Mind Ova Matter JM

From battling cancer as a teenager in high school to now studying at the University of the West Indies, Anthony Parker's journey is nothing short of inspiring. Throughout his intensive treatment, battling hair and weight loss he maintained a high academic performance and never lost sight of his dreams. His story reminds us that with courage, faith and a strong mindset we can overcome even the...

25- year- old Jamaican journalist, Romardo Lyons takes us on a personal journey recounting his experience during the infamous military operation in Tivoli Gardens, Kingston, Jamaica in 2010 that forever changes his life and ignited his passion for journalism. At the age of 12 he bore witness to a level of violence and upheaval that no child should ever endure. However this traumatizing event would...

25-year -old Jamaican special effects makeup artist, Jessica Morris journey began as an unconventional source of inspiration stemming from a dark period in her life. She struggled with depression until one day she found an extraordinary outlet for her emotions. instead of self-destructive habits she channeled her pain into the creation of special effects makeup. Jessica's work has graced the R...

Jamaican Leneka Rhoden is a 26-year-old Natural Scientist, marine biologist and Climate and Energy Specialist who has dedicated her career to studying the impact of human activities on the planet and developing strategies to address the urgent challenges. Sh'es a recipient of the 2019 Governor General's Award for nation building and also holds the title Miss Kingston and St. Andrew Festiva...

18 year-old Jamaican Jordan Hewitt is a recipient of a full scholarship to MIT, one of the most renowned academic institutions. From a young age he exhibited a passion for knowledge and a thirst for discovery. A student at Campion College, he has been leaving a trail of academic excellence both locally and regionally. He achieved five grade ones in the 2022 CAPE Unit 1 with straight 'A' pr...

Jamaican Matthew Stone is an artificial intelligence researcher, founder of Jamaica Artificial Intelligence Association and CEO of Stone Technologies, a robotics and AI company he started in 2017. Stone's passion for AI emerged at a young age, fostered by his fascination with drones and robotics. As an alumnus of Campion College, he laid the foundation for his AI journey, which led him to pur...

Matthew Stone is an artificial intelligence researcher, founder of Jamaica Artificial Intelligence Association and CEO of Stone Technologies, a robotics and AI company he started in 2017. Stone's passion for AI emerged at a young age, fostered by his fascination with drones and robotics. As an alumnus of Campion College, he laid the foundation for his AI journey, which led him to pursue a MPh...

Breanna Bisnott is a first year biomedical Engineering student at the University of the West indies and a member of the Jamaica Badminton Team who has mastered the art of balancing academics and sports, while achieving success in both arenas. With a racket in one hand and a textbook in the other, she has created magic both  on and off the court. On the badminton court, her determination and passio...

In this interview, meet a 23-year-old young entrepreneur who is running two successful businesses.  Young entrepreneur, 23-year-old Akayla Bartley, CEO Shipping Guru Courier and Auto Parts Guru shares her path as a young successful entrepreneur. Back in 2021 after completing her first degree at Caribbean Maritime University, she found herself at a crossroads.  While contemplating pursuing, a maste...

Life in Majestic Gardens, Kingston Jamaica was far from majestic for Oshane Morrison.  In this powerful interview, we sit down with a remarkable young man who defied the odds and overcame numerous challenges to achieve his dreams. Born to a 16- year-old mother and living in poverty, he faced the harsh realities of life from an early age. Raised by his grandmother who believed in the power of educa...

Hoshane Blake, Jamaican educator and founder of One Place Academy and Blake Beatzzz has found a unique way to engage and motivate students by creating beats and using them  to teach students preparing for PEP and CSEC examinations. With a double major in  Mathematics and Electronics from the University of the West Indies, he has decided to share his vast knowledge by combining his passions for tea...

Tik Tok star Jia Zhang aka Ghetto Kirk is a young Chinese Jamaican content creator and business owner. After years of daydreaming about creating content while stacking the shelves at his wholesale shop in downtown, Kingston, he finally took the leap and created his alter ego 'Ghetto Kirk", a name he got from  one of his customers who thought he acted  and spoke like a ghetto yute. Hos fi...

