When Asha Richards spoke with Jamaicans.com earlier this year about the role she hoped to play in Jamaica’s development, she described herself as a “connector”, someone who could use her knowledge, expertise and professional networks to help create opportunities for Jamaica.
At the time, she hinted that one such connection was already beginning to bear fruit.
“I facilitated a connection this year between a Jamaican municipal government and members of my professional network,” Richards said. She could not reveal the details then, but told us that something significant was expected to be announced in September.
That announcement has now been made.
Montego Bay has been selected as one of 10 cities worldwide, and the only Caribbean city, in the Mayors Migration Council’s 2026 Global Cities Fund for Migrants and Refugees cohort.
The selection will support a 24-month climate resilience project designed to provide earlier flood warnings to some of Montego Bay’s most vulnerable communities. But behind the announcement is also a story about Richards putting into practice the role she envisioned for herself: using the knowledge, access and relationships she has developed professionally to help connect Jamaica with opportunities on the global stage.
Opening the Door for Montego Bay
Richards, a second-generation Jamaican who works with the Mayors Migration Council (MMC), had long wanted to see the organisation deepen its engagement with the Caribbean. When the opportunity arose, she helped put Montego Bay in the room.
The Global Cities Fund is invitation-only. Richards worked with MMC’s City Practice team to have Montego Bay added to the invitation list, encouraged the municipal government to apply and provided guidance as the city moved through the process.
She also helped build relationships. At the Bloomberg CityLab Summit earlier this year, Richards arranged a meeting between Mayor Richard Vernon and senior MMC officials. That connection later led to Vernon participating in the Climate Mobility Summit in Berlin in June.
For Richards, the opportunity aligned with a much bigger personal goal.
“One of my greatest aspirations has always been to contribute to global development, particularly Jamaica and the broader Caribbean, in ways that reduce inequality and uplift marginalized communities,” she told Jamaicans.com.
Mayor Vernon says Richards’ contribution was important to Montego Bay’s successful application.
“A key factor in the city’s successful application was the technical guidance and support provided by Ms. Asha Richards,” Vernon said. “She played an instrumental role in helping to facilitate the opportunity by providing information on the opportunity and guiding us through the application process.”
Her guidance, he added, helped the city clearly present Montego Bay’s climate resilience needs and local realities within the Fund’s framework.
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Nearly 12,000 Residents Could Benefit
Montego Bay’s project will address a growing challenge in communities vulnerable to flooding and extreme weather.
The grant will support a wireless flood early-warning system across high-risk areas, including communities along the North and South Gully embankments, sections of the Barnett River corridor and the downtown business district.
The Mayors Migration Council says more than 11,920 residents could benefit from earlier flood warnings, while the city will also update disaster management plans and provide preparedness and safety education.
The project is particularly important as climate pressures contribute to rural-to-urban migration in western Jamaica, with some residents settling in areas highly exposed to flooding. In January 2021 alone, flooding affected the homes of 933 people in the North and South Gullies.
“Climate change is reshaping communities and creating new vulnerabilities, particularly for families who have been displaced or forced to relocate because of environmental pressures,” Vernon said.
He sees the project as part of Montego Bay’s wider smart city agenda, using real-time environmental monitoring and data to strengthen disaster preparedness and protect residents.
“This project will provide critical early-warning capabilities, strengthen community resilience, and demonstrate how technology can be harnessed to safeguard lives and livelihoods.”
For Richards, a former Chair of the Global Jamaica Diaspora Youth Council and one of the youngest recipients of the Governor-General’s Achievement Award – Diaspora, Montego Bay’s selection carries significance beyond the project itself.
“It has been a goal of mine to see the MMC deepen its engagement with the Caribbean, so being able to help connect Montego Bay with the Global Cities Fund and support the city’s inclusion in this funding opportunity is a moment of immense personal pride,” she said.
Richards, whose efforts helped position Montego Bay to become the first Caribbean city to receive a grant through the Fund, hopes its selection will open the door for “many Caribbean cities to benefit from this initiative.”
Connecting Jamaica to Global Opportunities
For Richards, Montego Bay’s selection is also an example of the role she has been trying to carve out for herself between Jamaica and the international spaces in which she works.
When she previously described herself to Jamaicans.com as a “connector”, Richards spoke about using the knowledge, expertise and networks she has developed abroad to create meaningful connections with people and organisations in Jamaica.
The Global Cities Fund opportunity shows what that can look like in practice. Richards recognised an opportunity within her professional network, helped bring Montego Bay into the conversation and then used her understanding of both the Fund and the city to help bridge the two.
It is a model she hopes other young Jamaican professionals in the diaspora will recognise in their own careers. Their contribution, she believes, can include identifying opportunities, sharing expertise, opening networks and connecting Jamaican organisations with resources and relationships they might not otherwise encounter.
For Richards, that is ultimately what being a connector means: recognising where the knowledge and access she has gained can be useful and finding a way to bring Jamaica into those spaces.
“I am incredibly proud to have played a role in helping bring this opportunity to Montego Bay,” she said, “and I look forward to seeing the positive impact it will have on the lives of its residents.”
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On A Mission to Make An Impact
In addition to identifying opportunities and helping bring Jamaica into global conversations, Richards is also using her network to support initiatives with a more direct impact at the community level, including efforts to improve conditions at schools in Jamaica.
Catch Asha Richards and Mayor Richard Vernon this Saturday, October 3 at 11:00 a.m. EDT on Jamaicans.com Live as they discuss the Global Cities Fund project, what it could mean for Montego Bay and how diaspora professionals can help create opportunities for Jamaica. Richards will also share more about her work supporting schools in Jamaica and how members of the diaspora can get involved..
