I was born and raised in the Caribbean. People are wrong to reduce it to sun, sea, and sand.

Caribbean publicist Tenille Clarke shared her journey from Trinidad to Toronto and back. Clarke moved to Toronto at 19, experiencing a significant cultural shift. She eventually returned to Trinidad and started a PR firm to tell authentic Caribbean stories.

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You can opt-out at any time by visiting our Preferences page or by clicking "unsubscribe" at the bottom of the email. Advertisement This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Tenille Clarke , founder of the Caribbean-based public relations company Chambers Media Solutions . Clarke was born and raised in Port of Spain, the capital of Trinidad and Tobago.

This story has been edited for length and clarity. I was raised in a part of Port of Spain called East Dry River, one of the poorest communities in Trinidad and Tobago. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers.

Become an Insider and start reading now. Have an account? Log in . My mom migrated to Canada when I was three years old, so I was raised by my maternal aunt.

My dad was very active in my life, but he also traveled a lot for work. Advertisemen.