Climate change disproportionately impacts developing countries, low-income communities, and communities of colour around the world. However, their voices and concerns are not widely reported.
As the impacts of climate change is worsening, it is now the time to better amplify climate stories from this region, especially those that emphasise fairness, participation, and inclusion for all.
We received incredible amount of applications for this programme. And now, in partnership with Open Society Foundations, we’re excited to announce our climate justice fellows. Let’s meet the full team!
Jason Pinas, Suriname 
Jason Pinas is a freelance journalist from Suriname. A cool guy with a great love for food, reading, music, culture and nature. Jason also loves to hear stories that are untold.
At the moment Jason writes different stories for local newspaper de Ware Tijd. But with the consequences of climate change he desires to become a professional in climate stories.
Maureen Valmond, Dominica 
Maureen Valmond is a proud descendant of the indigenous Kalinago community and from “the most scenic and green island in the Caribbean- Dominica!”
Her first degree is in social work and she is currently pursuing a diploma in journalism with the London School of Journalism.
She loves reading and listening to soulful music. She a big supporter of the West Indies cricket team even if they tend to break her heart often!
Deandre Williamson, The Bahamas 
An award-winning journalist from Nassau, Bahamas, Deandre Williamson is passionate about her career. This “watchdog” journalist has journalism in her DNA as she’s always striving for excellence in her reporting. Deandre participated in the 2021 United Nations Reham al-Farra Memorial Journalism Fellowship and the 2019-2020 Poynter-Koch Media & Journalism Fellowship.
This multimedia journalist serves the converged newsroom of Jones Communications Network primarily as an editor and reporter for The Bahama Journal newspaper. She also works remotely from The Bahamas as a part-time opportunities editor for the International Journalists’ Network (IJNet).
Cleopatra Elvira Hernández, Dominican Republic
Elvira Hernández is a corporate communicator with more than eight years of experience leading a team. She has told stories in various digital media outlets in the Dominican Republic, including Listín Diario. She has a master’s degree in Marketing Management and Responsible International Trade. Because she is extremely interested in the environment, she has collaborated with various proposals for its protection and improvement through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and public policies.
Gladstone Taylor, Jamaica
Gladstone Taylor is an author and journalist living and operating out of the creative industries of Kingston, Jamaica.
He has been writing professionally for over eight years. He’s reported on the environment, culture, music, film, and tech through platforms such as Mongabay, The Fader, Sole DxB, Bandcamp, The Face Magazine, RollingStone, Afropunk, Syfy Wire, and PopDust, to name a few.
He is a member of Covering Climate Now and Uproot Project.
André Habet, Belize
André is a writer, teacher, and journalist based in his home country Belize. He writes film, poetry, and comics criticism and serves as assistant editor at Bent Pin Press. He’s been an avid cyclist since his first car died on him in college.
André is completing his Ph.D. in Rhetoric and Composition at Syracuse University with a dissertation ruminating on the rhetorics of Belize’s various climate imaginaries, an examination of how the possible futures we imagine informs and shapes policy decisions today.
Alexander Bruzual, Trinidad and Tobago
Alexander Bruzual is a journalist with 14 years of work history in journalism & media operations. He has proven strong communication skills, with a specialty in print and digital mediums.
With a background in International Relations and Criminology, Alexander has pursued a career in the intersection of social and security issues locally and internationally.
Alexander has generated exclusive crime stories for Trinidad and Tobago’s One Caribbean Media – including Trinidad Express and TV6 – on national security issues with their local & international impacts.
Rochelle Clayton, Jamaica
Rochelle is a young Jamaican journalist who is passionate about impacting lives and making valuable changes in her community.
She has covered a range of beats in her two-year career at the Jamaica Observer and is looking forward to cementing her feet in the field of journalism.
In addition to covering news stories, Rochelle is a writer for the Jamaica Observer’s travel publication LetsTravelCaribbean.com.
She has recently decided to lend her service to the Montego Bay Rotaract Club where she will be participating in volunteerism.
Ronald Taylor, Guyana
Ronald Taylor, 24 years, Aries by nature, Guyanese born is a news anchor, photographer, and editor. Ronald started his career in communications mid – 2016 as a junior reporter and throughout the years embodied every aspect of media offered.
Ronald has worked with the Office of the President, Office of Climate change (OCC), Department of Events, Conferences and Communications (DECC), University of Guyana, and other Agencies in providing coverage of events and activities in Guyana.
Kevin Headley, Suriname
Kevin Headley (1983) is a Surinamese documentary maker, journalist, and writer. In 2009, he learned the basic skills of filmmaking at the Media Academy in the Netherlands.
He also worked at the production house Multicultural Television Netherlands. Kevin has a number of productions to his name that have been screened in Suriname and abroad.
Currently, Kevin focuses on producing articles, reports, and documentaries about the history, nature, and developments on climate change of Suriname.
Carlos Berríos Polanco, Puerto Rico
Carlos is a freelance journalist, mostly focused on covering public unrest, political corruption, and the climate crisis.
Born and raised in Puerto Rico with a Dominican mother, he is keenly interested in reporting the ways in which the Caribbean responds to global warming and the ways people adapt.
He enjoys hiking and reading during his off time.
Elesha George, Antigua and Barbuda 
Elesha has practiced journalism, utilizing several platforms to include television, radio and newspaper publication over the past 10 years. Currently, she is based in Antigua and Barbuda as the co-owner of Island Press Box.
Elesha is also part of the 2023 fellowship team of the Young Leaders of America Initiative (YLAI) which allows her to intern with companies that can help expand the footprint of Wadadli Unplugged. Outside of her professional life, she very much enjoys sleeping and being in nature.
David Papannah, Guyana
David is a Guyanese Journalist with over a decade of experience covering a range of beats. His entire working life has been in the media. He has a keen interest in climate change, natural disasters, politics, the environment, health, public infrastructure, agriculture, human rights, and migration issues.
When he is not surrounded by work duties, he finds himself eating out at new restaurants, travelling on some occasions or watching mini-documentaries on insider.
Richardeen Trenyce Williams, St.Vincent and the Grenadines
Richardeen is a 19 years old graduate from community college (SVGCC) a year ago where she studied social sciences. In her spare time she likes writing poems which is therapeutic for her. She also sings and love to watch videos of modern day sociology. She has a passion for writing and has been doing so for most of her life. She hopes that she can contribute that to youth development.
Keron Bascombe, Trinidad and Tobago
Keron is an agri-journalist and creator at Tech4Agri, a Caribbean-born agri-journalism initiative. He is passionate about supporting young journalists and agripreneurs through the power of mobile media, journalism, and communications.
Perspectives from the Caribbean Climate Justice team will be published and posted on our website and social media. Stay tune on our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and don’t miss the updates from our fellows!