds, please be extra careful if it is not via one of these links: https://www.paypal.com/donate?token=tdXTvTXxWj2Utbm_CVEaR-pn5ZJg9WwUUU_4CIePfsmfUXYGOZj4pTUGmdOqJ1FnPpqPz9DKjCAIviM9&locale.x=en_US https://rustinfund.org/2024/10/08/transwave-jamaica/ https://www.gofundme.com/f/emergency-relief-for-lbtq-jamaicans-after-hurricane-melissa?attribution_id=sl:35a4294c-c3fa-4f28-a815-4d70da912708&lang=en_GB&ts=1761683843&utm_campaign=man_sharesheet_dash&utm_medium=customer&utm_source=copy_link https://rustinfund.org/2025/10/29/equality-for-all-foundation-jamaica/ https://account.venmo.com/u/connekja https://www.supportjamaica.gov.jm/ https://chat.whatsapp.com/L3UbcgdASJsJsBP2lUhj32 DO NOT send money or pictures of ID/gov documents to ANYONE in order to locate loved ones. Incident report forms or locate loved ones: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScf3i0D_Ks8oTVuYe650eKAD5dMs_TUaSZ_d-KoRuRDPdRh1w/viewform https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdFiBZe9hGHZcnIRHjM5QqAXDgANbn81wqQ60ebXbbHDjtKCw/viewform https://www.supportjamaica.gov.jm/incident To be a guest or send questions, suggestions, concerns, short stories, and poems, please email AskPointlesss@gmail.com For all things Pointlesss visit www.pointlessstalks.com Follow on social media: https://twitter.com/PointlesssTalks https://www.facebook.com/PointlesssTalks https://instagram.com/pointlessstalks 

Devastated by the Category 5 Hurricane Melissa, Jamaica faces catastrophic damage and urgent humanitarian need. Jamaicans abroad, the diaspora and governments worldwide must mobilize for relief, reconstruction and climate-resilience investments.

Lords: * John * Kevin * https://www.youtube.com/@kevin_hainline Topics: * Asking for help / Dealing with the slightest criticism/suggestions/etc * Roger Rabbit and Marvel vs. Capcom were big deals. How long until multiverse & crossover shit is exciting again? * Update on media that makes me feel things vs. media that doesn't * "Bell's Theorem"", a poem that I wrote, and then, at a poetry reading someone suggested the next poem and it demonstrated how good poets are pretty amazing and I am not a good poet * https://docs.google.com/document/d/1CkNH-KlDCAMRNsI6hDZjlyvOpAgM2TsP8x-lIp5TeqQ/edit?usp=sharing * We're in a golden age of new official localizations and rereleases of old games (and why am I not playing them?!) Microtopics: * Some guy on the internet. * Transparent aluminum ukuleles. * Hurting your fingers because your ukulele action is too high. * Do you still call them cowboy chords when you play them on a ukulele? * An astronomer making a series of Youtube videos about Jurassic Park. * The history of Mr. DNA. * How much kids in the early 90s loved Jamaicans. * Solving a 30 year old Internet mystery. * Suing Michael Crichton to make him put you in the Jurassic Park acknowledgements section. * The Ancient DNA Study Group. * Ian Malcolm just saying a bunch of lines from James Gleick's "Chaos." * Going into slow motion to show all the Victorian era pickpocketing. * Asking an august astronomer to critique your work and squirming as he critiques your work. * Therapy-style processing via Topic Lords. * People who like being asked for help because it gives them an opportunity to help. * The German word for being a person. * Being so overly polite that people feel obligated to reassure you that you don't need to be so polite, which is a big pain. * After someone helps you, asking for clarification on whether they wanted to help or if they felt obligated. * How to save Jim a lot of time and effort. * Two people coming from the same gross Internet soup. (Not 4chan) * The friends you made on the Pokey the Penguin mailing list. * Swearing to kids these days that the internet was good once. * Finding the exact right gif for your animated profile picture. * Pretend socialization: it's still socialization. * Knowing a guy by his Internet handle for decades and suddenly having to call him his birth name. * When crossovers started being a thing. * The Supreme Court ruling that corporations are people, saying the stage for the world depicted in Bio Freaks for the N64. * Daffy and Donald playing rival pianos. * Detective Munch's cameo in Fortnite. * Konami Wai Wai World. * Vib Ribbon n Astro Bot. * Why am I on this show when I could be playing Vib Ribbon? * Burning episodes of Topic Lords to CD-R so you can play them in Vib Ribbon. * Extremely pixelated vector art. * The save the cat moment on Topic Lords. * Mind-blowing crossover media events where the mind-blowing part is how much they paid all the lawyers to negotiate the deal. * Why the indie