July 30, 2024 • 17 mins
Grace Cameron faced a world of naysayers, yet she turned her vision into reality with Jamaican Eats magazine. Raised in Jamaica by her grandmother and a close-knit community, Grace found resilience and passion that propelled her from university student to successful entrepreneur. Tune in to hear Grace’s inspiring journey and learn how unwavering community support can fuel determination and success. This episode is a testament to the power of believing in oneself and the profound impact of a supportive network.
We also celebrate Caribbean culture and unity in this episode. Grace sheds light on the challenges and triumphs of controlling her narrative through her Caribbean-themed magazine and cultural events in Toronto, like the Caribbean Street Food Festival. Listen as we explore the significance of maintaining a strong cultural identity amidst evolving dynamics and the importance of unity among Caribbean people. Plus, get introduced to "Magnation," a magazine dedicated to sharing Grenadian and broader Caribbean stories. Join us for a heartfelt conversation that underscores the resilience and vibrancy of Caribbean communities.
Thanks for listening to Nutmeg Nation - I would like to thank my Editor Sean for helping with the audio of show, thanks to my Designer Yim for creating the logo and images for the show and thanks to my Guests!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is Nutmeg Nation .
Speaker 2 (00:02):
For those of the Caribbean or other parts of the
world that are listening, I'mCarlene and this is Nutmeg
Nation.
I have with me Grace Cameron,creator of Jamaican Eats.
You know feeling the vibealready Not necessarily, but
we're creating a vibe, right.
Right, I'm creating aconversation about something
(00:23):
important you know and hopefullyyou'll check.
You'll check out the magazineor subscribe or go online and
see what the magazine is allabout, cause it's come a long
way, like I started the magazinewhen I was in high school, so I
mean 2006.
Oh, 2006.
Yeah, cause I, oh cause, whenyou're talking talking about
timeframe going back, okay, so Iwas in my third year of
(00:44):
university and started themagazine.
Yeah, cause I, oh cause, whenyou're talking talking about
timeframe going back, okay, so Iwas in my third year of
university and started themagazine.
The one thing that I can relateas someone who likes to write I
always was a writer too, notnecessarily stories, but poems.
Speaker 1 (00:56):
That was my thing.
I would wake up at night.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
Yeah.
And so my sister said to meyears ago I should have listened
to her at that time.
I should have started.
I always I wanted to be ajournalist.
I changed my mind when Igraduated from English and I was
like this has been a hardindustry to work in because
journalism has changed.
It's not the same anymore.
I graduated in 2000.
And so when I heard you talkabout writing and even getting
(01:21):
into Ryerson you got into one ofthe hardest programs I did.
The journalism program is verycompetitive.
And even getting into Ryerson,you got into one of the hardest
programs I did.
Yes, ryerson's journalismprogram is very competitive.
You know what I mean.
And so I remember submitting myportfolio and I'm like I
dropped it in the box.
Grace, you should have seen theamount of portfolios in that
box and my chances of getting inseemed pretty slim at that
point because of the competition.
But obviously it's amazing thatyou went there you know what I
(01:44):
mean and have that experienceand here we are now.
Speaker 1 (01:47):
So but you know what?
I never doubted that I could.
It never entered my mind tothink that I couldn't.
I knew this is what I wanted todo.
I applied to Ryerson in the waythat I applied to Carleton,
their Carleton in Ottawa, theirprogram as well as Western, as
well as York, and so on.
I got accepted at all of them.
But I knew Ryerson was where Iwanted to be, you know, and it
(02:09):
never.
Nobody told me that I couldn'tdo it, because I grew up being
told that I could.
You know, I'm grateful that Iwas fortunate enough to be
raised in a community of peoplewho told me that I could and who
believed in me.
So there was nothing that toldme that I couldn't or wouldn't.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
You know, yeah, and that goes a long way when you
talk about where you're goingand where you're coming from and
you had the support from time Ican hear it in your voice there
was no stopping you.
You know we're talking aboutJamaica and Jamaican people and
as a culture and as a group, andif you have support of your
community, it goes a long way.
(02:48):
That means that everything yes,it is when the going gets tough
, like and you have the supportand you have the push.
