For Immediate Release: June 27, 2022

The Institute of Caribbean Studies (ICS), the nation’s leading Caribbean American advocacy and development organization, will commemorate National Caribbean American Heritage Month, by honoring 30 leaders under the age of 30 years old, as Caribbean change-makers for exemplary work in their field of interest.

Thirty leaders at the Ignite Caribbean 30 Under 30 ChangeMaker Awards were honored on Saturday, June 25, 2022. The Emerging Leaders hailed from around the world. and represented a variiety of sector. This year we celebrated a 10 year old entrepreneur - our youngest ever.

Ignite Caribbean has been celebrated officially, annually every June since 2016 when ICS tool the opportunity of Caribbean American Heritage Month to bring together Caribbean youth leaders everywhere to create a community of practice.

 "We received an overwhelming response for the Ignite Caribbean 30 under 30 awards", said Keishon Keane, Chair of the 2022 Program. "The pitch competition was very exhilirating", he added. Chief Judge Dr. Shelley Cameron, author of the groundbreaking book, 'Success Strategies of Caribbean Immigrants' noted, "Once again, the stories of the enterprises, both business and social, being developed and managed by the members of the Cohort of 2022, were testament to a future of hope. Keynote speaker, Alphie Aiken wowed the audience with her Back To School wisdom and wit.

JUNE 29

In honor of Caribbean American Heritage Month, the U.S. Department of State's Office of Caribbean Affairs will host a virtual panel discussion about U.S. higher education opportunities and academic exchanges between the United States and the Caribbean region on June 29 at 2:00 pm EDT. 

Our panel of experts will share information about educational opportunities for students from the Caribbean region (including free advising services), examples of how we promote study abroad opportunities for U.S. students in the Caribbean, and ways to promote links between U.S. and Caribbean institutions of higher learning.  

The panel will include U.S. State Department officials, representatives from a U.S. community college and from a historically black university (HBCU), and an EducationUSA adviser based in Trinidad and Tobago, who will speak to the local experience of students and discuss the advising services she offers to prospective students. 

This panel is targeted to members of Caribbean Education Ministries who may wish to know more about the U.S. higher education system and want to foster better links with U.S. universities and with U.S. State Department counterparts who are eager to share their expertise with students, parents, and officials alike, as well as Caribbean embassies based in Washington and those who are part of the Caribbean diaspora. 

Please join us for a rich discussion and answers to your questions about U.S. higher education: https://statedept.zoomgov.com/j/1608413766

JUNE 30