EVERYBODY’S Caribbean Magazine designs its logo recognizing the U.S. 250th Birthday
Magazine Logo Celebrating U.S. 250th Birthday
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PERSON OF THE YEAR – Machel Montano, Soca Superstar
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.)
From Harlem to Brooklyn
78 Years of Outdoor Carnival – 1947-2025
It is factual that the Caribbean-style or West Indian-style carnival commenced in Harlem, a village in the Borough of Manhattan. At first as indoor events during the peak of winter and later as outdoor parades on Labor Day weekend, the unofficial end of summer.
In the late 19th century, Harlem was still the home of upper class white New Yorkers. Most Dutch, Italian, German, Irish and Jewish residents did not yet move to the other boroughs.
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Everybody’s Persons of the Year
EVERYBODY’S, the 47-year-old Caribbean-American magazine, Person of the Year for 2024, should we say, “Persons of the Year for 2024,” are Eastern Caribbean Olympians for their triumphs at the 2024 Paris Olympiad. They are Julien Alfred of Saint Lucia, Thea LaFond-Gadson of Dominica, Lindon Victor, Anderson Peters, Kirani James of Grenada and Shafiqua Maloney of St. Vin
Eastern Caribbean Olympians Persons of the Year
cent and the Grenadines. All enhanced their nation’s stature and inspired the youth of the Caribbean.
Since 1978, EVERYBODY’S has been presenting its Person of the Year based on readers input. Persons of the Year in the late 1970s and 1980s-1990s include Nobel Laureate Sir Arthur Lewis, West Indies cricket captain Clive Lloyd, Prime Minister Tom Adams of Barbados and Prime Minister Mary Eugenia Charles of Dominica. Usain Bolt, Lewis Hamilton, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Mayor Eric Adams and actress Sheryl Lee Ralph are among the magazine’s Persons of the Year in the 21st century.
To collect EVERYBODY’S “Caribbean-American Magazine Person of the Year edition/2025 Global Caribbean Calendar and to support this magazine visit: www.everybodysmag.com.
Caribbeans for Harris
A poll by Everybody’s Caribbean magazine says Caribbean Americans will overwhelmingly vote for Vice President Kamala Harris in her bid for the U.S. presidency, and the magazine is also banking on Harris’ current political achievements.
Everybody’s publisher Herman Hall has penned a “From Founding Father Alexander Hamilton to Vice President Kamala Harris,” a book tracking the progress of Caribbean Americans in the America’s political system.
A digital version of the book will be released on Nov. 9, and a soft cover release will take place on Nov. 21. For the magazine’s presidential poll results and information on the book release, visit everybodysmag.com.
IN SUNDAY, NY DAILY NEWS
JARED McCALLISTER, CARIBBEAT
Sunday, October 20, 2024, NYDailyNews.com
The Caribbean American Presidential Vote
Beginning with the 1980 presidential election year and continuing with the 2024 presidential election year, EVERYBODY’S, the Caribbean American Magazine, established in January 1977, has conducted a survey every 4 years to gauge Caribbean Americans’ preferences. Our objective is not to predict the election outcome but to accurately reflect Caribbean Americans’ voting preferences.
Another One Term Black Mayor in New York City
Mayor Eric Adams
Probably Mayor Eric Adams may not complete his first term due to his legal problems with the federal government. He is no Donald Trump who has a train load of lawyers. The late David Dinkins was defeated in his bid for a second term by Rudy Giuliani. If Adams is forced to resign, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, a Grenadian-American, will become mayor until a mayor is elected. Since there is a mayoral race in 2025, there’s a chance that there could be two mayoral elections in 2025. That’s up to Governor Kathy Hochul.
New York Presidential Primary
The early voting days for the New York presidential primary is Sat., March 23-Sat. March 30. For voters who did not cast their ballot during the 8 days, Election Day is Tue., April 2. New York is a closed primary state meaning only voters who are registered Democrats and Republicans can vote. If you are a registered voter but you are NOT a Democrat or Republican then you will have to wait for the general election in November when all registered voters can vote. President Joe Biden (Dem) and former President Donald Trump (Rep) have no serious challengers in the NY State presidential primary. Biden and Trump are already their respective party’s presumptive nominee heading to the general or presidential election on Nov. 5. President Biden recently posed with the Kennedy family clan who are supporting him except Robert F. Kenndy Jr. who is running as a third-party candidate.
For decades New York governors have attempted to have an early presidential primary when the Republican and Democratic candidates are still in fierce competition for their respective party nomination. Yet, by the time NY State holds its primary, states that held early primaries such as New Hampshire and those holding their primaries on Super Tuesday almost determine who the nominee of the Democrats and Republicans will be. Seldom NY is in the national conversation during the primary season.