It's a lot harder when youdon't have support.
That so like we all need alittle push from our like if
it's not our family, our friends.
Speaker 1 (03:03):
Absolutely.
You know, and I have to say,even when I started Jamaican
Eats, there were many people, orsome people, who were not
supportive.
I remember being told thatthere was a certain group of
people, after the first editioncame out, who were taking bets
amongst themselves whether ornot there would even be a second
(03:24):
edition, because they didn'tbelieve and there were many
naysayers.
But what I chose to focus onwas I chose to imagine the ring
of people who believe in me.
I chose to envision that aspeople, those people surrounding
me, and focus on them.
You know, I had people whobelieved in me, so who was I not
(03:45):
to believe in myself?
Speaker 2 (03:46):
I'm wondering, like is like your parents.
What did they do Like your mom?
Like your parents, were theywriting in the family.
Speaker 1 (03:54):
Yeah, I didn't grow up with my parents Like a lot of
Jamaicans.
My parents actually went to theUK when I was very young, so my
father left Jamaica when I wasa year old and my mother left
when I was two, and so I grew upwith my grandmother, my
maternal grandmother, and thensurrounding me I had my paternal
grandparents, along with allthe godmothers and godfathers.
(04:18):
You know, in the Englishspeaking Caribbean you have
godmothers and godfathers, so Ihad all of those people
surrounding me and theirfamilies, you know.
So while my parents, mybiological parents, weren't
there, I had many people whomothered me and fathered me, so
to speak, and I'm grateful.
I think I got the best of it.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
I hear it in your story, like you have, the
conviction is in your voice andin your stories and and I think
the one thing I can get fromeverything that you said, it's
it's like even when there werechallenges along the way, you
still had the support, andnothing in life gets handed to
us.
You know, like not everyone hasthat perfect story, but I think
(05:02):
it's the journey.
Like they say, as a writer, thejourney of a thousand miles
begins with a single step,absolutely.
Speaker 1 (05:11):
And when you fall you get up.
You may stay down for a while,just don't stay there.
But again, I tell you, evenjust with the magazine, just
with readers and some people,what they've done to keep me
going.
You know, I had, for example,one reader in Westmoreland in
the western part of Jamaicashe's now deceased who did
(05:33):
everything and anything to helpme to keep moving, and there are
many of those people along theway.
So I am grateful for that and mymission, again the thought, is
that through doing andcontinuing this magazine, as
well as the Caribbean themedevents in Toronto, by elevating
and celebrating who we are, I ampaying them back.
(05:56):
In some ways, I'm paying homageto all of that and expressing
my gratitude, and also to leavea legacy.
That is positive, you know, butalso, when you live abroad, to
also express yourself and shareyour stories in ways for other
people of your culture who areconstantly being told or given
(06:19):
negative stories about who weare, you know, and also to show
people.
My aim is not to show people tolike us, because that's
whatever, but to put out againour stories as to who we are,
you know, and invite people tobe a part of it if they want to,
but we control the narrative,not somebody else, because
(06:40):
you're nobody if you do notcontrol your own narrative else,
because you're nobody if you donot control your own narrative.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
Yeah, I hear like the passion there, like the
narrative and the story andcontrolling the narrative.
And I think, as I look througheverything, even when I looked
through it before, it's like theimages and the stories and the
recipes.
And I'm excited that I ordereda magazine a few issues so I
could see for myself, because,like you said, in the
traditional sense of the word, Ithink there's something to be
said for having a magazine inyour hand versus the digital
(07:12):
copy For me, as someone who's anavid reader back then, I read a
lot of books, I read magazinesmyself.
I prefer the physical copy tolook at it and have something to
look back on.
I'm like, oh my gosh, you knowwhat I mean.
You go back and read it again.
No-transcript, in that way,like you said, when you're
(07:33):
talking about changing thenarrative and not necessarily
okay.
So when I say this, changingthe narrative, not necessarily
changing the narrative, butcreating your story from your
community, but also going withthe times, using the tools that
are available today because thedigital magazine is absolutely
available, so people can chooseto order digital copies instead
(07:56):
of the paper copies.
