Kered Clement regards herself as a cultural and commercial storyteller. A first-generation Grenadian, born and bred in the United Kingdom, Kered’s creativity, which is deeply connected to her heritage, has been called on by global media and consumer brands like Disney, British Airways, Time Out, CBC, and Essence Communications. Formally educated at the London College of Fashion, University of the Arts, UK, Kered holds a Bachelor of Arts in Fashion Promotion (Journalism, PR, Broadcasting).

With over fifteen years of experience in journalism and digital content creation, Kered taps into her ability to connect with people from all walks of life. She is regarded as a thought leader in developing the Caribbean region's tourism, cultural, and creative economies. Shaping the narrative of her home country in digital spaces, Kered has worked with the Government of Grenada to rebrand the destination and leverage digital media to stimulate growth in the tourism sector. In 2019, consumer voting resulted in Kered being awarded the Caribbean Tourism Association's Best Caribbean Blog, emphasizing her role as an influential creator and advocate for the diasporic community. In 2023, Kered supported the digital roll-out of Grenada's inaugural cultural and creative industries conference. The event brought together local, regional, and international experts, artists, entrepreneurs, and policymakers to pave the way for the development of strategic partnerships, policy frameworks, and investment opportunities to support the sustainable development of Grenada's cultural and creative sector.

We were lucky to catch up with her and learn more about her bold journey.

CBN: What has been your biggest area of growth or improvement in the past 12 months?

Kered: One of the most significant lessons I learned is to have the courage to speak up confidently for what you believe in and to overcome the fear of reaching out to your biggest role models. In the last year I had the privilege of bringing together some of the most gifted creatives from Grenada, the diaspora, and the Caribbean region for UNLEASH - Grenada's inaugural cultural and creative industries conference led by the Grenada Government Ministry of Planning and Economy Development. The three-day event featured discussions on fostering sustainable economic growth in the cultural and creative sector—engaging panel discussions on arts entrepreneurship, digital innovation, cultural heritage preservation, and sustainable practices. It was a great privilege for me to be a part of the Organizing Committee and work alongside fellow creative individuals from Grenada and the Ambassador for Creative Economy in Grenada's Office of Creative Affairs. Together, we utilized immersive storytelling to develop a fresh perspective to create a conference that would resonate with creatives on a deep level. Being unapologetic about putting forward my ideas gave me the opportunity to invite influential Grenadians to share their journey on home soil.

UNLEASH Conference (L-R- Rhael 'LionHeart' Cape, Kwame Kwei-Armah, Kered Clement, Rodney Charles, Simon Frederick). Photo Credit: Dwain Thomas.

CBN: How would you describe your work ethic and where did this come from?

Kered: I am passionate about telling the unheard stories of people with a work ethic driven by watching my parents build their own business. The unheard stories started in the salon chair. I would watch as my parents, two Grenadians who migrated to Britain and became innovators in Afro-Caribbean haircare, treated the scalp and soul of their customers. Their clients would offload like the chaise lounge of a therapist's office. That is where my fascination with storytelling started. As the resident hair sweeper at the salon, I would eavesdrop, and the stories would later play out in the form of dramatic productions led by a cast of Barbie, Ken and friends. It evolved into a love for expressing creative ideas through art, photography, poetry and scrapbooking—which we now call content creation. My curiosity about big people's business and formative play is etched in my subconscious and has become my secret to building robust content strategies.

Kered Clement on set of Disney Holiday Special. Photo Credit: Terel Moore.

CBN: How did you find your purpose?

Kered: My heart's calling and life's mission is to inspire and empower people through genuine storytelling. I take pride in being a reliable source of information on Grenada's finest, from talented artists to Grenadian-owned businesses. It brings me immense joy to promote Caribbean creatives and to connect the dots for opportunities that can make a significant impact. I am incredibly proud of a moment in my career when I was recommended by the Grenada Tourism Authority to support the production of a Disney Holiday filmed in Grenada. As the Grenada segment producer, I made it my mission to empower the local community by hiring 70% of the production crew from Grenada. It was a true honor to showcase the beauty of Grenada to the world and provide opportunities for local talent to shine. I discovered my purpose in life after the loss of my dear friend, Ryan Mitchell, who left us at the young age of 27. Ryan was an incredibly gifted Grenadian graphic/web designer who was passionate about healthy living, natural remedies, music, and literature. He was a visionary who used his creativity to tell meaningful stories and uplift young Grenadians. During the final few months of his life, Ryan made sure to do everything that brought him joy, and I vividly recall our last conversation when he said, "Kiki, I am walking in my purpose." In honor of Ryan, I strive to live a purpose-driven life every day.

We thank you Kered for sharing your BOLD JOURNEY!

Follow: @keredclement