The Bocas Lit Fest, Trinidad and Tobago’s annual literary festival, was founded in 2011 and is usually held sometime during the last week of April or into the first week of May. Otherwise known as the time when I’m celebrating my birthday. Over the years I have tried to attend various sessions - partly because I love books and reading, partly because maybe one day I shall be an author, partly because I like to support these kinds of activities.

It is a multi-day festival and, it seems that, I tend to visit on the third day… or do activities that take place on the third day. This is something I shall pay attention to at next year’s festival - what is it about the third day?

On the third day of the Bocas Lit Fest in 2022 a piece I submitted for their Stand and Deliver segment was streamed live. You can watch it here on YouTube. On the third day of the Bocas Lit Fest 2025 my brother was part of the Voices of Home showcase of recently published authors. I think perhaps I was more excited about the whole thing than he was but such is life. It is exciting to see my sibling doing things, he has a lovely voice (reading and writing) and I’m happy to see him sharing his knowledge in this way.

My partner and I stuck around for the launch of Writing For Our Lives: A Caribbean climate justice anthology which took place later in the afternoon. I remember seeing the call for submissions posted and had thought of writing a piece to submit but had to give priority to family matters. Since learning about the project I have been following it, as I consider climate change and climate justice to be one of the most important things to pay attention to in our present time.

The launch was held at the Old Fire Station and featured introductions by co-editors Diana McCaulay and Shivanee Ramlochan, and readings by Randy Ablack, Brendon Alekseii, Kevin Jared Hosein, Elton Johnson, Dreylan Johnson, and Simone Leid. The space was packed and I hope that this anthology is well-received and leads to greater thought and planning for our future. I have bought myself a copy (and got it signed by the contributors present at the launch) and hope to encourage others to get their own.

A sharing from the foreword by Simon Stiell, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change:

“To see the emotional depth of these experiences reflected in this book fills me with hope. That others may understand where we come from. That they may feel the loss of seeing a place erased from the world, even as they still have time to avoid it for themselves and for so many others.

I hope that, as you read these short stories, essays and poems - these truthful, honest accounts of the emotional confrontation between the unstoppable forces of disasters and the immovable object of human perseverance - you are steeled in your resolve to act in every way you can.”

It was a lovely day. I encourage you to support your local authors, to contemplate what is shared and to determine how you too can share your passion.

Peace,