Fake News! Fox News Falls For Racist AI Video Of Black Woman Upset Over SNAP Funding Cuts
The article was revised with an editor's note despite being based on AI-generated content.
Fox News is facing backlash for wrongfully reporting on an AI video of a Black woman complaining about SNAP funding cuts.
The conservative-leaning news outlet originally reported on the video Oct. 31. The clip depicts the fake woman speaking on her “seven baby daddies” while feeling upset about paused SNAP benefits.
One CNN journalist, Andrew Kaczynski, pointed out the initial headline on X. The article read, “SNAP beneficiaries threaten to ransack stores over government shutdown.” Its subheadline added, “One mother claims taxpayers must feed her children as SNAP benefits face cuts.”
“Not sure if I’ve seen anything like this before — Fox fell for an AI video and basically rewrote their whole story when called out,” wrote Kaczynski.
As the mishap gained traction, Fox News corrected to note that the clip was actually artificially generated. The new headline now reads,” AI videos of SNAP beneficiaries complaining about cuts go viral.” At the end of the article, an editor’s note also highlighted the initial response.
It wrote, “This article previously reported on some videos that appear to have been generated by AI without noting that. This has been corrected.”
The viral video featured the fake AI woman talking about how the government shutdown impacted her SNAP benefits.
“Because of the government shutdown, now I can’t get my SNAPs for next month,” said the AI woman.
The fake person also said, “I have seven different baby daddies and none of ’em no good for me.”
The article’s edits also bled into the subheading, reflecting the ever-changing status of SNAP funding. However, critics slammed the news outlet for spreading misinformation. Although added edits affirmed that Fox News reported on the video before recognizing its fake-ness, others were quick to note that the article still covered the topic for real commentary.
Fox is now reporting on these AI videos as if they are real and is using them to smear Black Americans with racist, anti-SNAP propaganda. We are in a very dangerous and disturbing place. https://t.co/KXk1iP6Brmpic.twitter.com/bb7PCYo37X
“Fox is now reporting on these AI videos as if they are real and is using them to smear Black Americans with racist, anti-SNAP propaganda,” wrote another commentator. “We are in a very dangerous and disturbing place.
Left up, the article can still perpetuate racist stigmas against Black people, especially during this turbulent time of unstable SNAP funding.
As of Nov. 4, SNAP funding remains uncertain despite court orders for the administration to fund the program using contingency funds. Donald Trump recently posted on Truth Social about rejecting a federal court order.
Setti Warren, Who Broke Barriers As Massachusetts’ First Black Mayor, Dies At 55
Rep. Ayanna Pressley remembered her “dear friend” as a “dedicated public servant” who she had spoken with the night before his passing.
The state of Massachusetts is in mourning as news spread of Setti Warren, the first Black man elected as mayor of Newton, passing away at 55, The Boston Globe reports.
Leadership at Harvard University, where Warren served as director of the Kennedy School’s Institute of Politics, made the announcement Nov. 2 without disclosing a cause or time of death. “Setti was a beloved member of our community, and we are devastated by this heartbreaking news,” Jeremy Weinstein, Kennedy School Dean, and David Deming, Dean of Harvard College, said in a statement, corresponding with a post on X.
It's with profound sadness we share that Setti Warren, Director of the Institute of Politics, has passed away. Setti was a beloved member of our community, and we're devastated by this heartbreaking news. https://t.co/ijCzvyGFPP
The statement continued, highlighting Warren “as an example to us all.” “Whenever he saw a challenge, he ran toward it –– not away from it –– and our university and country are better for it,” the statement continued. The Iraq War veteran served as a bold and prominent voice in politics at the local, state, and federal levels. According to WBUR, Warren broke barriers in the state after being elected Newton’s mayor in 2009, becoming the first Black elected mayor in Massachusetts.