game scene hadn't produced a League of Extraordinary Gentlemen with public domain characters like Robin Hood, Santa Claus, Mickey Mouse and Abraham Lincoln. * Reagan-Gorbachev. * Which president was kidnapped by ninjas. * Choosing to let the ninjas keep Ronald Reagan. * Ape Out: Get Back In There! * Pushing the left stick to lean and pushing the triggers to lift either foot. * Trying to play a video game in which you dislike the protagonist. * A guy whose defining trait is that he tries to get out of every conversation as quickly as possible. * Playing with the mismatch between what the player wants and what the player character wants. * Upsetting the apple cart of how video games work. * A minimap that takes up the top fifth of the screen but is nonfunctional until you unlock it halfway through the game. * Which Jurassic Park video game is most interesting and which is most fun. * Looking down at your cleavage to see your health meter. * Saying the secret word and screaming real loud. * A poem based on a physics thing. * Forgetting your ex girlfriend's face, along with all the state capitals. * Time pointing an arrow at your back, and you walk. * The New Physicality of Long-Distance Love. * Sending a poet up on the spaceship to drain buckets from downtown. * A poem written sometime between 1936 and 1992. * Off-Topic Lords, a place for people who shout answers at podcasts in grocery stores. * A collection of Double Dragon and Kunio-kun games. * Kid Dracula. * Mother 3's copyright nightmare. * Mario Paint on the Switch 2. * Who was the Terry that Chris Houlihan replaced in Nintendo World Cup? * Satellaview games ported to the Switch. * Batman Loves Him a Parallelogram. * Joining the discord for the best PicoSteveMo experience. * KevinHainlineOnYoutube.com * Naming a distant galaxy after yourself and other astronomers mocking you mercilessly.

Egypt has officially opened the Grand Egyptian Museum with a lavish inauguration, which it intends as a cultural highlight of the modern age.Also on the programme: Jamaicans confront the stark reality of how Hurricane Melissa has changed their lives; and as baseball's World Series goes to the wire, we preview the deciding game with a Blue Jay and a Dodgers fan. (Photo: A girl wears a costume as people gather to watch the official opening ceremony of the Grand Egyptian. Credit: Reuters)

Hurricane Melissa wreaks havoc on Cuba after devastating Jamaica. Why are Jamaicans still on alert hours after the storm passed? ... A trial begins for a former assistant principal accused of missing several opportunities to take a gun from a six-year-old boy, who then later used it to shoot his first grade teacher ... President Trump will face Chinese leader Xi Jinping to discuss a potential trade deal that could have a major impact on the global economy ... The chief safety officer of a major online gaming company joins the show to respond to a mother who says her son died by suicide after meeting a predator on the gaming platform.    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jamaicans on the island and in diasporas across Canada are taking stock of the damage after Hurricane Melissa made landfall on the Caribbean island Tuesday.

Hurricane Melissa has now made landfall in southeastern Cuba, bringing destructive winds and heavy rain. Officials say more than 735,000 people have been evacuated across the country. Authorities are warning of flash flooding, mudslides, and up to twelve feet of storm surge from the now Category 3 storm. In Jamaica, at least 7 people are reported dead and more than half a million Jamaicans remain without power, with critical infrastructure across the country suffering significant damage.President Donald Trump is in South Korea on Wednesday, where he received the nation's highest honor and a symbolic gold crown from President Lee Jae Myung. The visit featured a red-carpet welcome set to the song ‘YMCA' and talks focused on peace and trade in the region. Trump said he's open to renewed dialogue with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, and will meet Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping at the APEC summit on Thursday.The Senate failed in another vote to advance a stopgap funding bill, extending the government shutdown into day 29. The vote was 54-45—still 6 votes short of the 60 needed to end the debate. The Republican-backed bill passed the House with bipartisan support but fell short in the Senate, where Democrats are holding out for a deal on health care. The vote was held after the largest union of federal workers urged Democrats to pass the GOP resolution.

