Empower

The Road to CARIFESTA 2017: Canada Sends its First Caribbean Diaspora Contingent

Published

7 years ago

July 25, 2017

BY: KABRENA ROBINSON

“I am still pinching myself because at one point in time I had given up hope that It would ever happen,” confessed Rhoma Spencer, Artistic Director of The Canadian-Caribbean Arts Network (C-CAN) as she sat down for an interview at the Black Artists’ Networks Dialogue art gallery following a special meeting.

The meeting was to inform the public of the new grand jubilation, that after eleven years of relentless advocacy by Spencer and colleagues at C-CAN, the goal had finally come to fruition. Canada is now able to send a contingent to the Caribbean Festival of Arts (CARIFESTA XIII) to be held in Barbados from August 17-27, 2017. A historic moment for the community as this will be the first time in history that a contingent from the diaspora will be participating.

The group of over 66 artists, spearheaded by C-CAN, is comprised of a wide variety of Canadian talents, from a dynamic array of dancers to musicians and performances in storytelling and spoken word. Two artists will also be presenting academic papers at the CARIFESTA Symposia. Financing for the initiative is expected to come from public and private agencies, as well as from the fundraising efforts of the participating artists and organizations.

The first CARIFESTA, began in Guyana in 1972 attracting the participation of over 1,000 artists from thirty Caribbean and South American countries. The international multicultural event aims to gather artists, musicians, and authors to exhibit, celebrate, maximize artistic participation and to deepen the awareness and knowledge of the diverse aspirations within the Caribbean and Latin American Community.

While the artists prepare for the fulfilling experience of indulging in the grand celebration of rich Caribbean arts and culture, the journey towards this much-anticipated moment was not a smooth task.

According to Spencer, the CARIFESTA committee over the past years has not been receptive to proposals about participation from the diaspora. Spencer explains that this possibly derives from the idea that artists of the Caribbean community in Canada are offered more opportunities than artists in smaller Caribbean countries.

“I feel it was that kind of a fear of the unknown, but really and truly when we go down we are learning as much and taking from them to bring back with us as artists than they would be led to believe,” Spencer said.

“I as an artist, I need to always touch base with home to recharge, to be able to come back here and do the work that I want to do by allowing myself to go back to the source and see what is happening in real time.”

Dwayne Morgan, a Canadian spoken word artist, renowned author and founder of Up From The Roots Entertainment is one of the many artists apart of the Canadian-Caribbean delegation of talents to be showcased in Barbados at this year’s CARIFESTA XIII. As a Canadian of Jamaican descent, Morgan regards his inherited culture as being very influential to his successful career. Despite his international success, Morgan sees the experience of being able to attend CARIFESTA representing the Caribbean diaspora as a learning experience and a great platform to showcase the diversity of Caribbean artists working in Canada.

“There are so many people who are rooted in the Caribbean who leave and go elsewhere and kind of have one foot in the Caribbean and one foot in this new place and being stretched in that way forces you to create something new so we have something that is very new that is not necessarily Canadian not necessarily Caribbean but its this diasporic thing,” he said in an interview.

“We are going to bring down there what we do here but hopefully there are things down there that we will bring back as well that will enhance what it is that we do here in Toronto.”

As the many talented artists and members of C-CAN prepare to embark on this new venture, the hope is that the opportunity will provide a platform to “reconnect, recharge and merge two constantly evolving artistic realities”, a start towards fostering a closer relationship between the Canadian diaspora and the Caribbean community at “home”.

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Junior Contributors

How are current trends shaping our world? Foreshadowing 2025

Published

6 days ago

December 19, 2024

TOCaribNews

Credits: raw.pixel

BY AMARI SUKHDEO

As we look toward 2025, it’s natural to wonder how current trends will shape our world. Drawing from technological advances, societal shifts, and environmental challenges observed in 2024, we can outline some plausible developments. By connecting these to existing evidence, we can better understand why these changes are likely.