U.S. Rep. Jake Auchincloss, who grew up in the city, remembers Warren as being a fighter at a time when Newton needed him most following a bitter battle over building a pricey high school. Auchincloss described his late friend as someone who made “ each person he was talking to feel like they mattered,” and followed through, honoring the door-knocking dynamic that inspired him to run for Congress. “Setti got out there and was just joyful. Just door-to-door, one-on-one conversations, knitting the city back together,” the congressman said.
“ Then Setti went to City Hall and he delivered; he did it,” Auchincloss said. “And that’s what we need more of … these, these gritty one-on-one conversations where we hear what people care about and then we go and do something about it.”
In an interview with The New York Times at the time of the election, Warren said his focus was to change the lives of those in his community. “What I feel most passionate about is making people’s lives better, and I wanted to do it right here in my own community,” he said in 2009.
Warren held the top spot for two years until 2018. Prior to that, he served as the deputy state director for Sen. John Kerry’s Massachusetts office from 2004 to 2008, and he also held positions in the Clinton administration.
At Harvard, he led the Institute of Politics from 2022 after serving as the executive director of Harvard’s Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics, and Public Policy.
Notes of sorrow were showcased on social media from state leaders, including Rep. Ayanna Pressley, who remembered her “dear friend” as a “dedicated public servant” whom she had spoken with the night before his passing. “I am heartbroken to learn of the sudden transition of my dear friend and former Kerry colleague, Setti Warren. There will be plenty of time to remember him as a proud Democrat, dedicated public servant, and convener, but for now, I just want to remember the decent, kind, and good man that he was,” she wrote on X.
“Setti was a loving son, brother, dedicated husband, and father. He was always ready with a hug, an easy and deep laugh, and kind eyes that twinkled. He is someone you were always happy to see coming your way. He radiated light and optimism. Setti had so much life left to live, milestones to experience, hearts to touch, and lives to change.”
I am heartbroken to learn of the sudden transition of my dear friend and former Kerry colleague, Setti Warren. There will be plenty of time to remember him as a proud Democrat, dedicated public servant, and convener, but for now I just want to remember the decent, kind, and good… pic.twitter.com/9OlQ1hJg7O
Warren leaves behind his wife, the co-executive director and chief strategy officer at Harvard’s Center on the Developing Child, Tassy, and their two children, Abigail and John.
The Price Of Silence: Judge Orders Charles Oakley To Pay Madison Square Garden $642K Over Deleted Texts
Charles Oakley has been ordered to pay more than $642,000 to Madison Square Garden as a sanction in his ongoing legal dispute.
New York Knicks All-Star Charles Oakley has been ordered to pay over $642,000 in attorney fees and costs to Madison Square Garden in their ongoing legal battle stemming from his 2017 ejection from a game.
On Oct. 31, the former Knicks star, who played for the team from 1988 to 1998, was hit with the hefty order as a sanction for losing five years of text messages that could have served as evidence in his lawsuit over the 2017 ejection, Reuters reports. U.S. Magistrate Judge Robyn Tarnofsky set the amount lower than Madison Square Garden’s request—its attorneys at King & Spalding had sought over $1.5 million in fees, but the judge reduced the figure.
Oakley, a 19-year NBA veteran and longtime fan favorite, played as a power forward for the Knicks and has had a long-running feud with James Dolan, owner of Madison Square Garden and the Knicks. He sued Madison Square Garden after being ejected from his courtside seat during a Feb. 8, 2017, game between the Knicks and Los Angeles Clippers.
In his most recent amended complaint from April 2024, Oakley alleges assault and battery against the stadium and its affiliated entities, which have denied any wrongdoing.
In August 2024, Oakley’s attorneys stated that he had lost all text messages sent or received between Feb. 8, 2017, and February 2022, claiming the messages were lost when he upgraded to a new phone after his previous device broke. However, a federal judge noted in July that Oakley had upgraded his phone before without losing any texts.
“The court concludes that Oakley’s loss of his text messages cannot be credibly explained as involving anything other than bad faith,” U.S. Circuit Judge Richard Sullivan said in the July order.
