Tips On Staying

YOUNG &

AMBITIOUS

S.O.Y CLUB

VIEWS ON

Fashion Spotlight:

Cover photo by

CONTENTS

Budding fashion designer Jawara Alleyne More on page 19

Tips on staying young and ambitious from personal trainer, Michael Manville More on page 21

NEWS & REPORTS

INTERVIEWS

FASHION

HEALTH & SPORT

Student of the month Celebrity inspiration Inspiring people born in March

POLITICS

Business Takeover: Cassienne Lawrence

Political Minute: Is society failing to engage with young people?

Fashion Spotlight: Jawara Alleyne

Getting into the swing of things: Samantha Widmer Q&A with Michael Manville

MUSIC & ARTS Introducing: Black Ken Home Grown talent: Mario Vibestime

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2

3

5

6

7

15 17

Cover model: Bonnie Bodden

BUSINESS How can Cayman boost business?

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13

21

MEET THE

EDITORS

STUDENT

Dominic

NEWS

1/ INSPIRE

Small

CELEBRITY

Ashanti Ebanks

ZENDAYA

ADELE

Isabelle Ordonez

NEWS

2/ INSPIRE

NEWS

3/ INSPIRE

MARCH

Inspiring People born in

” “

NEWS

“

”

4/ INSPIRE

NO

S.O.Y club students voice their opinions on

the latest political debates in Cayman.

I feel like the older generation are always ready to blame young people and they’re not there to help us. They criticise our behaviour, work and achievements. I would like to see society focus on us as individuals, create more for young people to do, such as youth clubs and some support. It would be great to have someone for us to talk to and more support and engagement for parents. I would love to see young people celebrating achievements more so we can feel encouraged and motivated.

POLITICS

Is society failing to engage with

YES Dharani Senthil

5/ INSPIRE

Dharani Senthil would like to see

young people’s achievements

celebrated more.

CAYMAN Boost BUSINESS?

BUSINESS

Tyrik

Taylor

S.O.Y club member

Tyrik Taylor gives his

take on the business

scene on island.

I think it’s really important to

actually promote business in

Cayman and portraying it as a

great place invest in.

Entrepreneurship is also a

great way to boost business on

island. We can do this by

giving new employees more

freedom in their jobs, giving

them a chance to explore and

also prove themselves.

If there were more internships

and apprenticeships available

for young people that might

inspire them to go on and start

there own companies.

For young people, we need to

provide workshops, more first-

hand business lessons so we can

learn the skills before we go

out there and start up on their

own.

“

” 6/ INSPIRE

7/ INSPIRE

Fashion

Spotlight: JAWARA ALLEYN E Hailing from the small island of Cayman, award-winning , edgy

clothing designer Jawara Alleyne says the cut-throat world of

high-fashion isn’t all catwalk, carpets and Chanel...

When and why did you get

into Fashion?

I was asked this question

recently and I made a joke

that I never got into fashion,

it was fashion that got into

me. As cliché as it may

sound, there was never a

point where I made a

decision to go into fashion.

It's almost as if the decision

was already made and

everything that I'd done in

my life was just leading up

to the discovery of my path

as a fashion designer.

What inspired your

collections?

Before I began my studies

my collections were inspired

by the nature that

surrounded me, but now that

I've seen, experienced,

learnt and understand so

much more, the inspiration

behind my work has so much

more depth and meaning.

Referencing things like

history and infusing the

things I love such as different

textures to create cohesive

collections. “ I never got into

fashion, it was fashion

that got into me

”

FASHION

What do you think the

Fashion industry needs in

Cayman ?

I think Cayman needs more

avenues to exercise

experimenting with fashion.

The fashion industry can grow

in Cayman as much as it

wants but if no one has a

purpose to wear fashion and

be creative with what they

wear then the business itself

won't be a lucrative or lasting

one. Fashion is driven mainly

by two things, seasons or

occasions. As Cayman has one

season all year round (the

paradise season) then that

doesn't inspire change in the

type of clothing being worn

at any time of the year. We

in the Caribbean rely on

occasion to get creative with

what we wear. So I think that

would be the most sensible

thing to happen in the island,

which will indirectly affect the

fashion industry.

Do you think there is enough

support for aspiring fashion

designers in Cayman?

Yes, I actually do think there’s

a lot of support now for

aspiring fashion designers,

whether what we have is

enough is an issue that

requires a lot more thought.

