Mind Food International, a Kingston-based company operated by husband/wife Jamar and Natassia Barrett-Wright, have spent considerable time in North America staging seminars introducing their empowerment services to the Jamaican Diaspora. Their objective is to encourage Jamaicans overseas to establish ties with home.

“We offer leadership training, seminars and consultation to the Diaspora to help them connect with likeminded individuals who are from the island. We provide the training required to allow them to get additional resources to the country,” Barrett-Wright told OBSERVER ONLINE. “Our trainings and seminars allow for networking opportunities for initiatives currently taking place in Jamaica or the creation of new ones.”

Mind Food International kicked off their outreach in 2019 with two seminars – “Leading Leaders at The Next Level” in February 2019 in Fort Lauderdale and “Appointment With Destiny” in New York.

In February 2020, they staged the “Caribbean Leadership Summit” in Miramar, Florida. That city’s mayor, Wayne Messam, whose parents are Jamaican, was guest speaker.

While the Jamaican overseas usually keeps tabs with developments back home through social media operated by the Jamaican government, Barrett-Wright said there is an advantage to face-to-face discussions.

“Despite feeling the fear of returning home, courage is required to tackle the real issues being faced by our countrymen. Also, one should note that the government alone cannot do this transformation. More aid, wisdom and advice are needed from common individuals with a passion for their country and the people. It takes us being change agents to reach out and make a valuable contribution to society,” she noted.  

There have been attempts to improve relations with Jamaicans in the Diaspora looking to either return home permanently or lay a commercial base by starting a business. Organisations like the Jamaica Association for the Resettlement of Returning Residents have acted as mediators for many years but their president, Percival Latouche, says that is almost impossible because of rampant crime and bureaucracy that hampers doing business in Jamaica.

Barrett-Wright and her husband started Mind Food International in 2013. They have presented numerous seminars for companies such as Geddes Refrigeration and Tax Adminstration Jamaica, helping to improve their human resources departments.

Reaching out to Jamaicans abroad, Barrett-Wright admits, is a tough sell. But they are in it for the long run.

“Having expanded to the Diaspora provides additional brand awareness of the purpose of Mind Food, as well as increased credibility. This in turn helps the company to equip more leaders outside of Jamaica,” she said.