Following Tarnofsky’s recent ruling, Oakley must either pay the fees or await the outcome of his planned appeal. His attorney, Valdi Licul, a partner at Wigdor representing Oakley, stated that they “disagree that MSG is entitled to any recovery and will promptly seek to appeal.”
Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings Makes Bid For Florida Governor
The ballot for the Florida governor’s seat, currently held by Ron DeSantis, is getting crowded as Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings has filed to run, Politico reports.
His red-party opponent is President Donald Trump-endorsed Rep. Byron Donalds, known for his conservative values and campaigning for Trump during the 2024 presidential election season. Like clockwork, following Demings’ announcement, Republicans and the Donalds’ campaign began targeting Demings, claiming his “entire campaign will be about fighting President Trump and his policies that are making Florida safer and stronger.”
“Jerry Demings is weak. He’s woke. And he’s wrong for Florida,” said Donalds’ campaign’s Chief Strategist Ryan Smith.
The Republican Governors Association (RGA) slammed both Demings and Jolly, who was once a registered Republican, according to the Tallahassee Democrat. “Florida Democrats are clearly unimpressed with David Jolly’s Charlie Crist impersonation and find themselves failing to find a candidate for governor who has been a Democrat for more than five minutes,” RGA spokeswoman Courtney Alexander said in a statement.
“So, into this talentless chasm of despair steps the one man who wants to run for literally anything that isn’t his current job: Jerry Demings.”
However, Demings seemingly isn’t letting the chatter deter him, as there are rumors that he has top-notch political leaders on his campaign, including key staffer Dylan Doody, former executive director of the Texas House Democratic Campaign Committee. His resume also lists work on campaigns in Minnesota, Virginia, and Pennsylvania.
At 66, the mayor would be the first Black Democrat to run for governor since Andrew Gillum, who unsuccessfully ran against DeSantis in 2018. Hopefully, the upcoming election will boost Black voter turnout in the primarily red-leaning state. In recent elections, data show that Black voters, comprising 13% of active registered voters, have slacked in voter participation–the demographic accounts for just under one-third of voters who support the Democratic Party.
Demings is scheduled to officially announce his candidacy at a rally on Nov. 6.
Fake Rental Applications Soar As Housing Costs Rise, Highest Fraud In Atlanta
The number of fraudulent rental applications is increasing nationwide in a rental market already burdened by high costs and unaffordability.
The number of fake rental applications is rising across the U.S. as the rental market grows increasingly unaffordable for the average American.
Industry insiders report a nationwide rise in fraudulent rental applications, with applicants submitting doctored pay stubs, fake employment letters, and even AI-generated credit profiles, Fox Business reports. Major cities are seeing the sharpest increases, with Atlanta neighborhoods like Midtown, Downtown, and Buckhead among the hardest hit.
“Fraud in rental applications has become increasingly sophisticated across the industry, with some of the most advanced cases involving AI-generated documents and fabricated payroll systems,” said Greystar, the country’s largest apartment landlord.
Fake rental applications typically use falsified or stolen information to misrepresent an applicant’s financial or personal background. Common tactics include forged pay stubs, bank statements, and employment verification letters.
In some cases, applicants create entirely fabricated identities using stolen or manipulated personal data.
Eric Taylor, head of trust and safety at TurboTenant, a free online property management platform, has also noticed a surge in fraudulent applications. Nearly 75% of landlords nationwide reported a significant increase last year, an average rise of about 40%.
“As rental prices rise, and affordable housing remains scarce, scammers are getting more sophisticated,” Taylor said. “They’ve actually begun using doctored pay stubs, fake employment letters, and even AI-generated credit profiles to qualify for luxury apartments they can’t afford.”
In Atlanta neighborhoods with the highest incidence of fake applications, Greystar found that roughly half of all submissions were flagged as fraudulent.
In other markets, including Durham-Chapel Hill, NC; Salt Lake City, UT; Portland, OR; Charleston, SC; and Boston, MA, the proportion of fake applications generally ranges from 14% to 18%.
