Educator, community advocate and public servant Jacinta « Jess » Bannis has made her debut as an author with the launch of her book, Of Islets, Folklore and Second Chances. The launch took place on Sunday, October 18, 2026, at the Castle Bruce Regional Emergency Shelter.
The event coincided with a Kweyol and African-themed celebration of Mrs Bannis's 70th birthday. Family members and well-wishers gathered to mark both occasions, combining the unveiling of her first published work with a celebration of her life and service to the community.
The choice of venue reflects the long connection between Mrs Bannis and the people of Castle Bruce, a village on Dominica's east coast. Her work in education and community advocacy has been rooted in the parish, and the book launch brought that community together at a space more often associated with emergency preparedness than with literary events.
The title itself points to the themes that run through the book. Islets, folklore and second chances suggest a blend of Dominican landscape, oral tradition and personal renewal, all of which sit at the heart of Creole storytelling on the Nature Isle. Writing in this tradition has long been a way for Dominicans to keep heritage alive for younger generations, and at home and across the diaspora many readers will recognise the cultural references the title evokes.
Mrs Bannis's debut arrives at a time when Dominica continues to place value on local voices in literature and the arts. Community-based launches of this kind give residents a chance to meet a writer in their own village, and to see a lifetime of teaching and public service reflected in a new body of work.
3
