INSTAGRAM AMPLIFY STUDIO CAFE TINY THEATRE JOKI ONE X EAST YARD

May's Publisher’s Letter

Building the Future of Creative Social Enterprise in Trinidad and Tobago

This issue is about the work!

Not in theory, but in practice. Not in isolation, but in community.

At East Yard Enterprises, the AMPLIFY Connect: Creative Social Enterprise Fellowship has grown into more than a training programme. It is a living system designed to support creative entrepreneurs in building ventures that sit at the intersection of creativity, commerce, and community impact.

Because that intersection is where the future can be shaped.

Creative social enterprise uses the tools we already know – fashion, media, art, storytelling, food, design – and asks a deeper question: how can this respond to real challenges? Whether those challenges are unemployment, environmental sustainability, gender-based violence, or community resilience, the approach is the same. Build something that works. Build something that lasts. Build something that matters.

Globally, the creative economy generates over $2.25 trillion USD and employs millions. In the Caribbean, however, many creatives are still navigating without the systems needed to scale their ideas or sustain their impact. The Fellowship exists to close that gap by pairing creative practice with structure, mentorship, and real-world application.

Now in its third cycle, the 2026 Fellowship, funded by the JB Fernandes Memorial Trust I, takes that work even further.

This year, the focus shifts from ideas to products.
From exploration to execution.
From participation to leadership.

Six returning fellows were invited back not just to continue their journey, but to deepen it. This phase centres on Social Impact Product Development – the intentional creation of physical products that generate positive outcomes for people, communities, or the environment, while remaining financially viable and scalable.

This is not philanthropy. It is designed with purpose. It is business with intention. And for the first time, that work is being tested in a shared, physical space.

From Fellowship to Collective

The next evolution of the programme takes shape inside AMPLIFY Studio Café.

Here, the Fellowship moves out of the classroom and into a working environment. The six fellows now operate as the AMPLIFY Collective, co-managing and activating the space as both a business and a cultural hub.

AMPLIFY Studio Café is not one thing. It is several things at once. A social enterprise incubator, a fully local creative retail space, a micro performance and exhibition venue, a café, and a workshop and learning hub.

But more than that, it is a test.

A test of what happens when creatives are given not just knowledge, but ownership. Not just guidance, but space. Not just opportunity, but responsibility.

Together, the Collective is building a shared marketplace and activating East Yard as a living creative campus in Arima and along the East-West Corridor. Each enterprise brings its own audience, its own product, its own story. But in this space, they are learning to operate not just as individual brands, but as part of a connected ecosystem where collaboration drives growth, proximity creates opportunity, and community shapes the outcome.

Building in Real Time

At the centre of this work are the fellows themselves.

Each is developing a product rooted in a real issue, shaped by lived experience, and designed to exist beyond the moment of creation. What emerges across their work is not just creativity, but intention.

For Jordan Smith of Accent Games Studios, that intention takes the form of an intentionally mismatched sock box inspired by his game Socks!. What begins as a playful concept carries a deeper message about inclusion. While World Down Syndrome Day is often marked by colourful, mismatched socks, he challenges the idea that visibility should be limited to a single day. His product extends that message into everyday life, encouraging people to embody inclusion year-round.

For Jordan, the shift from digital to physical production has been one of the most significant lessons. Navigating manufacturing beyond Trinidad and Tobago has forced him to rethink sourcing, scale, and sustainability. Yet, within the shared space of AMPLIFY, the journey feels less isolating. Surrounded by fellow creatives, he describes the experience as one of mutual support and shared growth. For him, the value of the Collective lies in the people. The reminder that a rising tide lifts all boats.

That same spirit of creating pathways is central to Asher Bain’s Stitch Squad. Her DIY crochet kits are designed not just as products, but as entry points. They respond to a gap she sees among young people who lack access to creative, income-generating skills and positive outlets. The kits teach, engage, and open up possibilities for entrepreneurship.

Through the development process, Asher’s perspective has shifted from simply making crochet items to building a system that empowers others. She now sees her work as a platform for education and community development. Being part of the Collective reinforces that vision, showing young people that creativity is not just a hobby, but a viable path forward.

For Denée Thomas of NextUs, the work takes a quieter, more introspective form. Her series of puzzles, created from original artwork, invites users into moments of pause, reflection, and connection. In a fast-paced, screen-driven world, her product responds to a need for mindfulness and accessible, culturally resonant art.

The process has pushed her to think more deeply about inclusivity and audience. She is intentional about creating work that reflects culture without limiting it to dominant narratives, opening space for wider connection. Within AMPLIFY Studio Café, she sees her work existing in dialogue with other creatives, each contributing to a shared cultural experience.

That idea of everyday interaction also shapes the work of Deneka Thomas of The Bacano Bookshop. Their reusable book totes and water-resistant pouches are rooted in sustainability, offering an alternative to single-use materials while centering the experience of readers.

