Island Chic Toronto Home Design with Iman Stewart

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March 28, 2022

Toronto-based interior designer Iman Stewart doesn’t do generic. Whether staging rooms for her real estate clients or customizing spaces for a family’s specific needs, Stewart strongly believes a home should always radiate a distinct personality. This has become the driving force behind her expansive interior design career and company, filled with projects inflecting an eclectic, global style. Her approach feels particularly suited to the diverse community she’s familiar with when working on Toronto home design.

Photo: Janelle Gokule

This is especially true for the city’s large Caribbean enclave, where the Jamaican designer finds endless inspiration.

Stewart often taps into this rich cultural tapestry when reimagining spaces. “Canada is very multicultural, so I want to actually represent what Canada looks like versus what people think (it looks like),” says Stewart. “Design more of what you feel because then it’s authentic to you. And whoever is attracted to that is going to appreciate it.”

Her projects range from cozy bedrooms to eccentric home offices and even a restaurant or two, but one core theme remains: creating a space that is reflective of the person who will be using it while catering to their practical needs. “When you’re designing, it has to have self expression,” notes Stewart. “So we have to be very aware and cognizant of those key spaces or pieces in the home that can properly display that.”

Iman Stewart breaks down the creative process behind three dramatic transformations that celebrate her cultural roots and reflect her individual flare.

Tropical Glamor

Island Chic Toronto Home Design with Iman Stewart - Modern bedroom. — Photo: Janelle Gokule

Stewart was deeply touched when a longtime friend asked her to give his bedroom a major makeover. Their friendship grounded what became a hectic interior design process, navigating supply chain shortages and overall uncertainty in the midst of the pandemic. “For the client to watch my career for so long and say ‘Yes, I want to work with you,’ was an honor. And it was very special to me because I was able to overcome those challenges.”

Island Chic Toronto Home Design with Iman Stewart - Carnival masks used as decor. — Photo: Janelle Gokule

Hailing from Jamaica, the client was looking for a space to completely embody “home” in every sense of the word. So Stewart composed a glamorous spin on a tropical haven filled with rich organic hues and botanical motifs. First, she created a deep jewel-tone color palette that would conjure the tropics in a way that still felt contemporary and masculine.

The designer chose “Isle of Pines” by Sherwin-Williams ― a deep forest green ― for the accent wall to suggest a lush canopy of palm trees. Meanwhile, blackout curtains in a deep blue shade added ocean tones. A velvet blue headboard that the client already owned supported the color story, but Stewart decorated it with little gold jewels for an extra bit of flare. “It’s about balance,” she says, explaining how she mixes old and new items. “You have to know how to make all of those items work.”

Stewart also incorporated familiar natural motifs with accent pieces on the bedside tables, which include miniature giraffe sculptures and zebra-print picture frames Stewart sourced from beloved Canadian big-box store, HomeSense ― proof positive that fully fleshing out a design need not be prohibitively expensive. And on the walls, framed carnival masks allude to the client’s Jamaican roots.

Work in Style

Island Chic Toronto Home Design with Iman Stewart — Photos: Anthony Voltsinis

Like so many entrepreneurs during the height of the pandemic, Camille Dundas needed to inject some energy (and a little spice) into her home office in Toronto. As more people work from home than ever before, Stewart strongly believes these workspaces should blend practicality and personality. “You’re in the space by yourself, but you also invite people in on camera,” she explains. And because clients see it daily, it should reflect the true you.

As a native of St. Lucia, Dundas wanted a space that celebrated her Caribbean, Afrocentric roots. This aesthetic also honored her professional focus as a racial equality consultant and powerhouse co-founder and editor-in-chief of ByBlacks.com, a celebrated online magazine serving the Black community in Canada.

When conceiving the vibrant color palette for the space, Stewart drew inspiration from an art piece by Nigerian Toronto resident Benny Bing’s “Adelani” collection, titled “AYABA.” The artwork’s range of bright blues, yellows, greens and pinks spoke to Dundas’ personal style, particularly her colorful wardrobe. To bring these vivid hues into the space, Stewart used “Intense Teal” by Sherwin-Williams to accent the back wall where Bing’s artwork now enjoys pride of place. A bright pink “ANTIKA” area rug by Kalora Interiors injects an additional jolt of color.

