Entrepreneurs from various sectors, including agriculture, education, youth and community development, make up the 2021 cohort from Jamaica for the U.S. Department of State’s Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative (YLAI) Fellowship Program.

The programme, which gets under way in January and closes next April, will bring together 263 young leaders from 37 countries in Latin America, the Caribbean, and Canada for a virtual fellowship.

This year, nine young leaders from Jamaica have been accepted out of more than 2,300 applicants.

The 2021 YLAI Fellowship Program is sponsored by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State.

During the programme, fellows will complete the YLAI Entrepreneurial Leadership Curriculum and will work with a U.S. host organisation for four weeks. They will also be paired with a designated mentor and will collaborate with other fellows to address shared foreign policy challenges throughout the exchange. Additionally, they will engage in live events and crosscultural activities.

In a statement, the U.S. Embassy in Kingston said the programme is a collaborative, enriching experience that combines technical entrepreneurship training with leadership development and networking opportunities.

“Jamaica’s cohort of YLAI Fellows are entrepreneurs from various sectors, their industries include agriculture, education, youth and community development, civic engagement, hospitality management, product development and distribution,” the Embassy stated.

THE FELLOWS

• Adrian Watson, CEO for Honai Beez Apiary
• Audley Reid, CEO for R.A. Williams Distributors Ltd
• Deleen Powell, Coowner, Director, and Secretary for Newman Farms
• Godiva Golding, Founder of STEAM House Network
• Kimone Knight, Founder of Xensitive Care Ltd
• Kimone Kerr, Chief Executive Officer for The Exuberant Overseas Placement Agency
• Patrique Goodall, Founder of Likkle Tea
• Randall Richards, Founder and Director, Mint Creative
• Danielle Terrelonge, founder of Hmgrwn & Co

The YLAI Fellowship Program will begin on January 11 at the virtual Opening Orientation hosted by IREX, followed by the four-week fellowship. The program concludes with a virtual Closing Forum in April. Fellows return to their ventures with new skills, resources, ongoing support from U.S. counterparts, and a broader network, strengthening business ties between the U.S. and Latin America, the Caribbean, and Canada. The https://ylai.state.gov/ website includes information about the YLAI Professional Fellowship Program and the YLAI Network and the fellowship can be followed on social media using #YLAI2021Innovators.