To address the problem, Greystar employs multiple fraud detection providers, regularly trains its teams, and integrates advanced verification tools into the leasing process to safeguard both residents and communities. The company has implemented several layers of checks to identify and prevent fraudulent applications, maintaining the integrity of the leasing process. While acknowledging that no system is foolproof, Greystar says its approach has “significantly reduced the number of bad applications” across its communities.
However, the rise in rental fraud is driving higher eviction rates, pushing up rents, and causing financial losses that ripple through the market, impacting both landlords and honest tenants.
“The backlog in evictions and tenant protection laws means many fraudulent tenants stay longer, compounding losses,” Taylor said.
U.S. Circuit Court Judge Beth Robinson granted the request and expects his attorneys to submit their brief by Dec. 23
After requesting a speedy appeals process, former Bad Boy label owner Sean “Diddy” Combs was granted the request by a federal judge Nov. 3, shortly after the mogul was transferred to his preferred prison, FCI Fort Dix.
According to NBC News, the approval was given by U.S. Circuit Court Judge Beth Robinson, who sits on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. The judge set a schedule for the appeal, with the defense expected to submit its brief by Dec. 23 and the government to hand in its brief by Feb. 20, 2026. Diddy’s team must then reply before March 13, 2026.
If all goes according to plan, oral arguments may take place as early as April.
In the paperwork filed last week by Diddy’s defense attorney, Alexandra Shapiro, she stated, “Sean’s appeal will challenge the unfair use of the Mann Act, an infamous statute with a sordid history, to prosecute him for sex with consenting adults.”
She also states that they plan to challenge his conviction and sentencing on the prostitution charges. They argue that the counts should not apply because he made no money from transporting male escorts, claiming he only hired them to observe his girlfriends.
The entertainment mogul had been incarcerated since he was arrested in September 2024, after being accused of sex trafficking, operating a criminal enterprise, and transporting to engage in prostitution, and was housed at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn.
His expected release date is May 28, 2028. The transfer to Fort Dix took place Oct. 30, at the request of his attorneys, so he can take advantage of the facility’s drug treatment program and be closer to family.
The former Bad Boy label owner was convicted in July on two counts of transporting individuals to engage in prostitution under the Mann Act. He was acquitted of the more serious racketeering charges. Judge Subramanian sentenced him on Oct. 3 to a 50-month prison term, a $500,000 fine, and five years of supervised release.
News Nation reported that Diddy was seen at Fort Dix, hanging out with former NBA player Sebastian Telfair, who hails from Brooklyn and played 11 seasons in the league.
Atlanta-Based Zucot Gallery Responds To Art Collectors’ Needs
Its latest exhibition is Dear Black People: A Love Letter.
Written By Shantay Robinson
Onaje Henderson, one of the three owners of ZuCot Gallery located in Atlanta, thinks that we need to normalize art collecting in the Black community. So, he hosts Art Tastings, an event led by an artist and one of the gallery’s professionals, designed to reduce the intimidation factor of collecting that keeps so many people from going to gallery shows and investing in art.
“For a lot of us, even corporate executives, it’s their first time buying artwork or coming to an art gallery,” Henderson tells BLACK ENTERPRISE of some of his visitors, “So then, how do we make them feel comfortable about these spaces?” Henderson aims to foster a welcoming environment at his gallery for both veteran collectors and novices.
There is a difference between a gallery like ZuCot and blue-chip galleries where you’ll see works by artists like Kehinde Wiley, Kerry James Marshall, and Amy Sherald. Blue-chip galleries focus on artists who are already considered major figures in Western art history, both living and deceased.
These artworks that fetch millions of dollars are a far reach for the first-time art collector who is not willing or able to invest that much into an artwork. A gallery like ZuCot is making itself accessible to a different audience than that of a blue-chip gallery. Though blue-chip galleries may represent some Black artists, they are not focused on the kind of cultural legacy work Henderson is promoting.
