JamojiPLAY
Donation protected
The 2022 launch of Jamoji—Essays of Life and Play in Jamaica, a collection of nonfiction essays that explores my childhood and adulthood as a Jamaican, growing up on the island and migrating to the US. And also how the culture, teachings, habits, rituals, and media culminated in a better understanding and appreciation for Jamaica's multifaceted identity. It is also my goal for the young diaspora to learn about home and to be seen and understood by their peers.
Jamoji is an emoji and lifestyle keyboard mobile application that includes Jamaican cultural expressions, phrases, food and places!
The book, Jamoji-Essays of Life and Play in Jamaica, contextualizes the Jamoji mobile application; live in the App and Google Play stores.
I share in the book cover dedication that a part of Jamoji book proceeds will go to the school my sisters and I attended while living in Jamaica, Bridgeport Primary in St. Catherine. Specifically, building a playground for the school. In addition, I hosted a fundraiser on Dec 17, 2022, at Pegasus Jamaica to further meet this effort.
I chose to fundraise for a playground because that's where I was questioned the most about my Jamaican identity, but also, the playground is innately where our differences and/or similarities ignite. The Bronx playgrounds are where I noticed my accent and mannerism were different, and my peers discovering a place outside their world in real-time. Naturally, they were curious, but unnaturally, I was the only source of learning about Jamaica for the other 10-year-olds.
We're not sending "barrels" (Ch. 7 How We Shop) to Jamaica; we are delivering Childhoods!
The average budget for school playground equipment is $1,000 per child. Bridgeport Primary has 150 students, with roughly 50 students accessing the playground at any given time. Donated funds will cover the cost of equipment, shipping, installation labor and at least five years of equipment upkeep.
We intend to raise full funding for the playground via Jamoji book proceeds, private and individual donors, and organizational grants where possible.
Our goal is to provide a playground that is embracive and encourages communication and participation. Providing much-needed activities that are great fun and essential training of fundamental physical and socio-emotional life skills.
***All donations received bwt June–Sept. will be entered into a drawing to win a round of golf for two at one of Jamaica’s finest, resorts, Halfmoon! ***
#BlackBusinessGrant
Organizer
Colleen Hall
Organizer
Boston, MA
