NEARLY one year after travelling to Jamaica to assist communities affected by Hurricane Melissa, Emmy-nominated journalist and correspondent Ashlee Brown returned to the island in October, this time to experience its tourism offerings while reflecting on the resilience of its people.

The New York-based journalist, who is of Jamaican heritage, visited the island as part of a tourism press trip, marking a significant shift from her previous visit, when she helped distribute relief supplies to residents affected by the Category 5 hurricane that made landfall in the island last October.

Following the disaster in 2025, Brown travelled to Manchester alongside family members and a sorority sister, distributing 100 relief bags to residents struggling in the aftermath of the storm.

Her experience also formed part of a broader effort to document the island’s recovery through her documentary, After the Storm: Rebuilding Jamaica in Real Time, which features perspectives from Prime Minister Andrew Holness, Digicel CEO Stephen Murad and residents directly affected by the hurricane.

The documentary highlights the human impact of the disaster and the challenges communities continue to face beyond the immediate emergency response.

For Brown, the journey has also been deeply personal. Before her post-hurricane visit, she had not returned to Jamaica since 2003, when she travelled to the island to lay her father to rest.

“Coming back to Jamaica last year, knowing what the island was going through, was about showing up for people during a difficult time. We weren’t there to rebuild the island, but to do our part by distributing relief bags and listening to the people whose lives had been affected,” she said.

Her October visit provided an opportunity to reconnect with Jamaica’s culture, landscapes and hospitality while recognising the communities still working to rebuild their lives.

“To return nearly a year later and experience Jamaica’s beauty, culture and hospitality means more than I can put into words. I’m grateful to experience this side of the island while never forgetting what I witnessed or the people still working toward recovery,” she added.

Brown is also the founder of Rooting for Everybody Black, an independent media platform established in 2019 to highlight black culture, entrepreneurship, community development, and authentic storytelling.

Through her journalism and documentary work, she continues to amplify under-represented voices and draw attention to stories that often fade from public discussion after major news events.

Her return highlighted the contrast between the devastation she witnessed following Hurricane Melissa and the island’s enduring tourism appeal, even as affected communities continue the work of recovery.