For Deneka, product development has been an exercise in self-reflection and problem-solving. It has required them to think closely about the user, the design, and their ow

n relationship to what they create. More than anything, Deneka sees the Collective as a space for community, where people and ideas can exist, meet, and grow in ways they might not otherwise.

Environmental storytelling takes centre stage in the work of Keeron Isaac of Kingdom Ibis. His product, umbrellas, draws on the simple but powerful idea of shelter, linking it to the protection of the mangroves and the habitat of the scarlet ibis. Through this connection, he uses design to raise awareness of environmental vulnerability.

For Keeron, the process has reinforced the importance of storytelling, not just in the product itself but in how it is presented and understood. Being part of the Collective, he describes the experience as both a learning journey and an honour, building something from the ground up alongside like-minded creatives.

Completing the Collective is Jonathan Villaroel of Agora Creative Solutions, whose work centres on inclusivity in education and the workforce, particularly for persons with disabilities and neurological differences such as ADHD and autism. His proposed product, a neurodiversity-inclusive colouring book, is designed not only as a creative tool but as a bridge. Each page can be completed and framed, allowing users to transform their work into something they can proudly display or even sell.

Through this process, Jonathan’s approach to product development has shifted significantly. Where profit may have once been the primary driver, his focus now rests on user experience and impact. His designs are grounded in research and shaped by a commitment to ensuring that those who engage with the product receive meaningful value.

Within the AMPLIFY Collective, he sees something larger taking shape. The combined work of the group, spanning multiple areas of social concern, represents a shared influence that has the potential to shift perceptions both locally and globally. For him, championing creative social entrepreneurship means stepping into a pioneering role, helping to define what the field can become while drawing strength from the collective effort.

Why This Matters?

What is happening here is not just about six businesses.

It is about building a model.

A model for how creative entrepreneurs in the Caribbean can move from idea to impact. A model for how space, structure, and community can support sustainable growth. A model for how creativity can be positioned not just as expression, but as a driver of economic opportunity and social change.

This work is rooted in Arima. But its implications reach far beyond.

What’s Next?

In May, the work stepped into the public.

• May 2 — AMPLIFY Collective Popped-Up at Bocas Lit Fest, NALIS POS
• May 3 — AMPLIFY Collective Popped-Up at National Poetry Slam Finals, NAPA
• May 9 — Pop-Up at Festival of Collectives, hosted at ARC CoCreate
• May 29 — Launch of the AMPLIFY Collective at AMPLIFY Studio Café

(Thursday to Saturday, 9 AM–5 PM)

Throughout May & June — School Tours
Introducing youth to Creative Social Entrepreneurship

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What's happening at East Yard!

Reset & Play Studies show that play is not just for children; it is a vital, rejuvenating activity for adults that enhances overall well-being, mental health, and social connection. ​ "Reset & Play" is a simple, relaxed creative session where you can slow down, make something with your hands (nothing complicated), and take a little break from everything else. It's not a class, and you don't need to be "creative". ​ Let's hold space for adult play. ​ 🗓 Sunday 31st May ⏰ 2:30 PM – 4:00 PM 📍Bacano Bookshop at East Yard 🎟 $100 per person WhatsApp 279-0415 to reserve your spot

Reading Lime Hat's in Bloom is a beautifully crafted signature non-alcoholic cocktail even by WOMEN. There will be music, delicious bites and a warm, uplifting space for laughter, connection, and real conversations ​ A chance to dress up, express yourself, meet amazing women, and leave feeling inspired, refreshed, and glowing ​ 🗓 Sunday 24th May ⏰ 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM 📍East Yard, 27 Prince Street, Arima 🎟 Free RSVP

Hat's in Bloom Hat's in Bloom is a beautifully crafted signature non-alcoholic cocktail even by WOMEN. There will be music, delicious bites and a warm, uplifting space for laughter, connection, and real conversations ​ A chance to dress up, express yourself, meet amazing women, and leave feeling inspired, refreshed, and glowing ​ 🗓 Thursday 4th June ⏰ 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM 📍East Yard, 27 Prince Street, Arima 🎟 $350 per person ​ Call 358-0111/337-1951 to reserve your spot

Cultural Exchange Corner

The Cultural Exchange Corner highlights offerings from resident embassies and high commissions, diaspora artists and international collaborations. We spotlight the bridges being built across borders. Expect guest essays, funding announcements, curated opportunities for travel, study, and artistic residencies, all designed to foster connection, creativity, commerce and shared social impact.

Full Bright Scholarship The Fulbright Foreign Student Program enables graduate students, young professionals and artists from abroad to study and conduct research in the United States. The Fulbright Foreign Student Program operates in more than 160 countries worldwide. Approximately 4,000 foreign students receive Fulbright scholarships each year Apply