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Prince Forde, a proud Barbadian cultural advocate and co-founder of the Caribbean Music Awards, and Keenan “Special” Bristol, a Guyanese-American artist and activist, are using their platforms to save lives.
Marie Driven, the Haitian-American managing partner of the Brooklyn-based entertainment company, PlaybookMG, told Caribbean Life on Monday, Nov. 4, that Forde and Bristol are doing so through “Music Brings Life,” a nonprofit, “merging music, culture, and advocacy to raise awareness about the urgent need for blood donations across Black, Caribbean, and Latino communities.”
Driven said, “Music Brings Life,” and the Sickle Cell Consortium has partnered with the Boys & Girls Club to launch this fall a three-state film screening tour for the new documentary, “Students Are Heroes: A Sickle Cell Warrior’s Story.”
“The film highlights the courage of students and families living with sickle cell disease and how community action, particularly within the Caribbean Diaspora, can create life-saving change.”
Prince Forde, co-founder of the Caribbean Music Awards. Photo courtesy /PlaybookMG
She said the tour launched successfully at theWorley Brown Boys & Girls Club in Norcross, Georgia, will continue through New York City and New Jersey, with a nationwide expansion planned for 2026.
Driven said Prince and Keenan both share deep Caribbean roots.
She said Prince Forde (Barbados/Brooklyn) is the cultural producer, co-founder of Caribbean Elite Magazine and the Caribbean Music Awards, and COO of Music Brings Life.
Keenan “Special” Bristol (Guyana) is the founder of Music Brings Life, who has helped collect over 5,000 units of blood since 2009 through music-driven campaigns and outreach, Driven said.
“Together, they are on a mission to educate and inspire Caribbean and Latino families about the importance of blood donation and awareness for sickle cell disease, which disproportionately affects people of African and Caribbean descent,” Driven said.
“This collaboration represents a powerful cultural moment, one where Caribbean creativity meets community health to drive awareness and action.”
The Roebling Rink will make its grand return to Brooklyn Bridge Park this winter, bringing back one of the borough’s most affordable and scenic ice-skating spots.
Back for its second season, the rink opens Nov. 24 and runs through Feb. 1, giving skaters a chance to glide beneath the Brooklyn Bridge and take in sweeping views of lower Manhattan and the harbor.
A one-hour session costs $16 per person. Skate rentals are available for $8, and helmets or “skate buddies” can be rented for $5 each. All prices include taxes and fees.
For a 60-minute skate, pricing sits at $16, with an $8 skate rental fee.Photo courtesy of Alexa Hoyer
Locals have even more reason to celebrate — Brooklyn residents can claim a limited number of free tickets during select sessions on a first-come, first-served basis by showing ID.
Public skating hours run from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 12:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Fridays, and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekends. Skaters can book a time slot and arrive anytime within a two-hour window for their hour on the ice.
New this year, schools and extracurricular groups can reserve private field trip sessions on Friday mornings from 10 a.m. to noon. Lessons with professional instructors from Fireworks Skating Academy are also available for first-timers or those looking to sharpen their skills.
The Roebling Rink also features night skating, closing as late at 10:00 p.m. on Friday through Sunday.Photo courtesy of Alexa Hoyer
Located at Emily Warren Roebling Plaza, the rink sits just steps from the bustling Dumbo scene, with nearby restaurants including Grimaldi’s Pizza, Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory and L&B Spumoni Gardens.
The Roebling Rink is easily accessible by subway via the F, A/C or 2/3 lines, the NYC Ferry’s Dumbo stop, and the B25 bus.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit roeblingrink.com.
