The Location
Radisson Grenada Beach Resort
St. George's, Grenada, West Indies
October 9 – 13, 2024
St. George's, Grenada, West Indies
October 9 – 13, 2024
What We Do
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The Authentic Caribbean Foundation (ACF) in collaboration with, The Ministry of Social and Community Development, Housing and Gender Affairs along with The Ministry of Education (Grenada), The Caribbean Development Bank and Generation Grenada Foundation, will hold the inaugural Caribbean Disability Conference, October 9 to 13, 2024, at the Radisson Grenada Beach Resort, St. George's, Grenada.
Around 15% of the world’s population, or estimated 1 billion people, live with disabilities. They are the world’s largest minority. The imperative for this conference is to validate a global study commissioned by UNICEF. The results of the UNICEF global study show the need for youth with disabilities to receive supportive program designs. The Authentic Caribbean Foundation and its partners seek to join this global mission bringing the Caribbean current in elevating the needs for their population of persons with disabilities. The conference will address critical aspects of disabilities in the region, focusing on topics such as Advocacy and Awareness, Education, Disability Acts and Laws, and Barriers to Inclusion.
Organized by the Authentic Caribbean Foundation, Generation Grenada Foundation is committed to fostering positive change and creating an inclusive environment for disabled individuals throughout the Caribbean. As part of our commitment to lasting impact, a comprehensive white paper will be developed and presented and will serve as a valuable resource, offering insights and recommendations to support the achievement of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals outlined by the United Nations. |
Conference Brochure
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PROGRAM
Learn more about our program schedule.
Guest Speakers
Floyd Morris |
The Hon. Floyd Morris is a self-motivated and goal-oriented individual. He has through willpower and hard work made significant achievements in the fields of academia, politics and community development. The Hon. Floyd Morris is no stranger to the Senate, having previously served two terms as Senator during the period 1998 to 2007. He returned to the Senate in 2012 and was elected as President in 2013. Senator Morris is the first blind person to become President of the Jamaican Senate.
Sen. Morris holds a Master of Philosophy in Government from the University of the West Indies (UWI). He also obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication from that institution. He is currently pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy in Government at UWI. He has done research into several areas related to the inclusion of persons with Disabilities in several aspects of Jamaican life. A passionate and committed advocate for persons with disabilities and rural development. One who believes that education is the key to social transformation; and believes in social justice and equality of opportunities. Perfection is an unattainable goal, but it is in striving for it that makes us achieve greater levels of excellence. |
Tim Harris |
Tim Harris is an entrepreneur, public speaker, author and former restaurant owner of Tim’s Place in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Tim has been featured in People Magazine, CBS Evening News, CBS Sunday Morning, America Online, ABC News, NBC’s the Today Show, NBC Nightly News, National Public Radio, and CNN News. Tim’s story has inspired people around the world and he continues to shed light on the world of possibility for those who dream it!
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Senator Honorable Gloria Thomas |
The Honorable Gloria Thomas is the Minister of State with Responsibility for Social Development and Gender Affairs in the Ministry of Social & Community Development, Housing and Gender Affair. Appointed as Senator in the Parliament of Grenada on 30th June 2022 Contested the St. Andrew North-West Seat under the National Democratic Congress banner in the June 23rd, 2022 General Elections.
Minister Thomas holds a master’s degree in counselling psychology from the University of the Southern Caribbean, an MBA Project Management Concentration at Walden University in the USA and a bachelor’s degree in social work special from the University of the West Indies, Mona, Jamaica. Her professional career and achievement are Teacher – St. Mary’s R.C School (La Fillette, St. Andrew’s) Coordinator – Adult & Continuing Education, Grenada National College Supervisor – School Attendance, Ministry of Education Clinical Supervisor – Guidance Counselling, Ministry of Education. |
Beverly Leblanc
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Beverly Leblanc is a seasoned educator with over 30 years of experience spanning various sectors of the education system. Throughout her career, she has been a classroom teacher, early childhood education supervisor, secondary education support teacher, Dean of the Faculty of Education, and Dean of Student Affairs. Currently, she serves as a senior lecturer and teacher trainer at the Faculty of Education at Dominica State College. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Education, a Master of Science degree in Early Childhood Special Education, and a Master of Arts degree in Training and Development. She is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Public Administration with a concentration in Global Leadership.
