Been gone too long...but Caribbean Atlanta is always with me

I started this blog in 2009 to help me write down my experiences and observations while living and doing research in Atlanta on its growing Afro-Caribbean community. It definitely helped me capture some of the great moments that I had in Atlanta exploring Caribbean Atlanta. I came to the black mecca to understand what was causing so many Afro-Caribbeans to migrate to Atlanta. Were they enticed by the city's opportunities? Its rich black history? Were they following the large number of African Americans migrating back (or for the first time) to Atlanta and other places in the South? Or were they being attracted to it because of its emerging status as immigrant destination? I also wanted to know how they were being incorporated into a city with a rich African American history that includes being the home of the Civil Rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. and the hbcus Morehouse, Spelman, and Clark Atlanta, the pillars of black higher education in the US. Were they seen and treated like another black resident or seen and treated as immigrants/foreigners/outsiders?

I spent a year between 2009 and 2010 trying to answer these questions. I interviewed people, attended events, shopped at Caribbean businesses, ate at Caribbean restaurants, and danced at Caribbean clubs. I had a great time getting to know the city. I learned a lot about the community, the city, and myself. After the year was over, I ended up moving to Santa Barbara, CA and had a completely different experience as a Afro-Caribbean American. I experienced culture shock (see my earlier blog post). I had never lived in an area where there were few to no Caribbean people. No place to buy some curry goat, rice & peas, and fried plantains. No club to whine it up on a stranger. No carnival to attend to celebrate my Caribbean culture and heritage. At the same time, I was also in the middle of figuring out what were the big findings of my research--and of my Caribbean Atlanta experience.

I spent the past few years trying to get out my experience and please my dissertation committee members who had their own ideas on what the important details of my project and experience were or should have been. And I will admit that it threw me off. I loved my project and my experience in Caribbean Atlanta. But the criticism and feedback I was receiving started to make me view my work and my experience as a burden--something that I have to carry with me and work through until someone else tells me it is good. I stopped writing and tried to distance myself from all things that reminded me of my project, my experience, and Caribbean Atlanta.

After this long hiatus, I have decided to use this forum as a place to share my work and my experience. Let the world see parts of me through my work that is based on my views, research, and experience. So I hope you will join me weekly on this journey and be engaged by my scholarship chronicling the Afro-Caribbean migration to Atlanta.

Snapshots of Fun Atlanta Peachtree Caribbean Carnival (2010)

If a picture says a thousand words, I hope these pictures say it all. Instead of telling you about my second Atlanta Carnival experience, I thought I would just show you. A few things that you should know is that my dad (who acts like he is Mr. Caribbean) came down from Boston to experience Atlanta Carnival, and visit me (of course). During Carnival 2009,  I didn't get a chance to see the parade because I was out partying until dawn the night before (all in the name of research). 

I tried very hard not to compare Atlanta Carnival to the infamous New York Carnival (the oldest and largest Caribbean carnival in the US), but I couldn't help but notice the obvious differences between the two carnivals. As a researcher, I had a great experience, observing and taking pictures of the festivities and the people. But, as a carnival-lover, I ...well... had less than a great experience. My dad, on the other hand, really enjoyed himself, and pointed out to me that Atlanta Carnival had the same elements as other US carnivals, including New York's  (i.e., bands, big trucks, masqueraders, steel pan bands, vendors, etc), but on a smaller scale. I don't know if that is true, since I have only been to two other US carnivals---Boston and New York, which are both older, bigger, and more well-known than Atlanta Carnival.  I don't want to deter anyone from experiencing this carnival for yourself. Check out the pictures below and judge for yourself.

One Love 

we started at the last band on the road

and they are ready to mash up the road