I was born and raised in the Caribbean. People are wrong to reduce it to sun, sea, and sand.

Wed, 08/14/2024 - 06:35

tenille clarke carnival — Tenille Clarke, pictured at Trinidad Carnival earlier this year, was born and raised in the Caribbean.
Querine Salandy for Chambers Media Solutions

Caribbean publicist Tenille Clarke shared her journey from Trinidad to Toronto and back.
Clarke moved to Toronto at 19, experiencing a significant cultural shift.
She eventually returned to Trinidad and started a PR firm to tell authentic Caribbean stories.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Tenille Clarke, founder of the Caribbean-based public relations company Chambers Media Solutions. Clarke was born and raised in Port of Spain, the capital of Trinidad and Tobago.

This story has been edited for length and clarity.