On June 6, 2026, the Caribbean Camera turns 36 years old.

For some publications, that may simply be a milestone. For us, it is a reminder of a promise made in 1990, a promise to serve Caribbean people in Canada honestly, fairly, and without fear.

From the beginning, the Caribbean Camera was never intended to be a newspaper for only one group, one race, one political view or one ideology. The Caribbean itself is diverse. It is African, Indian, Chinese, Indigenous, European, Syrian, Lebanese and more. It is Christian, Hindu, Muslim and Rastafarian. It is a mixture of histories, cultures and experiences that together created one of the richest identities in the world.

That reality shaped this newspaper.

Our role was never to tell people what to think. Our responsibility was to provide information, present issues openly, highlight success stories, examine failures and allow readers to make up their own minds. That principle has guided us through some very difficult moments.

Over the years, we faced criticism from many directions. There was even a time when some questioned whether the paper was “Black enough” or “Caribbean enough” because of who sat in the editor’s chair. Those criticisms missed the entire point of what this newspaper was trying to accomplish. Diversity was never a weakness of the Caribbean Camera. It was its strength.

Today, however, community journalism faces a different kind of challenge.

Many Black and Caribbean newspapers that once helped shape public discussion are disappearing. One of our strongest competitors recently closed its doors, and that loss should concern all of us. Competition made all of us better. More importantly, it ensured that our communities had multiple independent voices willing to speak truth to power, regardless of the consequences.

That kind of journalism is becoming harder to sustain.

Social media has changed everything. Today, anyone with a phone can become a publisher. Sometimes that creates opportunity. Sometimes it spreads confusion. Too often, facts are replaced by outrage, headlines replace understanding, and speed replaces accuracy.

Yet despite all the changes, community newspapers still matter.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, we worked to keep readers informed about vaccines, treatments, public health measures and government decisions. We presented information. We shared expert opinions. But we never believed it was our role to control people or pressure them into one viewpoint. Adults deserve facts, context and the freedom to make their own decisions.

That philosophy remains important today in a world increasingly driven by manipulation, algorithms and polarization.

We also recognize that the future of the Caribbean Camera cannot simply depend on one person. That is why we are now exploring a transition toward becoming a not-for-profit organization owned by the community itself. This newspaper should belong to the people it serves. Its survival should not rest solely on Anthony Joseph or any individual publisher. It should be protected as a community institution for future generations.

That next chapter will not be easy. There will be resistance. There always is when independent voices survive longer than expected. But we believe the effort is worthwhile.

Over the next five years, we hope to grow from thousands of e-paper readers to tens of thousands of subscribers across Canada and beyond. We want young people, newcomers, seniors and future generations to continue seeing themselves reflected in these pages.

But none of that happens without community support.

If you believe independent Black and Caribbean journalism still matters, support the businesses that advertise with us. Pick up the paper each week. Subscribe online. Share stories with your family and friends. Encourage others to subscribe.

Thirty-six years later, the mission remains the same: serve the community honestly, independently and without fear.

And with your support, we hope to do it for many years to come.

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