Photo provided by Janine Mendes-Franco and used with permission.

Community blog note: This post is part of a new series called GVer of the Week where each Wednesday, we'll feature a different community member who has been nominated by one of their colleagues. If you wish to nominate someone to be featured here, please complete this form.

Based in Trinidad and Tobago, Janine Mendes-Franco has been contributing to Global Voices since 2006 as its Caribbean Regional Editor. With more than 7300 posts with her by-line, Janine has been covering this expansive region often with a special focus on arts and culture.

Global Voices (GV): What do you do outside GV? What are your other interests?

Janine Mendes-Franco (JMF): I'm a writer and film producer, so other than family, that takes up a good portion of my time. For fun, I play guitar (I love singing, music and dancing). I enjoy reading but also feel a pull — especially now — to connect with nature, so I might go for a hike or a run, garden, or just do some yoga outdoors. One of my favourite places is the hammock strung between two cocoa trees in my garden.

GV: What’s one surprising thing about you?

JMF: I'm an introvert.

GV: What do you want people to know about the place you live?

JMF: It's real.

GV: How did you find GV and get started as a contributor?

JMF: Through Georgia Popplewell, who encouraged me to start a blog. The rest, as they say, is history.

GV: Why do you think GV is important?

JMF: It's a microcosm of what the world could be like if we all just communicated with the intention of understanding, rather than with the intention of proving we're right.

GV: Why do you contribute to GV?

JMF: It allows me to bring Caribbean stories to a global audience.

GV: How did GV change your view of the world?

JMF: It didn't change my worldview so much as it solidified my belief that we're all more alike than we are different.

Follow Janine on Twitter at @JanineMFranco