The Villa Rana Jamaica

The Villa Rana, located in Greenwood, St. James (on the outskirts of Montego Bay) has entered into a partnership with Maria Jackson Entertainment. As visitors flock to the island for the 2015 summer/party season, MJE, being affiliated with several entertainment personalities and events taking place in both St. Ann and St. James this summer thought it necessary to connect with a safe, established, luxurious villa where our friends and business partners can be comfortable.

The Villa Rana will give a significant discount to all visitors this summer upon mentioning that they were recommended by Maria Jackson Ent. For more information about The Villa Rana visit their website at http://villaranajamaica.com. The number to call to reserve your room is 1-876-622-8068, speak with Mr. Mack.

Jerk Festival NY Launch 2015 (Models)

A cultural extravaganza to dial up the fun is what organizers have planned for the 5th Annual Grace Jamaican Jerk Festival NY on Sunday, July 19, 2015 at Roy Wilkins Park, Queens, New York. The popular Western Union Cultural Stage, with the multi-talented MC Sherry Morgan, promise loads of fun for adults and kids alike as fans feast on their favorite jerk cuisine.

Patrons arriving early will be greeted by the vibrant and colorful Akousa Living Legend Afrikan Drum And Dance Troupe, entertaining at the entrance as they direct attendees to activities on the Cultural Stage which is scheduled to take place from the gates open at noon to 2:30 p.m.

There will be something for everyone, from Miss Lou style poetry by Florida-based fan favorite Dr Sue, to dramatic book readings by writer and film maker Judith Faloon-Reid. Singer Cheryl Spence will have everyone singing along to their favorite Caribbean Folk Songs and the Riddim Driven Fashion show will feature easy to wear garments with progressive styling reflecting the Jamaican lifestyle and culture.

The cultural excitement will peak when the Konekt_Dat Band performs an eclectic Caribbean-infused set, connecting hearts and people through great music and positive vibes. But the fun won’t be restricted to the stages. The organizers have planned some “pop up performances as entertainers will be roaming the park and randomly making stops to entertain patrons with comedy, drumming, poetry and drama. So wherever you are, you can be sure the fun is coming to you!

Advanced tickets to the Grace Jamaican Jerk Festival NY are available on line at http://www.jerkfestivalNY.com or at selected retail outlets in the tri-state area. Raddison Hotel JFK is the official festival hotel offering discounted rates to festival attendees visiting New York.

The 5th Annual Grace Jamaican Jerk Festival New York is presented by Jamaican Jerk Festival USA, Inc., in association with VP Records. Sponsors are Grace Foods, Western Union, Continental Bakery, Vitamalt, Gleaner, Power 106, Randy’s Radio and Tower Isle Patties.

The 16th annual Taste of the Caribbean has gotten so big, that they had to take it outdoors and make it into a three-day extravaganza (June 26-28)! The new location is on the beautiful Isle Bonsecours.  It is now a true island festival right next to the water at Montreal’s beautiful Old Port!

There will be live cooking demos featuring several Caribbean Chefs: starting with Twice the Spice, Chef Lilavois who is all about Caribbean fusion, Chef Cupid from St. Vincent & The Grenadines and Chef Skeete from Barbados.

There will also be a live performance by Morgan Heritage who is well on their way to becoming Montreal’s favorite reggae band! This will be their fifth time in eleven years performing for Montreal’s crowds. Morgan Heritage is set to bring their brand of R&B infused reggae to the TOTC stage on June 27th, 2015. For more info visit: http://totc.ca/

The Reach One Child “ROC” Foundation announced on Monday that applications for the 2015 scholarships are now open. 

The R.O.C. Scholarship program was established in 2013 by singer/songwriter Cherine Anderson and Patrick Lindsay to recognize and support 6th grade students who demonstrate their commitment to excellence in academics, the arts and service but who also have financial need. The scholarship program awards yearly grants for their high school years and works to support high achievement and communtiy service among recipients. ROC scholarship recipients benefit from mentorship programs such as Y.E.S.S. (Youths Empowering Self and Society) as well as internships in their desired area of study.

To date thirty-five students have been assisted through the program. The ROC Foundation helps to offset expenses for their scholarship and mentorship programs through a fundraising music and action children’s festival – ROC Kids Fest.  This year ROC Kids Fest will be held on July 4, 2015 from 10:00am-6:00pm on the Jessie Ripoll Primary field at 26 South Camp Road in Kingston. ROC Scholarship Applications are available online until June 30, 2015.

For more details on the ROC Scholarship Program and ROC Kids Fest visitwww.reachonechild.org 

In an unexpected email, many volunteers who spent their time and resources to promote and endorse diversity in Toronto, were recently told that their services were no longer needed by CHRY 105.5 FM.

CHRY was one of the last community stations that had several shows that catered to the Caribbean and African community through music. It assisted many Blacks in the music industry to showcase their tracks and connected the African and Caribbean community in Toronto. As a community station their survival is based on donations from the community, which is astonished at the removal of the diverse multicultural programs.

A petition has been started that will be sent to various bodies of government and other entities to make it known that this sudden act has a grave impact on not only the radio hosts that made CHRY a success, but also on the listeners and members of the community that donated financially to keep the radio up and running. Please sign the following petition to show your support  http://www.thepetitionsite.com/478/635/762/bring-diversity-back-in-torontos-community/