At the same time I feel like

there’s a bigger issue at stake

and that is the support of the

creative industry in general. It

goes without say that the

ideas of what a career path

is, is changing and with more

people coming out of schools.

and not being able to get

jobs, it's up to them to get

creative and find ways to

utilise their talents in order

to make a living. This is a

problem we're not only

facing in Cayman but

worldwide.

What are your aspirations

as a designer?

Currently my main goal as

a designer is to create a

global successful fashion

brand- but once you start

learning about the industry,

is a lot harder than it might

seem I find fashion to be

one of the hardest

industries to work in

because it takes so much

dedication and hard work

to actually create

something that has

longevity. Most people

wouldn't understand the

need to stay at work till 6

am and rushing home to

get as much sleep as you

possibly can before waking

up the next morning to do it

all again but achieving the

goal of building my own

brand and having my own

business will make all the

hard work worthwhile in the

end.

What advice would you

give budding

fashionistas?

Don’t do it unless you really

love it. Fashion is an

industry that seems

glamorous to outsiders but

on the inside, it's such hard

work and if you're not

passionate about it then it's

probably not worthwhile.

Once you've established that

you do love the industry and

want to work in it, then I

would recommend that you

just let your imagination run

wild. Be as creative as you

can and have fun because

fashion can be a great

industry to work in.

What is your greatest

accomplishment to date?

You might be disappointed

but my greatest.

accomplishments

are non-fashion

related. As cliché as

this might also

sound, I think being

kind and generous

are things that we

should all aspire to

be. Not just to be

successful in our

careers, but in our

characters as well.

If my mother never

did nothing for me

(which is not true

because she's done

so much) she's given

me a name which

constantly reminds

me of what life is

about.

8/ INSPIRE

FASHION

9/ INSPIRE

Jawara means lover of

peace and living up to

my name I consider to

be my greatest

accomplishment. I'm not

saying this to be self-

indulging but it's

actually the truth. One

day I will be able to

use my talents to help

people and accomplish

things, but for right

now helping old ladies

cross the street will

have to do.

Who are your fashion

idols?

I don't think I have any

fashion idols. Probably

because I don't consider

any one person to be the

epitome of fashion, or

because I don't make it

a habit to praise one

person for their style.

Because I have a very

broad range of

preferences, so many

different people appeal

to me. I think the people

who have style that I

admire most are people

whose soul I'm also

drawn to. People with

character. People like

Lupita Nyong'o, Jennifer

Lawerence, Angelina

Jolie, Zoe Saldana,

Rihanna goes without

say, My mother and

Pharell Williams.

One Caribbean

celebrity that I think is

absolutely gorgeous is

the Jamaican model

Jeneil Williams. Her

accolades are not

unknown to the fashion

industry. She's worked

with brands such as

Gucci, Lanvin,

Balenciaga and have

been the star of

numerous campaigns.

One look at this girl will

remind you why black is

beautiful!

Facebook/Jawaraalleyne

FASHION

You've done a bit of modelling

has that helped with your

confidence?

It has taught me how to carry myself

like a lady and do my makeup and

hair and how to highlight true

beauty. I was a tomboy all my life

and didn’t really care about things

like that but again I had this natural

talent for it so I just did it and I fell in

love. I then went on to start an

agency called ‘Quasar Models’.

What would you say is your

greatest achievement to date?

“

”

FEATURE

10/ INSPIRE

great on this earth”

You’ve just started your own

business, how did you come up with

the idea?

Evolution Gamer will be a gaming

lounge and studio where people of all

ages can come and hang out, to play

video games and recreational games.

.

How tough is it balancing all the

activities and responsibilities you

have?

Not very, God has given me these

amazing abilities, I feel like I am

supposed to do something great on

this earth I am supposed to make an

impact.

I never stop

until it’s

complete or

until I’ve

achieved what

I wanted to

Other than my beautiful,

intelligent, funny little person

called Aria., it would have to

be 2015 Island Games when I

became the youngest player

at the age of 14 to make the

Cayman Islands Women’s

National Basketball team.

CASSIANNE

Olympic hopeful, model, entrepreneur, mother and

go-getter Cassianne Lawrence tells the members of the

S.O.Y club why the word ‘can’t’ isn’t in her dictionary...

More over the page

11/ INSPIRE

“ ”

Never ever,

give up no

matter

the obstacle

FEATURE

What advice would you give to young

people looking for a bit of inspiration from

someone who has been through what they

have on some level?

Never ever, ever give up no matter the

obstacle. Giving up is easy, running the course

is hard but you have to stick with it because

success comes not from the fear of failure but

from facing failure head on and having the

courage to dust yourself off and try again.