Jhodi Webster is a 25 year-old neuroscience PhD candidate at the University of Alabama, Birmingham. She is an alum of St. Andrew's High School for Girls in Kingston, Jamaica. Her passion for the sciences led her to The United States to pursue medicine at Agnes Scott College after receiving a scholarship. However her academic trajectory took a turn as her interest in neuroscience was sparked w...

Growing up in the tumultuous inner city of Maxfield Ave, Quidi- Ann has lived through the harsh reality of gun violence, Witnessing her mother getting  shot when she was 6 years old and  13 years later, her own nephew falling victim when a stray bullet grazed him while asleep  in their bedroom served as motivation that she had to find a way out of the inner city. Quidi-Ann refused to let the traum...

David Salmon, a former student of Wolmer's Boys’ School in Kingston, has achieved his long-standing dream of becoming a Rhodes Scholar.  David's dream of becoming a Rhodes Scholar began when he was 15 years old in 2015  after he listened to and interacted with Jamaica's recipient of the award for that year, Dr. Tariq Parker. As Parker spoke, David looked up to him and decided that h...

This week's guest Jennifer Vassel is a Jamaican- American author, speaker and creative entrepreneur based in Los Angeles. She is the author and founder of "I am Unique!"- a children's book and self love brand aimed to inspire kids and adults to rise above their insecurities and share their unique gifts with the world.  Jennifer’s interest in entrepreneurship piqued when she hea...

Growing up in poverty in Tower Hill, Kingston, Jamaica, 23 year-old Jahmel Brown was constantly told he would never amount to anything like his father who pushed handcarts in downtown Kingston. These words though belittling served as his driving force to excel. Despite passing his GSAT exams for the non-traditional Tarrant High School, Jahmel's exceptional performance earned him the top CSEC...

The dynamic and physically demanding sport of gymnastics is a testament to the human spirit as gymnasts push themselves to the limit to achieve their goals.  23- year-old Tyesha Mattis was born with a passion for gymnastics following in the footsteps of her mother who was a former gymnast. By the time she was 3 years old she had already began her journey towards becoming a gymnastics star. She has...

21 -year-old Jamaican chef Rameish Desouza has taken the culinary world by storm with his unique and bold dishes. With a passion for pushing the boundaries  of traditional flavors and ingredients he has gained a massive following on social media for his creative delicious creations. He first came to national attention with his creation of his ackee ice cream and is again creating waves with his cu...

Growing up in the tough innercity of Maxfield Ave in Kingston, Jamaica with a single parent fighting to make ends meet, life was never easy for 23 year old Shamar McGrowder. But he had a fierce  determination to make a better life for himself. Passing his GSAT examinations to attend Calabar High School was a turning point for him after enrolling in the Cadet Program. With focus and drive, he excel...

26 year-old Jamaican, Zamal Murray's journey in the construction industry is one of determination and ambition. Starting as a high school student working weekends on his father's construction site, Zamal honed his skills and gained valuable experience. During the pandemic he started his own company, Murray Renovations and Home Developments. Despite facing challenges such as his age, Zama...

Meet Kaela Calvert, a dynamic 19-year-old who's blazing new trails as a freshman at the University of the West Indies. This ambitious young woman is pursuing a degree in Software Engineering and is set to make her mark on the tech world. Kaela's academic prowess earned her a distinguished title of alum and former head girl at the Convent of Mercy Academy "Alpha".  Kaela Calvert...

26 year-old Shaddae Findley, from Rose Heights in Montego Bay, Jamaica, is a proud alum of Montego Bay High School where she excelled in academics and also as a member of the school's tennis team. She began her tennis journey at the young age of 11, under the guidance of her father, who had a passion for the sport. Despite financial challenges, Shaddae's love for tennis and determination...

Dishon Francis is a 20 year-old Jamaican youth farmer from the Parish of St. Elizabeth. He is the 2022 4H Club National Male Youth Ambassador, the 2019 St Elizabeth Top Boy of the year and the 2022 Mr. Jnr Health and Wellness Ambassador. His love for agriculture started as a child growing up in a family of  farmers from a farming community called Nain. In 2019, he won first place for his project u...

Sabrina Barnes is a 17-year-old Jamaican changemaker who is passionate about advocacy and believes that young people's voices should be heard and that youth inclusion is worth advocating for. Some of the social issues that she's passionate about are gender based violence, education and violence among children. She us a 6th form student at Decarteret College where she is also a high achie...