About Me

 

Developing an entrepreneurial spirit at a young age, Toni Thorne always possessed a great pride and care for her Caribbean culture and the success for her fellow citizens. Thorne is a 27 year old award-winning young entrepreneur & Barbados National Youth Awardee with a background in Economics and Accounting. Previously employed in the oil and energy trading industry, Toni is now succumbing to her desire to spread Barbadian culture.  She now uses her business savvy for a variety of community initiatives across her country of Barbados. She is pursuing a degree in Law; has qualified for World Debating Championships, was the first person of African or Caribbean descent to sit on the Global Youth Leader’s Summit in Prague, Budapest and Vienna and as a Global Shaper has represented both Barbados and the region at World Economic Forum conferences.
 

Toni has travelled to represent Barbados in various aspects of culture – from fashion to dance. Her first business, BoUiK, was featured in every major regional publication and fashion production as well as international publications such as the London Times. In 2009, Thorne founded Martha's Smile. This was a one-year charity programme which catered to HIV-infected children in Jamaica by paying for their music and dance lessons.

Toni is the Creative Director for Island Fusion Foreday Morning Band -  a stakeholder in Barbados’ annual Crop Over Festival. She is also the Managing Director of Settlers West Coast Experience.  This heritage-based carnival showcases Barbadian cultural activities, supports local tourism and enhances the image of Barbados on a local and international level. Partners for this carnival include the Barbados’ Ministry of Tourism, The National Cultural Foundation to name a few. Toni is the publisher of Pompasette Magazine (www.pompasette.com). This magazine provides a platform for young influencers in the 18-35 demographic to express themselves and have a space created and evolved by them, for them.

She was one of the lead characters in a regional television series shown across the English speaking Caribbean which used the media of film to educate Caribbean citizens on the importance of sexual health.

Toni has acted as a consultant and a grantee with projects which aimed to create entrepreneurial opportunities for young Barbadian creative entrepreneurs with the National HIV Commission and the World Bank.

Focused on youth engagement, Thorne started the #betterbim hashtag which acted as a live accountability for the Barbadian youth to share their voice with the country’s leadership via online communication and social media during the most recent Barbadian election campaign.

Her company, Thorne Publishing and Productions, has been drafted by the Caribbean Media Corporation to provide empowering, engaging and entertaining television content for the region’s youth as well as for the reach of their station Caribvision which extends to the New York Tri-State and Canada. Her television show “The Toni Thorne Show” is expected to be seen on approximately three dozen regional television stations.

Thorne has also been nominated by the Government of Barbados for the Youth Carifesta Interim Directorate. Toni’s variety of work stems from one mission- to empower and engage youth, especially women to show national and regional pride, celebrating Barbados and the wider Caribbean community through positive community initiatives.