Island Chic Toronto Home Design with Iman Stewart - Sherwin Williams paint color options. — Photo: Anthony Voltsinis

The designer also introduced some thoughtful decor that continued the Afrocentric theme, from a decorative elephant sculpture to a magnifying glass with a horn-like handle. Some lush greenery — a thriving fiddle leaf fig and bird of paradise flowers — helps to complete the space.

Beyond Basic

Stewart was asked to stage this apartment in Toronto’s East End for viewing by a realtor who is a dear friend and fellow Jamaican. Tired of the typical all-gray staging projects, they both agreed to take a chance and tapped into their shared Caribbean roots to design the space. The final result prods visitors to imagine the apartment as home to a glamorous island diva who has enjoyed her share of adventures. Thus, the project embodied a distinct personality rather than trying to appeal to everyone (and becoming blandly inoffensive as a result).

Island Chic Toronto Home Design with Iman Stewart - Interior of a West End apartment Iman Steward staged. — Photo: Anthony Voltsinis

The risk paid off. “This property was only on the market for just about a week,” laughs Stewart now. “The buyer was from Ethiopia and she was really inspired by the space.” She adds, “When you design intuitively and create intuitively, that connects with other people.”

When conceptualizing the apartment’s show-stopping living room, Stewart first leaned into the cherry wood flooring that ran through the apartment, punctuating the strong hue with pops of vibrant colors like the emerald green velvet armchair. Metallic touches, like the brass-accented Jade Wine Cabinet by Sunpan, introduced notes of glamour. The golden coffee table finished to mimic the look of coral subtly nods to the design’s modern island inspiration. Artwork sourced from online decor store Renwil line the walls in the main living room, giving the overall space a sense of being curated over time.

Designer Herman Nadal Talks Making Traditional Puerto Rican Culture Fashionable

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Hannah Gulics

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March 28, 2022

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“We always wanted to embrace our culture in the best way possible. Everything that involves being Puerto Rican is my inspiration,” starts Herman Nadal, founder and lead fashion designer of his self-named brand. The brand’s looks take inspiration from traditional Puerto Rican culture, representing the iconic bomba dancer and jíbaro farmer ― both figures so emblematic of “the story of Puerto Rico,” explains Nadal.

Designing Traditional Puerto Rican Culture Fashionable - The designer, Herman Nadal

His passion to represent Puerto Rico is evident throughout his designs, filled with stripes, florals, flowy ruffles and crochet details that blend modern sensibilities with traditional folk styles.

Nadal’s appreciation and respect for fashion grew from a young age, watching his grandmothers working as seamstresses. After receiving his degree in both fashion and graphic design, he took a chance and started his brand at only 20 years old. Not only does Nadal create artful pieces that keep his beloved Puerto Rican culture alive, but he’s doing so with sustainability at the forefront.

At first, his small batch designs were born out of necessity due to the nascent brand’s limited resources. But this approach quickly became Nadal’s ethical cornerstone, becoming a pillar of his label. Now his custom creations use each and every millimeter of fabric to avoid waste and some of the most elaborate designs actually incorporate normally discarded scraps.

For Nadal’s newest Spring 2022 lookbook, patterned mini skirts, flower prints, flowy dresses and delicate lace take over. Inspired by the current happenings in his personal life with love, family and friendship, Nadal chose romantic colors and florals, giving everything a bit of an edge with 1970s inspired cuts.

Photography: Israel Mojica
Makeup: Zoe Glam
Model: Valerie Hernández
Location: Museo de Arte de Bayamón, Puerto Rico

A Garden Without Thorns

Designer Herman Nadal Talks Making Traditional Puerto Rican Culture Fashionable

This silky silhouette is Nadal’s take on a modern wedding dress, subtly mixing both masculine and feminine cuts that reflect his signature blurring of gendered fashion boundaries. Here, the flowy A-line skirt echoes the billowy romance of ruffled skirts worn by female bomba dancers, while the high-collared button-down top nods to menswear tailoring. The delicate rose print with muted yellow background also pays nostalgic homage to the designer’s upbringing, inspired by a pattern on one of his grandmother’s sofas.

