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 [1].
Based in Trinidad and Tobago, Janine Mendes-Franco [2] 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 [3]