GraceKennedy is searching for four young members of the Jamaican diaspora to spend six weeks in Jamaica in 2027, combining professional experience with an opportunity to reconnect with their Jamaican heritage.
Applications are now open for the GraceKennedy Jamaican Birthright Programme 2027, an all-expenses-paid initiative available to eligible university students of Jamaican parentage in the United States, Canada and United Kingdom.
Four candidates will be selected: two from the United States, one from Canada and one from the United Kingdom.
More Than an Internship
Launched in 2004, the GraceKennedy Jamaican Birthright Programme combines internship placements within GraceKennedy’s Jamaican operations with cultural experiences across the island.
Participants gain professional experience while exploring the history, culture and traditions that form part of their Jamaican identity.
More than 60 young people from the Jamaican diaspora have participated in the programme since its launch, according to GraceKennedy.
The programme is designed not only to develop career skills but also to strengthen connections between younger generations of the Jamaican diaspora and the country their families came from.
GraceKennedy Group CEO Frank James described the programme as being about more than professional experience.
“This is more than an internship. It’s an opportunity to discover where you come from while shaping your future,” James said.
He added that GraceKennedy sees the programme as an investment in a new generation that can carry Jamaica’s story into communities and industries around the world.
Connecting a New Generation With Jamaica
The cultural component is a major part of the Birthright experience.
Participants are given opportunities to experience Jamaica beyond the workplace, learning about the country’s people, history, culture and traditions while travelling around the island.
Kyrah McIntosh of Liverpool Hope University in the United Kingdom participated in the 2025 programme.
Reflecting on her experience, McIntosh said the professional experience she gained through GraceKennedy was valuable, but experiencing Jamaica firsthand had an even greater impact.
“It helped me connect with my heritage in a way I never had before, and for the first time, it truly felt like coming home,” she said.
Four Students Will Be Selected for 2027
GraceKennedy will select four participants from across the Jamaican diaspora:
• Two university students from the United States
• One university student from Canada
• One university student from the United Kingdom
Eligible applicants must be second- or third-generation Jamaicans from the diaspora, be between 18 and 25 years old, and currently be enrolled at a university in one of the three participating countries.
Shortlisted applicants will be invited to in-person interviews in spring 2027.
Interviews will take place in Miami and New York for U.S. candidates, Toronto for Canadian candidates and London for candidates from the United Kingdom.
Successful applicants will be announced ahead of the programme’s scheduled start in June 2027.
2025 Cohort Represented Three Countries
The 2025 GraceKennedy Jamaican Birthright cohort included students representing the United States, Canada and United Kingdom.
Participants were Kyrah McIntosh of Liverpool Hope University in the UK, Abigail Ralph of McGill University in Canada, Lauren Roach of the University of Miami in the United States and Josiah Royes of Hofstra University in the United States.
The 2026 programme was postponed due to Hurricane Melissa.
A Montréal Connection
The programme also has a notable connection to Montréal through 2025 Canadian participant Abigail Ralph, who attended McGill University.
Her participation provides a local example of how the Birthright Programme connects young members of Canada’s Jamaican diaspora with professional and cultural experiences in Jamaica.
Applications Close November 30
Applications for the GraceKennedy Jamaican Birthright Programme 2027 close November 30, 2026.
Eligible university students of Jamaican heritage in the United States, Canada and United Kingdom can apply through the official GraceKennedy website.
For additional information about the programme, applicants can contact the GraceKennedy Foundation at gkfoundation@gkco.com or official GraceKennedy website
MadVibez Radio and Roots, Rock, Reggae on CKUT 90.3 FM Montréal are also preparing separate interviews about the 2027 Birthright Programme, with more coverage to come.