Henderson sees collectors as custodians of the culture, able to pass down stories to the next generation. He notes that generations following the baby boomers may be doing better financially, but, in his estimation, older generations did a better job of passing down heirlooms and other things that were important to them, helping their descendants understand who they were. Passing down artworks across generations shares important narratives about collective history with future generations.
For a gallery like ZuCot, the real draw is the narratives the art tells.
“I want to understand what the meaning behind the artwork is and how that ties back into either the personal experience of the artist or the experience of the diaspora,” Henderson says.
Photo Credit: BE
Artists Charly Palmer, Jamaal Barber, Horace Imhotep, Georgette Baker, Michael Reese, and Henderson’s father, Aaron Henderson, are featured in the latest exhibition, Dear Black People: A Love Letter.
The exhibition conveys the idea that Black people not only survive hardship but also thrive. This exhibition highlights the importance of remembering. In the face of racism that is now more similar to what the elders experienced, one that is sometimes overt and direct, Black people need to remember who they are. The exhibition invited the artists featured to center Black joy, resilience, beauty, culture, and creativity. The gallery makes clear that the show is not a protest; it’s a proclamation —an “an act of cultural preservation and affirmation.”
Courtesy of ZuCot Gallery Courtesy of ZuCot Gallery
The striking artworks, composed of bold colors and dynamic figures, are quite defiant and very much grounded in African American aesthetics that center narratives about the Black experience with race in America. Themes of cultural memory, spirituality, and ancestral connection in the artworks express the many ways Black people have resisted oppressive forces over time.
Charly Palmer’s painting, “Can I Get a Witness,” depicts a crowd of observers witnessing an act in the distance. The style of dress indicates this scene is from a time gone by, as Black women are prominently seen wearing maids’ uniforms. With their arms crossed in front of their chests and the grimaces on their faces, the scene looks all too familiar, sans cell phones.
A more conceptual painting, “Liberty Variant,” by Horace Imhotep, features a bold red background and a dynamic black lightning bolt striking the white Liberty Bell down onto a pile of black ashes. The symbolism is profound, expressing a narrative that tells of the historical subjugation of Black people in America.
Photo credit: BEPhoto credit: BE
ZuCot saw one of its most lucrative moments during COVID. “I think part of that is when people were staying at home, they looked around and said, I don’t have anything on my walls that is a reflection of me,” Henderson says. In our current economy, potential collectors are being more conservative, as collecting art is seen as a luxury.
Henderson says, “We need to support [the arts] because the federal government is giving up so many grants. We now have to support our institutions.”
Collecting art may be most imperative at this moment because of the decrease in government funding allocated for cultural institutions. If we want to see these cultural institutions continue, we have to invest in them.
Courtesy of ZuCot Gallery Photo credit: BEPhoto credit: BEPhoto credit: BE
It’s evident that Henderson is passionate about his work. He left corporate America, where he worked as an engineer, at 29 to join forces with his brother and business partner, both also engineers, to start ZuCot with a mission to serve as an inclusive space for Black collectors. Initially, it started out as work to care for their father and his contemporaries’ artwork because no one else was doing it. So, for about 25 years now, they’ve been normalizing the culture of collecting and challenging companies to live up to their diversity propositions.
In addition to events that groom individual art collectors, the gallery also works with corporate collectors, who claim to believe in diversity, by including Black artists in their collections. They’ve worked with Coca-Cola, Delta Airlines, Home Depot, and numerous other Fortune 500 companies.
“I shouldn’t have to wait on somebody to tell me what’s good for my community. I should be able to say what’s good for me. I think that’s the empowering part of collecting as well,” Henderson says. “All too often, we’re told who the top Black artists are from people who are not in our community. It’s not coming from us, and I think that ownership needs to be back in our hands.”
Dear Black People: A Love Letter will be on view at ZuCot Gallery, 100 Centennial Olympic Park Drive, Atlanta, GA 30313, until mid-November.