World's strongest storm of 2025 expected to cause widespread damage in Jamaica. The Caribbean island braced for record winds and catastrophic flooding from Hurricane Melissa. Also: record numbers of racehorses die in Australia from injuries in the past year; Korean beauty products trend investigated; one long walk beats short strolls for healthy heart, says new study; and US pop star Katy Perry and former Canadian PM Justin Trudeau make relationship public in Paris as they are pictured holding hands.The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk

As today's show begins, Hurricane Melissa about to make landfall in Jamaica as a Category 5 storm packing winds of 185 miles an hour. It's already one of the most powerful storms on record. Officials have been pleading with Jamaicans to evacuate, with the National Hurricane Center warning "this is your last chance to protect your life." Our coverage begins with CNN meteorologist Derek van Dam live in Kingston, Jamaica.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jamaica is preparing for Hurricane Melissa. The category 5 hurricane is the strongest storm on the planet this year — and it could become the strongest storm ever to hit Jamaica. The country has issued mandatory evacuation orders for people living in coastal areas, but there are concerns that not enough people have left their homes. We speak with two people who are getting ready for when the storm hits — and working on relief efforts for their communities, as officials are warning the storm will bring “catastrophic” damages to communities and infrastructure.

Happy Monday. It's time to get Mighty! Ryan is here to help review the 1993 classic, Rookie of the Year. ABOUT COOL RUNNINGS:When a Jamaican sprinter is disqualified from the Olympic Games, he enlists the help of a dishonored coach to start the first Jamaican Bobsled Team.AIR DATE & NETWORK FOR COOL RUNNINGS:October 1, 1993 | TheatersCAST & CREW OF COOL RUNNINGS:Leon as Derice BannockDoug E. Doug as Sanka CoffieRawle D. Lewis as Junior BevilMalik Yoba as Yul BrennerJohn Candy as Irving “Irv” BlitzerBRAN'S COOL RUNNINGS SYNOPSIS: We're in Jamaica, and it's not quite bobsled time. We meet Jamaican sprinter Derice running through town. It's November 1987, and Derice is preparing to qualify for the Olympics. He runs until he reaches the pushcart competition, where his best friend Sanka competes in the big pushcart race. Sanka crashes, but no problem—Derice keeps running.It's time for the qualifying race. Derice is the clear favorite. The top four finishers will represent Jamaica in the Olympics. Unfortunately, the runner next to him, Junior, stumbles and takes Derice down with him.Derice tries to convince the Olympic committee leader to rerun the race, but it's a no-go. On his way out, he notices a picture of his late father standing next to another man. He asks who it is, and learns that it's Irv Blitzer, a fellow gold medalist who once competed in bobsledding. Irv lives in Jamaica now, working as a bookie and living a miserable life.It takes a while, but Derice finally wears him down, and Blitzer agrees to give him a shot. They gather a group of people together, but Blitzer scares them off by showing a reel of bobsled crashes. By the time it ends, the room is empty—except for one of the other runners who fell with Junior, a grumpy guy named Yul. The problem is, there's no such thing as a three-man bobsled team. That's when Junior shows up. Yul tries to fight him when he walks in, but—like it or not—that's their squad.They get to work, and after a lot of crashing and falling, they finally manage to get into the bobsled in under six seconds.Now they need funding. After failing to land a sponsor, they try random fundraisers, but still fall short. Junior steps up and sells his fancy car to cover the rest of the costs.To Calgary they go. Blitzer registers the team and borrows a rundown bobsled from a former teammate. The Jamaicans struggle to adapt