Always embrace your mistakes don’t be afraid

to make them that’s the only way you will learn

to do and be better the next time around.

What are your plans for 2014?

Oh boy lol... well I said to myself this is my

year of Green I made a theme rather than a

resolution for 2014 and my theme is “it’s all

about the green” to me green represents new

life a fresh start everything alive and new. I

plan to wear or have something that’s green

with me the whole year whether its my hair or

my nails a purse a broach etc. I also plan to

make things new and bring life to things one of

those things that’s green for me is joining the

Women in Cayman group we aim to help

people and show them a new way of thinking

a new life. Help kids and people in trouble or

in need see the green, a new perspective of

tragedy is to embrace it and find the green

light to move on.

You have your sights set on the Olympics in

2016, are you training hard?

I have just started playing Rugby and I absolutely love it, I am hoping to make the National Rugby team this year as they are aiming to go to the Olympics in 2016 and that is one of my life goals to become and Olympian.

Photo by Tracey Seymour

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FEATURE

SPORTS

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Samantha Widmer

What made you take up

golf as a hobby?

My mum and dad encouraged me

and my two brothers, Johnny

and Jack, to try the game of golf

because it taught etiquette,

sportsmanship and relationship

building at a young age.

What has been the thing

you are most proud of?

Firstly, my love for the game of golf and the

people I have met through it. I have been

able to find something I am passionate about,

but a sport that I'm naturally good at. I'm also

proud of my relationship with my family.

You've overcome a lot of

obstacles to get where you are

today..what advice would you

give to others from your

experience?

I try to put a smile on my face each

day and have a positive outlook on

life. But it has been a tough few

years and life has not

What do you think of the golfing

industry in Cayman? How can it be

improved?

They say 'business is done on the golf

course' and in many ways it is. You

build friendships, trust, the ability to

see a person outside of their element

and learn the ins and outs of their

personalities.

What would you say to young

athletes reading this article as

the best piece of advice you

could give?

The road to becoming a successful

athlete is difficult and a lot of

hard work. Read more over the page

.

Are you competing this year? What

can we expect from you?

I ‘m hoping to qualify for the National

Team that will be travelling to Puerto

Rico this August. We will have a few

more qualifiers, but the ladies are all

playing great. I really enjoy playing

with the dedicated National Team

members and hope to continue to

support the game of golf in Cayman.

continued...been easy. There have been a lot

of ups and downs. My advice to people would

be to trust yourself and your ability. You can do

anything you put your mind to and there will

always be people trying to bring you down.

I hope we can transform Cayman into a golf

destination. Golf is one of the few sports that

brings investors and developers to a country

and I think we should focus our efforts on the

economic benefits .

What would you like to see happen for

golf in Cayman?

continued...I have spent many

hours training in gyms, golf ranges,

studying, etc... and it was a

struggle at times. There will

always be someone that works

hard, finishes faster, achieves

greater, which means you have to

stay ahead of the game

14/ INSPIRE

SPORTS

You describe yourself as a ‘warrior’, what

makes you a ‘warrior’ in your eyes?

By that I mean that I strive for my dreams alone on a

dangerous path. I believe facing challenges things

makes us stronger mentally and physically. We see a

stronger version of ourselves to take on the world.

You’ve become a brand of your own now, when

did you decide you wanted to start building your

own success?

I never thought of the idea until I went off to college

in London Ontario, Canada in 2007. Living alone

and having to find out who I was and seeing the

weakness and potential I had, only made want to

face the ugly. It was then I started to see a vision.

You must have faced a number of

challenges chasing your goals? Yes, after the brutal winters of Canada being

injured in multiple areas of my body from

exercise. My body literally told me I’m a lot

stronger and I just need to keep on going. I did

an online course in Becoming a NASM Personal

Trainer and I failed 3 times! I never backed

down because deep down I knew I could do it.

Does working out regularly help with other

aspects of life, like confidence?

Training is like medication. It fixes you and

makes you one with your body, it helps you to

be yourself. Stronger, grounded and hungry

for more…

Michael

Manville

HEALTHS

15/ INSPIRE

HEALTHS

I saw a kid that

could hardly talk,

gain confidence

and start facing

his fears... “

Does working out regularly help with other aspects of life, like

confidence?

Training is like medication. It fixes you and makes you one with your

body, it helps you to be yourself. Stronger, grounded and hungry for

more.

What do you love about what you do? It takes a lot

of energy! How do you keep going?

Seeing the change and impact it has on people’s lives.

