Island Icons Honors to celebrate Caribbean diaspora trailblazers in Brooklyn

NEW YORK, United States. Caribbean entrepreneurs, creatives and cultural leaders will be recognised on 10 November at the third annual Island Icons Honors, which celebrates people elevating the Caribbean diaspora across North America.

Organised by Carib Biz Network (CBN), the event will be held at Industry City in Brooklyn under the theme "Salt + Gold: One Sea. Every Shore. Where Icons Bloom."

This year's awards feature more than 100 nominees across 12 categories, covering business, fashion, hospitality, media, music, the arts and community development. CBN founder Dr Nicole Grimes established the honours to spotlight Caribbean excellence.

Honourees

Sabrina Boissiere, founder of Natural Partners in Crime, will receive the Entrepreneurial Spirit Award. Since 2013 she has produced more than 50 events connecting the natural hair community with brands and industry professionals in the United States, the Caribbean and the United Kingdom.

Vinay Harrichan, founder of The Cutlass Magazine, has built a platform for the Indo-Caribbean community and the descendants of Indian indentureship, using digital storytelling, a podcast and a virtual museum.

Sharifa Murdock, chief impact officer at Kith, co-founded Liberty Fairs and helped launch PROJECT, becoming the first Black woman to own a fashion trade show.

Other honourees include Janelle M. Hopkin, president and managing director of Grenada's Spice Island Beach Resort; Jamaican-American designer Edvin Thompson, founder of THEOPHILIO; and Haitian multidisciplinary artist and creative director Steven Baboun.

People's Choice

The evening will include a red carpet, an awards ceremony and networking, with food from Caribbean Eats of NYC, a consortium of Caribbean restaurants and brands.

The public can vote in two People's Choice categories: Best Caribbean Digital Comedy Creative of the Year in the United States and Best Caribbean Podcast of the Year.