Making Traditional Puerto Rican Culture Fashionable - Floral jacket and bucket hat set.

Utilizing the same floral fabric, Nadal also created an oversized trucker style jacket that presents a “twist on the typical denim vibe,” says Nadal. While the silhouettes feel more masculine, the ornate ruffled details allude to la blusa y falda, the traditional two-piece bomba costume. Pairing this jacket with other blue-patterned pieces isn’t typical, but for Nadal, mixing colors and patterns was a deliberate choice “to show how versatile the pieces can actually be.”

Making Traditional Puerto Rican Culture Fashionable - A floral crop and mini skirt set created out of leftover fabric.

Nadal polished off his rose fabric by creating an additional skirt and bucket hat from the scrap material. “I started buying the full roll of the print, so I have the idea of a skirt,” he explains. “But many other pieces can come from what’s left to work with.” The botanical print is underscored with a dainty ruffled crop top in a pink floral pattern.

Discarded Denim

Making Traditional Puerto Rican Culture Fashionable - A Jibaro inspired jumpsuit that is a play on the traditional worker's uniform.

Inspired by the countryside workers known throughout Puerto Rico as the jíbaro, Nadal created a more feminine take on the figure’s iconic denim-on-denim uniform. The balloon-sleeved top once again incorporates familiar bomba ruffle detailing. But Nadal keeps a simple structured shape in the pants to retain that practical jíbaro blue-collar style.

With excess material, Nadal styled a denim cropped top with a floral blazer set, symbolizing the contemporary phenomenon of both white-collar and blue-collar Puerto Ricans connecting to their cultural past by identifying as jíbaros. The set also highlights both masculinity and femininity and presents a way to combine both in fashion. Nadal constantly seeks to break stereotypes on what the public sees as gendered clothing, often taking inspiration from Puerto Rican rapper, Bad Bunny. “He’s breaking the rules with genderless fashion,” he notes. “People like him make it more normal for other people to see it as something possible that they can wear.”

Here Comes the Hotstepper: Rude Boy Style Making a Comeback

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Lyndon Nicholas

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March 28, 2022

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Island-Origins-Spring-2022-Rude-Boy-Style-Naala-Nesbeth — Photo courtesy of Shane Dennis of eSdefinitions

Sharp suits with cropped “flood” pants. Thin ties with Porkpie or Trilby hats. And Clarks boots, of course ― no exceptions. The enduring “rude boy” silhouette is instantly recognizable to any sharp sartorial eye. Remixing the sleek mid-century fits of American jazz musicians and gangster films, the style evolved into something distinctly Caribbean. Over the years, music legends like Derrick Morgan, Desmond Dekker, The Specials and even Bob Marley in his early days made the look iconic, spreading its influence across the globe.

3 Creatives Proving Rude Boy Style is Making a Comeback - Harris Elliott — Artist, Harris Elliott
Photo courtesy of Dean Chalkley

But the fashion figure represents much more than superficial fun. It has a deep-seated history in Caribbean culture. British artist and academic Harris Elliott dissected the rude boy’s cultural impact in his landmark 2014 exhibition “Return of the Rudeboy” with photographer Dean Chalkley. Displayed at the Somerset House in London, the exhibit featured Chalkley’s portraits of contemporary rudies in the city, alongside a chronicle of the style’s influences and evolution.

The show aimed to spread awareness about this “identity and culture without compromise,” says Harris Elliott. “The rude boy story was rarely shared in the same way that people would talk about punks, mods and skinheads. But it’s very clear that it influenced them. The truth of that story needs to be paramount. A cultural narrative is always integral or imperative to that.”

Here Comes the Hotstepper: Rude Boy Style Making a Comeback — *Return of the Rudeboy Series by Dean Chalkley x Harris Elliott*

The Birth of the Dapper

3 Creatives Proving Rude Boy Style is Making a Comeback - Sheldon Shepherd — Actor, Sheldon Shepherd
Photo courtesy of Wayne Lawrence

According to Elliott, the rude boy ethos fully blossomed as Jamaica gained independence in 1962. Its image marked a sociopolitical reckoning for Black youth facing poverty and high unemployment rates in the newly minted nation. For them, the style was anti-establishment, a fashionable resistance to the criminal labels society placed on them. The sleek tailoring clearly harkened back to respectable English suiting, accepted as the gentlemanly standard across the former British Empire.

