the chattabox

Caribbean engineers EXIST! Growing up in the region, it can be difficult to find those that pursue a degree in engineering, but this episode of the chattabox features Jamaican mechanical engineer, Melissa Douglas (@melannadoug), one of the incredible talents working to create premium devices at Surface. In this episode, Melissa shares what it was like growing up in JA, her journey discovering engineering, and pursuing a ME degree at Howard University. Moving to the US from the Caribbean can be difficult as not only are you leaving your home but adjusting to being viewed and treated as a minority is .... a unique experience, and we share the similarities and differences of moving to D.C. vs. Michigan. As Caribbean engineers at Surface, we discuss the recruitment process and what ultimately attracted us to big tech. Building premium devices takes a lot of cross-platform collaboration across a diversity of fields; Melissa shares her work in enclosures and how that translates for customers. Diversity truly makes us better. As a child, I never thought I would meet another Caribbean engineer. Getting to work alongside Melissa and see how we can influence the next generation of devices to empower the world of creatives, there's nothing like it.  

Time stops for no one, but if you are smart, you take a few moments to capture it. The ability to freeze time and tell the story of our experience is an art form that documents reality. Photographers and filmmakers make us feel so much with visual media. This episode of the chattabox highlights the work of Cameron Hyman (@itscameronhyman), a local photographer and videographer in St. Maarten sharing the stories of Caribbean identity and creating artifacts so critical to developing the local culture and narrative of what it means to live on the island.  Cameron shares how he fell into photography and the lens from which he creates. We chat about his obsession with perfection, building a film crew on the island, and the importance of telling our own stories. Capturing film is one thing, but the art of editing can be a daunting task for many; Cameron highlights tools he uses in his process and tricks to get the most out of your shots. With the release of his latest photobook, Moonlight, Cameron reveals how he arrived at the concept and built this portfolio featuring the diversity of the Caribbean experience.   As technology processes, so does the world of film and photography, how will we deal with data integrity over time and art ownership with the growth of digital assets? Cameron shares his thoughts.

Becoming an engineer isn't for the faint at heart, but for today's guest, Mike Breedlove (@_breedlove_63), representing minorities in the field has been a big motivator in pursuing a degree in Industrial and Operations Engineering at the University of Michigan. Currently an operations engineer for Danaher, Mike shares his journey towards becoming an engineer and how his view of engineering changed from high school to college and now in the industry. Mike shares his perspective on making the most out of life, discovering his purpose, and the role of community in developing ourselves. We explore the multi-dimensional nature of growth and finding happiness in the moment. How can we break out of the chase of the rat race and find true contentment? Join us to find out.

What does it take to truly build a great nation? Active MP Ludmila Duncan (@ludmiladuncan) shares her perspective on how community development, education, and the environment are key issues that need to be addressed locally if we are truly serious about nation-building.  In this episode of the chattabox, we explore what it was like growing up in Sint Maarten during the 90s, the power of being a child of the neighborhood, and the development of Sint Maarten's political structure. Ludmila shares how citizens can get involved in the political agenda, the role of government to create equity locally, and the role we each play in developing our communities. What does it take to empower a nation? Could technology be a solution to reduce the resource constraints of island nations? Press play to find out.

What does it mean to live in balance with nature and how should humans view their role as stewards of the environment? When it comes to resource management and our role in climate change, it can be difficult to find a path where everyone agrees. Nature conservation, waste management, and resource habilitation are all different methods to help maintain the balance of our ecosystems, but how do we measure the success of our environmental theories when change is a natural and dynamic part of the global ecosystem? This episode of the chattabox features environmental activist and animal lover, Alice Manley (@allliicccee) who is currently out exploring the natural spaces throughout Southeast Asia. Having pursued a degree in animal behavior in Cambridge, England, Alice shares how her family's love of the environment influenced her passions, her journey moving away during the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, and the struggles validating her Caribbean identity abroad.  As islanders, our isolated ecosystems are often under threat of invasive species, overfishing, global pollution, and global warming. Alice shares her work managing the invasive monkey population in St. Maarten while at the Nature Foundation, and the importance of humane and ethical treatment of animals. 