At the beginning of the year an old friend of mine

called me and said he wanted me to help with his

training. Within the first few weeks of we were both

surprised at the results. I saw a kid that could hardly

talk gain confidence and start facing his fears. If this

training was that powerful I knew it was something I

wanted to do for more people.

16/ INSPIRE

MUSIC

This young rap artist is no stranger to the Cayman music scene. From

drumming to beats on bleachers at school, to being voted “most likely to

be a rapper”, Black Ken talks the politics of hip-hop, Kanye and how,

despite his name...he’s not about being fake...

17/INSPIRE

Let’s start from the top. Tell us about

your first record?

I recorded my fist ever song called

"Fresh" which was a remix to soldier

boy's "speakers

going hammer". The song

was played on the radio

In Cayman and I can still

remember being in the club

and thinking how awesome

it felt to hear my song drop

and see everyone wilding

out to this little local dude

who recorded for the first

time ever!

What are your aspirations as a rap

artist in Cayman?

I aspire to be the best I can be

and hopefully get signed by a major

label and more or less put Caymans

music scene on the map. I believe in

having sequential strategic goals in all

aspects of life. Twitter: @Ken_TheGenius

Instagram:@Ken_TheGenius_Photo

Photo by: Words:

David Goddard Monica Walton

Black Ken

What do you think of the music industry

in Cayman? Do you get the support

you need?

It's very expensive to produce excellent

quality music and a lot of

aspiring artist are

disheartened by the fact

that the government or

companies won't sponsor

them . If we can sponsor

Cayman athletes to go

abroad and represent the

country why can't we do

the same with our

talented local

artists? Unfortunately the

country that I love and make

references to in my songs isn't supporting

me as much as I wished it would.

I remember being

in the club hearing

my song and seeing

everyone wilding

out to this little

local dude who

recorded for the

first time ever!

Black Ken

MUSIC

18/ INSPIRE

I don't want

be called

"The next

(insert

random

artists name

here)" I want

to set my

own name in

stone

“

”

Do you think it's important to

raise awareness of issues

through music?

Definitely, older people

never really grasp onto the

concerns of the younger

generation. Some feel we're

too young and too

inexperienced to have a

valid opinion on something

when in fact our opinions are

just as good as theirs.

What artists do you aspire to

be like/idolize?

I aspire to be myself. I don't

want be called “the next

(insert random artists name

here)" I want to set my own

name in stone and have

people aspiring to be like

me.

But with that said I Idolize

Kanye West *laughs*, I

study his interviews, his

performances his songs, his

beats and his fashion style.

He may have his

controversies but as far as

rap icons go, he's definitely

in the upper echelon of

musicians.

Black Ken “The Genius”

is out this year.

“ As far as rap

icons go, he's

definitely in

the upper

echelon of

musicians

”

MUSIC

19/ INSPIRE

Follow:

@Ken_TheGenius

Instagram:

@Ken_TheGenius_Photo

Facebook:

Black Ken

MUSIC

20/ INSPIRE

I can’t go a day

without my Beats By

Dr. Dre headphones. I

use them religiously to

write music, to

exercise, and to

unwind at home.

My Blackberry Z10 is

so important for me

because I write all of

my songs inside of my

note pad, Its the only

way I can stay

organized!

Can’t live

without...

BEATS BY DRE

I can’t live without

buying a pair or two

of Jordan Sneakers

every month. I

absolutely love

shoes!

BLACKBERRY Z10

JORDAN’S

21/ INSPIRE

ARTS

MARIO BLAKE

Monica Walton tracks down photographer, entrepreneur

and entertainment guru Mario Blake to talk business,

entertainment and vibes...

Tell us a little bit about Vibestime

Entertainment?

“ ”

First of all, Vibestime

Entertainment is the people’s

choice, we bring the

vibes. We are a

promotional, interesting and

vibrant company who aims to

keep Cayman entertained.

How did you come up with the

idea?

I had a passion for entertainment

from a very young age especially

music. I love to explore and

mingle with people. I appreciate

seeing people happy.

What are your career

ambitions for Vibestime?

My career ambitions for

Vibestime is going

international for sure and

letting more people know

about us and what we can

do, which is keeping the

people entertained.

I love to

explore and

mingle with

people. I

appreciate

seeing people

happy

What struggles did you

face when setting up

your own business?

I had to work tirelessly

to keep the business in

good shape. Lots of

sleepless nights to keep

Vibestime going!

Finally, any advice

would you give to

someone looking to start

their own business?

Never give up and go

for what you really

desire.

www.vibestime.com