For Jevaughn Gordon, being named among Ignite Caribbean’s 30 Under 30 Changemakers is more than an award, it is a reflection of resilience, purpose and the belief that young people from underserved communities can create meaningful change across the region.

The young Jamaican communications professional, journalist and youth advocate, who hails from Princess Field in Linstead, said the recognition carries deep personal significance because of the circumstances that shaped his journey.

“I come from Princess Field in Linstead, a community where the standard of living is low and where many young people grow up surrounded by gang violence, drugs and limited opportunities,” Gordon shared. “For a long time, success felt like something you saw from a distance, not something you experienced.”

Despite losing his mother at a young age and navigating financial hardship, Gordon remained committed to education, leadership and service, experiences he said continue to shape both his outlook and his work.

Professionally, the recognition validates his long-standing mission of using media, storytelling and youth engagement as tools for development. Over the years, Gordon has built a career spanning journalism, production, digital communications, education and community outreach, all while maintaining a focus on social impact.

“My work has always sat at the intersection of storytelling and impact,” he explained. “Whether through journalism, youth programming or community initiatives, this recognition tells me that blending communication with social change is necessary.”

While appreciative of the honour, Gordon said the award serves more as motivation than validation.

“There is a sense of validation that comes with being recognised, especially when you’ve had to build everything from the ground up,” he said. “But I’ve never been driven by recognition, I’ve been driven by purpose.”

That purpose has guided his work across multiple media platforms, including programmes such as GENZED, All Angles and Beyond the Headlines, where he has consistently highlighted the stories of young achievers and changemakers throughout Jamaica and the wider Caribbean.

Gordon believes storytelling remains one of the region’s most powerful development tools. Through projects like Youth Migration, Zoom University and Broken Blue, a documentary examining plastic pollution and environmental protection, he has focused on issues affecting Caribbean youth and communities.

“These are not Jamaican issues alone, they are Caribbean issues,” he said.

Beyond media, Gordon has also worked directly within communities to address educational inequality and access to opportunity. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he opened his home to students in his community who were unable to access online classes, creating a safe learning space during the height of the digital divide.

“That wasn’t a large-scale intervention, but it was impactful,” he reflected.

His passion for youth development also extends through organisations such as the Princess Field Youth Club and the former Jamaica Millennium Vision for Youth organisation, where he has helped tutor and mentor students preparing for CSEC and CAPE examinations, particularly in Mathematics and English.

For Gordon, access remains the issue he is most passionate about tackling.

“I know what it feels like to have potential but limited resources,” he said. “That’s why so much of my work has been focused on creating pathways.”

He is also advocating for greater regional collaboration among Caribbean nations, arguing that shared challenges such as youth unemployment, climate vulnerability and education gaps require collective solutions.

“The Caribbean is made up of small states, which means our individual resources are limited. But collectively, we are incredibly powerful,” Gordon said.

His involvement in Caribbean Community (Caricom) youth discussions and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) forums further strengthened his belief that young Caribbean people share similar realities and aspirations regardless of their island.

At the same time, Gordon believes the region still does not do enough to highlight positive stories of young innovators and changemakers.

“There is still a heavy focus on negative narratives like crime, failure and limitations,” he said. “There is an entire generation of young Caribbean people doing innovative, transformative work, and their stories are often underrepresented.”

For the young changemaker from Princess Field, the journey continues with one goal at the centre of it all, creating opportunities, amplifying stories and building stronger connections across the Caribbean.