Speaker 1 (07:57):
It's just that most people want the paper copies,
but the digital magazine is verymuch available.
And also, again, although thisis so geographic specific, again
in Toronto, people acrossToronto can experience a living
magazine, so to speak, when theycome to these events.
You know so.
For example, labor Day weekend,september 1, I will be doing
(08:21):
another event Caribbean StreetFood Festival the first time
since 2019, I'm bringing it back.
It's going to be at StackedMarket.
I mentioned that because atthat event it's, yes, you will
have the food, because foodbrings people.
But we're also going to behaving the dominoes and the Ludo
games.
But we're also going to be thelast time that we did it.
(08:42):
We did something we call theamazing race, caribbean style.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
And what's that Tell me about the amazing race?
Speaker 1 (08:50):
Just think of the amazing race.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
Oh, right, right, right.
Speaker 1 (08:53):
So we had people run around and they had to skip.
They had to skip, they had todo hopscotch, they had to answer
questions about history and theculture of the Caribbean and
then you know, the top three gotprizes.
So again it's telling ourstories without saying to people
come here, I'm educating youand again it's showing to maybe
(09:14):
people of Jamaican and Caribbeandescent who have grown up here,
who might feel a way sometimesabout who they are, that this is
who we are you know I mean Imean as as a culture, as someone
who's I've lived here most ofmy life Jamaica day or even the
Caribbean culture as a whole,like now, bringing carnival
(09:34):
brings people together.
Speaker 2 (09:35):
They get to celebrate with food, music, dance,
everything.
But even Jamaica Day it'schanged a lot.
You know we talk about thehistory of the magazine, but
even as a people and a culture,I remember being a kid and going
to Kitty's Carnival and youknow a lot of Jamaican stores
were at Dufferin and Caledonia.
We were there and like, lookback now because even little
(09:58):
Jamaica has changed.
You know what I mean, like asan area, it's so disappointing.
Speaker 1 (10:01):
Karleen, there are lots of opportunities in these
changes.
You know, it's to look and seemaybe the silver linings and
grab those and write them forwhatever they're worth.
Changes can be challenging, butthe thing is, if you know who
you are, that's your core andone of the things I did mention.
I remember going to high schoolhere in Toronto.
(10:22):
I didn't always feel good aboutbeing Jamaican because the
stories I was fed and the mediaportrayal for me was so negative
.
It took going back there tounderstand and to see and
appreciate who we are, andthat's one of the reasons why
it's so important for me.
Again, I'm not telling anybodyhow to be.
(10:42):
I am simply, in my mind and myway, elevating and celebrating
who we are.
People can take from it whatthey will and just like how we
started the conversationregarding the hurricanes life
will always bring hurricanes inso many different ways, but as a
people, we have fallen and wehave gotten back up, and let me
(11:03):
just say, in the case of Jamaicaand Trinidad, then we make
music to some of theseadversities and these things
that we go through you know,yeah, so many, so much talent in
the Caribbean.
Speaker 2 (11:16):
the resilience, yes, yes, yes, those are so much to
be, celebrated.
I mean, yeah, we were talkingabout the hurricane and you know
there's.
It's obviously devastating whathappened.
As I reflect on that, it's hardto see you know the devastation
and all the ruin, but I thinkit's important to know that
there are a lot of Grenadiansand people from the Caribbean
(11:39):
all over the world willing tohelp in any way that they can to
bring community back.
It will take some time,obviously, but all it takes is
one person to start.
We've been there, yeah.
Speaker 1 (11:50):
As Caribbean people, and particularly Afro-descended
Caribbean people.
We have been there, yeah yeah,and we have bounced back.
What we need to remember is oursense of community and who we
are, and to help our brothersand sisters and celebrate who we
are in ways that are positive.
(12:11):
We've been there.
That's been our history.
This side of the world, ourhistory didn't start that way,
because we have a rich, deepculture as Afro-descended people
on the other side, but on thisside we've been through that.
We've been here.
Speaker 2 (12:24):
Yeah, you said we have a history.
We have a history of slaveryall over the Caribbean and the
reason, the history of slaverythat has brought us to where we
are now and I think when slaverywas abolished, celebrated with
carnival, and that's what I'velearned through some of my
learning through Grenada.
