Gina Belafonte
Greetings Friends of CaribbeanTales,
Everyone has a story to tell about their connection to this great organization and I want to share mine with you. Nine years ago, I went to the CaribbeanTales Film Festival in Barbados where I was representing Sing Your Song, which is about the lifelong activism of my father Harry Belafonte and his commitment to making the world a better place. It was during this experience that I witnessed the work that Frances-Anne Solomon and her team do to support and promote film from and about the Caribbean Diaspora.
My passion is making things happen by working with diverse artists, activists and organizations worldwide to promote cultural and civic engagement. Currently, I am the Executive Director of Sankofa.org, which was founded by my father to enlist artists, performers and prominent individuals to deliver messages of moral and political consequences. I am also on the Board of two amazing organizations: 2 nd Call, a community-based organization designed to save lives, by reducing violence and assisting personal development of high-risk individuals and the internationally acclaimed Actors Gang Theatre founded by Tim Robbins.
You see, I can relate to the grassroots mission of CaribbeanTales and the constant effort required to find the funds for culture and the arts.
It is why I ask you to join me in supporting the CaribbeanTales donation drive to raise $100K to continue this important and necessary work. We can do this together. You will receive a tax receipt for your donation and a complimentary CTFF pass for the 2020 season with a minimum donation of $500.
Art is so vital to our understanding and compassion for each other. My commitment to creating informative cultural content ranges from documentaries like A Survivors Guide To Prison currently on Netflix; a film currently in development about the colonization of the Congo by King Leopold II; and the staged version of the Grammy-nominated 6 CD box set anthologies of black music, The Long Road To Freedom. We are surrounded by art and culture and most of us consume it on a daily basis. So, why wouldn’t you support it?
I know you will join with me in helping CaribbeanTales meet their goal. It’s a simple process. Click the button and donate today
CaribbeanTales is a registered Canadian Charity no. 87896 4618 RR0001, committed to building community here in
If we don’t support each other, who will?
Peace,
Gina Belafonte
John Reid
My name is John Reid and I am on the Board of Directors of CaribbeanTales. The purpose of my letter is to solicit your support for this incredible organization.
I am originally from Newfoundland and Labrador, and similar to most “island-folks,” I am proud of my heritage and our contribution to the broader cultural landscape. I also lived in the Caribbean for several years and was fortunate to discover the unique and varied cultures that span all those beautiful islands.
It was during my time at Cable and Wireless Communications, that I became familiar with CaribbeanTales’ great work promoting all these diverse island cultures through the arts and film. I have always believed that companies that benefit economically from the Caribbean, should also contribute funding towards the Region’s sustainability and long-term development.
Cable & Wireless, through its service brand Flow, funded several CaribbeanTales initiatives, including the Annual Film Festival and the unique Incubator Program. I got to see, firsthand, CaribbeanTales’ impact promoting Caribbean culture around the world.
When, upon my retirement, the opportunity came to join the CaribbeanTales Board, I jumped at the chance to stay connected with an organization that I believe works so hard to develop the amazing talent born in this wonderful part of the world.
Today, I am writing to you personally. I want to encourage you to support The CaribbeanTales International Film Festival with a financial donation. We have a goal of raising $100,000 and I am confident that we can achieve this target. If you are a Canadian taxpayer, you will receive a tax receipt for your donation; and each of you who donates a minimum of $500, will also receive a complimentary CTFF pass for the 2020 season.
Next year will be fifteen years for the Festival, and while that feat is a significant milestone, CaribbeanTales needs support to ensure that it remains a viable entity for the next fifteen years and beyond. Your donation, regardless of the amount, will enable CaribbeanTales to continue to showcase stories, filmmakers and producers from the Caribbean Diaspora and help to bring their art to Toronto for all audiences.
Support CaribbeanTales. Support our Caribbean culture. Click the button and donate today.
CaribbeanTales is a registered Canadian Charity no. 87896 4618 RR0001, committed to building community here in
Who is with me? I’ve made my donation, now we need you to support our worthwhile cause. Please join in and support this necessary and vital part of the Caribbean arts community.
Yours in gratitude,
John Reid
Jimmy-Jean Louis
Bonjour Mes Amis! Hello my Friends of CaribbeanTales!
This is Jimmy Jean Louis, and one of the things I love about Toronto is the CaribbeanTales Film Festival (CTFF). It speaks to all that Toronto represents — as a city that celebrates all cultures and as one of the world’s top centres for film development and festivals.
Both as an actor and a producer, my work has been a part of this remarkable festival for a number of years. I took part in the CaribbeanTales Incubator Program, now in its tenth year. And I certainly benefited from the mentorship, networking and friendly collaboration with other producers from the Caribbean Diaspora.
I was unbelievably proud to have my film Rattlesnakes debut at the opening of this year’s CTFF to a sold-out audience! Who could have imagined that a little boy from the slums of Pétion-Ville in Haiti would have this opportunity? I thank you all once again for your love and support.
And this is why we need to support platforms like CaribbeanTales – that give us a voice for our storytelling and are always there to nurture our talent.
Please join me in helping with the CaribbeanTales donation drive to raise $100,000 in order to continue this important and necessary work. We can do this together. You will receive a tax receipt for your donation and a complimentary CTFF pass for the 2020 season, with a minimum donation of $500.
It’s not easy to run a non-profit film festival when you are relying on the generosity of audiences, partnerships, supporters and government grants. As the founder of Hollywood Unites for Haiti, I know the work it takes to get the necessary funds for a charitable cause. Our group mobilized for a series of campaigns to help with Haitian Aid, and one thing we could count on was the generosity of the Caribbean Diaspora and those who are passionate about our people and our culture.
