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n 1982, at just 19 years old, Dr. Donna Barrett left Jamaica in search of greater opportunities. What followed was not an overnight success story, but decades of perseverance, faith, education, entrepreneurship, and an unwavering belief that a better future was possible.

In this episode Dr. Donna shares her remarkable journey from rural Jamaica to becoming a real estate entrepreneur, author, nonprofit founder, and educator. Along the way, she reflects on navigating immigration, overcoming personal loss, building generational wealth through homeownership, balancing entrepreneurship with family life, and the mindset that carried her through life's toughest seasons.

This conversation isn't simply about achieving success. It's about what happens in the years between the dream and the destination, and the resilience required to keep moving forward when life doesn't unfold as planned.

Connect with Dr. Donna - https://drdonnambarrett.com/

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Jamaicans will slow wine to Michael Bolton, scream the words to Celine Dion, and two-step to old country ballads like it’s the most natural thing in the world. That “soulz” section in a dance is more than a playlist, it’s a cultural habit with rules, memories, and a sound that a lot of people outside the Caribbean still don’t understand.

We sit down with Jess, a Jamaican TV producer based in New York, to talk about her new film project, Roots Rock Reggae and Soulz. She shares the moment she realised the rest of the world doesn’t treat these songs the way we do, and why a Sunday-night party in Kingston made the idea feel urgent. From the way Jamaicans “pick their own singles” to the strange magic of hearing soft rock and R&B ballads played all night, we unpack what makes this tradition feel so specific to Jamaican life and diaspora parties.

We also get practical about filmmaking and cultural preservation: what pre-production really looks like, why Kickstarter crowdfunding matters when the industry is slow, and how a short campaign video can unlock a huge wave of community support. Along the way we talk Jamaican radio culture, Sunday programming, reggae covers, and the country-western outlaw thread that quietly connects to dancehall storytelling.

If you’ve ever had a favorite “soulz tune” that only Caribbean people seem to rate properly, you’ll feel seen here. Subscribe for more conversations like this, share the episode with a friend who loves a good slow jam set, and leave us a review with the one song Jamaica claimed as its own.

Links:

• Kickstarter Campaign
• Roots Rock Reggae Souls Instagram
• Biggie: I Got A Story To Tell

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1. Donate: If you believe in our mission and want to help amplify Caribbean voices, consider making a donation.
2. Get Merch: Support Carry On Friends by purchasing merchandise from our store.

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A Breadfruit Media Production

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Support How to Support Carry On Friends

1. Donate: If you believe in our mission and want to help amplify Caribbean voices, consider making a donation.
2. Get Merch: Support Carry On Friends by purchasing merchandise from our store.

Connect with @carryonfriends - Instagram | Facebook | YouTube
A Breadfruit Media Production

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Reels & Riddims is another Breadfruit Media production, where we talk about what's onscreen through a Caribbean Lens.

Experience this episode of Reels & Riddims where we discuss 'Queenie' the novel by Candice Carty-Williams and the miniseries adaptation, which is available on Hulu and Disney+.

We get into the big questions people argue about: what the series gets right, what the book does better, and why some viewers tap out early. From Queenie’s breakup fallout to her messy choices, we talk self-worth, self-sabotage, and the relentless pressure to perform “strength” while you’re unraveling. We also name the uncomfortable parts head-on, including sexual fetishization of Black women, consent, and the way bodies are policed and consumed in dating, friendships, and public spaces.

Just as important, we zoom out to the systems around her: workplace bias, the politics of whose ideas get valued, and the coldness you can meet inside medical care when you most need compassion. We talk family dynamics, generational trauma, therapy, and the small tender moments that feel deeply Jamaican and deeply immigrant at the same time.

Check out Reels & Riddims on Apple Podcast | YouTube.

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1. Donate: If you believe in our mission and want to help amplify Caribbean voices, consider making a donation.
2. Get Merch: Support Carry On Friends by purchasing merchandise from our store.

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A Breadfruit Media Production

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Living across borders means more than booking flights home. It often means caring for aging parents, managing family property, navigating two legal systems, and preparing for the unexpected.

In this episode, Kerry-Ann is joined by attorney Renee Kendall of Caribbean Legal Solutions to explore the realities Caribbean families face when life spans multiple countries. Their conversation goes beyond wills to discuss elder care planning, powers of attorney, healthcare proxies, land ownership, estate administration, protecting yourself from fraud, and why organizing your affairs today is one of the greatest gifts you can leave your family.

Whether you're helping parents back home, own property in the Caribbean, or simply want to spare your loved ones unnecessary stress one day, this episode offers practical guidance for anyone whose life and family exist across borders.

In this episode you'll learn:

• Why planning before a crisis matters
• How wills fit into a broader estate plan
• The importance of powers of attorney and healthcare proxies
• Common challenges of managing land and legal affairs across countries
• Practical steps you can take now to organize your documents, digital accounts, and family information
• How to avoid common pitfalls when buying or inheriting Caribbean property

Planning for the future isn't about expecting the worst. It's about making life easier for the people you love.