You know what I've learnedthrough some of my learning
through Grenada.
You know what I mean, and Idon't know what the history is
(12:45):
in Jamaica when it comes to that.
Speaker 1 (12:48):
The way that I would put it.
Slavery is not our history.
It's just a part of things, andwe responded in a way that we
got rid of the oppressors and wefought back in many different
ways.
There's so many stories thathave never been told, that have
died with hope.
I think even of Haiti In 1804,haiti kicked out the French.
(13:10):
That's amazing.
Yes, I know.
Haiti has suffered because theWest has bled Haiti dry, because
they had to pay these Europeansand Americans whatever for
their freedom.
So it's not like Haiti was apoor country and the people are
just whatever.
They were devastated in thatway, but they didn't remember.
We didn't just sit back andremain enslaved, because I don't
(13:31):
know about you, I don't comefrom slave people.
I come from Afro-descendedpeople who were enslaved, and
that's a big difference that Imade.
We didn't just stay there andwe have grown to the point where
look, in many places Caribbeanpeople, not just Jamaican people
we are shining in amazing ways,despite everything.
Speaker 2 (13:53):
We are amazing, of course, if you look back in time
until now, we've done a lot.
You know there's a lot ofprominent names.
We can go down the list right.
Everyone has a very interestingstory.
It took your grandmother andyour godmothers and the
community to create, to helpbecome who you are as a person,
(14:14):
to share your story and otherpeople's story, because, yeah,
if someone can't tell theirstory, they need someone to help
them create that story or sharethat story if they're willing.
And so it's important that youhave established the community
together that way.
It's a beautiful thing andthanks for sharing your story.
Yes, yes, yes, look forward tothat Labor Day event.
Speaker 1 (14:37):
It will be on Eventbrite and it's called
Caribbean Street Food Festival.
Should anybody look now, theywould get probably information
from the 2019 event that we did,but certainly 2024,.
Within a week or two onEventbrite and on social, we
will have information about the2024 Caribbean Street Food
(14:59):
Festival at Stacked Market.
Stacked Market is at Bathurstand Frum Right great area, so
it's in Toronto.
Stacked Market has become knownas a place to have events and
so it's going to be there.
We will, as we have had in manyother events.
We'll have contests, we'll havethe DJ, we will have so many
(15:20):
different things.
We are even teaming up withCaribbean Tales Film Festival.
Their theme for this year isreconnecting with your past,
meaning reconnecting with yourroots in the Caribbean, and
we're going to have some funwith that as well, so stay tuned
.
Speaker 2 (15:35):
Yes, and I will share with those in my community as
well.
And Jamaican Eats you're onFacebook.
Are you also on Instagram?
Yes, so on Facebook, bothJamaican Eats you're on Facebook
.
Speaker 1 (15:43):
Are you also on Instagram?
Yes, so on Facebook, bothJamaican Eats Facebook page and
group, and then on Instagramit's Jamaican Eats magazine.
So same thing, but magazineadded to the Facebook.
Yeah, okay, the magazines areavailable, by the way, on Amazon
.
Oh great, the first edition for2024 is just about ready.
I'll get it from the printerwithin a couple of days.
Speaker 2 (16:05):
I'm excited, I'm going to get my first issue.
You have a new follower, so Ijust followed.
Thank you so much.
Yeah, thank you so much, grace,for being a guest and you know
how you say the community.
If it wasn't for my friend Liv,I wouldn't have met you, so I
have to thank her, and so it'sinteresting like just networking
with people and how one personleads you to another planet and
(16:29):
just the things that can happenbecause of it.
Speaker 1 (16:45):
Yeah, it's like one ant cannot move a mountain, but
you get a million ants togetherand they can move that darn
mountains.
And I think, as Caribbeanpeople, and particularly as
Afro-descended Caribbean people,we need to have that mindset of
how do we work together and toremember it's about unity, not
uniformity, so we don't all haveto be the same.
We can have our greatdifferences, and that's fine,
because we wouldn't be humanbeings, but we have to be
strategic.
It's about unity, notuniformity.
Speaker 2 (17:03):
Yes, you know the Caribbean culture and you know
not magnation.
