Reprinted from the KC Times

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A festival song competition for Jamaicans in the Diaspora was launched on December 18, 2020 by Atlanta KC Old Boy Garfield (Gary) McCook.

It employs a five Judge Panel, and it will be a virtual affair. The competition’s motto is, “Loving You From Afar.”

The competition’s theme song, GIMME JAMAICA has been released on all platforms.

McCook feels that the Jamaican Diaspora has a wealth of talent to share and this competition will help to expose that talent.

The Premiere Event will be on July 31st 2021.

Thirty-four years ago, McCook left Jamaica to seek opportunities in the USA. His experience and development since has been a great one. He got married, completed a degree, and now has a beautiful family.

He is a Real Estate Broker/Owner of Georgia Dream Homes/New York Dream Homes Realty, licensed in Georgia and New York. He and his wife own a Personal Care Home, which they view as a way of giving back to their community.

McCook was moved by Jamaica’s success in Rio to release his first song, “Rio was good to me” in 2017. This Song was a tribute to Usain Bolt on his accomplishment at the Rio Olympics.

He traveled to China to record his second song, “A Lang Time Missa Chin A Run Tings” was released in 2018. The motivation for this song, was on a visit to Jamaica travelling on the North South Highway built by the Chinese. As a young man growing up in Jamaica, He remembered the Chinese being a major factor the island’s commerce and now they were again dominating our transportation sector.

His third song, “CELLELLA” was released in 2019. Cell phones have consumed our lives, we cannot live without them, and the song accentuates this fact.

The fourth song, ”Gimme Jamaica”, released in 2020 is the theme song for the JIIFSC.

You may contact McCook by phone at 678-778-6335 or by mail, JIIFSC@GMAIL.COM.

Visit him on Facebook, Jamaica International Independence Festival Song Competition, and IG, JIIFSC.

The following link will provide more information.

Ray Lee, the former owner of the Starapple Grill in Atlanta, has embarked on a new venture in Jamaica with the formation of his new company ARYVVE Technologies LLC.

This is Jamaica’s first and only true rideshare company.

ARYVVE has developed a Transfer Facilitator platform which streamlines car and bus transfers across the island of Jamaica. Clients and residents will be able to move around the island in comfort and confidence by using certified and licensed operators.

Ray previously worked for Sandals Resorts as a business development manager. Prior to that he worked in hotel management and restaurant management. He was the owner of the Starapple Grill in Atlanta in the early 2000’s.

Customers can access this service by simply downloading the Arryvve app on their smart phones or going to the company’s website Aryvve.com.

We regret to announce the passing of former Atlantan, Everton Barrett. He was president of the Atlanta chapter of the Kingston College Old Boys Association for several years.

Loved and admired by many, he will be sorely missed.

Mabrouk, as he was affectionately known, had recently published his memoir https://jamlanta.org/…/former-atlantan-everton-mabrouk…/

Patricia Thompson-Reid

Atlanta Jamaican Patricia Thompson-Reid recently wrote an article about voting in the time of covid-19 for the Atlanta Journal.  You can check it out at the link below:

https://www.ajc.com/opinion/opinion-voting-in-the-time-of-covid-19/H5VAKIOAVVC6DBNWPYXC7FQHYM/

Dr. Karen Russell-Randall

Atlanta Jamaican Dr. Karen Russell-Randall is a Morehouse School of Medicine 2020 Faculty Gala Honoree.  Her award is for outstanding pharmacology Faculty member.

The faculty Gala gives students the opportunity to celebrate faculty members who have profoundly influenced their education.

Dr. Russell-Randall is a former co-president of the Atlanta chapter of the St. Hughs High School Alumnae Association.

Dr. Megon Saunders

We are excited to acknowledge that the National DPP has received the prestigious Hubert H. Humphrey Award for Service to America. This award recognizes employees for their contributions to the health, safety, and well-being of the nation. Congratulations to the National DPP team for all their hard work to prevent type 2 diabetes and improve the health of all Americans. The HHS Departmental Awards program recognizes individuals and groups throughout all levels of the Department whose leadership, exceptional job performance and customer service exceeded expectations.  These are the highest awards issued by the Department.