A Historic Run: Everything Detroit Voters Need To Know About Mayoral Candidate Mary Sheffield
Sheffield touched on the progress the city has made under the leadership of current Mayor Mike Duggan who is hoping to be the next governor of Michigan but she said she is the woman to finish the job.
Election Day has arrived, and there are several hot-ticketed races, including the Detroit mayoral race between City Council President Mary Sheffield and Pastor Solomon Kinloch Jr., with Sheffield seeking to become the first Black woman to lead the city, Click On Detroit reported.
Sheffield has served on the Motor City Council since 2013 and made history in 2022 by becoming the youngest person elected as council president. She has a keen vision for Detroit, which has been riddled with political turmoil in the past, including reliable transportation, affordable housing, and the restoration of distressed neighborhoods.
During an interview close to her campaign headquarters, Sheffield touched on the progress the city has made under the leadership of current Mayor Mike Duggan, who is hoping to be the next governor of Michigan. Still, she said she is the woman to finish the job.
“We’ve made progress in Detroit, and there’s no doubt that there’s more work that needs to be done, and I’m running to finish the work that we started,” she said, according to WXYZ Detroit.
“Whether that’s prioritizing our neighborhoods, ensuring that we’re improving education, ensuring there are good livable wage jobs for our residents, and also ensuring that we’re reducing crime in Detroit, these things are fundamental to the city rising higher.”
While Sheffield has already issued a 100-day plan to continue Detroit’s progress and set new standards within city hall, her campaign has been met with some scrutiny, particularly over her social media presence. During a June 2025 debate, former opponent Saunteel Jenkins said in her closing argument, “If you want a mayor who shows up on Instagram but doesn’t show up for meetings, then follow Mary.”
The slight jab comes after Sheffield was under fire for accepting free tickets to a Jeezy concert at the Fox Theatre, where the hip-hop artist gave her a shoutout. The rapper can be heard saying “Shoutout to Mary Sheffield, congratulations already!” in the Instagram post as the candidate posted it with the caption, “Detroit, let’s finish the work!! Thank you, @jeezy.”
Kinloch used this opportunity to condemn the tickets, saying they reopen wounds from Detroit’s corrupt reputation. “Detroiters still carry the scars of systemic corruption. That culture of corruption bankrupted our city and destroyed public trust,” he said in a statement.
After highlighting the city’s ethics ordinance, with Section 2-106.4 prohibiting “a public servant from accepting gifts, gratuities, or honoraria from any entity or person seeking official action from the city of Detroit,” Sheffield campaign spokesperson Brittni Brown cited the code not being applicable since Comerica Bank presented the tickets.
Kinloch has similar ideas for the city as he secured his name on the ballot for the general election with roughly 1,100 more votes than Jenkins. The pastor of Triumph Church, who has served for the last 27 years, hopes to focus on improving public safety, affordable housing, and guaranteeing business prosperity. If elected, one of his first goals is to prioritize poverty and crime, with a focus on the vast number of children living in poverty. “We’ve got too many children in our community that are living in poverty, we have a violent crime rate that’s second to the nation, when we have people struggling because they’re spending 50 percent of their income to keep a roof over their head, this is a critical time,” Kinloch said.
Jeezy ‘Put On’ For Guinness, Sets World Record For Largest Orchestra At Hip-Hop Concert
Jeezy further solidified his status as a legend for Hip Hop and trap music.
One pioneer of trap music is still making history. Atlanta rapper Jeezy has broken a new record after performing with a 101-piece orchestra in Las Vegas.
On Nov. 1, Jeezy took the stage at Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino for his short yet already record-breaking residency. While performing in Sin City for a limited time, the “Put On” rapper sought to make history.
The hip-hop crooner already made waves for his new take on a rap concert. While he has gathered an entire orchestra before to play his trap-style music classically, he decided to take things up a notch to secure his place in the record books.
He performed at the record-holding show with the Color of Noize Orchestra, a diverse cohort of esteemed musicians conducted by Derrick Hodge. While they have joined Jeezy on his TM:101 tour throughout the year, the two parties left a different impact for one special night in Vegas.