to, well, ice. Derice talks to an opponent who warns him that Blitzer is holding him back—that he hasn't been the same since he was caught cheating.Meanwhile, the other teammates get into a bar fight at a honky-tonk. Derice gives them a pep talk about locking in and focusing.It's time for qualifying, and Blitzer surprises them with their very own uniforms. They need to make it under 60 seconds—and THEY DO IT!They celebrate by painting their sled and naming it Cool Runnings. But soon after, they receive a letter: they've been disqualified. Blitzer storms into the rules committee meeting, insisting they not penalize the team for his past mistakes. After deliberation, the committee reinstates them.It's Olympic time. Back home, everyone watches as they march in the opening ceremonies. Junior's dad tries to pull him back home, but Junior stands up to him at last.The team's first run on the track is a disaster, and they finish dead last. Derice tries copying the Swiss team's methods, but Sanka pushes back—telling him they need to be themselves. On the second day, they race in their own style and finish eighth.During their final race, a loose screw causes one of the bobsled's blades to detach, sending the sled crashing and flipping over. Determined to finish, the team lifts the sled and carries it across the finish line. The crowd erupts in applause—including Junior's father.The epilogue explains that the team returned to Jamaica as heroes, and came back four years later to the Winter Olympics to compete as equals. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Women's History, Episode #4 of 4. Today we're exploring one of Texas's most enduring legends - the story of the "Yellow Rose of Texas" and her supposed role in the Battle of San Jacinto. We are going to unravel the myth of “The Yellow Rose of Texas.” We will explore the woman at the heart of the tale, Emily D. West, who was a free woman of color working in Texas, and untangle her real life from the Texan myth. We will also unravel how Emily's tale was erroneously tied to the song, “The Yellow Rose of Texas.” Select Bibliography Jeffrey D. Dunn, “‘To the Devil with your Glorious History!': Women and the Battle of San Jacinto” in Women and the Texas Revolution, edited by Mary L. Scheer. (UNT Press, 2012). Obiagele Lake, Blue Veins and Kinky Hair: Naming and Color Consciousness in African America (Santa Barbara: Greenwood Publishing Group, 2003) Randolph B. Campbell,  An Empire for Slavery: The Peculiar Institution in Texas, 1821—1865. (LSU Press, 1991).  Andrew J. Torget, Seeds of Empire: Cotton, Slavery, and the Transformation of the Texas Borderlands, 1800-1850. (UNC Press, 2018).  Emily Clark, The Strange History of the American Quadroon: Free Women of Color in the Revolutionary Atlantic World, (UNC Press, 2013). Daniel Livesay, Children of Uncertain Fortune: Mixed-race Jamaicans in Britain and the Atlantic Family, 1733-1833 (UNC Press, 2018). Frances Edward Abernethy, 2001: A Texas Odyssey (UNT Press, 2001). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this explosive episode, we sit down with Alex Vargas, a former gang member and cartel sicario who lived through one of the most dangerous eras of crime. Born in Cali, Colombia but raised in Florida, he grew up in gangs, survived violent wars with rivals, and even faced a 65-year sentence in the U.S. before being repatriated back to Colombia. He opens up about: -His violent childhood and early murders committed “for fun” in Colombia -Joining street gangs in Florida and waging wars against Jamaicans, Cubans, and Latin Kings -Attempted murder of a cop and a life sentence that should have ended his story -The shocking way he was freed through Colombia's repatriation system in the 1990s -Working with hitmen and experiencing the dark side of the Cali Cartel era -How his life spiraled through crack, basuco, and violence before eventually transforming This is one of the rawest, most unfiltered looks into the world of