DIA Summit 2022: A Space for Youth Empowerment

Kingston, Jamaica – November 9 & 10, 2022. In an in-person event at the University of the Commonwealth Caribbean (UCC), The Trust for the Americas through its Democratizing Innovation in the Americas (DIA) Program, celebrated the DIA Summit 2022. Under the theme "Global YOUth: youth in the context of the globalized world," the DIA Summit 2022 aimed to facilitate meaningful connections and empowerment of youth through networking opportunities and discussions on cutting-edge topics.   

Attendees at the event included Linda Eddleman, Chief Executive Officer of The Trust for the Americas; Rodrigo Iriani, Senior Manager of the DIA Program at The Trust; Cheryll Stewart, Acting Managing Director GEN Jamaica; Dr. Andre Hill, National Literacy Coordinator; Milton Samuda, Chairman at the Institute of Law and Economics (ILE); Dayne Gutzmer, CEO at ILE; Laura D'abreau from the Caribbean Industrial Research Institute (CARIRI) of Trinidad and Tobago.  

Additionally, the summit was composed of the following four panels:  

• "The Entrepreneurship Landscape" with Nashauna Lalah, General Manager for Honey Bun Foundation; Dr. Rosalea Hamilton, CEO of Lasco Chin Foundation; Randy Makk, CEO of Bresheh; and Kemal Brown, CEO of Digita Global Group. Watch the panel here. 

• "Breaking into Tech" with Jermaine Henry from Norus Tech, Maurice McNaughton from UWI/CSOD, Godiva Golding from Steam House, and the virtual participation of Cristina Martínez, CEO of Pit Policy Lab, and Ricardo Mirón, Technical Coordinator at Digital Public Goods Alliance. Watch the panel here. 

• "Climate Action" with Shauna-Gaye Pusey from Kee Farms, Elizabeth Goodleigh from Grace Kennedy Foundation, Gabriel Mcleod from the Jamaica National Agency for Accreditation, and the virtual participation of Regina Cervera, Project Coordinator at AI for Climate. Watch the panel here. 

• "Creative Economies" with Rayon McLean, Creative Director and Brand and Content Strategist, Evoné Walters, Creative and Social Media Entrepreneur, and Owen Ellis from Edna Manley College and Becca Agency. Watch the panel here. 

At the event, Linda Eddleman, CEO of The Trust, expressed, "Here at the Trust, we spent much time thinking about ways to achieve our mission of helping young people in the Caribbean and Latin America have a better future. In the DIA Program, what we do is that we provide collaborative spaces and training, and we help young people to take ideas and turn them into businesses. We are excited that we started in Jamaica in 2016, and now we are in seven countries, and around 15,000 young people have participated in our program."  

In his part, Dwayne Gutzmer commented: "The Summit is strategically staged during Youth Month as we try to focus on our youth and their development. The Summit gives young people an opportunity, voice, and platform to inspire others. We want you[th] to be in the conversations about the topical issues around us, and we can only do that if we provide opportunities like this so that you can get involved."  

Lastly, Laura D'Abreau reaffirmed: "DIA has impacted thousands of lives over the last couple of years. Collectively, the initiative will affect millions of lives through The Trust for the Americas, the Organization of American States, and the support of the Citi Foundation. Young people need opportunities like this to grow their mindsets, encourage them to better their situations, and utilize their creativity and talent to create things that can be useful to society." 

The DIA Summit is a yearly event that brings together members of the DIA community and other stakeholders to celebrate the DIA program while presenting attendees with insightful discussions, training workshops, and featured speakers. 

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About The Trust for the Americas:    

The Trust for the Americas is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization affiliated with the Organization of American States (OAS). It was established in 1997 to promote public and private sector participation in social and economic development projects in Latin America and the Caribbean. Our initiatives, implemented through local partner organizations, seek to improve access to economic opportunities as well as to foster innovation in vulnerable communities in the hemisphere. To this end, The Trust also promotes social inclusion and good governance. The Trust has offices in Washington, D.C., Colombia, and Canada.    

More information: www.thetrustfortheamericas.org     

Facebook: The Trust for the Americas  Twitter:   @Trust4Americas    

About Democratizing Innovation in the Americas (DIA):   

DIA is a regional initiative of The Trust for the Americas that was launched to foster innovation and empower new generations through access to technology training, specialized curricula, collaboration spaces, mentorship, and financial resources for social and economic ventures.