Kalipersad awarded special citation by New York City mayor

Former Trinidad Guardian editor-in-chief Dominic Kalipersad has been awarded a special citation by the Mayor of New York City, Eric Adams. The Certificate of Recognition was presented to him at the Brooklyn Caribbean Literary Festival (BCLF), which was held in Brooklyn, New York City, USA, September 5-8.

According to BCLF founder Marsha Massiah, the mayor wanted to recognise the veteran journalist for his “excellence on Caribbean journalism and storytelling.”

The citation states, “The City of New York Certificate of Recognition is presented to Dominic Kalipersad on the occasion of the Brooklyn Literary Festival for your contributions to our cultural landscape. Through your tremendous accomplishments as a journalist and media broadcaster, you have engaged and inspired diverse people in New York and beyond. I look forward to the many ways you will continue to make a positive difference and strengthen our vibrant Caribbean American community as we take bold steps to #getstuffdone to forge a brighter, more equitable, and prosperous future for our global city. Eric Adams, Mayor. September 5, 2024.”

Following receipt of the award, which was presented to Kalipersad by Massiah, the multi-award-winning journalist said the citation was a tribute to the profession of journalism in T&T and all those who strive to maintain high standards. The award also coincided with the upcoming 50th anniversary of Kalipersad’s service as a television news presenter, the longest serving news anchor in the history of the television media in T&T.

Kalipersad, who has developed a post-retirement reputation as a history enthusiast and digital storyteller, was invited to the BCLF as a result of his “decades in journalism and documenting the history of Trinidad and Tobago and the wider Caribbean.”

Massiah said he was identified because of his “storied career and accomplishments, which, in itself, is a journey in storytelling.” She said it was “the highest honour” and “an unbelievable accomplishment” for the BCLF team to have Kalipersad appear under the rubric of “Archivists, Preservers, Making New(s),” a new category in the six-year-old festival that celebrates Caribbean literature and diaspora stories.

In an on-stage “conservation” with university professor Dr Kevin Browne, they explored Kalipersad’s works in legacy media and social media platforms, their importance in presenting narratives on T&T history, and how they stimulate perspectives among wider demographics. Kalipersad’s attendance was positioned as the culmination of the four-day annual festival. The organisers described his session as “the grandest of all finalés.”

The BCLF, founded in 2019, celebrates Caribbean literature and diaspora stories. This year’s theme was Faces of the Caribbean, bringing together regional scholars, writers, artists, archivers, preservationists, and practitioners to discuss, reckon with, and examine the relevance and expansive value of Caribbean writing and the Caribbean writer to the modern world.

The 2024 event assembled diverse and impactful authors and Caribbean storytellers. At its end, the organisers reported that the festival was “a bumper year for book sales.” Massiah said, “All copies of books by Edwidge Danticat, Derron Sandy, Sir Hilary Beckles, Diana McCaulay, Mervyn Taylor, and Jive Poetic were sold out.”

She added, “We firmly believe in the pre-eminence of Caribbean scholarship, our historic track record in thought leadership, and the assertion that the Caribbean has been the tip of the spear in every single significant change movement in the modern world.

“It may be said that all of our efforts at the organisation are driven by a commitment to insisting that societies that benefit from the Caribbean presence acknowledge our contributions and provide reparative support for our art and institutions while we simultaneously create platforms to empower our people to take ownership of our narratives.”

Of Kalipersad, the BCLF team said, “Please accept our deepest and sincerest gratitude for the sacrifices you make and the way you donate your expertise in service to the higher cause of elevating Caribbean letters.”

The post Kalipersad awarded special citation by New York City mayor first appeared on CNC3.