Mes amis, we can do this together. Support CaribbeanTales. Support our Caribbean culture. Click the button and donate today.
CaribbeanTales is a registered Canadian Charity no. 87896 4618 RR0001, committed to building community here in Canada because it leads to healthy individuals, intercultural understanding, and strong communities. We are also committed to building a global community between Canadians and like-minded artists, cultural entrepreneurs, community builders and audiences throughout the Diaspora.
We can do this!
Merci,
Jimmy Jean Louis
Denham Jolly
Dear Friends,
For those who don’t know me, my name is Denham Jolly, and I am an entrepreneur, a community leader, activist and a proud Board Member of CaribbeanTales. When Frances-Anne Solomon invited me to join the Board of Directors eight years ago, I saw it as an opportunity to support an innovative, vital and much needed cultural platform in our city.
Throughout my life it has been important to me to support initiatives that give Black and Caribbean people a wider frame to see ourselves, share our perspectives, monetize our talents and participate as full citizens in Canadian culture and life.
Which is why I am writing to you personally, to encourage you to support the CaribbeanTales International Film Festival with a financial donation.
I know how difficult it is to start and sustain a community venture. I came to Canada from Jamaica to make a difference. In 1982, I published and ran Contrast, Canada’s first Black newspaper. And in 1991, I fought for twelve years and won the right to build Flow – Canada’s first Black radio station. In doing so, I created opportunities for many people to work, express themselves, and have dignity as Canadians.
Next year will be fifteen years for the CaribbeanTales Film Festival. Like you, I have admired the perseverance and professionalism of its annual presentations and felt a huge sense of pride and community seeing my culture reflected on the big screen. It has become such an important platform for Caribbean stories, producers, actors, audiences and all those working behind the scenes.
As a CTFF Board member, I am accountable to you, to ensure that every donated dime is accounted for and that the organization is operating in good standing. Which is why I write this letter without hesitation – I know your donation will go directly toward continuing to showcase our stories, our filmmakers and our producers to tell their stories here in Toronto for all audiences.
I am asking you to join me in giving generously to the CaribbeanTales Film Festival. We have a goal of raising $100,000 and I know we can do it together. You will receive a tax receipt for your donation and a complimentary CTFF pass for the 2020 season with a minimum donation of $500.
CaribbeanTales is a registered Canadian Charity no. 87896 4618 RR0001, committed to building community here in Canada because it leads to healthy individuals, intercultural understanding, and strong communities. We are also committed to building a global community between Canadians and like-minded artists, cultural entrepreneurs, community builders and audiences throughout the Diaspora.
Can I count on your support? We need you to continue this important work. Donation is simple. You can do it right now.
With much gratitude,
Denham Jolly
CCH Pounder
Good afternoon CaribbeanTales Supporters!
CCH Pounder here – many of you know me from my most recent role as Dr. Loretta Wade on NCIS: New Orleans. However, I have a long history of acting in plays and films, as well as in television movies and miniseries. My heart belongs to the Arts and to those creative processes that bring the world together through emotions and storytelling.
Recently, I was in Toronto for the 14th Annual CaribbeanTales International Film Festival (CTFF) and I was a judge at the CTFF Incubator Program’s Big Pitch Breakfast that was held during the Toronto International Film Festival. What a wonderful experience! Eighteen aspiring producers from all over the Caribbean and African Diaspora pitched their stories for a chance to win $10,000. It was tough to pick a winner. There is so much talent in the Caribbean community that needs to be nurtured and supported.
Frances-Anne Solomon with CCH Pounder at Breakfast at TIFF: The Big Pitch, produced by CaribbeanTales Incubator
The CTFF Incubator Program is now in its tenth year. It is a necessary and vital part of the CaribbeanTales Film Festival, because it fuels new and potential producers and offers them a platform to tell their stories.
This is why I joined the CaribbeanTales Donation Drive to raise $100,000.00 to continue this important and necessary work. We can do this together. You will receive a tax receipt for your donation and a complimentary CTFF pass for the 2020 season with a minimum donation of $500.
CCH Pounder as “Queen Mo’at” in the movie AVATAR
My roots are in Guyana, I now live in America, and I support causes all over the world, especially those linked to the Caribbean and African Diaspora. Right now, I am one of the founders of Artists for a New South Africa. We use actors and artists with the biggest voices so they can take every opportunity to talk about HIV/AIDS and post-apartheid issues. During my time in Toronto with CTFF founder Frances-Anne Solomon, I encouraged her to reach out to her community to continue building on the last fourteen years of ground-breaking filmmaking, true to life storytelling, cultural representation and extreme pride in our achievements.
CCH Pounder and Frances-Anne Solomon with Jennifer Holness at Breakfast at TIFF: The Big Pitch by CTI
Jennifer Holness, Jay Martin, CCH Pounder and Frances-Anne Solomon at Breakfast at TIFF: The Big Pitch by CTI
CaribbeanTales is a registered Canadian Charity no. 87896 4618 RR0001, committed to building community here in Canada because it leads to healthy individuals, intercultural understanding, and strong communities. We are also committed to building a global community between Canadians and like-minded artists, cultural entrepreneurs, community builders and audiences throughout the Diaspora.
Can I count on your support? We need you to continue this important work. Donation is simple. You can do it right now.
With gratitude,
CCH Pounder