Masquerader Monday - 13.05.19

My experience as the Face of the Festival for Toronto Carnival 2019

I have been attending Caribbean carnivals since a child, and each and every experience is unique and special in its own way. From Trinidad to Jamaica, and Atlanta to Washington, each carnival has its own flavour, its own style, and its own vibe. Born and raised in Toronto, Canada, I can’t help but have an appreciation for our carnival and feel a personal responsibility for its execution and the enjoyment of everyone. Whether through volunteering, participating, or helping administrators and costume makers along the way I have always tried to have my hand in the production of Toronto’s carnival. This year, as the Face of the Festival (along with Joel “The Connector” Davis), I was blessed with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to officially represent the carnival in public and in mass media, and the honour was everything I could have asked for, as a support of our hometown festival. It all began with my application for the Face of the Festival competition, where I expressed my

Carnival is for #everyBODY!

#everyBODYplayahmas is a body positive movement that showcases diversity in Caribbean carnivals. The body positivity movement is a social movement that seeks to promote acceptance and appreciation of all body types and sizes. The movement emphasizes the importance of self-love, self-care, and self-acceptance, regardless of physical appearance. In the context of Caribbean carnivals, which are vibrant celebrations of Caribbean culture and heritage, the body positivity movement can play an important role in promoting diversity and inclusivity. Caribbean carnivals are known for their colorful costumes, lively music, and energetic dancing, but they can also be a source of body shaming and exclusion for those who do not conform to traditional beauty standards. To showcase diversity in Caribbean carnivals, the body positivity movement can encourage people of all shapes, sizes, and backgrounds to participate in the festivities. This can be done by creating inclusive spaces where people can fee

Masquerader Monday - 30.12.2019 | Kristen

I am the owner and operator of a natural hair salon that specializes in Sisterlocks, named Krown and Glory. I am a mother of 3 amazing kids. And a carnival addict with no known Caribbean root but I still love to play mas with my plain ol' American self. How and when did you first start playing mas? * I started playing mas 3 years ago in 2017. A few of my clients are West Indian and they were educating me on the whole play mas process. As you can imagine, I was nervous but excited all the same. I then joined a local band named Island Oasis and that was the start of my carnival addiction. It was the prettiest, most fun and hardest workout I had ever done. And I just wanted to do it all over again and again. What carnival experience has been your favourite (and most proud) to date? * It's hard to say my favorite carnival experience because they were all amazing. But I would have to pick between 2. Bahamas in May 2019 and the more re

#everyBODYplayahmas

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