gangs, drugs, and the cartels — told by someone who lived it on both sides of the border. Go Support Alex! For English Lessons Anywhere In The World Contact Alex On WhatsApp: +57 317 553 2811 This Episode Is #Sponsored By The Following: True Classic! Upgrade your wardrobe and save on @trueclassic at https://trueclassic.com/CONNECT! #trueclassicpod Mando! Control Body Odor ANYWHERE with @shop.mando and get 20% off + free shipping with promo code MITCHELL at https://shopmando.com! #mandopod Mood! Head to https://mood.com to find the functional gummy that matches exactly what you're looking for, and let Mood help you discover YOUR perfect mood. And don't forget to use promo code CONNECT when you check out to save 20% on your first order. Join The Patreon For Bonus Content! https://www.patreon.com/theconnectshow 00:00 Meet Alex Vargas: From Killer to English Teacher 01:36 Violent Roots: Family History in Colombia 05:05 Gang Life in Florida: Brothers in Crime 09:30 Escalating Violence and Early Addictions 13:10 Florida Gangs, Drive-Bys, and Crime Culture 15:12 This Episode Is Sponsored By True Classic! 16:55 Deportation and Sentencing: Repatriation Loophole 24:35 Florida Prison: Proving Yourself Amidst Killers 33:04 Return to Colombia: New Life, Old Enemies 37:00 Cartel Connections: Family Betrayal and Violence 40:11 This Episode Is Sponsored By Mando And Mood! 44:17 Back and Forth: US, Colombia, and Rising Up the Cartel 54:34 Becoming a Hitman for the Cali Cartel 01:00:00 Ecuadorian Prison: Survival, Addiction, and Brutality 01:13:07 Prison Riots, Forced Violence, and Hitting Bottom 01:20:10 Out of Prison: Drug Wars, Family, and New Cartels 01:24:00 Life as a Cartel Operative: Robbery, Violence, and Loyalty 01:32:00 Work for a Narco Boss: Trust, Drugs, and Betrayals 01:41:29 International Expansion: Honduras and the Maras 01:48:47 Cartel Wars: Guarantee Man in Honduras 01:57:00 Return to Colombia: Final Escape and Confrontations 02:01:00 Rock Bottom: Addiction, Homelessness and Recovery 02:08:09 Getting Sober, Redemption, and Teaching English 02:15:00 Reflections, Consequences, and Redemption Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Join the conversation on Discourse. Have your say and read what fellow listeners think of the Tokyo 2025 action. A small monthly pledge on Patron gets you that, and so much more, and is a way to show your support for what we do.On the Track todayThe fastest man and woman in the world were crowned on track in Tokyo today. Could Lyles defend his 100m crown and continue the US dominance of the event, or would the Jamaicans wrestle control back? Would the season-long dominance of Jefferson-Wooden turn into a maiden world title against Olympic champ Alfred?Speaking of sprinting, the women's marathon came down to a sprint, with a surprise medalist joining two pre-race favourites on the podium. And speaking of surprises, the men's 10000m had plenty! We also had the elimination of three big favourites in Round 1 of the Men's 1500m, semi-finals in the women's 1500m, a first look at the 400m women, and a host of field events.Ross and Gareth dissect the action from Day 2 in Tokyo, and look ahead to Day 3's action. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This weeks show starts off with classics from The Heptones, Leroy Smart, Barry Brown, Delroy Williams & Jah Bull, King Kong, Badoo & Ranking Toyan, The Mighty Diamonds, Freddie McGregor, Michael Scotland, Culture & prince Mohammed, Midnite, Patrick Andy, Burning Spear, Prince Far I, Prince Alla, Jacko, Ken Boothe, The Cables, The Wailers, Lone Ranger, Winston Jarrett, The Jamaicans, and Jackie Mittoo. New music this week comes from Linval Thompson, Keith & Tex, Johnny Osbourne with Tarrus Riley and Albosrosie, Michale Prophet with OBF and Iration Steppas, Jesse Royal, Kristine Alicia, Reggaeaddiction, Naya Rockers with Stephen Marley, Mortimer & Zion I Kings, J Robinson and Bopper Ranking, Nat Birchall & The 18th Parallel, Jhazahra, Lila Ike & Protoje, Yeza, and Skarra Mucci with Manudigital. Also this week we ride the New Hell A Go Pop Riddim as well as the Promised Land Riddim featuring artists like Micah Shemaiah, Capleton, Little Kirk, Morgan Heritage, Sanchez with Christopher Martin, and Buju Banton. Enjoy!    