But by twisting the proportions, and adding Caribbean flair in accessories and overall manner, the rude boy became a subversive persona with which Black youths could proclaim their self worth and value on their own terms. “There was a sense of self sufficiency outside of what the government and those with power deemed you can be in society,” says Elliott.

To this day, these harsh connotations associated with the rude boy endure as people may think of drugs and violence when they imagine him. Jamaican actor, musician, and dub poet Sheldon Shepherd thinks differently. Shepherd gained global recognition for his critically acclaimed role as gangster King Fox in the Idris Elba-directed film “Yardie,” based on the novel of the same name by Jamaican writer Victor Headley. Shepherd drew inspiration in part from the rude boy culture friends and family members displayed while he was growing up in Jamaica.

Sheldon Shepherd sees the rude boy persona as an escape from the real-life societal ills that people face, affecting more than any one individual reaches. “It originated among the downtrodden, among the people who were fielding for their identity, finding space in a world that they couldn’t really recognize and where they never really had a voice.” In Shepherd’s opinion, the rude boy is someone seeking power in a society where they feel powerless. “Power comes from going against the grain,” he says. “Being different, being outcasts of the system.”

He also argues that the rude boy’s rebellious heart has deep kinship with many of the cultural art forms that define Jamaica and the broader Caribbean. “Reggae music, dub poetry, dub music, dancehall, all express that rebelliousness,” says Shepherd. He, like others who are proponents of the culture, asserts that people often focus on the violent perception of the rude boy, instead of the systematic violence that created the conditions in which the archetype would thrive.

Revolutionary Tings

Shepherd, who is working on a dub poetry audiobook, sees a new generation of artists turning to rude boy style, reinterpreting its renegade legacy. We see this flame of rebelliousness in Grammy-nominated singer Koffee, who often opts for tailored suits and more gender neutral pieces at red carpet events, where many might expect her to wear a feminine dress. Her sleek outfits feel like a quiet dissent to the hyper-sexualization women artists often experience in the music industry. Inspired by rude boy style, Jamaican-British designer Bianca Saunders creates menswear that challenges the norms of gendered design, playing into the rude boy’s innate showmanship.

3 Creatives Proving Rude Boy Style is Making a Comeback - Naala Nesbeth — *Dancer, Naala Nesbeth*
*Photo courtesy of Leagh Heflin*

A certified dancer, teacher and gender-neutral fashionista, Naala Nesbeth is part of this new wave pushing the boundaries of the rudie aesthetic. She sees herself following in the footsteps of artists like Pauline Black of music duo The Selecter, one of the most prominent rude girls of the late 1970s and early 80s, who challenged gender expectations.

A driving force in Nesbeth’s work is reimagining gender binaries in fashion, and by extension, the broader society. “In the Caribbean context, there needs to be more effort to educate people of difference. That’s why you have people like me that are here to start that conversation around sexuality and gender neutrality,” says Naala Nesbeth.

In particular, she resists the idea that this gender-bending fashion just means the exclusive adoption of male traits and clothing. “I’m not here to be a man, I’m not trying to take on a character,” she explains. “Fashion is masculine and feminine. I’m able to put those two elements together to create a balance. Why does masculinity have to be dominant, powerful, and femininity soft and light? It’s the power in each of them that I’m trying to put out there. This is me, how I am.”

Jamaican culture and Caribbean culture in general are ever evolving. But where does that leave the rude boy? Although the answer may change like the seasons of fashion, to quote Derrick Morgan on his eponymously titled track ― whatever it is “Rudies don’t fear.”

Top Entertainers: Tips for Hosting the Best Outdoor Party

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Emma Radebaugh

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March 27, 2022

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Top Entertainers: Tips for Hosting the Best Outdoor Party

Everyone loves a great party, but usually, throwing the perfect bash is a lot easier said than done. This is understandable since a lot goes into hosting. You have to settle on a great party theme, plan a menu, and create the perfect party environment. With a couple of tips for hosting the best outdoor party, you’ll throw the event of the year!

