On the eve of Read Across Jamaica Day, the hum of routine learning softened into eager curiosity inside the walls of Spanish Town Infant School, where wide-eyed young students gathered not for memorization or drills, but for the transformative magic of stories coming alive. The special literacy event, conceptualized by Massy Distribution—currently in a transition period to rebrand as Acado Jamaica—brought internationally recognized author and lifelong literacy advocate Marley Dias directly into the classroom to lead an interactive, engaging session for the young learners.
For Dias, whose mother was born and raised in Jamaica, the visit was far more than just another event on a packed advocacy schedule. Speaking to Observer Online, she shared that the experience felt like a full-circle moment that reaffirmed the purpose driving her decade-long work expanding access to joyful reading. Dias first launched her first literacy campaign at just 10 years old, and has since led dozens of initiatives to connect young people to books that reflect their experiences and spark a lifelong love of reading.
Reflecting on the day, Dias praised the 4 to 6-year-old students for their curiosity and focus, pushing back against common misconceptions that young children’s boundless energy equates to distraction. “A lot of the times with kids between the ages of four to six there is an assumption that their energy and excitement would lead to a lack of focus, but they asked great questions. They participated in everything, especially with cameras being in the room and it not being the usual school day for them. They had such a positive attitude,” she said.
Two key moments from the visit stuck with Dias long after the session wrapped: watching young children speak confidently about their personal dreams in a safe, encouraging space, and sharing the unplanned, warm joy of connection that ended with group hugs and bright, unforced smiles. For Dias, who often notes that behind-the-scenes advocacy work is far from glamorous, this heartfelt interaction alone was enough to fill her with pride for her work. By the end of the session, the core message she hoped to leave with students stuck: no matter what they dream of achieving in life, reading will play a critical role in helping them get there.
That pride was echoed by Dias’ mother, Dr. Janice Johnson Dias, who has been a key influence on her daughter’s lifelong connection to books and literacy advocacy. Growing up in Jamaica’s St. Mary parish, Dr. Johnson Dias explained that the mission behind their work is rooted in rethinking how reading is framed across the Caribbean, where it is too often treated as a disciplinary punishment rather than a world-opening opportunity.
“I’m from St Mary and the culture of ‘yuh pick up yuh book from mawning’ is a very serious thing, and we want to make sure that young people and just everybody in general realise that reading is free play. A book is not punishment,” she said. “Reading is an adventure. It gives you an opportunity to travel in your mind. To see my own daughter mature and doing this kind of work, it’s even more powerful for me. It feels like a passing of the baton; like my grandmother’s dreams, her grandmother’s dream, all happening with her. It’s hard to fully express how deeply gratifying it is to see her doing this kind of work.”
For Janine Chen, chief executive officer of Massy Distribution Jamaica, the decision to partner on the event and bring Dias to the classroom was both aligned with the company’s longstanding values and a serendipitous opportunity. “We wanted a more meaningful way to engage our children through authors and storytelling, and when we learned Marley would be in Jamaica, the stars aligned,” Chen explained.
Chen emphasized that the company’s investment in education and literacy initiatives is not a new one, rooted in the core belief that early literacy is far more than an academic requirement—it is a foundational life skill. “It builds confidence, curiosity and lifelong learning. When children learn to love reading early, it opens doors far beyond the classroom,” she said, noting that the company’s commitment to education will remain unchanged even through its upcoming rebranding to Acado Jamaica.
Maxine Scarlett-Campbell, principal of Spanish Town Infant School, called the day a transformative, unforgettable experience for her students. She noted that hosting an international advocate of Dias’ caliber elevated the annual Read Across Jamaica Day celebration into a once-in-a-lifetime encounter for the young learners, and expressed gratitude that the school was selected for the third consecutive year to participate in the initiative. “Having an international author accompanying the team this year has catapulted this day into a new dimension. This meant so much to our students. They were overjoyed. It is certainly a privilege to have hosted Miss Marley Dias, an esteemed international author who has broken so many barriers across cultures at such a young age,” Scarlett-Campbell said.