I created it for Grenadians andalso the Caribbean culture and
people around the world, toshare stories and educate those
who don't know about, and nowwe'll have to have you in the
edition of the magazine thatcomes out after this one.
Speaker 1 (17:24):
So we'll talk about that For sure.
Speaker 2 (17:27):
Thank you so much.
I'm Carleen, and thank you,grace, for being so patient.
I honestly, truly know.
Speaker 1 (17:34):
Right, I really appreciate it.
I appreciate the opportunity.
Thank you for listening toNutmeg Nation with Carleen
Humphrey.
This is Nutmeg Nation .
Speaker 2 (00:02):
For those of the Caribbean or other parts of the
world that are listening, I'mCarlene and this is Nutmeg
Nation.
I have with me Grace Cameron,creator of Jamaican Eats.
You know feeling the vibealready Not necessarily, but
we're creating a vibe, right.
Right, I'm creating aconversation about something
(00:23):
important you know and hopefullyyou'll check.
You'll check out the magazineor subscribe or go online and
see what the magazine is allabout, cause it's come a long
way, like I started the magazinewhen I was in high school, so I
mean 2006.
Oh, 2006.
Yeah, cause I, oh cause, whenyou're talking talking about
timeframe going back, okay, so Iwas in my third year of
(00:44):
university and started themagazine.
Yeah, cause I, oh cause, whenyou're talking talking about
timeframe going back, okay, so Iwas in my third year of
university and started themagazine.
The one thing that I can relateas someone who likes to write I
always was a writer too, notnecessarily stories, but poems.
Speaker 1 (00:56):
That was my thing.
I would wake up at night.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
Yeah.
And so my sister said to meyears ago I should have listened
to her at that time.
I should have started.
I always I wanted to be ajournalist.
I changed my mind when Igraduated from English and I was
like this has been a hardindustry to work in because
journalism has changed.
It's not the same anymore.
I graduated in 2000.
And so when I heard you talkabout writing and even getting
(01:21):
into Ryerson you got into one ofthe hardest programs I did.
The journalism program is verycompetitive.
And even getting into Ryerson,you got into one of the hardest
programs I did.
Yes, ryerson's journalismprogram is very competitive.
You know what I mean.
And so I remember submitting myportfolio and I'm like I
dropped it in the box.
Grace, you should have seen theamount of portfolios in that
box and my chances of getting inseemed pretty slim at that
point because of the competition.
But obviously it's amazing thatyou went there you know what I
(01:44):
mean and have that experienceand here we are now.
Speaker 1 (01:47):
So but you know what?
I never doubted that I could.
It never entered my mind tothink that I couldn't.
I knew this is what I wanted todo.
I applied to Ryerson in the waythat I applied to Carleton,
their Carleton in Ottawa, theirprogram as well as Western, as
well as York, and so on.
I got accepted at all of them.
But I knew Ryerson was where Iwanted to be, you know, and it
(02:09):
never.
Nobody told me that I couldn'tdo it, because I grew up being
told that I could.
You know, I'm grateful that Iwas fortunate enough to be
raised in a community of peoplewho told me that I could and who
believed in me.
So there was nothing that toldme that I couldn't or wouldn't.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
You know, yeah, and that goes a long way when you
talk about where you're goingand where you're coming from and
you had the support from time Ican hear it in your voice there
was no stopping you.
You know we're talking aboutJamaica and Jamaican people and
as a culture and as a group, andif you have support of your
community, it goes a long way.
(02:48):
That means that everything yes,it is when the going gets tough
, like and you have the supportand you have the push.
It's a lot harder when youdon't have support.
That so like we all need alittle push from our like if
it's not our family, our friends.
Speaker 1 (03:03):
Absolutely.
You know, and I have to say,even when I started Jamaican
Eats, there were many people, orsome people, who were not
supportive.
I remember being told thatthere was a certain group of
people, after the first editioncame out, who were taking bets
amongst themselves whether ornot there would even be a second
(03:24):
edition, because they didn'tbelieve and there were many
naysayers.
But what I chose to focus onwas I chose to imagine the ring
of people who believe in me.
