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Hey Reader

This wasn’t the newsletter I planned to send today. But plans shift when storms come.

As I write this, Hurricane Melissa is moving toward Jamaica. If you’re reading this and have family or friends on the island, this isn’t a “thoughts and prayers” kind of moment. It’s the kind of moment where we hope they've prepared the best they can and we hold space for the anxiety that comes with waiting and watching.

While I was texting with a friend they noted that I hadn’t mentioned the storm and noted that few people online were talking about it. They wondered aloud if that's because many no longer have close family on the island. I suggested that it could also be because there's nothing we can do to stop a hurricane barreling towards "the land we love", and sometimes silence is how we cope. Offline though, we are talking. We’re texting. We’re checking in. Because even when the internet is quiet, the diaspora hums with care.

But I also think it’s because not everything needs to happen online. We live in a world that moves in real time on the internet, but moments like these remind me that some of the most important things happen off-screen, checking in on family, making calls, sending money, saying a quiet prayer. Not everything has to be performed; sometimes the real care is happening where no one’s posting it.

Still, I can’t shake the bigger thought - we need stronger systems of preparedness and recovery, not just individual action. Jamaica, and the wider Caribbean, need consistent disaster planning and collective response that go beyond “brace for impact.”

Back in January, I recorded an episode with Anthea McLaughlin where we talked about hurricane preparedness and what happens after a storm, physically, emotionally, and economically.

This isn't about blame, rather it's a reminder that we can plan better together. We can support recovery through trusted organizations. We can invest in resilience funds before the next storm hits. And we can keep our focus not just on the weather but on the people living through it.

To my fellow Jamaicans, I hope your loved ones are safe. I hope you and your family have done what can be done to prepare. And I hope that in the days after this storm passes, the recovery effort is quick and that we do what we always do: build back better.

Until next time...

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