DARYNEL, the Culture Worker

My name is DARYNEL and I’m a Caribbean Canadian Culture Worker and World Builder

I’m a Caribbean Canadian Culture Worker, majoring in experience curation and discovery through art via my brain child Pear’d Experiences. I also work as a World Builder through Costume Design and Wardrobe Styling, as The Overdressed Unusual.

Q: What does “Community” mean to you, how do You actively cultivate it in your daily work and life?

A: Growing up queer, in a lower middle class home, in a Caribbean country, can leave you feeling isolated. I learnt at a very young age how to cultivate a chosen family, who share similar interests and bring you closer to yourself every time you interact. My friends [family] are who make life better through their support and love. I want everyone to experience that and maximize on the opportunities to share in that. Culture Work is heavily reliant on community building for execution (through collaboration) and intention (because community is the power house behind what moves culture). Working in CD and styling also involves heavy collaboration and understanding in order to build worlds that people can relate to.

Q: What story’s of the Caribbean culture do you think is underrepresented and how do you address this in your work?
A: I think my main goal with most of my work is to platform and amplify the voices of queer people in the Caribbean and its diaspora. With most ventures seeking to expand the reach of Caribbean culture, it’s almost as if tastemakers stand resolute in excluding queer individuals from the narrative or have them as silent contributors. My purpose (with the privilege I have) is to not only preserve the aspects of a culture that means something to me but also to make sure that the people involved in creating the culture have their identities preserved as well.

Q:If you could create a single project that combines all your passions, what would it look like?

A :Through Pear’d Experiences, I’ve been able to develop an event series called Poppy Show that encapsulates all the things I love about my caribbeaness while navigating queerness. I’ve been able to scale over the last 3 years through collaborations and partnerships that have really solidified my purpose in my new home. As for dream projects, my work in film and tv, writing and other arts spaces have really brought me closer to bringing a documentary idea that I’ve had in mind to life. I’d want to look at dancehall as a subculture and its connections to QBIPOC subcultures globally.

WHAT ARE YOUR 5 MOST LISTENED SONGS?

F* Me - Shy girl

BooBoo - Yaeji

My Humps just wanna vroom vromm - dj g2g

Denial is a river - Doechii

Ackee - Sadboi