I chose to envision that aspeople, those people surrounding
me, and focus on them.
You know, I had people whobelieved in me, so who was I not
(03:45):
to believe in myself?
Speaker 2 (03:46):
I'm wondering, like is like your parents.
What did they do Like your mom?
Like your parents, were theywriting in the family.
Speaker 1 (03:54):
Yeah, I didn't grow up with my parents Like a lot of
Jamaicans.
My parents actually went to theUK when I was very young, so my
father left Jamaica when I wasa year old and my mother left
when I was two, and so I grew upwith my grandmother, my
maternal grandmother, and thensurrounding me I had my paternal
grandparents, along with allthe godmothers and godfathers.
(04:18):
You know, in the Englishspeaking Caribbean you have
godmothers and godfathers, so Ihad all of those people
surrounding me and theirfamilies, you know.
So while my parents, mybiological parents, weren't
there, I had many people whomothered me and fathered me, so
to speak, and I'm grateful.
I think I got the best of it.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
I hear it in your story, like you have, the
conviction is in your voice andin your stories and and I think
the one thing I can get fromeverything that you said, it's
it's like even when there werechallenges along the way, you
still had the support, andnothing in life gets handed to
us.
You know, like not everyone hasthat perfect story, but I think
(05:02):
it's the journey.
Like they say, as a writer, thejourney of a thousand miles
begins with a single step,absolutely.
Speaker 1 (05:11):
And when you fall you get up.
You may stay down for a while,just don't stay there.
But again, I tell you, evenjust with the magazine, just
with readers and some people,what they've done to keep me
going.
You know, I had, for example,one reader in Westmoreland in
the western part of Jamaicashe's now deceased who did
(05:33):
everything and anything to helpme to keep moving, and there are
many of those people along theway.
So I am grateful for that and mymission, again the thought, is
that through doing andcontinuing this magazine, as
well as the Caribbean themedevents in Toronto, by elevating
and celebrating who we are, I ampaying them back.
(05:56):
In some ways, I'm paying homageto all of that and expressing
my gratitude, and also to leavea legacy.
That is positive, you know, butalso, when you live abroad, to
also express yourself and shareyour stories in ways for other
people of your culture who areconstantly being told or given
(06:19):
negative stories about who weare, you know, and also to show
people.
My aim is not to show people tolike us, because that's
whatever, but to put out againour stories as to who we are,
you know, and invite people tobe a part of it if they want to,
but we control the narrative,not somebody else, because
(06:40):
you're nobody if you do notcontrol your own narrative else,
because you're nobody if you donot control your own narrative.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
Yeah, I hear like the passion there, like the
narrative and the story andcontrolling the narrative.
And I think, as I look througheverything, even when I looked
through it before, it's like theimages and the stories and the
recipes.
And I'm excited that I ordereda magazine a few issues so I
could see for myself, because,like you said, in the
traditional sense of the word, Ithink there's something to be
said for having a magazine inyour hand versus the digital
(07:12):
copy For me, as someone who's anavid reader back then, I read a
lot of books, I read magazinesmyself.
I prefer the physical copy tolook at it and have something to
look back on.
I'm like, oh my gosh, you knowwhat I mean.
You go back and read it again.
No-transcript, in that way,like you said, when you're
(07:33):
talking about changing thenarrative and not necessarily
okay.
So when I say this, changingthe narrative, not necessarily
changing the narrative, butcreating your story from your
community, but also going withthe times, using the tools that
are available today because thedigital magazine is absolutely
available, so people can chooseto order digital copies instead
(07:56):
of the paper copies.
Speaker 1 (07:57):
It's just that most people want the paper copies,
but the digital magazine is verymuch available.
And also, again, although thisis so geographic specific, again
in Toronto, people acrossToronto can experience a living
magazine, so to speak, when theycome to these events.
You know so.
For example, labor Day weekend,september 1, I will be doing
(08:21):
another event Caribbean StreetFood Festival the first time
since 2019, I'm bringing it back.
It's going to be at StackedMarket.
I mentioned that because atthat event it's, yes, you will
have the food, because foodbrings people.
But we're also going to behaving the dominoes and the Ludo
games.
But we're also going to be thelast time that we did it.