Renee Kendall is a New York attorney and founder of Caribbean Legal Solutions. Her practice focuses on estate planning, real estate, and helping Caribbean diaspora families navigate legal matters that span multiple countries. Through Caribbean Legal Solutions, she connects clients with trusted legal professionals across the Caribbean while providing guidance on cross-border estate and property matters.

Contact Caribbean Legal Solutions - https://caribbeanlegalsolutions.com/

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1. Donate: If you believe in our mission and want to help amplify Caribbean voices, consider making a donation.
2. Get Merch: Support Carry On Friends by purchasing merchandise from our store.

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A Breadfruit Media Production

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Is Jamaican Patois really "broken English"? How did Caribbean languages develop, and why do debates about language continue to spark strong reactions throughout the region and the diaspora?

In this crossover episode from Breadfruit Media sister show, Strictly Facts, Dr. Alexandria Miller speaks with linguist Dr. Joseph T. Farquharson about the history, structure, and future of Caribbean languages. Together they unpack common misconceptions, explore African linguistic influences, and discuss what language recognition means for cultural identity and belonging.

Key Takeaways

• Caribbean languages are complete linguistic systems, not failed versions of European languages.
• African languages played a significant role in shaping Caribbean grammar and speech patterns.
• Migration and music helped preserve and globalize Caribbean languages.
• The Cassidy-JLU writing system provides a standardized approach to writing Jamaican.
• Language recognition is connected to identity, education, cultural preservation, and access.

Mentioned in This Episode

• Carry On Friends episode with Dr. Kari-Lee Grant
• Carry On Friends episode with O'Neil Madden
• COFMG Insights Paper - Jamaican New Testament
• Strictly Facts Podcast

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1. Donate: If you believe in our mission and want to help amplify Caribbean voices, consider making a donation.
2. Get Merch: Support Carry On Friends by purchasing merchandise from our store.

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A Breadfruit Media Production

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What happens when a first generation is told “you’re not Jamaican” in one but never fully seen as American either?

In this episode, I explore Lens 6 of the Caribbean Diaspora Experience Model (CDEM): "You're Not Either Or, You're Both And". Through stories from podcast guests, family experiences, and observations over more than a decade of podcasting, I unpack the emotional complexity of Caribbean identity in the diaspora for first generation Caribbean Americans.

This conversation explores what it means to navigate layered identities when your heritage, upbringing, geography, and community experiences don’t always align neatly. From being called a “Yankee” by family members to reconnecting with culture later in adulthood, this episode validates the experiences of people who have spent years trying to prove they are “Caribbean enough.”

The episode also explores:

• Why some immigrant parents distanced their children from culture
• The role of fear, assimilation, and survival in shaping identity
• Why accents and language don’t determine belonging
• The emotional impact of cultural gatekeeping
• How Caribbean identity evolves across generations

At the heart of this episode is a reminder: you do not have to choose between identities. You can be Caribbean and American. Jamaican and Canadian. Guyanese and Brooklyn-born. Identity is layered, lived, and evolving.

Resources Mentioned

• Caribbean Diaspora Experience Model (CDEM)
• Previous Lens Episodes:
  • Lens 1: Where You Start Shapes the Journey
  • Lens 2: Where You Live + What You Seek = How You Connect
  • Lens 3: Cultural Anchors Keep Us Rooted
  • Lens 4: Your Identity Will Shift
  • Lens 5: Culture Influences How We Show Up At Work

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Support How to Support Carry On Friends

1. Donate: If you believe in our mission and want to help amplify Caribbean voices, consider making a donation.
2. Get Merch: Support Carry On Friends by purchasing merchandise from our store.

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A Breadfruit Media Production

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A school party should be simple: put on your outfit, meet your friends, dance for a few hours, go home. If you grew up Caribbean American, you already know it’s never that simple. Permission is a process, timing is everything, and one wrong tone can turn a “maybe” into an automatic no.

This is a special crossover episode from my audio storytelling series Voice Note Stories which is built around a true story from my senior year of high school. What follows is peak Caribbean parenting and lifelong lessons about respect and consequences. Sometimes the most memorable moments aren't the parties themselves, but the dramatic exits.

Voice Note Stories captures Caribbean cultural experiences through brief, authentic storytelling. If this brought back memories, follow, share with a friend who gets it, and leave a review so more listeners can find Carry On Friends and Voice Note Stories.

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Support How to Support Carry On Friends

1. Donate: If you believe in our mission and want to help amplify Caribbean voices, consider making a donation.
2. Get Merch: Support Carry On Friends by purchasing merchandise from our store.

Connect with @carryonfriends - Instagram | Facebook | YouTube
A Breadfruit Media Production