Social Impact with Emma » Michael Abrahams : A Jamaica Gleaner Blog

The Impact of “Edu-Drama”: It’s the Human Connection That Counts

February 7th, 2016

We know. In our search to create a more just, equitable and simply livable society, we have to continually find different, innovative ways of getting important messages across – especially to our youth. One of the ways is storytelling, a tradition embedded in the Jamaican psyche. It seems to be undergoing a kind of revival […]

#KickOutGBV: More Than Just a Hashtag

October 22nd, 2015

Where is Jamaica going in the campaign against gender-based violence? Are we getting anywhere? I asked myself this question repeatedly at a recent public forum on “Gender-Based Violence in the Caribbean,” ably organized by the University of the West Indies (UWI) Mona Model United Nations and the Department of Government in collaboration with Respect Jamaica. The […]

When Is a Joke Serious? A Long Bench Discussion on Comedy and Society

April 14th, 2015

“Tek serious ting mek laugh.” Making light of a serious matter – turning it into a joke – is a tendency among Jamaicans. We explored the how and the why of this with two terrific Jamaican exponents of the art of laughter, Owen “Blakka” Ellis and Dr. Michael Abrahams, at a Sunday morning session headlined […]

WMW: Creating Equal Spaces

July 28th, 2014

On a warm Saturday evening, the harmonies of vintage reggae drifted gently from behind the neat building that houses WMW Jamaica’s offices. It’s a busy part of town, but the sounds were softer this evening. This was WMW’s mingle and website launch. In the courtyard, guests were arriving. Staff members were putting in quiet finishing […]