The Heptones - Mystery Babylon - Black Art Leroy Smart - Let Your Heart Be Pure - The Don Tells It Like It Is - Kingston Sounds Barry Brown & The Aggrovators- From Creation/Creative Dub - Praises - Pressure Sounds  Delroy Williams & Jah Bull w/ Pablo & The Rockers All Stars - All The Time/We Know Where We Are Going/Jah Time Dub - Prosperity Records 12” The Breadwinners - The Great Stalwart - Hi Dynamic Instrumental & Dub - Breadwinners Records King Kong - Door Peep - Roots Renegade Records 7” Badoo & Ranking Toyan - Rocking Of The Five Thousand/Come Along - Fatman 10” The Mighty Diamonds - The Roots Is There - Music Works 12” Linval Thompson - Wicked Man/Wicked Dub - Roots Renegade Records  Freddie McGregor - The Overseer - Mr. McGregor - VP Records Michael Scotland - Hypocrite - Black & White Culture & Prince Mohammed - Zion Gate/Forty Leg Dread - Culture & The Deejays At Joe Gibbs 1977-1979 - VP Records Midnite - Jah Ovah - Seek Knowledge Before Vengeance - RBMG/TRS Records Patrick Andy & Yabby You - Show A Little Love - Living In Mount Zion - Pressure Sounds Burning Spear - Foggy Road - Hail H.I.M. - Heartbeat Records Prince Far I - Foggy Road - Message From The King - Frontline Virgin Prince Alla - City Without Pity - Freedom Sounds 12” Keith & Tex - Give Me One Reason - Gun Life - Liquidator Music Jacko - Brand New Day/Brand New Day Version - Asher 7” Ken Boothe - Artibella - Silver & Gold: The Sunshot Records Collection - 1969-1971 - Doctor Bird The Cables - What Kind Of World - Respect To Studio One - Heartbeat Records Bob Marley & The Wailers - Hypocrites - Songs Of Freedom - Tuff Gong Lone Ranger - Natty Dread On Go - On The Other Side Of Dub - Heartbeat Records Winston Jarrett - Up Park, No Mans Land - Soul Jazz Records Presents: Black Man's Pride - Soul Jazz Records Field Marshall Haye - Roots & Herb Style - Studio One Hopeton Lewis - Cool Cool Collie - Take It Easy - Dub Store Records/Merritone The Jamaicans - Ba Ba Boom - First Class Rock Steady - VP Records Jackie Mittoo - Ba Ba Boom - Reggae Magic - Soul Jazz Records Johnny Osbourne & Tarrus Riley - We Need More Love - Universal Love Showcase - VP Records Michael Prophet - Guide & Protect You - Gunman - Greensleeves OBF, Michael Prophet & Iration Steppas - Protection - Dubquake Records OBF - I-Tected Dub - Dubquake Records Junior Murvin - Zoops - Cool Down The Heat - VP Records Abbashantie feat. Sugar Minott - Break Down The Walls - Wackies 12” Carl Meeks - Red Eye Lover - Weh Dem Fah - VP Records Johnny Osbourne feat. Alborosie - Don't Need No Ice Cream Love/No Ice Cream Dub - Universal Love Showcase - VP Records Jesse Royal - Art Of Love - No Place Like Home - Easy Star Records Kristine Alicia - Soldier Of Love - Love Manifesto - Judahscribe Music Reggaeaddiction feat. DM - Ah Dat - Tuff Gong International Naya Rockers & Stephen Marley - The Right Path - Higher Education - Naya Records Mortimer & Zion I Kings - Round And Round - Zion High Productions Micah Shemaiah & Irie Ites feat. The Ligerians - Hell A Go Pop - Hell A Go Pop Riddim - Irie Ites Records Capleton & Irie Ites feat. The Ligerians - No Sell Your Soul - Hell A Go Pop Riddim - Irie Ites Records Little Kirk & Irie Ites - Put The Most High Before Us - Hell A Go Pop Riddim - Irie Ites Records J. Robinson(Who Dem Sound) & Bopper Ranking - Guide Us/Guide Us Dub - Who Dem Sound Nat Birchall & The 18th Parallel - Let Dub Reign - Fruits Records Linton Kwesi Johnson & Dennis Bovell - Reggae Sounds/Shocking Dub - Independant Intavenshan: The Island Anthology - Island Records Mad Professor - Middle Passage - Dubbing With Anansi - Ariwa Sounds Gregory Isaacs - Down The Line - Open The Door - Ras Records Gussie P - Cold Out