by Denyce Blackman
Pre-COVID-19, many people may have considered digital communication work as “skills for the future”. But with a hand now forced by the current pandemic, they have undeniably proven to be the skillset of the present.
This is one of the main reasons successful entrepreneur Ian “Wize” Grazette is about to launch his digital media company The Junction in Barbados. He believes this venture comes at a prime time for those who want to hone their digital creative skills.
“Growing up, my mother would tell me Barbados has one the highest literacy rates in the world.
“However, when looking at digital literacy, this is something the UN and mapping organisations don’t take into account. In 2021, if you don’t have a computer or you aren’t internet-savvy, you’re behind.
“Whether you live in a city like New York with direct flights to anywhere on the planet, or you live in Barbados where you’re surrounded by water, the internet is what connects us. People need to be prepared for that world because it’s not going backward,” he told Today’s BUSINESS.
Born in New York to a Barbadian mum and dad who hail from Long Bay, St Philip, and Mapp Hill, St Michael respectively, Wize has already successfully set up a series of successful ventures in radio, podcasting, and social networking, including The Indie Creative Network, a digital civic association for black and brown creators.
In the pre-pandemic European Commission Report “The Changing Nature of Work and Skills in the Digital Age”, the authors considered digital skills to be increasingly necessary to seize emerging job opportunities.
These skills, which include communication and collaboration, media literacy, and digital content creation, are all championed by Wize as part of The Junction.
“The Junction is a community centre which encourages creative partnerships, with people in the community and members who use our studios.
“There, you will be able to record podcasts or music, do voiceovers, have photoshoots, and there will also be space for events, classes, or creative launches. Basically, it will be a hub to say ‘creativity lives here’.
“Another thing is international creators come to Barbados all the time and they also need hub for visual shoots, recordings, and such, so they can utilise the space and spread the word to other creative travelers.”
The Junction will be centrally-located and subscription-based, with members having access to the same resources that the members in the New York sister companies have access to.
However, Wize is keen to make sure it stays affordable, so anyone who is interested can benefit. He is also eager to work with government, schools, and organisations to improve local digital creativity and literacy.
“As I get older I realise the need to help future generations and, for me, that starts at home. When I look at my current business [in New York] and how it is set up, I imagine Barbados.
“The USA is the leader in podcasting and other things and in Barbados the creativity is also there, but the means and desire to do so on a grander scale is not where it could be.”
After some setbacks due to the coronavirus restrictions, Wize and his small team of Sherynna Kingston (American-Barbadian co-owner) and Akeel Hope-Maloney (Barbadian studio manager) are finally able to begin outfitting the creative space and they hope to launch the hub as soon as the government’s COVID-19 protocols allow.
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