Olivia Sinclair is making carnival coverage more inclusive

For a while, Olivia Sinclair watched Jamaica’s carnival from the sidelines – not for a lack of love for soca or the season of events, but because she didn’t see her body type reflected in media coverage. When she looked at the content capturing the spirit of the road, it felt exclusive to certain body types.

“Whenever I used to see content [in the] media or anything about carnival, it’s usually slim, light-skinned girls [with] small boobs. Or if that’s not the stereotype, it’s like a very curvaceous woman. So, the only time you’d see dark-skinned women or anybody that looks outside of light or white-skinned, young, small [women], was if they were very curvaceous.”

The turning point came in 2023. While tagging along with a friend to the Gen XS showroom, and still worried that costumes weren’t built for her body, she met one of the directors, Mala Morrison, who personally walked her through the sizing process. “I told her what my concerns were, and she kind of walked me through what was available and the fact that they would size the bra to match me,” Sinclair shared.

Despite her initial concerns about costume sizes and representation, the reality of the road changed her view of the road march. “When you go on the road, you see everybody, literally everybody,” she says. “Every type, every skin colour, every age. People are out there,” Sinclair continued.

But while the road was diverse, Sinclair noticed that during her first time jumping in carnival, that was not reflected in the content being captured and shared. “A huge part of why I never jumped before was because when you see content generally … a lot of the media that you saw coming out of carnival were dependent on photographers. After actually jumping and seeing that … I’m like, why isn’t that represented in [the] media? Why don’t I see people that look like me and the full diversity of people that actually do carnival in photos?”

By the time last year’s carnival came around, the hobbyist photographer began to toy with the idea of capturing the diversity she saw on the road herself. She traded her costume option for a T-Shirt package and brought her camera. “I said, I’m just going to get a T-Shirt package, and I’m just going to go on the road, and I’m just going to take people’s portraits,” Sinclair explained. “I’m going to take portraits of people that I don’t see other photographers taking pictures of.” Thus, Every Body Plays Mas was born – an Instagram page by Sinclair dedicated to capturing portraits of people often left out of carnival coverage.

This season, Sinclair isn’t jumping in a costume. Instead, she’s working. Having earned media accreditation and the support of Gen XS, who acknowledged the need for more diverse media, she is marching on the road with a specific purpose. Sinclair is looking for the diversity of “gorgeous, gorgeous people on the road” who represent the true heart of the carnival festivities.

Ultimately, she hopes that the project will one day no longer be needed. “I’m actually hoping to make myself obsolete. That is my goal with this project,” she said firmly. “My goal is that we won’t need a page like Every Body Plays Mas. My goal is that every single person, photographer, and content creator that captures content on the road will take diverse content,” Sinclair told Sunday Lifestyle.

Even though she’s solely behind the lens this time around, Sinclair’s typical preparation matches the discipline of a veteran masquerader. Her routine includes monthly 5K runs to build stamina and “breaking in” her road shoes. “My typical fitness routine is to do at least a 5K a month. A lot of people see me out there doing these 5 Ks, and they’re like, ‘Oh, you really love these 5Ks?’ No, I’m doing this because I’m trying to stay fit.”

Her prep also includes survival essentials. Sinclair said, “I try to make sure that I’m taking my supplements so that I don’t get sick…my little old lady knee brace and my lighter chain and my Epsom salts.”

Sinclair also took advantage of the fêtes and parties to get herself “pumped” and ready for the road march. As for the music she is listening to prep, you’ll find her fuelled by Bouyon or jump up soca. “Anything that’s like power, Bouyon, that’s me. I want to be jumping up and down.”

ruth-ann.briscoe@gleanerjm.com