Style & Vibes
Small Axe Pt. 1 with Rachel Osbourne
In this episode of Style & Vibes, we discuss the Small Axe anthology series’ as it directly relates to the Caribbean and its diaspora. We explore the name of the series, its focus around Black struggles with racism, accessibility to the full diaspora, coverage by black mainstream media and community connection.
J-Source
A year of mapping media impacts of the pandemic in Canada.
“But there is hope on the horizon with a new wave of independent media cropping up to serve a variety of audiences and coverage areas…The Canadian Association of Black Journalists recently announced startup funds for Black-owned media companies the Resolve, 1919 Magazine, Afros in Tha City, juliemango.tv and Toned.”
Read the full article on J-Source.
Press Release: Isle + Indies Studios Receives Grant to Launch Media Platform dedicated to Caribbean Film
The grant, sponsored by the Canadian Association of Black Journalists (CABJ) and TD Bank, was created to support journalists working outside of traditional Canadian newsrooms.
Toronto, ON: Isle + Indies Studios announced it has received a C$5,000 grant from the Canadian Association of Black Journalists, sponsored by TD Bank, to grow its newly launched media platform that covers Caribbean on-screen productions, juliemango.tv.
The company will use the CABJ Media Startup Grant to increase juliemango.tv’s editorial capacity. The platform, launched on January 25, 2021, aims to be a viewing companion for lovers of Caribbean film through its coverage of classic and modern titles and community programming.
“Our mandate is to offer new and specific perspectives about how Caribbean cultural screen products are received, talked about, and heralded. We’re making an intentional effort with juliemango.tv to explore what film and tv criticism should look like in a culture-centered Caribbean context,” says Rachel Osbourne, founder of Isle + Indies Studios.
Osbourne’s goals for the platform include:
Giving young journalists of Caribbean heritage, from the region and Diaspora, who want to cover the Caribbean film beat a space to tell stories in whatever medium they choose – video, audio, or text.
A subscription-based film club membership where cinephiles can be an active part of the juliemango.tv community by attending events, filmmaker q&As, and access exclusive content and perks.
An eCommerce marketplace with products from Caribbean filmmakers and video creators allowing audiences to own a piece of the stories they love.
CABJ officially announced the winners of the inaugural Media Startup Grant on March 3, 2021 at 6PM ET during a virtual wrap party.
About Isle + Indies Studios
Isle + Indies Studios Inc. (pronounced “isle and indies”) is a networked tech-enabled media company with a mission to support the visibility and discoverability of Caribbean films, creators, and actors. The company, founded by Rachel Osbourne in 2019, is made up of three (3) distinct brands: b/dscvrd (pronounced “be discovered”), a boutique casting company & directory of Caribbean actors; its agency department dubbed Creative House that helps filmmakers develop strategies to build & connect with audiences; and juliemango.tv, a media hub for Caribbean cinephiles.
About CABJ
Founded in 1996, the Canadian Association of Black Journalists’ (CABJ) mission is to increase representation through education and inspiration. We believe Black journalists must work together in an effort to diversify newsrooms, to increase the number of Black media professionals in management positions in Canada, and to educate and inspire a new generation of young Black journalists.