Decide on a Theme

Before you get wrapped up in the excitement of sending out invitations, creating a menu, and decorating your yard, you’ll need to think up a theme for your party. This pulls all the other elements together and may include a dress code for your guests to follow. Take time to think up something fun and consider what you’re celebrating. Then, center your party around that.

Send Out Invitations

Once you have a theme, create a guest list and send out your invitations. You could incorporate your theme into this by adding a fun design to the invite. So if you want to throw a beach party, add a few palm trees or ocean colors for a fun design.

As you create your invites, you should also decide how you’ll send them. While some prefer mailing invitations, others do so via email. Provide contact information so that guests can RSVP before the party. That way, you know how many people to prepare for.

Dedicate a Space

No outdoor party is complete without a great space for everyone to enjoy. You may need to invest in some nice patio furniture or outdoor recreations, like games or a fire pit. If you buy an outdoor fireplace for your home, remember to note the criteria for purchasing a fire pit, such as size and style. In a coastal area, a metal fire pit on a brick or stone patio may look amazing.

Once you’ve decided on the perfect layout, it’s time to get a few decorations to spruce things up for the celebration. By investing in some new furniture, you’ll keep your yard fun for all those party-goers and have an oasis for yourself once everyone leaves!

Create a Menu

Think up various food and drink options that everyone will like; often, this means offering a variety of flavors rather than a select few. Also, remember to decide on appetizers, the main meal, dessert, and drinks.

On the other hand, you could make your party a potluck and ask everyone to bring a dish. By doing this, you ensure all your guests eat something they love while also sharing their culinary skills with friends and family! And as a bonus, this takes some of the preparation stress off your shoulders.

Have a Backup Plan

While being outside is a major part of this party, a vital tip for hosting the best outdoor party is creating a backup plan. After all, weather is unpredictable, and in some regions, storms roll in out of nowhere. Set aside a room in your house where guests can gather just in case you need it. The perfect host has a plan for everything to ensure their party goes smoothly.

Changing Lives While Celebrating Jamaican Excellence, AFJ Charity Gala Returns in April 2022

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March 25, 2022

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Caron Chung, Orville “Shaggy” Burrell, Wendy Hart (Photo by David I. Muir _ Island Syndicate) — AFJ Executive Director Caron Chung, Orville “Shaggy” Burrell and AFJ President Wendy Hart at the 2017 Jamaica Charity Gala in Miami. Photo: David I. Muir | Island Syndicate

New York, NY March 25, 2022 – The American Friends of Jamaica (AFJ) announced the 2022 Jamaica Charity Gala to be held in Miami, FL on Friday, April 29^th at the incredible Perez Art Museum (PAMM). This year’s Gala will celebrate awardees: Ambassador Glen Holden, Lifetime Achievement Award, Keith Duncan, CD International Achievement Award and Donna Duncan-Scott, International Humanitarian Award.

The Gala dinner, silent auction and entertainment makes for one of South Florida’s premier fundraising events to support initiatives in Jamaica. The Gala will feature an intriguing silent auction collection, three course cuisine, exquisite wines and other glimmering touches to create a night that our supporters won’t soon forget.

The Gala is a kick-off to the AFJ’s 40th year of service. Over the years, the AFJ has provided well needed support in education, healthcare, and economic development. Programs such as disaster relief “A Thousand Roofs of Love”, combating HIV/AIDS, the Jamaica School for the Blind, and Mustard Seed.

All proceeds from the 2022 Jamaica Charity Gala will bring vital funds to support programs that advance the mission of the AFJ for Jamaica.

“After 2 years of virtual events, we at the AFJ look forward to reemerging and reengaging with donors at the Jamaica Charity Gala in person. We will gather carefully and have a fun evening to support meaningful work in Jamaica” – Caron Chung, Executive Director

2022 Jamaica Charity Gala tickets are now available. Individual tickets or tables of ten can be purchased on the AFJ website or on the link below. To become a sponsor please contact [email protected] or 212-265-2550. Follow the AFJ on Instagram @afjcares and AFJ events @afjhappenings.

About the AFJ

The AFJ is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit built on the principles of service and philanthropy. For nearly 40 years, the organization has been rendering assistance in the areas of Education, Healthcare, and Economic Development. The AFJ Grant Cycle begins at the end of each year and grants are disbursed in April of the following year. For information on how to purchase tickets or become a sponsor to support our mission for Jamaica, email [email protected] or visit www.theafj.org.