Now, Jeezy holds the Guinness World Record for the largest orchestra gathered for a hip-hop concert. According toBillboard, A Guinness adjudicator presented Jeezy with the new record on stage.
“It is always been my purpose to motivate and inspire my culture,” wrote Jeezy. “Thank you to everyone involved for believing in my vision. Couldn’t have done it without you. This one’s for the books … literally.”
Jeezy is a trailblazer not only in Guinness World Records but also in hip-hop for elevating the trap music genre. Since starting his career decades ago, he has shaped the culture with his unapologetic trap star persona and sound.
Now, he continues to showcase his musical excellence and his latest achievement: becoming a Guinness World Record holder. He also broke Las Vegas’ own record for the largest orchestra assembly for a concert, regardless of genre.
The hip-hop superstar will continue his limited Las Vegas residency with two more shows in December.
Race Against the Clock: Jamaica Pushes Post-Melissa Recovery To Salvage Crucial Winter Tourism Season
Jamaica is racing to rebuild and recover from the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa ahead of the winter travel season.
After Hurricane Melissa caused widespread damage across western Jamaica, the country is racing to restore its tourism sector ahead of the upcoming winter travel season.
On Nov. 3, nearly a week after Hurricane Melissa struck Jamaica as a Category 5 storm, the strongest in the island’s history, Tourism Minister Ed Bartlett announced the creation of high-level recovery and donation task forces for the tourism sector, the Jamaica Gleaner reports. The teams will assess damage, coordinate industry-wide relief efforts, and develop a sustainable recovery plan to ensure the island is ready for the start of its winter tourism season on Dec. 15.
“The recovery of our tourism sector must be deliberate, coordinated, and compassionate,” Bartlett said. “Through these task forces, we are ensuring that the welfare of our workers, the rehabilitation of our infrastructure, and the recovery of the tourism sector move in tandem. The activities will be integrated into the national disaster response mechanism.”
Before Hurricane Melissa struck on Oct. 28, Jamaica’s tourism industry was projected to grow by 7% this winter, with an expected 4.3 million visitors. Now, the focus has shifted to a rapid recovery effort to repair hotels, clear debris, and restore key attractions across the island’s western region to revive the tourism economy when it’s needed most. Bartlett said the initiative will work closely with the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre (GTRCMC) to apply lessons from past recoveries, including Jamaica’s post–COVID-19 rebound, ensuring a coordinated and sustainable rebuilding strategy.
“Tourism’s strength lies not just in its product offerings, but in its people and partnerships,” Bartlett said. “The speed and synergy of our response show the industry’s resilience and our unwavering commitment to recovery with empathy, compassion, and innovation.”
Christopher Jarrett, head of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association, noted that the popular Negril area in Westmoreland escaped major damage.
“We are still doing our assessments, but most of the damage was in the northwest and southwest,” Jarrett said.
Tourism is Jamaica’s leading source of foreign exchange, accounting for roughly 30% of the nation’s GDP both directly and indirectly. The industry employs around 175,000 people and fuels growth in several key sectors, including construction, banking, utilities, and agriculture. The disruption to the tourism sector is also impacting numerous suppliers and service providers across the island.
“With some of the hotels closed and most of the tourists gone, many of us are left without work. This storm didn’t just destroy buildings; it shattered jobs and incomes for many of us and our families,” said Patricia Mighten, who works in the western parish of Hanover as a hotel housekeeper.
All of Jamaica’s international airports have reopened and resumed commercial flights. Jarrett noted that many hotels in Kingston and the northern coastal town of Ocho Rios have seen a rise in bookings from aid workers and volunteers supporting recovery efforts, with several offering discounts of 25% to 50%, and some even providing complimentary stays.
As of Nov. 3, the government confirmed that the death toll had risen to 32, with expectations that the number could climb further. Rescue crews are still working to reach 25 isolated areas in western Jamaica, where helicopters are delivering food and supplies. Nearly half of the island’s power customers remain without electricity.
