I woke up this morning reminiscing about a conversation I had with a friend. We were talking about how some of the young people we used to mentor back in the day were succumbing to lousy advice regarding professional development. That got me sad 1- because I know the potential of these kids 2- In many cases it was because of parents. So I decided to put this piece together, Caribbean parents stop doing this immediately.
Yesterday I received news that someone I knew very well died, a young man admired by the community as was seen with the outpouring of support on Facebook. The news shocked me, I saw people sharing messages of love and support, and that got me thinking. There are some things our Caribbean men don’t hear often enough and while on the train today, I made a list of them and decided to share with you.
Having lived in North America for 10 out of the last 14 years and being a digital media enthusiast, I have always had a fascination with animation. From looking at animated short films to consulting on one, I have always thought, wow, it will be so awesome to be able to create these animations. My first encounter with animation in the Caribbean was an animated music video, and after that, I was drawn in even more. However, what I didn’t know is that there is a whole community of animators in the Caribbean who are prepared to take the field of animation to the next level.
Today I speak to animation evangelist David Martin about the state of animation in the Caribbean.
When I younger, I wanted to become a soca artist. I even started writing songs with my friends, but I quickly realized I didn’t have what it took, so I decided to focus on what I was good at. In the past, soca artists advertised themselves to the public with the help of radio stations, DJs, and promoters, who booked them for shows. Therefore, artists didn’t have much control over their brands; however, because of technological advancements, the script has been flipped. Today’s technology now gives artists a significant say regarding the distribution and exposure of their musical products.
I spent 5 years in Mexico, and one of my fondest memories was the occasional “Fiesta Caribeña” my friends and I organized. We mainly planned and executed the event to maintain our Caribbean identity and culture as well as to help our Mexican friends experience our different countries through us without actually going there. With that said, it then begs the question, how can the average Caribbean national or even better those in privileged positions like entertainers play their part by painting pictures of the Caribbean to others who are not as privileged to be there? My last two articles on the Huffington Post dealt with the responsibility Caribbean natives have to help control the narrative about our respective countries in the media and how Caribbean soca artists can use social media to build their brands worldwide. Those topics are very important to me, and I also think they go hand in hand since Caribbean artists and well-known personalities can make a significant contribution by promoting themselves while eliminating some of the misconceptions people may have about the Caribbean.
