United Kingdom
The charismatic Karen, who was born in Reading to Barbadian parents, has always drawn strength from her Bajan heritage, which shapes both her identity and perspective. Growing up in a diaspora family, Karen inherited values of diligence, perseverance, and the drive to overcome obstacles.
Prominent Black opera singers in the UK, including Alison Buchanan, have helped shape the classical music scene while navigating substantial underrepresentation in the industry.
As Barbados marks 60 years of Independence in 2026, and just a few years after becoming a Republic in 2021, a quiet cultural revolution is unfolding in the voices of ordinary Barbadians.
Barbados is small, 430 square kilometres. Already by the 1650s and 1660s, it was one of the most densely populated places in the Atlantic region. Today in the Americas, only Bermuda and St. Martin have a higher population-to-land ratio.
The event was co-hosted by the Barbados High Commission (UK) and the African Caribbean Sustainability & Investment Initiative (ACSII)
Business Envoy Tony Sealey OBE, patron of the local Barbadian Group, chaired the meeting. He was joined on the platform by Deputy High Commissioner Mackie Holder, newly appointed High Commissioner to the UK Edmund Hinkson SC, and Diaspora Attache Betty Lewis.
Jacqueline Devonish comes from a more diverse background. Born in South London to Barbadian parents, she is a mother of four sons. In 2022, she became the UK’s first Black female HM Senior Coroner for Cheshire.
The CouCou Club was launched on Monday, 23rd March, at Flava Pepper, a Barbadian-owned restaurant in Brixton Hill, South London and organised by Bajan Cherry
Her portrait has appeared in a new artwork currently on display at the National Portrait Gallery as part of Artists First: Contemporary Perspectives on Portraiture, a year-long installation supported by the CHANEL Culture Fund that features commissions from nine contemporary artists.
If you want to play mas, then the process is simple: select a mas band as each offers unique vibes and costume designs. This weekend saw the launch of a Bajan-inspired mas’ band, MASQ by Naitram. “Unleash” will work alongside ABIR Mas