As a part of the National DPP team, Jamaican, Dr. Magon Saunders provides technical assistance, fiscal, and management support to state public health department grantees, national organizations such as the American College of Preventive Medicine, the American Medical Association, and community-based organizations such as the Balm in Gilead, and Black Women’s Health Imperative.

Dr. Saunders’ work focuses on screening, testing, and referral services, bi-directional referral systems, engagement of community health workers, health equity, the social determinants of health and disease, and working with faith-based organizations. Dr. Saunders also serves as a subject matter expert to the National DPP Customer Service Center and responds to consumers and health care providers’ requests related to these topic areas.

Because of COVID-19, the 2019 Hubert H. Humphrey Awardees were recognized on May 6, 2020, in a virtual ceremony. Join us in congratulating Dr. Magon Saunders and other members of the National DPP team on this achievement.

Everton Barrett

Noted KC old boy and former Atlanta chapter President, Everton “Mabrouk” Barrett,  has published his long awaited memoir which documents his life experiences in the USA.

Mabrouk migrated to the USA in December 1971 and attended Brooklyn College and the University of New Haven, CT. He has had impressive successes as both a consulting technical software engineer and technical manager for a number of Fortune 500 corporations. Most notably he was a senior technical manager for IBM, Chrysler and Blue Cross of Georgia.

His last consulting contract before retirement was with the Center for Disease Control (CDC) which he jokingly describes as the Petri dish of viruses; his last big fight was the Ebola virus. As a software engineer his job was to make the various CDC systems available to staff worldwide, ensure software solutions were created and deployed for epidemiologists and scientists in hot spots globally so they could effectively fight the latest virus or epidemic.

Mabrouk attended Kingston College from September 1966 to June 1971 where he had fond memories of performing unsanctioned chemistry experiments in the rear of the chemistry lab which resulted in him going home many evenings with acid holes burnt in his khakis. His mother was a little disturbed by this and made inquiries to the Deputy Headmaster and a later incident resulted in him being labeled a ‘mad scientist’ and subsequently banned from the chemistry lab.

Mabrouk’s challenging experiences after coming to the US at age 17 provides a virtual road map for youngsters who may immigrate to the United states and find themselves in turmoil as to the choices to make and roads to take in navigating a successful journey. While he does not advocate that all young men choose his route, he believes he can help to illuminate the American quagmire and how not to fall in the potholes. He wishes you happy reading and hope s it does something for the soul.

Order copies at:  https://everbarrett.com/

Jewel Scott has won election to the Superior Court Judge seat to which Kathryn “Katie” Powers was appointed.

The former Clayton County District Attorney took 60%  of the vote in the election held on June 9th, 2020.

Jewel also served as Jamaica’s honorary consul to Atlanta and was a partner at the Scott & Turner Law Group, LLC.

Scott was born in Manchester, Jamaica, and got her Bachelor of Laws from the University of the West Indies in Barbados. She earned her J.D. at Mercer University’s Walter F. George School of Law and joined the State Bar of Georgia in 2001.

Phoebe Douse  is written and illustrated by L. Samuels.

Phoebe Douse is  the story of a young teen, born to Jamaican parents – and raised in Texas with the help of her maternal grandmother – Naan who is very close to Phoebe.

read a review by the Gleaner at link below:

http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/art-leisure/20200308/journey-vivid-imagination

Dr. Glen Laman will receive Brenau University’s Community Service Award on April 25, 2020 during the university’s Alumnae Reunion Weekend.

This prestigious award is being given in recognition of his exceptional professional path, service to Brenau, and passion for his community which make him an extraordinary embodiment of the Brenau ideal.

Brenau University is a private university located in Gainesville, Georgia. Founded in 1878, the university enrolls more than 3,500 students from approximately 48 states and 17 foreign countries who seek degrees ranging from two-year associate through doctorates

Laman received his MBA in management from Brenau in 1990.   Over 20 years later he would go on to earn his doctorate in Business Administration from the University of Management and Technology where is currently a faculty member.

Laman is a founding board member and former president of the Jamaican Chamber of Commerce of Atlanta. He was also president of the Kingston College Old Boy’s Association Atlanta chapter and editor of its KCtimes.org newsletter.  He is the author of the highly acclaimed book, Jamaican Entrepreneurship.