I am an American musician and recording artist who has been deeply involved with Reggae, Rastafari and Jamaican culture since the early 80s. I hosted a reggae radio program "The roots go deep" on wyso fm in Yellow Springs, OH from 1984 - 1989, I have been performing and recording reggae music with my own band and with many other artists/bands since 1982, when I recorded my first reggae song and began covering Jamaican artists in my live shows. I have had the honor of working with many Jamaican musicians and singers over the years and I have toured extensively across the usa, including four years headlining the Houston, Texas-based Bob Marley Festival Tour.. I have performed for 31 years at The Dayton Reggae Festival in my home town of Dayton, OH. The festival annually attracts 5000 - 10,000 people. I have also acted as the festival's talent buyer (3 years), MC (2 years) and unofficial promoter of the event. As a recording artists I have released over a dozen reggae albums and won three American Marijuana Music Awards (in 2008, 2009). For a couple of years, I was a music writer for a local weekly "Impact weekly" where I wrote cd reviews and interviewed local and national artists..

I believe I'm uniquely positioned to provide valuable input to this panel due to the fact that I spent 18 years in Jamaica as a broadcast journalist covering entertainment, music, arts, and culture. I was born here in the US of Jamaican parents and several years after I graduated from the University of Florida, establishing myself as a broadcaster, I moved to Jamaica. I have lived the Jamaican culture full heartedly in both countries and now that I'm back in the US, I'm still deeply connected to the entertainment industry, it's practitioners, and the island itself. I currently DJ on the Caribbean internet radio station DaFlavaradio.com mixing reggae, lovers rock, RnB and afrobeats.

Jamaica is in my DNA is the one thing that had the most profound impact on my life, world view, career path, and mindset. Born in Jamaica in the 1970s -- I have deep routed joyous memories of our family home in Kingston, my years at Vas Prep Academy, and vibrancy of community culture and faith. Given my dad's work as a lawyer in Jamaica and my mom times at Jamaica Public Works -- i grew up learning about culture, history, politics, and leadership Juxtaposed with these enriching experiences -- was the migration experience of my family... to pursue the "American Dream". This dream was nearly deferred as doors to opportunity were closed several times for my family. This struggle building connection to culture, heritage, and family in a new country required resilience, strength, and determination. In many ways, we had create a homeland context in a new world that was America -- while holding fast to our Jamaican ideals, beliefs, and our history. I appreciate the nuance and the complexity of Jamaica and love her for what she has always been and how she continues to evolve. Being Jamaican and some parts America -- it not really that unique as the are many of us that moved to US. The value proposition that I bring to this dialogue in formulated by my life experience as well as my background in health, education, and community impact. Culture is the air that make everything else possible. From my experience working with children, youth, and families to my efforts to curate enriching culture experience in my community -- I bring a refresh voice connecting Jamaican idealism to modern challenge and opportunities in education, health, community impact, and social justice.

I think I am an expert of Jamaica culture because I am doing a PhD on rastafarianism. Part of my literature review concern Jamaica history, culture's, religions, and society since the 16th century until today, when we can testifying the creation of the rasfarianism. My Phd research focus in particular on diasporic (London) and transnational (Rome) Rastafari. Further more i am an appassionate of 'dancehall' music. As anthropologist I am very interested about the songs contents in the light that they are the 'voice of the ghetto'. Furthermore, I have been to Jamaica four time in the last 10 years. During my journey I have visited special cultural places such as Accompong and Marron town. I have been around mostly all the island and talking to people I discover many subcultures , traditions and beliefs such as can be the nine night celebration. Thanks my journeys and the daiy listening of Jamaican music I can say that I understand Patua quite well. I love Jamaican food and products. Thank you for invited me to partecipate to such interesting topic , the only problem is that I live in the UK.

I am a forensic social worker who has been working with Jamaicans and.other Caribbean nationals who have been caught up in the criminal justice system. To that end I started a a non profit to assist Jamaicans who have been forced to return home. My work with DC sniper Lee Boyd Malvo gives me a unique perspective on the impact that immigration has on our youngsters. Coauthored a handbook for Jamaicans migrating to the US and in the process of expanding it to serve other CARICOM nations