Joining us today is Aprille Thomas, Director of Public Relations and Communications at Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. She’s here to give us information about this year's edition of the Barbados Food and Rum Festival, which will be held from Thursday October 19th to Sunday the 22nd. Each day is filled hour to hour with a whole host of exquisite cuisine and beverage blends and other activities, including a surprise musical performance by an international artist.

This week Caribbean Today is hosting the hilariously talented comedian, actor and Caribbean social media sensation, Dale Elliott Jr. Dale’s new stand-up comedy tour "Bad Pickney: Problem Child" brings him to South Florida this month. He will be taking the stage at the Coral Springs Performing Arts Center in Broward County on September 16th.

Joining us today is the heavyweight boxing champion, Donovan “Razor” Ruddock. This Jamaican-born, two-time Canadian heavyweight champion is set to challenge James “Lights Out” Toney on November 11, 2023 at Sabina Park in Kingston, Jamaica. The epic boxing event, titled Rumble in the Sun, will be broadcast live worldwide on pay-per-view.

Today we have the pleasure of speaking with the incredibly talented Demola the Violonist. Demola’s music brings to life a wide array of musical genres, including afro-beats, reggae, hip hop, and R&B. He is a self-taught musician, with his main instrument being the violin.Demola’s musical journey began in Lagos, Nigeria. In 2013, he migrated to the United States to continue making music and has been captivating audiences since. He has taken the time in between his One-In A Million Tour schedule to talk to us about how he got started, his current projects, and his musical

Meet Dr. Stephanie Fletcher-Lartey, PhD. Born in Bamboo in the garden parish of St. Ann, a product of St. Hilda’s High School in Browns Town, a graduate of the West Indies School of Public Health who went on to become a successful Public Health Inspector in Jamaica. Today Dr. Fletcher-Lartey is an epidemiologist and has been in Sydney Australia since 2009. And, as the founding member of the Jamaican Association of Australia she flies the flag high.

The Caribbean Today team is excited to speak with distinguished sculptor Basil Watson. His incredible talent has gained international recognition and the attention of art enthusiasts around the world. His pieces include the MLK statue in Atlanta and the Windrush Monument in London. Most recently, Mr. Watson was commissioned to create the Usain Bolt statue which will be unveiled at the Miramar Ansin Sports Complex on Saturday July 15th.

Can you imagine what it feels like looking down at the earth from space? Astronaut 006, Christopher Huie, can certainly tell you. His recent voyage into space as part of the Unity 25 mission aboard @VirginGalactic VSS Unity on May 25, 2023 was indeed the journey of a lifetime. The son of Jamaican immigrants, Huie proudly, and literally, wore his Jamaican heritage on his sleeve as he and fellow astronauts took off for his first flight into space. American-born and bred, he takes his Jamaican-ness seriously. In fact, he credits his Jamaican upbringing for his work ethics and outlook on life.

Attorney Opal Lee is the owner and founder of FloJam Legal. Ms. Lee is a well-regarded legal expert who specializes in immigration law and provides legal and consultation services in Florida and Jamaica. Our conversation today centers on Florida’s new immigration law, Senate Bill 1718, which is set to take effect on July 1st. The highly controversial law will affect thousands of people and small businesses and has already created a workforce shortage. In this interview, Ms. Lee will outline and simplify for our viewers how these new laws may impact the Caribbean diaspora and as well as immigrants from other nationalities.

Rhonda Veerasawmy-LeBlanc is the co-founder and president of Rhonda Eyes Alliance Inc., a 501(C)(3) non-profit organization. A few years after receiving her degree in Opticianry, Rhonda started her own eyecare business, which she later sold, and in 2007 she and her husband founded the Rhonda Eyes Alliance, Inc., an organization dedicated to providing comprehensive eyecare services for the less fortunate in Haiti. It now has outreach in several islands of the Caribbean.

Colin Smith is the founder and director of The Tallawah Mento Band, and past president of the Louise Bennett Coverley Heritage Council. He hails from St. Elizabeth, Jamaica, and has been a longtime resident of South Florida where he started the Tallawah Mento Band in 2003. Last year on Heroes’ Day, he was awarded the National Badge of Honor for Meritorious Service for the Preservation of Jamaican Folk Culture and Indigenous Music by the Jamaican Government. This is one of many other awards and recognitions that he and the Tallawah Mento Band have received throughout their 20 years of entertainment to our community.