FL:Tell us more about the bahamianista Brand. What inspired you to start it?
B: The Bahamianista brand was started from not wanting to just live a 9 to 5 lifestyle. Nothing is wrong with having a career, don’t get me wrong. I just always felt something was missing. I feel growing up I was always a creative at heart(i.e. drawing, poetry, dance) and the blog itself manifested from my love of reading style blogs and following style bloggers. Eventually I carved out a niche for myself in the area of culture and lifestyle topics and it’s just something I have never regretted to this day.
FL: St Kitts Carnival – SugarMas -Luxe Carnival can you tell us more about this collab and what are you excited about the most?
B: Yes Sugar Mas with Luxe Carnival in the beautiful St Kitts and Nevis. I am most excited to learn about other carnivals and cultures, the food, the music and meeting the people. I’m very excited to see St Kitts and Nevis as well as I’ve never traveled there before but Instagram makes it look amazing. A few little birdies also told me about the Kittitian vibes – so I’m absolutely excited to see the locals come alive in fetes and during mas as well.
FL: Hurricane Dorian Bahamas Relief, Bahamas still needs our assistance can you provide some places or organizations that people can still donate to?
B: Yes, the Bahamas still needs assistance. Many have been displaced and as much as I would love to point to government aid, I also have to say that visiting the Bahamas would help immensely. Dorian hit Grand Bahama and Abaco, but the Bahamas as an archipelago is still open for business. Also, persons who are visiting can directly donate to institutions like the Bahamas Red Cross or support Bahamian vendors by visiting the different tourist attractions, restaurants, ‘mom and pop’ establishments and continue to give to verified organizations.
FL: How many Carnivals have you attended, and out of those which was the best and why?
B:I have only been to 13 carnivals internationally and in the United States. I don’t like to say “the best” because I like them all for different reasons but there are a few that stick out in my mind so I’ll give my top 3 and why.
So I like Antigua for the authentic vibe with their music and culture- the people are absolutely so friendly. I love Jamaica because I love the mix of soca and dancehall on the road. Grenada has the most amazing J’ouvert experience that I have ever had the pleasure of attending. So I like certain things about each one so I can’t pick just one.
FL: Best and worst fetes for 2019, and what do you think can be changed or added to elevate the event?
B: It varies. Best fetes for me were Suits Bahamas, Bacchanal Beach in Miami and I think they were the best because they have unique concepts from other events that pretty much follow the same structure/event layout year to year. Worst events all depend on your perspective, so what was good for me may not be great for others.
FL: With your “Carnival Influence”, how important is it to push the carnival culture forward, and how do you think you can help the movement.
B: I think it is absolutely important to bring awareness to the cultural aspect of carnival, for instance why are these events happening, how are they rooted and what is the point of sharing it. I think education is a way I can help push the movement as opposed to just carnival chasing without attaching any meaning to it.
FL: In your opinion, list in order what the most important things secure first when planning to hit multiple carnivals in one year?
B: I’ll list 3 important things. First you need to decide where you want to go and yes before the end of the year -with how popular carnival is becoming, most of this decision should be made at least 6 months prior to the carnival you desire to attend for the next year. Secondly, you need to measure and figure out your budget and if you can afford doing multiple or back to back carnivals. Thirdly, when you are looking at budget, you also need to figure out your high-ticket items – what do you absolutely need to secure before others. So for Trinidad, costume and accommodations may be prioritized before your flight.
FL: Who would you like to collaborate with and why?
B:I would love to collaborate with tourism boards, carnival bands, up and coming travel/carnival entrepreneurs, clothing brands and the list goes on. I love creating content and love figuring new ways to speak to my audience on different topics.
FL: What are your plans for bahamianista in the future?
B:For the immediate future, I want to travel to all carnivals in the Caribbean, Latin America, UK and US. It’s been a bucket list item of mine for a while. In the long term, I see myself continue to blog and share as well as help budding Caribbean creatives build their brands.