(08:42):
We did something we call theamazing race, caribbean style.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
And what's that Tell me about the amazing race?
Speaker 1 (08:50):
Just think of the amazing race.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
Oh, right, right, right.
Speaker 1 (08:53):
So we had people run around and they had to skip.
They had to skip, they had todo hopscotch, they had to answer
questions about history and theculture of the Caribbean and
then you know, the top three gotprizes.
So again it's telling ourstories without saying to people
come here, I'm educating youand again it's showing to maybe
(09:14):
people of Jamaican and Caribbeandescent who have grown up here,
who might feel a way sometimesabout who they are, that this is
who we are you know I mean Imean as as a culture, as someone
who's I've lived here most ofmy life Jamaica day or even the
Caribbean culture as a whole,like now, bringing carnival
(09:34):
brings people together.
Speaker 2 (09:35):
They get to celebrate with food, music, dance,
everything.
But even Jamaica Day it'schanged a lot.
You know we talk about thehistory of the magazine, but
even as a people and a culture,I remember being a kid and going
to Kitty's Carnival and youknow a lot of Jamaican stores
were at Dufferin and Caledonia.
We were there and like, lookback now because even little
(09:58):
Jamaica has changed.
You know what I mean, like asan area, it's so disappointing.
Speaker 1 (10:01):
Karleen, there are lots of opportunities in these
changes.
You know, it's to look and seemaybe the silver linings and
grab those and write them forwhatever they're worth.
Changes can be challenging, butthe thing is, if you know who
you are, that's your core andone of the things I did mention.
I remember going to high schoolhere in Toronto.
(10:22):
I didn't always feel good aboutbeing Jamaican because the
stories I was fed and the mediaportrayal for me was so negative
.
It took going back there tounderstand and to see and
appreciate who we are, andthat's one of the reasons why
it's so important for me.
Again, I'm not telling anybodyhow to be.
(10:42):
I am simply, in my mind and myway, elevating and celebrating
who we are.
People can take from it whatthey will and just like how we
started the conversationregarding the hurricanes life
will always bring hurricanes inso many different ways, but as a
people, we have fallen and wehave gotten back up, and let me
(11:03):
just say, in the case of Jamaicaand Trinidad, then we make
music to some of theseadversities and these things
that we go through you know,yeah, so many, so much talent in
the Caribbean.
Speaker 2 (11:16):
the resilience, yes, yes, yes, those are so much to
be, celebrated.
I mean, yeah, we were talkingabout the hurricane and you know
there's.
It's obviously devastating whathappened.
As I reflect on that, it's hardto see you know the devastation
and all the ruin, but I thinkit's important to know that
there are a lot of Grenadiansand people from the Caribbean
(11:39):
all over the world willing tohelp in any way that they can to
bring community back.
It will take some time,obviously, but all it takes is
one person to start.
We've been there, yeah.
Speaker 1 (11:50):
As Caribbean people, and particularly Afro-descended
Caribbean people.
We have been there, yeah yeah,and we have bounced back.
What we need to remember is oursense of community and who we
are, and to help our brothersand sisters and celebrate who we
are in ways that are positive.
(12:11):
We've been there.
That's been our history.
This side of the world, ourhistory didn't start that way,
because we have a rich, deepculture as Afro-descended people
on the other side, but on thisside we've been through that.
We've been here.
Speaker 2 (12:24):
Yeah, you said we have a history.
We have a history of slaveryall over the Caribbean and the
reason, the history of slaverythat has brought us to where we
are now and I think when slaverywas abolished, celebrated with
carnival, and that's what I'velearned through some of my
learning through Grenada.
You know what I've learnedthrough some of my learning
through Grenada.
You know what I mean, and Idon't know what the history is
(12:45):
in Jamaica when it comes to that.
Speaker 1 (12:48):
The way that I would put it.
Slavery is not our history.
It's just a part of things, andwe responded in a way that we
got rid of the oppressors and wefought back in many different
ways.
There's so many stories thathave never been told, that have
died with hope.
I think even of Haiti In 1804,haiti kicked out the French.
(13:10):
That's amazing.
Yes, I know.