Smarter AI, beyond assistants

In 2024, AI systems became more personalized and efficient, with companies investing in AI models that function locally to reduce delays and energy use. By 2025, we could see AI systems embedded in everyday tools. For instance, AI in healthcare already assists with diagnostics; next, it may empower wearable devices to provide personalized treatment suggestions based on real-time data. This isn’t just speculation; investments by tech giants like Google and Microsoft into smaller, faster AI models in 2024 lay the groundwork for this leap forward.

Climate action driving everyday innovations

Extreme weather events and rising global temperatures made headlines in 2024, pushing governments and industries to accelerate renewable energy efforts. Solar panels and wind farms became more efficient, and electric vehicles (EVs) gained broader adoption as costs fell. In 2025, we could reasonably expect community-level energy storage solutions, like localized solar grids in neighbourhoods, offering resilience against power outages caused by climate disruptions. The sharp drop in renewable energy costs in 2024 suggests this trend will only accelerate.

Job markets evolve with AI

The growing use of AI in hiring processes was evident in 2024, with more companies testing conversational bots for initial candidate screenings. By 2025, these bots could standardize equitable hiring practices, focusing on skills rather than credentials. If trends from 2024 hold, candidates might submit work samples directly analyzed by AI, bypassing biases inherent in traditional resumes.

Space exploration as the next frontier

Private companies made significant progress in space technology in 2024, with initiatives like reusable rockets and plans for lunar missions advancing rapidly. In 2025, commercial space tourism could become a niche industry, offering suborbital flights for high-net-worth individuals. More importantly, the ongoing development of satellite networks for global internet coverage—spearheaded by firms like SpaceX—may revolutionize connectivity in rural and underserved areas, fulfilling the promises set in motion during 2024.

Social media’s evolution

The spread of misinformation and rising concerns about mental health dominated conversations about social media in 2024. By 2025, we might see stricter regulations and innovations in platform design aimed at promoting responsible usage. For instance, algorithms may prioritize verified information or feature built-in mental health support, echoing growing public demand for ethical practices observed last year.

The predictions for 2025 are rooted in developments already in motion. Rapid strides in AI and renewable energy, coupled with societal responses to climate challenges, social media, and space suggest a future where technology is more integrated into daily life and becomes a norm. However, navigating these changes will require continued investment and ethical oversight.

https://www.eckerson.com/articles/predictions-2025-everything-is-about-to-change

Junior Contributors

AI can be a helpful tool, but it can’t replace the special qualities that make human storytelling unique

Published

6 days ago

December 19, 2024

TOCaribNews

Photo Credits: Diana Grytsku

BY YAHYA KARIM

It has recently been found that people take a strong dislike to any stories that are labeled AI generated, even if they were truly written by a human. This might come as a surprise, but it shows how we feel about AI in creative work, such as writing stories.

The study, led by Haoran Chu, a professor of public relations, tested out how people would feel after reading two similar stories, one written by a human and one written by an AI. The participant in the study would find a label indicating which writing was AI generated, and which was written by a human. Through the experiment they switched the labels, so the readers thought they were reading an AI version of the story, when in fact they were reading the human version.

When people saw that it was an AI generated story, they seemed less interested. Even though what was written was almost identical, people did not feel that connection with the AI writing. They felt less connected if it was written by a machine.

The study found that stories written by AI can convince people just as much as those written by humans, especially when it comes to topics like health. However, AI doesn’t make readers feel as connected or immersed in the story. This is something that human writers are better at doing.

The study shows that people still really value the “human touch” in storytelling. Even though AI can write text that is clear and logical, it doesn’t have the same: emotional touch, creativity, or personal feel that humans bring to their writing. When we read a story, we trust human writers to make it feel relatable, which is something AI struggles to do.

In the future, AI might be great for writing simple facts, or basic information, but when it comes to creating deep, emotional stories humans still have the advantage. AI can be a helpful tool, but it can’t replace the special qualities that make human storytelling unique.