Hey Reader

I don’t have words for what I feel watching from afar as Hurricane Melissa devastates Jamaica. As someone living in the diaspora, it’s a strange kind of grief - being safe yet deeply shaken. My mind keeps going back and forth between prayer and action, between helplessness and hope.

Montego Bay is my hometown. Seeing the devastation across the parishes in western Jamaica's Cornwall County feels personal, almost physical. And while I wasn’t there to feel the winds or experience the floods, the emotional storm reached me just the same.

I’ve learned that grief in the diaspora is layered - it’s both distance and devotion. And even though we’re far away, we still feel it deeply because we never stopped belonging.

Help Carry On Friends Tell the Story of What Jamaican American are Experiencing in This Moment

As I prepare for the next Carry On Friends episode, I’m creating space for our diaspora voices. I'm gathering short voice notes for a reflection on what it feels like to watch from afar when home is hurting.

Share Your Voice

If you're open to it, please reply to this email and I'll send you the prompts. Please note that I need your recording by Nov. 5th in order to get the episode ready for release on Nov. 11th

Disaster Relief Is Year-Round

Earlier this year, I released two podcast episodes that explored why disaster relief for the Caribbean can’t just be seasonal or reactive. In light of what’s happening, I invite you to listen (or re-listen) and share the episode with Anthea McLaughlin as my guest. You can also check out the solo episode that inspired it "Rethinking Disaster Relief".

Due Diligence

As you know, there are many donation links circulating right now. The Government of Jamaica has shared an official donation site, and there are also other organizations accepting contributions. I will not be re-sharing any of those links here, but I strongly encourage you to do your due diligence before donating.

Please make sure that your financial safety is protected, especially during this time when scams and misinformation are unfortunately common. I also recognize that the volume of information can feel overwhelming, and I don’t want to add to that here.

If you have questions or want guidance on identifying legitimate resources, I’ll do my best to help. What matters most is that we remain thoughtful, safe, and united as we support relief and recovery efforts for Jamaica.

Until next time...

Walk good,
Kerry-Ann
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Carry On Friends + Breadfruit Media