Haiti has suffered because theWest has bled Haiti dry, because
they had to pay these Europeansand Americans whatever for
their freedom.
So it's not like Haiti was apoor country and the people are
just whatever.
They were devastated in thatway, but they didn't remember.
We didn't just sit back andremain enslaved, because I don't
(13:31):
know about you, I don't comefrom slave people.
I come from Afro-descendedpeople who were enslaved, and
that's a big difference that Imade.
We didn't just stay there andwe have grown to the point where
look, in many places Caribbeanpeople, not just Jamaican people
we are shining in amazing ways,despite everything.
Speaker 2 (13:53):
We are amazing, of course, if you look back in time
until now, we've done a lot.
You know there's a lot ofprominent names.
We can go down the list right.
Everyone has a very interestingstory.
It took your grandmother andyour godmothers and the
community to create, to helpbecome who you are as a person,
(14:14):
to share your story and otherpeople's story, because, yeah,
if someone can't tell theirstory, they need someone to help
them create that story or sharethat story if they're willing.
And so it's important that youhave established the community
together that way.
It's a beautiful thing andthanks for sharing your story.
Yes, yes, yes, look forward tothat Labor Day event.
Speaker 1 (14:37):
It will be on Eventbrite and it's called
Caribbean Street Food Festival.
Should anybody look now, theywould get probably information
from the 2019 event that we did,but certainly 2024,.
Within a week or two onEventbrite and on social, we
will have information about the2024 Caribbean Street Food
(14:59):
Festival at Stacked Market.
Stacked Market is at Bathurstand Frum Right great area, so
it's in Toronto.
Stacked Market has become knownas a place to have events and
so it's going to be there.
We will, as we have had in manyother events.
We'll have contests, we'll havethe DJ, we will have so many
(15:20):
different things.
We are even teaming up withCaribbean Tales Film Festival.
Their theme for this year isreconnecting with your past,
meaning reconnecting with yourroots in the Caribbean, and
we're going to have some funwith that as well, so stay tuned
.
Speaker 2 (15:35):
Yes, and I will share with those in my community as
well.
And Jamaican Eats you're onFacebook.
Are you also on Instagram?
Yes, so on Facebook, bothJamaican Eats you're on Facebook
.
Speaker 1 (15:43):
Are you also on Instagram?
Yes, so on Facebook, bothJamaican Eats Facebook page and
group, and then on Instagramit's Jamaican Eats magazine.
So same thing, but magazineadded to the Facebook.
Yeah, okay, the magazines areavailable, by the way, on Amazon
.
Oh great, the first edition for2024 is just about ready.
I'll get it from the printerwithin a couple of days.
Speaker 2 (16:05):
I'm excited, I'm going to get my first issue.
You have a new follower, so Ijust followed.
Thank you so much.
Yeah, thank you so much, grace,for being a guest and you know
how you say the community.
If it wasn't for my friend Liv,I wouldn't have met you, so I
have to thank her, and so it'sinteresting like just networking
with people and how one personleads you to another planet and
(16:29):
just the things that can happenbecause of it.
Speaker 1 (16:45):
Yeah, it's like one ant cannot move a mountain, but
you get a million ants togetherand they can move that darn
mountains.
And I think, as Caribbeanpeople, and particularly as
Afro-descended Caribbean people,we need to have that mindset of
how do we work together and toremember it's about unity, not
uniformity, so we don't all haveto be the same.
We can have our greatdifferences, and that's fine,
because we wouldn't be humanbeings, but we have to be
strategic.
It's about unity, notuniformity.
Speaker 2 (17:03):
Yes, you know the Caribbean culture and you know
not magnation.
I created it for Grenadians andalso the Caribbean culture and
people around the world, toshare stories and educate those
who don't know about, and nowwe'll have to have you in the
edition of the magazine thatcomes out after this one.
Speaker 1 (17:24):
So we'll talk about that For sure.
Speaker 2 (17:27):
Thank you so much.
I'm Carleen, and thank you,grace, for being so patient.
I honestly, truly know.
Speaker 1 (17:34):
Right, I really appreciate it.
I appreciate the opportunity.
Thank you for listening toNutmeg Nation with Carleen
Humphrey.
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