When the curtains rise on the 43rd International Reggae And World Music Awards (IRAWMA) at Florida’s Lauderhill Performing Arts Center on May 17, Jamaican-born poet Marcia Jackson will step into two high-profile roles at once: competing for an unprecedented third consecutive victory and leading the star-studded annual ceremony as host.
Jackson, who now makes her home in Florida, will face off against four other contenders — Amaziyah The Great, Majorie Walters (known professionally as Maj Da Poet), Richie Innocent, and Wise Wurdz — for the prestigious Mutabaruka Award for Best Poet/Spoken Word Entertainer. While landing a third straight win would be a career-defining milestone, Jackson says the opportunity to helm the entire event has left her equally overwhelmed with gratitude and excitement.
Speaking to Observer Online, Jackson described the dual honor as “surreal and humbling.” “As a poet, my core mission has always been to hold a mirror up to our shared culture and history,” she explained. “Hosting this year’s IRAWMA feels like a long-awaited coming together: poetry and reggae music, sharing the same stage and speaking the same cultural language. Winning this award twice already has proven that our spoken word art form earns the respect it deserves here. Now, as host, I get to shine a spotlight on every genre that carries our stories — from raw dub poetry to upbeat dancehall.”
Jackson’s path to the IRAWMA stage has been shaped by a multifaceted career rooted in Caribbean creative tradition. Born and raised in Portland, Jamaica, she got her start in the entertainment industry as a dancehall deejay performing under the stage name Copper Girl. Inspired by iconic Caribbean literary and cultural figures including poet Claude McKay and folklorist Louise “Miss Lou” Bennett Coverley, she began penning her own poetry as a teenager. Beyond her work as a performance artist, Jackson maintains a diverse professional profile: she is a registered nurse, a stage actress with credits including the production *The Real Wife*, and the organizer of the popular annual Easter Comedy Show in Jupiter, Florida.
That varied background, Jackson says, has given her a unique set of skills perfectly tailored to hosting the major awards event. “Dub poetry taught me timing, breath control, and how to command an entire room with nothing but words,” she noted. “My work in drama gave me stage presence and taught me how to hold an audience’s attention from start to finish. And organizing community events like the Unity Dance for Florida Nursing Month taught me behind-the-scenes logistics, how to manage a running order, and how to keep energy high for hours on end. All of those experiences come together when you step out to host an event this big.”
Founded by Ephraim Martin, a former photojournalist with Jamaican newspaper *The Gleaner*, the IRAWMA has a 41-year history of celebrating Caribbean and global roots music. First launched as the International Reggae Music Awards in 1982 in Chicago, the awards have honored hundreds of artists, musicians, producers, and industry leaders, with a core focus on Jamaican creative talent. This year’s ceremony features 40 competitive categories decided by public voting, plus five additional Special Honours recognitions for outstanding contributions to the genre.