Persons of the Year – 2024 Global Caribbean Calendar
PERSONS OF THE YEAR
Actress Sheryl Lee Ralph And Olympian Kirani James
By Wendy Gomes
Purchase here
Jamaican-American Actress Sheryl Lee Ralph and Grenadian Olympian Kirani James are EVERYBODY’S, the Caribbean-American magazine, Persons of the Year for 2023. In recent years, they have been steadily receiving a sizable number of votes from our readers. In 2023, Ralph and James garnered the most nominations. We thank all who nominated someone.
Actress Sheryl Lee Ralph, singer, producer, activist and “Jamaican to the bone,” is one of the most respected and admired women in the United States. When Miss Ralph sang “Lift Every Voice and Sing” during the opening ceremonies at the 2023 Super Bowl, millions of Americans, including young Black people, thought it was a new song. They were oblivious that for almost a century within African America “Lift Every Voice and Sing” was referred to as “The Negro National Anthem” or “Black National Anthem.” The song, written in 1900 by James Weldon Johnson, was rendered up to the 1960s to open meetings of Black organizations.
Until she came of age, Sheryl Lee may have sung “Lift Every Voice and Sing” with her dad, Stanley Ralph, or heard him rendering it at events in Uniondale, Long Island, NY, in churches and at West Indian organizations meetings in Harlem.
Reviews of DIVA 2.0 are in EVERYBODY’S April edition, other print publications and in the electronic media.
For Kirani James of Grenada, 2023 was not his most successful year. Track and field historians will say that in 2012, James won a Gold Medal at that year’s Olympic Games. But 2023 may have been his most significant year. After winning Gold in 2012, Silver in 2016 and Bronze in 2020 (21), and when considering his years in regional competitions long before his Olympic debut, it was unbelievable that James competed in global premier track and field events in 2023 and won the 400m dash in September at the Diamond League held in Xiamen, China.
Grenada – consisting of three islands, Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique – is a nation of approximately 100,000 persons. Yet, in proportion to its size and population, it boasts that it received three Olympic medals courtesy of Kirani James. His victories have inspired young Grenadians, and they are creating their legacy in global sports. For example, the world of sports expects Grenadian Anderson Peters to win a medal in the 2024 Olympic Games scheduled in Paris, France. James plans to compete in Paris, his 4th Olympian presence, now in his thirties; he hopes to give his Spice Island and the people of Gouyave, his hometown, another Olympic medal.
EVERYBODY’S commenced its Person of the Year Award in 1978 upon the suggestion of Helen B. Lucas 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, the first woman to shatter the male domination of Calypso by winning the 1977 National Calypso King title, thereby forcing the renaming of the prestigious competition to the National Calypso Monarch. 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 Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley, New York City Mayor Eric Adams and Grenada’s Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell.
Brooklyn Book Fair
Several authors are hosting a book fair on Sunday, March 26, 3pm-7pm, at the Coal Pot, 1466 St. John’s Place, Brooklyn, NY. Authors include:
Pat Chin, VP Records cofounder. Her book, My Reggae Music Journey, is cherished worldwide.
Herman Hall, a recipient of a national journalism award and publisher of EVERYBODY’S Magazine. His two easy reading history books on revolutionary leader Julien Fédon have attracted major book reviewers.
Burnett Coburn was celebrated last July at the St. Maarten Book Festival.
The Skatalites were revered in pre-and-post independence Jamaica. James Haynes, Jah Jerry: Legacy of an Original Skatalites, is a must read.
Claudette Joy Spence, an inspirational speaker, has written several books.
Grenada’s Anthony W. Deriggs, Jamaica’s Keisha-Gaye Anderson and Trinidad & Tobago’s Dr. Meagan A. Sylvester have penned thrilling short stories and novels.
Miss Pat Chin and Herman Hall who are organizing book fairs remind everyone of renowned authors the Caribbean and the diaspora have produced such as Nobel Laureate Derek Walcott, Shirley Chisholm, George Lamming, historian Dr. Eric Williams, Jamaica Kincaid and Césaire, Aimé.
“Many local authors have exciting novels and poems but they believe by placing their publication on Amazon it will automatically sell; they do not promote and then authors are disappointed by lack of sales,” explains Hall.
He continues, “Bestselling authors frequently promote their books in spite of their fame. Millions of people worldwide saw actress Sheryl Lee Ralph singing The Negro National Anthem at the 2023 super bowl. Her portfolio includes her 2022 Emmy Award from the TV show Abbott Elementary, on Broadway in Dreamgirls, Modern Milli and Wicked, a Tony Award and in several big screen movies. But the icon is realistic. She understands promotion. She was at Restoration Plaza in Bedford Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, on Saturday marketing her book, DIVA 2.0: 12 Life Lessons From Me For You.” Visit Sheryl Lee Ralph on social media to know when she is visiting your city. (Photo: Sheryl Lee and Hall. Her parents were early subscribers of EBM. She displays her 1985 EBM cover last Saturday in Brooklyn.)
[email protected] or (718) 930-0230 – VP Records (718) 297-5802