Early Caribbean Digital Archive at Northeastern University

Aegis Capital executive Thomas Edison Kelly splits his time between New York City and his native country Anguilla, located in the Caribbean Sea. Thomas Edison Kelly is a proud promoter of Anguillan culture and a Caribbean history aficionado.

In an effort to increase access to primary source documents from colonial-era Caribbean nations, Northeastern University launched the Early Caribbean Digital Archive project. Since the archive’s establishment, more than 50 texts detailing life during colonization and slavery have been uploaded for posterity.

These submissions are divided into four topic-based exhibits. Early Slave Narratives contains descriptions of life during the times of slavery, while the section Obeah: The Magical Art of Resistance delves into a religion that was commonly practiced across slave-era Jamaica.

The project takes an innovative approach by creating separate narratives of indigenous and enslaved people by extracting sections from larger texts written by colonialists. This method, known as decolonization, enables historians to piece together information about the lives and experiences of oppressed people using their own words and perspectives.

Hurricane Irma’s Impact on Anguilla and Its Tourism Industry

Thomas Edison Kelly is a longtime New York entrepreneur who serves as managing director of Aegis Capital and has held a past position with National Securities. Beyond his work in New York finance, Thomas Edison Kelly has a strong connection with the Caribbean, and was involved in efforts to help the island of Anguilla recover following Hurricane Irma in 2017.

Mr. Kelly’s efforts alongside the Anguilla Red Cross and the Anguilla Foundation were vital in ensuring a return to stability in a country that relies on tourism as a primary economic driver. Tourism accounts for more than 60 percent of GDP, and some 64 percent of citizens of the British island territory hold direct or indirect employment related to the tourism industry.

Coordinated recovery efforts helped mitigate a host of challenges such as infrastructure damage and hotel closures that resulted in significant financial losses. Electricity was out for about 4 months, and another major issue was the nearly compete destruction of St. Maarten Airport, from which speedboats depart for the Anguilla.

Despite these hurdles, many of the island’s largest hotels, including the Malliouhanna and the Belmond Cap Juluca, were able to reopen within 6 months. As reported in The Anguillan, even with the hurricane’s impact, tourism contributed $204 million to the local economy in 2017.

Tips for Recognizing Weather Changes While Sailing

Thomas Edison Kelly is an accomplished New York City financial professional working for Aegis Capital as managing director. In addition to his management responsibilities at the New York investment banking services provider, Thomas Edison Kelly enjoys staying active through sailing, particularly throughout the Caribbean.

Recognizing the signs of an oncoming storm is an important skill for individuals who enjoy sailing, especially on the open water. While it is vital to follow live weather reports up to the moment of departure, and even throughout a voyage if possible, sailors must also appreciate the fact that good weather can change in a matter of moments.

The clouds, wind, and humidity levels are key points to focus on when it comes to spotting a storm at sea. Cirrus clouds, defined by high elevation and a thin, wispy appearance, are usually a sign of calm weather. However, their high altitude results in cirrus clouds being pushed around by strong winds. If sailors observe elongated cirrus clouds or clouds that are actively moving in the wind, a change of weather is coming.

Winds at sea level can also foretell upcoming inclement weather conditions. Any time the predominant wind direction changes, a change in weather is likely to follow. In the Northern Hemisphere, strong winds moving in a due north or south direction have a strong chance of being fixed to a strong weather system. Like the movement of cirrus clouds, this does not necessarily mean a storm is moving in, but rather that overall weather conditions are about to change.

Finally, storms may be foreshadowed by an increase in humidity. Sailors can track humidity levels in a number of ways, including with their noses. If the scents of the air and water seem stronger than normal, humidity is high and a change in weather is likely.

Youth Sports Foundation Brought U.S. Coaches to Anguilla

A managing director at Aegis Capital in New York, Thomas Edison Kelly was born and raised in the British Overseas Territory of Anguilla in the Caribbean. Eddie Thomas Kelly co-founded the Anguilla Youth Sports Foundation, and for his efforts he received recognition from Hadyn Hughes, Anguilla Parliamentary Secretary, in an article in The Anguillian Newspaper.

The article, titled, “150 Children Attend Gary Payton Basketball Camp in Anguilla,” highlighted the ways in which the Anguilla Sports Foundation had positively impacted the community through the Annual Basketball camp. A four-day event at Viceroy Anguilla, the camp featured multiple U.S. basketball coaches, including Gary Payton, the NBA legend and nine-time NBA All-Star. Local coaches also participated in the event.

The coaches taught the fundamentals of the game to attending children. Additionally, they held an open forum to provide the children with an opportunity to consider how their actions can bring about positive effects in the community, for their families, and for the team, both on and off the court.

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