Dr. Rhoda Arrindell, New President of Caribbean Studies Association

CASTRIES, St. Lucia —On Friday, June 7, the 48th Annual Caribbean Studies Association (CSA) Conference concluded with the Award Ceremony and Closing Gala at the Razmataz Tandoori restaurant in St. Lucia. 

After presenting awards and recognizing individuals, including past presidents, for their decades of service to CSA, outgoing president Okama Ekpe Brook handed over the presidency to Dr. Rhoda Arrindell, an educator, author, and leading linguist of St. Martin. Dr. Arrindell will serve from 2024 to 2025.  

The 50th anniversary of the organization’s founding was held at Harbor Club in St. Lucia, June 3 – 7. The 376 conference attendees participated in several scholarly presentations, panels, plenaries, and round table discussions, said Dr. Arrindell. There were also movie screenings, a cultural evening, and island tours. 

Prior to the start of the conference, online voting was opened for the vice president candidate and three positions on the Executive Committee. Voting in-person closed on day 3, and results were announced on day 4 at the annual general meeting, according to CSA. 

Dr. Raymond Laureano Ortiz was elected to the vice presidency. Dr. Donna Hope, Dr. Oneil Hall, and Dr. Margaret Shrimpton will join returning council members Dr. Geneve Phillip-Durham, Dr. Rita Keresztesi, Dr. Maya Freeman, and Meagan Sylvester. The committee will include immediate past president Ekpe Brook, Dr. Dwaine Plaza, and Dr. Mala Jokhan.

“I have already started to assemble a team of mentors, as well as seasoned and younger members, joined by a St. Martin Organizing Committee, to assist in the planning for next year’s CSA conference in St. Martin, June 1 – 8, said Dr. Arrindell. 

The 2025 conference theme is “Reparations: Resistance, Resilience, Reproduction, and Rehabilitation.” The new president said next year’s conference will “showcase the best of St. Martin in all aspects, woven into the scholarly presentations.” 

The CSA is an independent professional organization devoted to the promotion of Caribbean studies from a multidisciplinary, multicultural point of view. 

Founded in 1974 by 300 Caribbeanists, the organization now has over 1,100 members, scholars, and practitioners working on the Caribbean Region (including Central America and the Caribbean Coast of South America).  CSA members hail from the Caribbean, the Americas, Europe, Africa, and other parts of the world. www.caribbeanstudiesassociation.