We all know that feeling of being on a well-led team; you feel unstoppable and work becomes play. We all also know what it is like being on a team where people don't care, where your leaders are unoriginal, and the vibe is just off. What makes a great leader? How do you cultivate a team when people each have individual motives and intentions? In this fireside chat, Will Neumeyer (@elaborately_living) shares his views on leadership, the importance of creating spaces of trust, the value of vulnerability, and how leaders help people find their power. Often work can become a fast-paced environment and cultivating human connection can be overlooked in the grand scheme of meeting business needs. Will shares how he has used hiking to foster team building as well as share his connection to the outdoors. Our energies speak volumes, and leaders are tasked with using their platforms to uplift others. Recognizing we each hold the key to creating the lives we want, a great leader helps you get out of your own way, but only if you can give yourself permission.

Pivoting from dental school at Howard to becoming a serial entrepreneur in Sint Maarten, Akilah Meulens (@akilahmeu) shares how growing up in a house of strong Caribbean women influenced her identity and outlook on life. The creator of the self-care brand Amibody, Akilah shares the story behind the brand and how she leveraged Youtube to self-educate. In this episode of the chattabox, we navigate Akilah's creative process to entrepreneurship, how she is helping create spaces for Caribbean voices in digital marketing, the limitations of being an entrepreneur in the Caribbean, and her perspective on measuring success on social media. How does Sint Maarten's lack of data impact the growth of its economy? Should locals own the majority of their nation's land? What is the best gym on the island? So many great questions, just click play.

There are some people in life that are just a pure blessing to be around. Alanda Solomon (@landxpanda) is one of those people for me. Words are not a sufficient means of communication to explain to you why Alanda is just amazing. I think when they were looking for the definition of personality, she is the Mona Lisa. The Gen Z delegation has nominated Alanda as our spokesperson and in this episode of the chattabox, you get the rare opportunity to hear the acoustic gold of this tropical panda. Word stuff and things, accents and pop culture references, Internet trolls, conscious computers, smelly Dutch people, D&I and greenwashing, racism, American fertility, and old men with power complexes... just some keywords for the algorithm. 

To be obsessed with learning it all to empower oneself to create. It may be a long road, one with more obstacles, but the result is a unique creative vision that vibrates across many dimensions and speaks to our spirit in ways words can't alone. Meeting individuals on this path, people destined to be creators ... it is like meeting yourself in another experience. Otmar Martina (@otmarxmartina) is one of these spirits with a passion for creative direction. In this episode of the chattabox, Otmar shares his journey from capoeira to dance, the influence of Sint Maarten during the dot com era on his aesthetic, and navigating his identity as a black male Caribbean dancer. As one of the products of Sint Maarten's Art Saves Lives program, Otmar shares the impact ASL and the island's dance community's support had on developing his career in the field. From his first professional shoot with VS model Doutzen Kroes to designing and dancing for PRIDE NL, Otmar spills the tea on how networking helped him land key auditions, his need for mind-body care as a creative, and handling rejection as an artist. 

How many of us are really willing to sacrifice to build the life we want? Ready to give up what's comfortable and safe for the chance to live a life on your own schedule? Chris Lee (@_chef_chris_) is one of those crazy individuals willing to say f**k it and go after it. In this episode of the chattabox, Chris shares what life was like growing up in New Jersey and the reality of studying engineering at Michigan. During the pandemic, Chris left his career at Accenture to take a chance at attaining financial freedom through the pursuit of buying businesses. Chris's philosophy is in anything you do, just get started. This has led him on adventures exploring the world. Now an avid yogi living in Brooklyn, Chris shares how you can ball on a budget and make the most out of every situation.