There are moments in life when gratitude calls you to action. After Hurricane Melissa, I found myself recovering in the community of Trench Town. During that time, the people of the community welcomed me with kindness and generosity. What I experienced was more than hospitality — it was a reminder of the strength of community and the spirit of resilience that has always lived in Trench Town. While spending time there, I noticed something that stayed with me deeply: many of th

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE KINGSTON, JAMAICA — March 8, 2026 Educator and cultural advocate Karen Francis, MEd — also known as Empress Zaria — will dance for 12 hours straight at Trench Town Culture Yard to raise funds for a 4-H Youth Development initiative that combines entrepreneurship, cultural arts, and Business English training. The Peace Dance Marathon, taking place April 22, 2026 from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM, aims to raise $500,000 to launch the Trench Town Community 4-H Youth

The Trench Town Youth Development and Business Initiative  is more than just a community project—it’s a movement built on hope, resilience, and opportunity. Located in the heart of Kingston, Trench Town has long been known for its powerful cultural influence and vibrant spirit. Today, this initiative aims to channel that same energy into youth empowerment and sustainable economic growth. At its core, the program focuses on providing young people with the tools, skills, and su

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Positive Youth Development Project - Trench Town Jamaica Kingston, Jamaica —  Community educator and international fellowship alumna Karen Francis, MEd , has officially launched the Trench Town Youth & Enterprise Development Initiative , a community-driven program designed to empower young people, strengthen local businesses, and promote business English development within Trench Town. The initiative introduces three integrated programs: a structured 4-H

Hurricane Melissa: A Call for Action in Trench Town INTRODUCTION Hurricane Melissa’s catastrophic impact has exposed longstanding structural inequalities affecting Rastafari and indigenous communities in Jamaica. This is especially true in Trench Town—recognized globally as the birthplace of reggae. It is a UNESCO-protected form of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) and a living archive of African Diaspora creative, spiritual, and political identity. This brief establishes th

For Immediate Release November 14, 2025 Haile Selassie I Church Secretary and Sovereign Human Rights Advocate Calls for Emergency Cultural Rights Intervention and Reconstruction Authority for Trench Town & Rastafari Communities After Hurricane Melissa The Empress Menen Human Rights Institute and the Haile Selassie I JAH RasTafari Royal Ethiopian Judah Coptic Church have issued an urgent call for a rights-based redevelopment framework for Trench Town and other indigenous/Rasta

Addendum to CASE Study-The Use of Political Psyciatry and Law to Silence Rastafari In Jamaica Addendum — Evidence of Collusion, Protective Protocols, and Accountability Measures New evidence indicates coordinated action by the Registrar of the Supreme Court of Jamaica and subordinate legal officials to prevent the statutorily mandated referral of Mr. Lancelott Watson’s notarized Disabilities Act complaint to the Disabilities Rights Tribunal. Following that administrative dis

The Abuse of Human Rights in Jamaica A Case Study by Karen Francis for Empress Menen Human Rights Institute Abstract For over a century, Jamaica’s justice system has served not merely as a court of law, but as an instrument of control against those who dared to assert Black divinity, African identity, or human dignity. This paper examines the continuum of judicial persecution and psychiatric repression from Marcus Mosiah Garvey , through Leonard Percival Howell , to Lance

PRESS RELEASE / PUBLIC COMMUNIQUÉ Special needs caregiver and Human Rights Advocate, Karen Francis, files Human Rights Petition for Justice on behalf of 72 year old elderly man and the RasTafari Community. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Date:  October 21, 2025 21, 2025 Contact: Karen Alyssa Francis Founder, Empress Menen Human Rights Institute Haile Selassie I MetaVersity  — www.HaileSelassieIMetaVersity.org 📧 empress@empresszaria.com  | 📞 876-816-1953 Headline: Rastafari Human Righ

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