Beyond her work in the classroom, Ms. Leblanc is deeply passionate about making a difference in the lives of families with special needs. She serves as the Executive Director of Circle of Friends, an NGO dedicated to providing support, access, and advocacy for such families. Through her efforts, she established the Achievement Learning Centre, a special education school offering specialized services. Ms. Leblanc, through Circle of Friends Inc., collaborated with five regional organizations for persons with disabilities to host the side event, "Enabling Inclusion: Addressing Disability Challenges," at the SIDS4 Conference in Antigua. This reflects her commitment to strengthening national, regional, and international networks supporting individuals with special education needs and their families of children with disabilities. |
DR. CLAIRE NELSON
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Dr. Claire A. Nelson is Chief Ideation Leader of The Futures Forum, a research and education practice specializing in bringing the power of strategic foresight and discipline of sustainability engineering to challenges facing organizations and communities. Nelson, named on Forbes as one of the top 50 female futurists in the world, is author of the game-changing book “SMART Futures for a Flourishing World: A Paradigm Shift for Achieving Global Sustainability”.
A sought-after speaker, Nelson’s engagements have included: World Bank; World Steel; US Air Force; and Engineering for One Planet. Dr. Nelson is a Member of the Board of the World Futures Studies Federation and Editor-At-Large of its flagship publication Human Futures Magazine. The convenor of Space Futures Forum, a global initiative that advocates Space for All, she serves as Advisory Member at Space for Humanity, the Institute of Space Law and Ethics, and is a Goodwill Ambassador for UN International Moon Day. A social entrepreneur, Dr. Nelson is Founding President of the Institute of Caribbean Studies, the leading Caribbean American organization and celebrated as the Architect and Convening Chair of the Campaign for June as National Caribbean American Heritage Month. She is Curator of the Caribbean American Legislative Forum on Capitol Hill and White House Briefings, and the National Caribbean American Heritage Awards. Dr. Nelson, an award-winning writer, storyteller, and performance artiste has written and performed two one woman shows ‘Limbo Like This’, which tells the story of Caribbean Life in America; and ‘Moon Runnings: The Life Times of the First Jamaican on the Moon’, and the hit comedy Resident Alien, which received critical acclaim. The only Black female in her graduating class, she holds a Doctorate in Engineering Management from George Washington University (1990). Dr. Nelson was named a White House Champion of Change in 2012. |
DR. GLENVILLE LIBURD
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Dr. Liburd is a proud Nevisian and alumnus of the University of the West Indies (UWI) graduating with MBBS 1985 and Advance Diploma in Anaesthesia in 1989; He did further Specialist training in the UK obtaining the Fellowship in Anaesthesia of the Royal Colleges of Anaesthesia in both the UK and Republic of Ireland in 1995. His spare time is often devoted to his backyard farming, enjoying nature through travel, or just reading and engaging in discussions on matters of current affairs in politics, religion, and economics etc.
Since 1996 Dr Liburd has been working with persons with disabilities arising from his work with the St Kitts Nevis Social Security as one of their panel of doctors to evaluate Disability Benefit claims. His interest in Community Based Rehabilitation developed out of research done, in collaboration with Huib Cornielje and colleagues from Enablement and University of Applied Science Leiden, Netherlands, to evaluate the need for rehabilitation services on Nevis in his search to find solutions for his patients. Dr. Glenville E. Liburd has served since April 2014 as the Chair of Caribbean Community Based Rehabilitation Network Steering Committee tasked with the activation of the English Caribbean Node - one of 6 nodes of the Americas CBR Network. The global CBR Network movement brings together PWDs, Service providers and advocates who subscribe to and promote Community Based Rehabilitation and Inclusive Development as articulated by the 2010 revised WHO CBR Guidelines and CBR Matrix. He dreams also of seeing the full INCLUSION of Persons with Disabilities in the Caribbean into mainstream social life and recognizes that the Community Based Rehabilitation Strategy can help to achieve this objective through the development of programs based on the awareness of the 5 Pillars of the CBR Matrix and Multisectorial Networking. In partnership with others Dr Liburd has been spearheading a developing regional interest in creating a collaborative platform advocating for better services for Person with Disabilities. His practice as a Family physician on the island of Nevis brings awareness of the Nuances and technicalities of providing effective Sexual and Reproductive Health for all persons including Persons with Disabilities more so those with intellectual Disabilities. |
HON. DELMA THOMAS
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The Honorable Delma Thomas is the Minister for Mental Health, Wellness and Religious Affairs, and the Minister for Youth and Sports.
