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RasTafari IEWF Cooperative Global Economic Movement Launches During RasTafari Month
Kingston, Jamaica — April 2026 In recognition of RasTafari Month, championed by Priest Wesley Kelly, Royal Priest of the Haile Selassie I JAH RasTafari Royal Ethiopian Judah Coptic Church, a new global economic initiative is being activated to provide a pathway to land ownership and housing for survivors of the greatest crime against humanity- The Trans- Atlantic Slave Trade. The RasTafari EWF Cooperative Founding Members Investment Group has officially launched its founding
Empress Zaria
Mar 313 min read


The Trench Town Reggae Cultural Experience
Book Your Reggae Experience @ www.TrenchTownRadio.Live There are places in the world where history was made — and then there are places where history still lives. Trench Town is one of those places. Known around the globe as the Birthplace of Reggae Music , Trench Town is where a powerful cultural movement emerged from the voices, rhythms, and experiences of a community whose music would go on to change the world. Today, visitors travel to Kingston to learn about reggae throu
Empress Zaria
Mar 123 min read


Why I’m Dancing for Peace in Trench Town: A Story of Gratitude, Service, and Youth
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
Empress Zaria
Mar 82 min read


Jamaican Educator Launches Global Peace Dance Marathon in Trench Town to Support Youth Development
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
Empress Zaria
Mar 52 min read


Empowering Youth Through the Trench Town Youth Development and Business Initiative
Building Youth, Culture, and Opportunity from the Birthplace of Reggae The Trench Town Youth Development and Business Initiative is more than a community project — it is a living movement grounded in culture, leadership, and opportunity . Born in the Birthplace of Reggae Music , this initiative seeks to transform Trench Town’s powerful cultural legacy into a pathway for youth empowerment, entrepreneurship, and sustainable economic development . At the heart of the initiati
Empress Zaria
Feb 224 min read


U.S. English Language Fellow Alumna Karen Francis Launches Youth & Enterprise Initiative in Trench Town
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
Empress Zaria
Feb 222 min read


Rebuilding Trench Town: A Human Rights Imperative After Hurricane Melissa
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
Empress Zaria
Nov 14, 20255 min read


PRESS RELEASE Calls for Emergency Cultural Rights Intervention
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
Empress Zaria
Nov 14, 20253 min read


Addendum to CASE Study of The Jamaican Government's Use of Political Psychiatry and Law to Silence Rastafari
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
Empress Zaria
Oct 27, 202516 min read


CASE Study of Jamaica Governments Use of Political Psychiatry & Law to Silence Rastafari
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
Empress Zaria
Oct 27, 20258 min read


"Haile Selassie I Tribunal Forming To Hear First Case on Behalf of the People.”
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
Empress Zaria
Oct 27, 20255 min read


🎶 Chant Down Babylon: Reggae, Covenant, and the Cry for Justice in a Broken World
Babylon is not a distant myth. It is the system we live in — a covenant broken between state and citizen, between power and people,...
Empress Zaria
Oct 10, 20254 min read


Empress Menen: Keeper of the Covenant — The Sacred Union that Anchored a Nation
👑 The Covenant of Kings
Empress Zaria
Oct 10, 20254 min read


My Journey Into Ras Tafarianism
What do it mean to be a Rasta?
Empress Zaria
Oct 10, 20254 min read


The Art of the Covenant
The Original Rasta
Empress Zaria
Oct 10, 20255 min read


Why English for Industry Matters for Jamaica’s Workforce
“English for Industry: Preparing Jamaica’s Teachers—and Students—for the Global Workforce”
Empress Zaria
Aug 27, 20251 min read


English Language Fellow Alumna, Karen Francis, introduces "English for Industry Practicum Course" to equip Jamaica's Teachers and youth for Global Opportunities
"English for Industry Practicum Course" to equip Jamaica's Teachers and youth for Global Opportunities
Empress Zaria
Aug 25, 20254 min read


English Language Fellow Alumna, Karen Francis, Launches English for Industry Practicum Course to Equip Jamaica’s Teachers with Research-Supported English Instruction
English for Industry Practicum Course to Equip Jamaica’s Teachers with Research-Supported English Instruction
Empress Zaria
Aug 25, 20253 min read


The Mortimer Planno Writing Workshop A Pan-African Narrative Writing & AI Literacy Program for Diaspora Youth - Summer 2025
📘 Overview The Mortimer Planno Writing Camp is a virtual, 6-week summer program that empowers youth (ages 15–25) across the African...
Empress Zaria
Jul 16, 20252 min read
Why Jamaica Needs Sophisticated Policing for High-Level Crimes, Not Petty Ones
The true strength of a nation is not measured by the size of its army, but by the righteousness of its governance and the dignity of its people.~ HIM Haile Selassie I
Empress Zaria
Jul 13, 20253 min read
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