Calibe Thompson did not set out to build a museum. What she built instead is a living archive shaped by migration, memory and Caribbean creativity.
“I am a Caribbean immigrant in every sense of the word,” Thompson said.
Trained in architecture and deeply rooted in the arts, Thompson arrived in the United States during a period of personal and professional transition. She spent years touring internationally with reggae artist Beenie Man and working in the music industry, immersed in sound, storytelling and cultural production. When she moved to Miami, she expected the stay to be temporary. It was not.
“We are not visitors to history โ we are its authors.”
South Florida introduced Thompson to a pan-Caribbean world she had not experienced growing up in Jamaica. People from different islands shared food, music, movement and traditions that felt both distinct and familiar. That sense of collective identity became the foundation for Island SPACE Caribbean Museum, the nationโs first institution dedicated to Caribbean arts, culture and history across the diaspora.
Before opening the museum, Thompson and her business partner and co-founder David Muir produced “Taste the Islands,” a national PBS television series that later evolved into a live culinary and cultural experience.ย With support from the Community Foundation of Broward, a Caribbean culinary museum created for the event became a traveling pop-up exhibition hosted in libraries and cultural centers throughout Broward County.
[Additional Read:ย British Colonialism: Museum of London Docklands Curates an Exhibit Dedicated to Indo Caribbean Cultureย ]
When the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted live events, Broward Mall offered the team space at a time when cultural gatherings were especially fragile. What began as a long-term pop-up became a permanent home. Five years later, Island SPACE continues to operate there. At its core, the museumโs mission is both cultural and corrective: to elevate Caribbean history while challenging narratives that frame difference as a deficiency.
“Too often, differences are framed as deficits. Island SPACE exists to show that those differences are assets.”
Through exhibitions and large-scale signature events, Island SPACE presents Caribbean history in accessible and engaging ways, encouraging curiosity while exploring a rich cultural heritage.
Reggae, roots and cultural stewardship
One of the museumโs most recognized initiatives, Reggae Genealogy, was first presented by Island SPACE in February 2024 and reflects Thompsonโs personal and professional background. Her early career in the reggae industry made the genre a natural entry point for the museumโs storytelling.
Designed as an immersive blend of education and celebration, Reggae Genealogy traces reggaeโs global influence while reconnecting it to its Caribbean origins. As one of the regionโs most influential cultural exports, reggae is widespread but often misunderstood.
“Something that powerful deserves to be understood correctly.”
The 2025 theme, “Lights. Camera. Reggae.,” explores reggaeโs influence on film and television. Honorees include Mr. Vegas, Sly Dunbar and Leroy Sibbles. Thompson said the recognition is not about nostalgia.
“When we honor legends, what we are really doing is giving people their flowers while they are alive.”
Island SPACE operates as a cultural and historical institution rather than a music organization. Thompson emphasizes oral history and firsthand accounts, particularly in Caribbean communities where history has often been filtered through colonial or external perspectives. The museum documents Caribbean culture from the inside out.
“For too long, Caribbean stories have lived in the margins. This museum brings them to the center.”
Women, leadership and community
As executive director, Thompson faces challenges familiar to many women leading nonprofit institutions, including fundraising, staffing and long-term sustainability. She said Island SPACEโs progress is not the result of individual effort.
“What has carried us through is community.”
An active board, a small staff and a committed volunteer base support the institution. Funding comes from a mix of grants, earned revenue, partnerships, rentals, field trips and signature fundraising events.
Island SPACE balances preservation with evolution. Its exhibitions pair historical context with contemporary Caribbean American life, highlighting present-day leaders, artists and changemakers. The museum also features modern expressions such as dancehall, carnival, fashion and emerging creative forms.
During Womenโs History Month in March, Thompson reflected on the women who shaped her leadership. She cited her mother as her greatest influence, crediting her with teaching the importance of warmth and connection. Thompson also pointed to Dr. Claire Nelson, founder of Caribbean American Heritage Month in 2006, and to Shirley Chisholm as sources of inspiration.
Looking ahead
Island SPACE plans to expand its reach through traveling exhibitions and pop-up experiences in Caribbean communities across the United States. The museum is also strengthening its digital presence to increase accessibility beyond its physical location. Thompson and her team are in the early stages of a capital campaign to establish a permanent home for Island SPACE, envisioned as a facility where Caribbean art, artifacts and stories are preserved and shared with future generations.
For Thompson, the work continues.
“This is more than a museum. It is a movement.”
Caribbean history is still being written, and Island SPACE exists to ensure it is documented accurately and on its own terms.
To learn more about Island SPACE Caribbean Museum, visit its website.