This is her third term as a Member of Parliament (MP) in Grenada. As an MP, she represents St. Andrew North West, an underprivileged and underserved area in the rural east of Grenada. She was first voted into office in the February 19, 2013, general elections. She won her seat again on March 13th, 2018, and on 23rd June 2022. Hon. Delma Thomas served as Minister for Social Development and Housing from March 2013 to June 2022. Before entering politics, Minister Thomas served as a teacher for thirteen (13) years. In addition to being a teacher, Minister Thomas also worked as a member of the faculty of the St. George’s University before resigning in 2012 to enter electoral politics. She has a bachelor’s degree in educational psychology and a master’s in human resource management from Cambridge University. Minister Thomas is an advocate for women and children's rights and the vulnerable in the society especially for persons with mental disabilities. She is an advocate for inclusiveness. She is the mother of five (5) children. |
PARTNERS
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SPONSORS
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Our Committee Partners
Sorana Mitchell |
Sorana Mitchell is a media professional based on the island Grenada. She is an active member of the Friends of the Mentally Ill, which is a non-profit organization that helps persons living with mental illnesses and their families.
Sorana is also a mother and author of the memoir, “Still Smiling” found on Amazon. The singer-songwriter enjoys socializing, laughing, reading, and creating/telling stories and poetry. |
Regina Snowden |
Emeritus Founder and past Executive Director of Partners for Youth with Disabilities, Inc. (PYD).
Since the founding of PYD in 1985, Regina has played a major role in the creation of many first program designs for youth with disabilities, in Boston, MA, nationally and inter nationally. She helped to provide youth with disabilities in overcoming barriers by providing mentoring, education, career readiness, health, recreation and cultural opportunities. These firsts in program designs, launched PYD to be selected to replicate our program models as the awareness of these types of programs became the focus of the nation. Her efforts to make inclusion of youth with disabilities for all youth programming locally and nationally continues to be replicated. PYD awards include Children's Hospital, Boston, Harvard School of Public Health, The City of Boston, The White House, The National Organization for Persons with Disabilities, Boston Public Schools, The Red Cross, The National Vocational Rehabilitation, The President's Committee on The Employment of Persons with Disabilities, Global award for PYD's Access to Theatre, The National Endowment for the Arts, and more. PYD's collaboration with UNICEF created a white paper to show what youth with disabilities globally want to feel they can succeed. This paper was presented at the Civil Rights Convention for Persons with Disabilities, The United Nations. The youth and mentors of PYD have been featured and honored for their success, nationally and globally. PYD has been featured in many local and national media venues. A favorite phase of Regina: "If you are always trying to be normal, you will never know how amazing you can be." Maya Angelou |
Leonid Johnson |
Leonid Johnson is a committed community leader and volunteer. He is active in the community and serves on various nonprofit boards and committees including Authentic Caribbean Foundation as a Board member. Leonid Johnson is a CEO & President and Founder of the CommUnity of the Deaf, Inc, who believes in the right of the D/deaf community in the Caribbean to use sign language to congerates on issues important to them and to have its interest represented at all levels in the society.
I am currently a committee member of the American Deafness and Rehabilitation Association event and past subcommittee of the United Nations Civil Society Conference in Support of the Summit of the Future in Nairobi, Kenya. He completed Education Advocates Training from National Association of the Deaf. The Certificate of Completion of Gwinnett Enterprise Center Business Basic Program from Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners in Georgia. The advocacy scope of the CommUnity of the Deaf, is to board a lifetime and impact future generations in the areas of early intervention, education and youth leaders and more in advancing early deaf and disability childhood policies and programs. |
Peter George Smith |
Hailing from Jamaica, Peter George Smith is the managing consultant of Jonstar Consulting Group, a boutique management consulting firm in South Florida, where he currently resides. He is also an adjunct faculty and doctoral study chair at California Intercontinental University and Walden University in the United States. He has vast international experience from studying and working in several countries, including France, Belgium, the USA, the UK, The Bahamas, and Jamaica.