Caribbean Museum and Professional Network Present a Women’s History Month Celebration on March 20

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March 15, 2022

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Plantation, FL (March 14, 2022) — Island SPACE Caribbean Museum in partnership with Caribbean Professional Network will present a free Women’s History Month Celebration, taking place at the museum located at 8000 West Broward Blvd #1422 in Broward County Mall on March 20th at 2:30pm. Among other activities, the event will feature educational and cultural performances by local artists, including Positivity Pays, a community-based organization that works with children and families in the areas of basic literacy, media literacy and financial literacy.

South Florida is home to many Caribbean nationals. It is also home to Island SPACE Caribbean Museum, the only museum in the world dedicated to showcasing the history and culture of the entire Caribbean and its multicultural people. Consider visiting this important institution. You’ll enjoy cultural enrichment, a repository of uniquely Caribbean artifacts and a space that celebrates our collective history.

Caribbean American Heritage Award-winner for Outstanding Entrepreneurship Dr. Solanges Vivens, will be the featured guest speaker. Dr. Vivens is the author of “Girls Can Move Mountains: Rewriting the Rules of Female Entrepreneurship.”

Caribbean Museum and Professional Network Present a Women’s History Month Celebration on March 20

The event will be moderated by Dr. Shelly Cameron, who is an HR Consultant and career coach, who helps busy professionals get out of their comfort zone, stop waiting and start doing what it takes to transition to next level career success. Dr. Cameron is the author of “Your Career: Ditch It. Switch It.: For those who are stressed and Frustrated and Want a Change.”

This event is free with your Eventbrite confirmation. Confirm your attendance at www.islandspacefl.org/womensmonth.

Island SPACE Caribbean Museum is open Thursdays through Saturdays from 11:00a.m. through 7:00p.m. and Sundays from 11:00a.m. to 6:00 p.m. General entry fees are $10 per adult and $5 per child. Donations, sponsorships, memberships and volunteer commitments are encouraged.

Island SPACE is supported in part by Florida Power & Light Company, Grace Foods, Florida Division of Arts and Culture, Broward Mall, the Broward County Cultural Division and the following Funds at the Community Foundation of Broward: Helen and Frank Stoykov Charitable Endowment Fund, David and Francie Horvitz Family Fund, Ann Adams Fund, Mary and Alex Mackenzie Community Impact Fund, Blockbuster Entertainment Unrestricted Fund, Robert E. Dooley Unrestricted Fund for Broward, Harold D. Franks Fund, and Jan Moran Unrestricted Fund.

Island Society for the Promotion of Artistic and Cultural Education (Island SPACE) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of arts, culture, history, and educational initiatives that represent the Caribbean region, in South Florida and the broader diaspora community.

The Importance of Aquaculture for Sustaining Reefs

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Emma Radebaugh

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February 25, 2022

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The Importance of Aquaculture for Sustaining Reefs

Aquaculture plays a critical role in our marine biome. It aims to restore wildlife and preserve endangered species. One of these species includes the coral reefs, which support 25 percent of marine life in our oceans. These organisms, which vary in shape, size, and color, require specific conditions to thrive. Understanding the importance of aquaculture for sustaining reefs is an important step in preserving this species.

The Importance of Coral Reefs

The diversity and beauty of coral reefs certainly are attractions to people living near bodies of water. However, they provide much more than just visual beauty. These aquatic structures protect shorelines from storms, floods, and erosion. Without these natural barriers, coastal communities would greatly feel the effects of the natural elements. Biodiversity is another large component that’s still being discovered to this day. Researchers have derived drugs from coral reefs to combat arthritis, cancers, infections, and other diseases.

Unfortunately, due to climate change, coral reefs have suffered; therefore, marine habitats have also suffered. Coral is a crucial source of protection and food for fish. Without coral, there could be a biome change or even biome destruction at large.

