When we say “history is a given,” we imply it has been accounted for that it is settled - but history is not background music. It is not neutral; it’s not even equally inherited. For some, it might feel like context but for others, particularly those on the margins, it is the foundation shaping every interaction they have with the state.

The international order that governs health keeps developing nations locked in cycles of dependency—borrowing, waiting, and hoping for support that is often tied to the politics of the moment. This cycle must end.

Luigi Mangione and Ivanhoe Martin, though separated by time, geography and context, embody the archetype of the anti-hero in strikingly similar ways. As such, Mangione’s modern rebellion and Ivanhoe’s outlawry in The Harder They Come, both navigates the grey area between heroism and villainy almost identically. 

Still, while women musicians are more than deserving of the honours, others behind the scenes who have propelled the genre deserve their own light. One of these groups are designers and stylists who have defined the aesthetics of what has become a recognizable dancehall culture.

Having Dengue was one of the worst experiences I’ve ever had, with the first three days being the most painful. I truly believed I was dying, a feeling which was reinforced by the news reports that had played during the start of the outbreak.

So when I woke up on this particular day in October, Palestine did not seem so far away because I know that. My community and I, we felt that and continue to feel that. Palestine to me is not a world away.

These dating conversations never included or made mention of queer people, or the fact that most of us have tended to meet our partners, friends and side-pieces on social media even before the lockdowns, because this was oftentimes the only place we were able to express our full identities.

It is no secret that U.S. influence globally has been declining. Even before Donald Trump’s presidency, the U.S. saw sharp declines in its share of the world income and influence. With China’s rise in the periphery, the U.S. is confronted by the possibility of the Thucydides Trap

The history of the Caribbean and the African continent is one that dates back to the slave trade. Persons were taken from Africa and brought to the Caribbean where they were sold and enslaved.

If COVID-19 was the stress test on healthcare, education, the private sector, government competency etc., then Jamaica has failed. If any Jamaican is honest with themselves they can't say this was unexpected.

I was born in Jamaica to a Jamaican father and Trinidadian mother and have practised Islam all my 21 years of life and I would not have it any other way.

Since the 2020 storm season started, the Caribbean region has seen (perhaps) unprecedented downpours disrupt the daily lives of many communities and citizens.

I’ve been menstruating since I was 11. This past January, I turned 22. In the 11 years between, my menstrual cycle has never been regular and I have honed in on the art of getting blood stains out of various fabrics.

A lot can happen in nine months; life can be formed, lost, altered beyond recognition. In December 2019, the world came to know about COVID-19.

As people who want ‘good’ for Jamaica, one of the realities that we all have to accept is that there is no objective “good” or anything that everyone will support and agree on