Dub - Gussie P Vs Mad Professor: Heavyweight Champion Of Dub - Mafia & Fluxy Winston Francis w/ Change The Mood - Let's Go To Zion/Zion Dub - Berends 7” UK Principal & Peetah Sunday - Mistry Babylon/Mistry Dub - Ital Soup 12” Dennis Brown - Promised Land - Reggae Anthology: The Crown Prince Of Reggae 1972-1985 - VP Records Morgan Heritage - Still A Praise Jah - Ambassadors Of Reggae - Mr G Productions Sanchez & Christopher Martin - Praises - Ambassadors Of Reggae - Mr G Productions Buju Banton - Bad Boy & Police - Ambassadors Of Reggae - Mr G Productions Jhazahra - Wickedness - One RPM/Jhazahra Jesse Royal & Kabaka Pyramid - Jungle Justice - No Place Like Home - Easy Star Records Lila Ike feat. Protoje - All Over The World - Treasure Self Love - Wurl Records/Indiggnation Collective Yeza & Rorystonelove - Likkle Whine - Star Of The East - RoryStonelove/Black Dub Music Skarra Mucci & Manudigital - Ragga Blasta - X Ray Production Queen Omega & Irie Ites - Touch Ina Di Place - Irie Ites Records Vibronics & Ashanti Selah w/ Nia Songbird - Stay Humble/Well Humble/Stay Dubwise - Scoops Records

This is the story of a former street hustler, Eric G, who went from growing up in Bayside, Queens during the crack era to running multi-state marijuana operations connected to Jamaicans and eventually one of the powerful and dangerous Mexican cartels in the world before being busted and being spent to prison. He opens up about: -Growing up in a Jehovah's Witness household in Queens during the 80s -Early exposure to drug culture through family and neighborhood influences -Starting in the game at just 13 with crack vials in South Jamaica -Moving to Atlanta and building connections with Jamaicans and the music scene (including early ties to Lil Jon & Black Market Entertainment) -Becoming a wholesale supplier, moving hundreds of pounds weekly -Trips to Mexico and meeting cartel-level suppliers -Reflecting on the dangers, close calls, and lessons learned Go Support Eric! Podcast: @innoutww IG: https://www.instagram.com/_iamericg/ This Episode Is #Sponsored By DeleteMe! Remove your personal information from the web at https://JoinDeleteMe.com/CONNECT and use code CONNECT for 20% off DeleteMe international Plans: https://international.joindeleteme.com Join The Patreon For Bonus Content! https://www.patreon.com/theconnectshow 00:00 Preview: Addicted to the Lifestyle 00:41 Intro to Eric G's Story 01:18 Travel, Culture & Haitian Roots 03:00 Growing Up in Queens & Early Family Life 04:56 80s Queens: Crime, Projects & Influence 05:51 Crack Era: Influence & Survival 07:01 First Steps into Drug Dealing at 13 13:32 Money & Hustling as a Teen 15:31 Leaving New York, Switching to Weed 17:52 High School Hustles & Magnet Program 19:29 College Years & Debate Team 22:04 Expanding into the College Market 24:31 Atlanta Hustle, Early Connections 27:00 Music Industry, Lil Jon & Black Market Ent. 31:09 Finding the Big Connect & Scaling Up 33:54 Marijuana Distribution Operation 36:16 Family Involvement & Smuggling Methods41:06 This Episode Is Sponsored By DeleteMe! 42:39 Cartel Connections & Sourcing from Mexico 47:01 Atlanta's Weed Market & Profits 55:30 Weed from Guadalajara: Cartel Supply 01:00:06 Scaling Up: Cash, Credit & Distribution 01:09:12 Switch to California Chronic 01:15:06 Moving Premium Cali Weed 01:20:27 Shipping Methods: Trucks & Freight 01:30:27 End of the Drug Game Era 01:33:36 Indictment & The Bust in West Virginia 01:40:06 Trial, Snitches & Legal Troubles 01:47:31 Winning Freedom: Beating the Case 02:07:17 Life After Prison & New Pursuits 02:10:09 Podcasting, Advocacy & Looking Ahead 02:12:58 Closing Thoughts & Connections Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jamaica Story is a documentary made to inspire Jamaicans worldwide to invest their time as well as their money to help create a brighter and stronger Jamaica! https://instagram.com/jamaicastory/ Director Statement I was born in NY to Jamaican parents, but spent a pivotal time