His previous professional roles include six years as a commercial attaché at the Jamaican Embassy in Brussels and deputy trade commissioner at the Jamaican High Commission in London, promoting trade and foreign direct investment for Jamaica. He also worked for several years in the FinTech industry as Vice President of Money Transfer Services at Fidelity Bank in The Bahamas, as Marketing Manager for the Caribbean at Western Union, and as Head of the Caribbean for MoneyGram in their regional offices in Florida. He is a proponent of volunteerism and actively gives service through several nonprofit organizations. A Paul Harris Fellow, he is a founding member and director of the Rotary e-Club of Raleigh International, whose primary focus is an ongoing, long-term project with the Lister Mair/Gilby High School for the Deaf in Jamaica. He is also vice president of the University of the West Indies Alumni Association Florida Chapter, serves on the Executive Council of the Morant Bay High School Alumni Association in Jamaica, is vice president of the Jamaican Diaspora en France organization, and volunteers as a university student mentor with Global Mentorship Initiative. Peter is fluent in French and Spanish and received a BA from the University of the West Indies in Jamaica, an MA from the Université Grenoble Alpes in France, and an MBA from Nova Southeastern University in Florida. He also holds a DBA from Walden University in Minnesota, with a concentration in International Business. He is big on life and people worldwide and practices this passion by traveling to the most remote places to experience different and unique cultures first-hand. He enjoys reading and doing a bit of writing whenever time permits. His blog, Through My Periscope, combines stories about his life adventures and writing passion. |
Keith Jones |
Keith Jones Keith Jones is the President and CEO of SoulTouchin’ Experiences LLC,. It is an organization aimed at bringing a perspective to the issues of access inclusion and empowerment, which affect him as well as others who are persons with and without disabilities. To achieve this multicultural, cross-disability education and outreach efforts he collaborates and conducts trainings with the purpose of strengthening efforts to provide services and information for people with disabilities.
The issues he tackles are wide ranging from immigration, criminal justice reform, health care and environmental justice just to name a few. Paralleling with his policy and social justice work Mr. Jones is a multitalented artist who along with Leroy Moore and Rob Temple founded Krip Hop Nation which is an international collection of artists with disabilities. Krip Hop Nation is currently celebrating 14 years with the recent Emmy Award winning success of their title song for the Netflix documentary of the Paralympic Games, Rising Phoenix and its critical acclaimed sound track. |
Stafford Grant |
Stafford Grant a retired soldier of the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF), Chairman of the Jamaica Diaspora NE Citizen Security Sector, 1st vice President of the Bethlehem Township Lions Club and Founder and President of the Jamaica Ex-servicemen and Women Foundation USA.
I am very Passionate about helping others, "Volunteering". In 2022 I founded the Jamaica Ex-servicemen and Women Foundation Inc. USA with the vision of engaging in community development through fundraising activities that will enhance educational, social and civil activities fostering the principles of good citizenship. Taking great pride in collaboration with a focus on The Disabled, Elderly and youth community, gives me great joy of satisfaction to be volunteering for the Diaspora Disability Conference. I love these two quotes: Martin Luther King Jr. "Life's most persistent and urgent question is: "WHAT ARE YOU DOING FOR OTHERS?" Horace Jackson Brown, Jr - "Earn your success based on service to others, not at the expense of others." |
Michelle Brathwaite |
The heights that great men and women reached and kept, were not attained by sudden flight, but they, while their companions slept, were toiling upwards in the night’
Michelle Brathwaite, from Grenada has been the principal at the School or the Deaf for more than sixteen years. The institution serves as a resource center and provides support to students who are deaf within the mainstream schools. She is also the Founder and President of Advocacy Grenada Inc. A non-Governmental Organization supporting persons with disabilities. Michelle holds a master’s in special education/Inclusive Education, from Roehampton University, London and Associate Degree in Teacher Education from University of the West Indies - TA. Marryshow Community College. As part of her attainment she has achieved certificates in Human Rights; Global Education, Hearing Health Care, audiology, Quality assurance for Higher Educational Institutions in blended learning, Master Trainer in Inclusive Education, strategic planning, Referee for Boccia game and Project Management. Michelle is an active member of the Grenada Paralympic Committee. She is an excellent facilitator in advocacy and awareness, special/inclusive education. Presently she is an adjunct lecturer for an online undergraduate degree in special education through a Caribbean University. In her self-care time she loves, travelling and dancing. Travelling has taken her to China, Seychelles, Honduras, Belgium, Germany, Prague, The Netherlands, England, United States of America, Spain and many islands within the Caribbean. Her mantra is ‘ALL MEANS ALL’. The provision of education for All students. |
Dr. Caroline J. Henry |
Caroline J. Henry, Ph.D. is the Director of the Master of Education program, Director of the Leadership Excellence Academic Development (LEAD) Division, and Assistant Professor in Master of Education and Faculty Development programs in the Department of Educational Service at St. George’s University, Grenada, West Indies.
