Machel Montano, the esteemed soca superstar from Trinidad & Tobago and Caribbean patriot, is EVERYBODY’S, the 48-year-old Caribbean-American magazine, Person of the Year for 2025.

This recognition celebrates Montano’s significant contributions to promoting Caribbean culture, his role in integrating the Caribbean, and his continued pursuit of higher education, which serves as an inspiration for the younger generation.

Over the decades, Montano has been frequently nominated by EVERYBODY’S magazine readers residing across many countries and most U.S. states.

Montano debuted in the U.S. at the Mother’s Day Calypso Concerts at Felt Forum, Madison Square Garden, in May 1984, at the age of nine and a half. (Pg.6 in the edition). In 2008, Montano performed at the Garden as a solo artist.

Between September and November 2025, hundreds of subscribers nominated 49 candidates and one phenomenon, Hurricane Melissa (Hurricanes Irma and Maria, the magazine’s Phenomenon of the Year for 2017). While most nominees are not household names, they were suggested for providing exceptional services in their respective communities, from feeding the needy to helping youth secure an education.

Other nominees who received a substantial number of votes include:

• Zohran Mamdani, New York City Mayor-elect
• Prime Minister Mia Mottley of Barbados (EVERYBODY’S Person of the Year for 2021)
• Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar of Trinidad & Tobago
• Hurricane Melissa
• Aisha Braveboy, Prince George’s County Executive, Maryland
• Winsome Earle-Sears, Virginia’s Lieutenant Governor

EVERYBODY’S commenced its Person of the Year Award in 1978 (then Man and Woman of the Year) to celebrate the magazine’s first anniversary. That year, Janelle Commissiong of Trinidad & Tobago who in 1977 became the first woman of color to be crowned Miss Universe received the accolades. She shared the honor with Calypso Rose. Sir Arthur Lewis and his wife attended the magazine’s 1980 dinner in his honor, celebrating his 1979 Nobel Prize. Sir Lewis, a Saint Lucian, was the first Black person to win the Nobel prize for economics. Recent EVERYBODY’S Person of the Year include actress Sheryl Lee Ralph, New York City Mayor Eric Adams, Grenada’s Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell, New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Eastern Caribbean Olympic medalists.

2026 GLOBAL CARIBBEAN CALENDAR

Presented by Allan’s Bakery – The famous Allan’s Bakery of Brooklyn has presented EVERYBODY’S Global Calendar for 46 years.

The sponsors of the 2026 Global Caribbean Calendar are:

• VP RECORDS    
• BRUCEE’S PATTIES   
• DR. SHARON OGISTE MCBAIN, PEDIATRICIAN   
• FRIENDS OF CROWN HEIGHTS   
• CULPEPPER’S RESTAURANT   
• TRINI BREAKFAST SHED   
• HOSTEN FUNERAL SERVICE

August 31, 2012: At Brooklyn Museum grounds on Labor Day weekend, Brooklyn’s Carnival weekend and Trinidad & Tobago Independence. (Photo Winston Rodney)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mother’s Day, 1984, when Montano mesmerized calypso fans at the Felt Forum, Madison Square Garden. (Photo: the late Lloyd Patterson/EBM.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In a Madison Square Garden restaurant after the Mother’s Day Concert, May 13, 1984. L to R: Shadow (Winston Bailey), Lord Kitchener (Aldwyn Roberts), Machel Montano and The Mighty Sparrow (Slinger Francisco). (Photo concept Herman Hall. Photographer Lloyd Patterson.)