The Importance of Coral Aquaculture

The process of conserving coral reefs through aquaculture involves carefully extracting small pieces of coral from a larger coral reef. This method usually takes more time as opposed to simply cutting the coral, but it’s much safer for preserving the coral. Methods vary, but after extraction, these pieces of coral are pruned and placed on an artificial base before being placed in a controlled, aquatic environment. Although some coral gardeners use tubs, many use tanks for a better view of their coral’s environment over time.

Aquaculture allows coral to seed and reproduce so that more colonies may populate. The more they populate, the more that’s contributed to an important specifies at risk. Every populating colony is a push to increase biodiversity research, protection and food for fish, and protection for coastal communities.

The Importance of a Controlled Environment

Minerals within the water as well as water movement are just a few variables that are controlled in order to produce more reef colonies. If these conditions are not maintained well, algae and sponge growth may accumulate. It’s important to check on your coral regularly for this reason. If you’re looking to take part in coral aquaculture but don’t know where to start, check out the basics of saltwater aquamarine maintenance first. After you establish a basic understanding of aquamarine maintenance, the door is open to further education, discovery, and wildlife preservation.

Although climate change and human conditions have taken a toll on our coral reefs, we have an opportunity to preserve and care for them. From biodiversity and marine habitats to natural barriers for coastal communities, coral is worth caring for. The importance of aquaculture for sustaining reefs is immense.

Jamaican Bobsled is BACK at the Winter Olympics 2022

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February 25, 2022

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For the first time since 1998, Jamaica’s 4-man bobsled team competes at the Winter Olympics 2022. Watch the team represent Jamaica and the Caribbean as a whole at the link below!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBHCvYKY13U

Meet Jamaica’s 76 Year Old Champion Sprinter

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February 25, 2022

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“You are a Jamaican. You were born to sprint.”

After hearing this from a friend, Rose Green took this advice and ran with it, literally. She is the American record holder for the 16 meter sprint and is one of the best athletes in the world in her age group… she’s also a great grandmother. Learn more about the 76 year old champion sprinter making history below!

Activities for Kids To Do While Visiting a Tropical Location

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Emma Radebaugh

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February 14, 2022

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Activities for Kids To Do While Visiting a Tropical Location

It’s not every day that your family will get to visit a tropical location, so if you’ve chosen one for your next vacation, you’ll want to plan ahead, especially for your kids. It can be easy to spend an entire trip tapping away on tablets and cell phones, but if you go with a list of activities for kids to do while visiting a tropical location, you can turn your vacation into a memorable experience for them.

Walk or Ride Around for a Bit

It’s always good to start by looking around to see what kind of local places there are once you get there. While driving around in your car is better for covering more ground, you might miss a lot of stuff, which is why you should either walk or ride around the area you’ll be staying in.

Whether you decide to walk or ride some bikes, you’ll want to make sure your kids will be able to keep up without getting tired. That’s why you should consider getting them a ride-on vehicle for this trip. The best type of ride-on vehicle depends on their age, so be sure to consider all options before buying.

Have Some Fun on the Beach

After finding some local stores and parks to visit later, you should get out on the beach and enjoy the sunlight and cool breezes. Your kids will love playing in the sand and looking for seashells along the shore. If you want to enhance both of those experiences, you should bring toys to help them build sandcastles and containers to put their shells and shiny rocks into.

Outside of that, there are plenty of beachside games, like volleyball or flying a kite, that are the most fun in these types of locations. Don’t be afraid to get creative and make up a game or two yourself as well.

Go Out on a Boat

Probably the best way to explore the vastness of the ocean with your children is to rent a boat and ride around in that for a while. Most young kids will simply have a blast riding around at top speed, but if they’re old enough, you should convince them to try tubing or maybe even kneeboarding. If they’re a little scared, reassure them that you won’t go too fast. Once they get out there and get used to it, we’re sure they’ll start yelling at you to speed up a bit.

Swim in the Ocean

Whether you go out on a boat or stick to the beach, it’s not truly a tropical trip until you all go swimming in the ocean together. Since this is a list of activities for kids to do while visiting a tropical location, we’ve got a few suggestions for you to go along with swimming.

Our personal favorite is snorkeling. It gives kids a reason to swim around and explore. The ocean can be slightly dull on the surface, but there is a whole world for them to check out once they look below. If you’re close to the shore, a simple game of catch or trying to jump over the crashing waves is also a great time.