Dr. Henry is a graduate of T.A.Marryshow Community College and the St. Joseph’s Convent, St. George’s. Grenada Dr. Henry earned a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication from Midwestern State University, Wichita Falls, Texas, a Master of Arts in Liberal Studies with an emphasis in Sociology from the City University of New York-Brooklyn College, and a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of North Texas. Dr. Henry’s teaching philosophy centers on reimagined curriculum design and pedagogies. Her work in curriculum design encompasses socio-emotional teaching and learning, while her scholarship delves into critical storytelling, student voice and belonging, and reflective practices. Dr. Henry’s work in education spans 17 years and includes clinical teaching in field experiences and pre-service teacher preparation in Social Studies and English Language Arts in higher education. She is a Texas State-certified K-12 School Counselor experienced in faculty development and school leadership. Dr. Henry also taught in elementary, middle, and high school in public, private, and charter schools in the U.S., and a secondary school in Grenada. She has served as the campus Dean for the Lower School of the Westwood School, one of the top 20 private schools in the DFW area. Dr. Henry works as an educational consultant and has partnered with organizations such as MindUP and URrthedifference in North America, particularly in areas of mindfulness and kindness education. Dr. Henry founded Education Collective Grenada, a volunteer network of experts in education, youth, and management in service to Grenada. The network connects friends of Grenada and Grenadians to harness their expertise to design and deliver sustainable continuing education models and programming to schools in Grenada. She is a founding member of Generation Grenada Foundation, a community-oriented non-profit dedicated to serving causes of the minoritized and marginalized. The organization makes donations of time, resources, and expertise to identified beneficiaries in Genada. She is also a founding member and chair of the Community First Council, a volunteer group dedicated to elevating the communities of south St. John, Grenada. Dr. Henry also serves as an advisory board member of the Shara Foundation, a nonprofit organization that fosters positive youth development among some of the Caribbean’s most vulnerable youth. Dr. Henry is a program board member of the Institute for Caribbean Studies, a non-partisan, non-profit organization established in 1993, dedicated to education, advocacy, and action on issues that impact Caribbean -Americans. In this role, Dr. Henry contributes to policy documents and attends meetings with the U.S. State Department to advocate on behalf of Caribbean Americans and the Caribbean region. ICS represents an essential role in history as the first Caribbean-American community organization in the Washington DC area devoted to the successful inclusion of Caribbean Americans in US policymaking and the economic development of the Caribbean region. ICS was instrumental in developing the legislation recognizing June as National Caribbean American Heritage Month. Lastly, in addition to education, children, youth, and community development, Dr. Henry is passionate about wellness, nature, and environmental stewardship. |
Andrew Sharpe |
Andrew Sharpe is the founder and CEO of Authentic Caribbean Foundation Inc. (ACF), Boston, Massachusetts.
He is a Jamaican-born, festival, tourism, radio talk show host and non-profit Professional. The “Caribbean Diaspora Connect”, talk show host is on a mission to ensure members of the abilities community in the US and Caribbean are included in fun, festivities and economic empowerment activities. Andrew is passionate and determined to ensure people with disabilities are empowered to achieve financial independence, protect themselves and manage the impact of climate change on their livelihoods as well as live a full and happy life. Ensuring children of Caribbean heritage are connected to their roots is another of his passions and for that he created “Pickney Time Story Time”, an after school programme currently being delivered virtually to young Caribbean diasporans in the USA. Mr. Sharpe is a philanthropist, who is passionate about theatre and performing Caribbean drama and theatricals. He has performed the works for Louise Bennett Coverley “Miss Lou” and Paul Keens-Douglas to Caribbean audiences in Jamaica, The Cayman Islands and Massachusetts. His passion for tourism, culture and acting led him to create both My Caribbean One World Expo and the Caribbean Rum and Food Festival each of which attracts a diverse audience of Caribbean and New Englanders annually. Andrew is also the convener of the Afro-Caribbean Black History Gala in Massachusetts. Andrew holds a diploma in Tourism and Business Management. He has led Authentic Caribbean Foundation to being the recipient of several Proclamations & Resolutions from the Governor of Massachusetts and the Cities of Boston, Brockton, Cambridge and Randolph for its outstanding efforts in promoting the upliftment and education of the disabled. He plays a key role in creating and increasing awareness throughout the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as it relates to the recognition and honoring of June as National Caribbean American Heritage Month. |