in Little London, Westmoreland, Jamaica. This time created a love and affinity for Jamaica I barley understand sometimes. In 2018 I had the crazy idea to film a feature length documentary about Jamaica talking to any and everyone who said yes. I reached out to anyone I could through many mediums. I spent my own money going back and forth between Jamaica and the US. People told me I was crazy, but here I am today still following my dream of creating a documentary to help change a country and a people. Subscribe to the podcast: https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod https://www.instagram.com/wildsoundpod/ https://www.facebook.com/wildsoundpod

Send us a textWhat happens when your language becomes a battleground for identity, education, and cultural sovereignty? When Oneil Madden, a Jamaican linguist who speaks five languages, joined me for this conversation, we uncovered the profound connections between language, heritage, and self-perception that shape the Caribbean experience both at home and abroad.Oneil shares his journey to becoming a lecturer at the University of Technology, where his passion for language education has fueled groundbreaking research. The revelation that really struck me was his experience of being told by a French supervisor that he was bilingual—something he hadn't fully internalized until his twenties despite growing up speaking both Jamaican Creole and English. This moment mirrors so many of our experiences as Caribbean people, where our native language is often dismissed as merely "bad English" rather than recognized as the sophisticated linguistic system it truly is.We dive deep into the challenges facing Jamaican Creole today—from standardization efforts by the Jamaican Language Unit to the fascinating paradox that while most Jamaicans speak Patois fluently, many struggle to read it in its codified form. The translation of the New Testament into Jamaican Creole serves as a powerful example of both the progress made and the distance still to travel. As artificial intelligence increasingly enters the language landscape, we confront complicated questions about who "owns" Jamaican Patois. Is it something to gatekeep, or should we celebrate its growing global influence? .Language shapes how we see ourselves and how the world sees us. If you've ever felt your accent was a weakness rather than a strength, or if you're curious about the future of Caribbean languages in a digital age, this conversation will resonate deeply. Resources Mentioned:Jamaican Language Unit at UWI MonaJamaican New Testament (via Bible app)UN Decade of Indigenous Languages (2022–2032)BBC article on Patois in Toronto Subscribe to the Newsletter Support How to Support Carry On Friends Donate: If you believe in our mission and want to help amplify Caribbean voices, consider making a donation. Get Merch: Support Carry On Friends by purchasing merchandise from our store. Connect with @carryonfriends - Instagram | Facebook | YouTube A Breadfruit Media Production

In this episode Dale Travels to kansas City Missouri for a comedy show and then interview the great Julie Mango. This episode takes a twist from just two comedians being funny into something Julie mango in passionate about. She speaks about battling with depression, self confidence and mental health. Words were muted for sensitivity and prevent the video from being affected. This was indeed a great conversation between two Jamaicans and you can learn a lot from it.

In this powerful and necessary episode of Soulfood and Lemonade, we respond to ignorance with truth. When someone told a Jamaican to “go back to your country,” they likely didn't realize how deeply Jamaica has contributed to the very fabric of America. From military service and music to public service, healthcare, and civil rights, Jamaicans have earned their place—not as visitors, but as vital threads in the American story. This episode is both a reminder and a celebration: we belong here.