IT was a room full of family, friends, fans and musicians who gathered for the official launch of the J Capri Foundation at Jamaica Pegasus hotel in St Andrew on Thursday.

Committed to preserving the legacy of late dancehall singjay, Jordan “J Capri” Phillips, who died following a car crash in December 2015, a group of family members and close friends, led by Emily Anderson and Brandon Salmon, renewed efforts to formally establish a foundation in her name. This is geared towards supporting young people, especially women, who want to pursue a performing arts career.

Oradell Carwin, Phillips’ mother, explained that while the family was eager to support promising young scholars in the past, the focus of the foundation will be narrowed to those who need support to take on the challenges of the entertainment industry.

“Jordan [J Capri] was passionate about music and serious about her craft,” Carwin shared. “But as a young, black female dancehall artiste, she experienced a lot of challenges that she was only able to overcome with a lot of support from a network of family and friends, mentors in the business, and of course, her loyal fans.”

Carwin added: “As her mother I saw all the hardships she went through as an artiste trying to make it in a tough business, and I’m happy I was able to hold her hand and help out along the way. Now that she’s not here anymore, I know she would want me to give the same kind of support to others who share her passion, and that’s what the J Capri Foundation is all about.”

Instead of just providing a one-time scholarship, Carwin shared that the J Capri Foundation will take a multidimensional approach to supporting successful recipients. Targeting aspiring artistes between the ages of 16 and 25, the foundation aims to provide awardees with the resources they need to advance their career, including financial assistance, training and education, and professional mentorship and guidance.

Speaking at the event, Opposition Senator Damian Crawford noted: “There’s a lot of talent in Jamaica, but it too often goes unsupported from a technical standpoint and from a managerial standpoint. Young artistes need more than just money; they need good advice and guidance, and people who work behind the scenes to protect and build them. So the J Capri Foundation has the right idea for this.”

Carwin also wants to use the opportunity to help raise awareness of the importance of road safety. J Capri, who was twenty-three years old at the time, died tragically after succumbing to injuries from a car accident.

“No parent should have to bury their child, especially not their only daughter,” Carwin shared. “In fact, it’s more than two years later and I’m still grieving. But Jordan’s passing will not be in vain, as others can be cautioned by what happened to her and be encouraged to take greater care on the roads.”

Jordan “J Capri” Phillips was known for popular tracks including Wine and Kotch, Pull Up to Mi Bumper, and Reverse It.