A foundation to healing and self-understanding For those of us who have lived between cultures, the quiet act of naming our truth can be a radical reclamation. On a picture-perfect weekend, I reconnected with my roots at the May 2025 Calabash International Literary Festival held at Treasure Beach on Jamaica’s south shore. Against a backdrop...
I was honored to participate in the Montgomery County, Maryland, Caribbean American Advisory Group’s Community Conversation on March 25, 2025. The panel focused on Immigration, Houses of Worship, and Stress Management, and I appreciated the opportunity to engage in such an important discussion. Highlights of my panel discussion included: Signs of stress: Changes in appetite...
Last Saturday for Black History Month, and I was at Politics and Prose to celebrate the launch of Marita Golden’s new book: How to Become a Black Writer: Creating & Honoring Black Stories That Matter. Brimming with the wisdom of the ages, Marita Golden did not disappoint. She sat alongside fellow literary activist, E. Ethelbert Miller and responded...
What’s that one song that draws you out of yourself, gets you to start singing or bust a move? Last Saturday, I danced and shouted with a group of thirty-five women and men of all ages, sizes, and physical adroitness at a YMCA Zumba class in the DMV area where mid-December through mid-March, the days...
One Caribbean friend packed her bag and headed home on November 3rd. That day, faced with packing her suitcases for her months-long stay with family, my friend appreciated having an extra hour of daylight-saving time, but more important, she rejoiced knowing that she would be out of town, and in the tropics when the days would...
“Like watermarks on paper, aquatics can leave ineffaceable impressions on cultures, on memories, and on one’s sense of place and identity.” ~ Kevin Dawson in Undercurrents of Power: Aquatic Culture in the African Diaspora Trauma healing is a process. I was only ten years old when I accompanied my father and uncle to Hellshire Beach, a...
Have you ever accepted an invitation from a friend, family member or work colleague to an outing – a luncheon or a play to celebrate a special occasion? You knew the conditions were not favorable for you to have a good time. Perhaps you didn’t like the restaurant option because you didn’t think you would...
Is it alright to seek counseling? Dr. Patricia V. Smith is a fellow Jamaican. This accomplished entrepreneur has numerous accolades including: Multiple education degrees in Nursing; A Multimillion-dollar home healthcare agency; Businesses in the United States and in Jamaica; Over 500 employees; Philanthropic endeavors; and A published biography, I Persist By all accounts, Dr. Smith...
I fully understand the act of courage some clients demonstrate when they reach out to me for support. They reach out for assistance despite fears of being judged harshly by family members and friends who view their decision as a sign of weakness and a waste of their time and personal resources. We need support...
Boundaries are limits we set to create a healthy sense of personal, physical, and emotional space. They help us distinguish our desires and needs from those of others. Healthy boundaries allow us to take responsibility for ourselves and our actions and prevent us from being manipulated, violated, or mistreated by others. Culture encompasses our history,...
