18. A Beacon of Hope: Jamaica’s Post Disaster Resilience – The Honorable Edmund Bartlett, Tourism Minister of Jamaica & Tanya Vassell, Spa Director Half Moon Resort, Montego Bay Jamaica

As a multi-peril podcast looking for rays of hope, it is fitting that we focus on the Caribbean island of Jamaica and how their advance resiliency planning is helping speed their recovery after being hit by the monster, Category 5 Hurricane Melissa in late October.  Hear first hand strategies implemented before and after the storm on the island from international resilience expert, Edmund Bartlett, the Tourism Minister of Jamaica.  We’ll also speak to a hospitality industry leader, Tonya Vassal – Spa Director at Half Moon Resort in Montego Bay – who uses her wellness background to help neighbors, employees and their children cope with this trauma.  For the Wellness Lift, we’ll go behind-the-scenes during float prep for the Rose Parade in Pasadena and hear from Cielo Castro from the California Community Foundation as she describes the non-profit’s gorgeous, 2026 New Year’s Day phoenix-inspired float tribute to fire victims called “Rising Together.”Resources:https://www.visitjamaica.com/https://www.halfmoon.com/www.calfund.org Donate to help support #L.A. RisingProduced by NOVA