KINGSTON, Jamaica — On June 13, a transformative new initiative focused on reframing national conversations around men’s mental health, emotional wellness, and community leadership will debut in Kingston as the Redefining Men’s Wellness Conference & Award Ceremony. Hosted at the Hope Fellowship Auditorium from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., the event is the brainchild of author and veteran life coach Shareka Swaby, whose years of working directly with Jamaican men revealed a widespread, hidden crisis of unaddressed emotional distress.
Swaby explained that the idea for the conference grew out of consistent patterns she encountered in her coaching practice. “Almost every man I work with tells me the same thing: that society tells men they are not allowed to feel or show vulnerability,” she said. These anecdotal observations, paired with ongoing public discourse and local media reporting that laid bare the systemic emotional and social barriers facing Jamaican men, reinforced the urgent need for a dedicated, judgment-free space where men could engage openly with their struggles.
“When I looked at how little space we dedicate to this issue, paired with consistent media coverage of the declining state of men’s welfare across our country, I knew we had to create a place where men could not only learn about wellness, but also speak their truth without fear of judgment,” Swaby added.
The one-day gathering will center on four core themes: emotional fitness, mental wellness, intentional leadership, and responsible fatherhood. The overarching mission is to encourage men to reach out for support without the shame and stigma that has long surrounded male vulnerability in Jamaican culture. A primary goal of the event is to close the gap between the cultural norm of emotional suppression and accessible, stigma-free emotional healing.
Swaby notes, “We want to take men from the mindset of ‘it’s not safe for me to open up’ to the confidence of feeling comfortable booking an appointment with a therapist or wellness coach. We also aim to help men understand that unaddressed emotional instability doesn’t just destroy their own lives — it ripples out to damage the well-being of their partners, children, and entire families.”
What began as a standalone conference has evolved into a joint venture with community organizer Thriecia Tyndale, who previously hosted annual Father’s Day recognition dinners and award ceremonies. The pairing was an immediate natural fit, Swaby says, combining educational programming with celebration of men’s positive contributions to families and communities.
Beyond panel discussions and educational sessions, the event will close with an inclusive award ceremony that centers participation over prestige. Every man who attends the conference will receive a certificate of appreciation simply for showing up and engaging with the work, a choice Swaby says reflects the reality that taking the first step to prioritize wellness is one of the bravest actions a man can take in the current cultural climate.
“Just showing up speaks volumes,” she said. “That alone is one of the biggest steps a man can take toward improving his overall well-being.”
Special recognition tokens will also be distributed to fathers, uncles, brothers, and nephews to honor the critical roles they play in family and community life, while separate honors will go to men who have made outstanding contributions to Jamaican society across public and private sectors, particularly those with a track record of service to others.
Expert keynote speakers with specialized backgrounds in men’s wellness and leadership development have been hand-selected to lead sessions, which will tackle provocative topics including Breaking the ‘Man Up’ Myth, Emotional Fitness for Modern Men, and Intentional Fatherhood.
Mindful of the deep cultural sensitivities around men’s mental health across the Caribbean, organizers have taken intentional steps to cultivate a safe, comfortable space for participants. “This is a strictly male-centered environment,” Swaby explained. “As much as possible, both presenters and attendees will be men, with female organizers only serving in support roles as ushers and facilitators. We believe that educating men in a space by and for them first helps build that critical sense of safety that allows for open conversation.”
Any form of ridicule or mockery of participants’ experiences is strictly prohibited, with zero tolerance for behavior that undermines the safe space ethos of the event.
Looking beyond the one-day gathering, Swaby and the organizing team hope the conference acts as a catalyst for long-term cultural change in how Jamaican society approaches men’s mental health and emotional well-being. “As a society, we are losing too many men to this silent crisis, and when we lose men, we lose families and whole communities,” she said. “If you are a man who has ever felt frustrated, overwhelmed, exhausted, angry, or just fed up with carrying it all alone, this is the space for you on June 13.”
Organizers envision the initiative growing into both an annual national event and a broader regional movement that expands access to men’s wellness resources across Jamaica and the entire Caribbean. “This is just the first step,” Swaby confirmed. “It is always intended to become a yearly gathering, and the foundation for a larger movement for men’s wellness across the region.”
While sponsorship outreach is still ongoing, several major Jamaican institutions have already pledged their support: HEART Trust has confirmed its official attendance, and the Ministry of Health has contributed educational resources to advance the initiative’s mission. Organizers say they remain open to additional partnerships and sponsorships, both financial and in-kind.
Ultimately, Swaby emphasizes that the conference’s mission extends far beyond a single day of events. “Jamaica has a tendency to pull off great one-off events that fizzle out quickly, but what we want to see is ongoing conversation and sustained change,” she explained. “We intend to keep this work going with more programming and resources down the line, and we welcome all stakeholders and participants to join us on this journey.”