Month: August 2025

Amid much fanfare, the Brooklyn-based West Indian-American Day Carnival Association (WIADCA) last Thursday, Aug. 21, launched its 2025 Caribbean Carnival in front of the Brooklyn Museum. The annual launch usually take place at the Brooklyn Children’s Museum. “Welcome to New York Carnival Week 2025,” said WIADCA Senior Media Manager Tamara Ivey in her opening remarks. “It’s Vive Le Carnivale! Happening Aug. 28 through Sept. 1,” added Grenadian-born Ivey, stating that […]

Gil Figaro, Sr., the Trinidadian-born chairman and founder of the Teaneck, NJ-based SUNSHINE Awards says this year’s event, originally scheduled for October, has been postponed. “In support of our global citizens and with considerable empathy for nominees, recipients, sponsors and supporters affected by negative economic and adverse social factors, the SUNSHINE Awards Organization considers it vitally important to pause its hosting of the Annual SUNSHINE Awards celebration for this year,” […]

Platinum Kids Mas and Kaios Kids Int’l, Inc. will be portraying for the 2025 West Indian American Day Carnival as “Descendants of Once Upon a Time” – a magical world where fairy tales meet Caribbean vibes. “Inspired by the Descendants and beloved Disney characters, this vibrant kiddie’s carnival portrayal brings a colorful twist to the road,” Kaios Kids International, Inc. Bandleaders Tamera George and Yankie Baptiste, and Platinum Kids Mas […]

New York Attorney General Letitia James announced on Monday that her office has formally made a legal filing urging the U.S District Court for the Southern District of New York to block ICE from detaining immigrants inside of courthouses. James’ office said the amicus brief challenges policies that allow widespread arrests as men, women, and even children attend their legally mandated court hearings. For months, amNewYork has documented masked ICE agents […]

In Brooklyn yards, around Crown Heights and Flatbush, even in the outer boroughs, the conversation is prevalent that Summer is ebbing and plans for Labor Day are imminent. A dominant suggestion proposes the free, all-access destination for a procession of costumed revelers, culinary delights, camaraderie, diversity, and expression of Caribbean pride on the first Monday in September. That is the day the 58th annual West Indian American Carnival Association marks […]

Eduard Caprice-Conner, the St. Maarten-born co-band leader of Stronjeh International, says his band is portraying "Royal Kingdom" in the Junior Carnival this Labor Day weekend. Brooklyn resident Caprice-Conner, whose mother hails from St. Maarten and father from Guyana, told Caribbean Life that the online band — on Facebook and Instagram — chose "Royal Kingdom" because "it's a fantasy of glams, glitz, jewels, colorful, vibrant." "We need to be more elegant, […]

Dozens of people celebrated gathered at Queens Borough Hall to celebrate  Jamaica’s 63rd Independence Day on Tuesday, Aug 19. Queens locals donned vibrant outfits in the colors of the Jamaican flag as they enjoyed plates of curry chicken, jerk chicken and rice and peas catered by Truth Restaurant and Lounge. Jamaica’s Independence Day is Aug. 6, 1962, and Aug. 1, 1838, marks the day of emancipation for enslaved Jamaicans, as […]

The Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) says the country is set to strengthen its position as one of the world’s most accessible island destinations over the next six months with expanded air service and seat capacity for the fall and winter months. JTB said on Friday, Aug. 15, that, from September 2025 through February 2026, seat capacity across the island’s three major airports is projected to grow by 4.4 percent, compared […]