First

Jamaican-born, London-based photographer Amber Pinkerton’s work has been spotlighted by The New York Times Style Magazine. The feature — scripted by travel reporter Tariro Mzezewa — details the 22-year-old’s journey in photography. Pinkerton was interviewed by Mzezewa via telephone and shared her earliest inspiration as an artist, how she started out doing DIY photoshoots, and how her move to London at age 19 to study film-making made her see her Jamaican upbringing in a new light. Today, Pinkerton has proudly used her artistry to add her voice to issues like racism and colourism and just last year, photographed a portfolio of Saint International rising models for i-D Magazine.

Then

Trinidad & Tobago film-maker Shari Petti, who was featured in the Jamaica Observer’s ‘On The Reel’ webinar on Tuesday, June 9, has been selected for the 2020 Fulbright Scholarship through the United States Department of State’s Educational and Cultural Affairs Bureau. Petti will start her graduate-level programme in Master of Fine Arts, Film Production at Florida State University later this month.

“I was granted a Fulbright scholarship, International Peace Scholarship and Latin America and Caribbean Fellow (through my school) to pursue my MFA in Film Production at Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida. I look forward to improving my skills to a highly professional level, and using those skills to further elevate the film industry, not just in Trinidad and Tobago, but also the wider Caribbean and diaspora,” said Petti.

Next

Keya Martin, founder of shoe brand Keeyahri, has named her latest design after Jamaican-born, Milan-based fashion blogger Tamu McPherson. The All the Pretty Birds blogger shared her excitement on Instagram, saying, “I was so honoured when Keya Martin, founder and artistic director of the luxe shoe brand @keeyahri contacted me to share that she was naming her latest style after me… Pretty Birds, please meet the Keeyahri “Tamu”.

The black-owned shoe brand focuses on luxury, Italian craftsmanship, and evocative textures. Designs are created for dynamic women with an eclectic sensibility and a distinct world-view.

Also

Saint International model Tami Williams is one of the faces of the Maybelline X Marvel Limited Edition collection. The collection features Maybelline’s best-selling products paired with Marvel superheroes: Captain Marvel, Spiderman, Ironman, Black Widow, and Black Panther!

Plus

Saint International model Romaine Dixon co-fronts the new Hugo Boss Fall/Winter 2020 global advertising campaign.

Credits:

Photographer: David Sims

Creative Director: Fabien Baron

Fashion Editor/Stylist: Ludivine Poiblanc

Hair Stylist: Paul Hanlon

Make-up Artist: Lucia Pieroni

Casting Director: Piergiorgio Del Moro

Models: Romaine Dixon, Benno Bulang, Leon Dame, and Malick Bodian

Etc

Jamaican-American Olympian Sanya Richards Ross is gearing up to co-host another season of Central Ave with television personality Julissa Bermudez . Central Ave — a weekly entertainment news magazine from prolific film and TV producer Will Packer and Lionsgate’s Debmar-Mercury — was picked up for syndication by Fox Television following its limited run last year, and is set to air in September 2020.

Finally

According to Vogue UK Planning and Weekend Editor Hayley Maitland, The Unplug Collective might be the best place on the Internet right now. The Unplug Collective is an online platform founded by Amanda Taylor, a Jamaican student attending college in NYC, and is a space for black women to share stories about body discrimination and mental health, among other issues. For the feature, Maitland spoke with Taylor via Zoom from her home in Kingston, Jamaica, about how it all got started.

“I just want this to be a space where people can speak freely and not have to worry about pitching to these big publications that might turn down their work, especially in a space where, you know, a lot of white people have connects to these big orgs,” shared Taylor.

Maitland also interviewed The Unplug Collective Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Aicha Cherif, who is largely responsible for the Instagram account’s slick aesthetic.

Both The Unplug Collective CEO/Founder Amanda Taylor and CMO Aicha Cherif alongside Vice-President Zara Harding, Content Editor Sarah DeSouza, and copyeditor Lia James joined Jamaica Observer webinar host Novia McDonald-Whyte for ‘The Unplug Collective — A celebration of black women and non-binary people at their realest’ webinar in June.