The Blueprint with Dr. Jelani I. Reid

They Tried to Cover it up, He said NO! Leadership, Safety & Systems We Ignore Ep 38| The Blueprint

He saw a coworker lose his hand. Then he watched a company try to make it "go away." He said no. Brendon James was working offshore in Trinidad's energy sector when an explosion on a platform changed the trajectory of his life. A 2,500 psi gas line had failed. A valve flew across the deck and hit a colleague in the face. Blood and oil everywhere. That day, Brendon switched his university major from geomorphology to process safety. He decided that someone had to figure out why these things happen—and how to stop them. In this episode of The Blueprint Podcast, Brendon sits down with Dr. Jelani Reid for a conversation that moves far beyond industrial safety. He reveals the systems-thinking principles that underpin everything from Toyota's production system to Nelson Mandela's post-apartheid truth commissions. He explains why "we've always done it this way" is the most dangerous phrase in any organization—and why near misses are gifts, not problems to be hidden. Brendon doesn't shy away from hard truths. He shares the story of a company that tried to sweep a severe injury under the rug—and why he refused to be silent. He reflects on the Paria diving tragedy and why his wife pushed him to write Leading Through Fire when he wanted to retreat into introversion. Along the way, he offers a radical vision for Trinidad and Tobago: a 20-year national mandate, codified in law, removed from the five-year political cycle. He argues that we need to engage young people now—not with speeches, but with real mentorship. And he reveals the personal systems that keep him curious, grounded, and effective: meditation, atomic habits, and the relentless pursuit of the question "why?" This is a conversation about responsibility, courage, and the architecture of trust—in our workplaces, in our systems, and in ourselves. Listen now.

From Laventille to Skinner Park: Chuck Gordon on Culture & Community |EP 37| Blueprint Podcast

*He was raised in Laventille, surrounded by calypso royalty. By 18, he was in both the Calypso Monarch and Soca Monarch finals. In 2026, he became the center of a national conversation about judging, gatekeeping, and the future of the art form.* Chuck Gordon is not your typical calypsonian. He holds a degree in social work, has worked in the children's court, and views his music as advocacy. His concept of "Jiggy Calypso" rejects the artificial separation between soca and calypso, harkening back to an era when artists like Sparrow, Duke, Shadow, and Stalin sang both social commentary and party music. In this episode of The Blueprint Podcast, Chuck sits down with Dr. Jelani Reid for a conversation about identity, culture, and the soul of Trinidad and Tobago. He opens up about growing up in Laventille—a place he calls "a portal" of creative energy—and the family of cultural pioneers who shaped him. He explains the history of calypso tents, the road to Skinner Park, and why the judging system has come under fire. He doesn't hold back: the 2026 elimination that shocked audiences, the inconsistent scores, and why he went public. "I didn't anticipate it blowing up. But the society needs calypso again." Along the way, he shares his vision for the art form: calypsonians creating their own products and brands, entertaining while still commenting, and reclaiming the tradition of the full circle artist. This is a conversation for anyone who loves calypso, cares about culture, or wonders where Trinidad and Tobago is headed next. *Listen now.*

They Took Me to Court to Take My Baby": Karen Carrington on Owning Your Story Before Someone Else Does | EP 36| The Blueprint

*She was 17, homeless, and fighting to keep her premature baby. Today, she's helping the world heal.* Karen Carrington knows what it means to hit rock bottom. As a teenager, she was a single mother living in a shelter with a son born at 26 weeks, weighing just one pound, seven ounces. Then her child's father took her to court, demanding full custody. She won. But she also learned something that changed her life forever: "I will never let anyone tell my story again. I will say it first." In this episode of The Blueprint Podcast, Karen sits down with Dr. Jelani Reid for a conversation about resilience, faith, and the power of a fresh start. She opens up about the 35 years she spent estranged from her father—and the porch conversation that finally brought them back together without a single explanation. She shares why she ran a men's mental health program during the pandemic and banned women from speaking so men could finally feel heard. She reveals the darkest moments: divorce, job loss, rehab, and the voice that told her to give away her last dollar to a stranger. Along the way, she introduces the F.R.E.S.H. framework that guides her life and her book: Forgive, Rejection, Elevate, Spirit-led, Heal. She explains why she stopped asking "why me" and started saying "good, it's me." And she offers a radical perspective on forgiveness: "The most powerful apology is the one you give when you're not wrong." This is not a conversation about surviving. It's about thriving—and helping others do the same. *Listen now.*

"He Googled 'How to Be a Trainer' — Now He Coaches World Champions" EP 35 | The Blueprint |

He said yes to coaching before he knew how to coach. Then he figured it out. Yavniel Yatali was a biochemistry student who wanted to research human metabolism—until a dean told him UWI didn't study "the animal model." He almost quit. His mother convinced him to finish the degree, but she also told him something more important: "When you're done, you don't have to go into biochemistry." So he didn't. Today, Yavniel is the head coach of Rebuilder Strong, a powerlifting coach whose athletes include a Junior World Champion with a World Record, a European Masters Champion, and 11 national champions in a single year . He trains athletes across the Caribbean and internationally—all without a traditional degree in sports science. All because someone saw him in a gym and assumed he knew what he was doing. In this episode of The Blueprint Podcast, Yavniel sits down with Dr. Jelani Reid for a conversation about reinvention, resilience, and the courage to build a life on your own terms. He opens up about the weekend he Googled his way into being a personal trainer, the pivot to catering during COVID (and the terrible rice that almost ended it), and the slow, methodical process of becoming one of the Caribbean's most respected powerlifting coaches. He doesn't sugarcoat the reality: powerlifting athletes pay their own way to world championships. A trip to Open Worlds in Dubai costs over $10,000—out of pocket. Grant applications are 12-page documents designed to frustrate. And yet, his athletes keep winning medals. Along the way, he shares the conversation he had with his parents at 25: "I'm an adult. We need to relate differently. Here's what I'm sorry for. Here's what I'm not changing." He reflects on the partner who sees his blind spots, the daughter who changed everything, and the philosophy that guides his business: "Charge less. Overdeliver. Let the results speak." This is a conversation for anyone who has ever started something they weren't qualified to do—and figured it out anyway. Listen now.

Lovell Francis on Reparations: "It's Not About Money. It's About Self-Repair." The Blueprint ] Ep 34

e was the carpenter's son who became a minister. Then he was rejected by his own party. Now he's fighting to come back. Lovell Francis grew up in Moruga, toting water from a standpipe at 2 a.m., watching his carpenter father and maid mother invest everything in his education. Their gamble paid off: he became a history lecturer at UWI, then MP for Moruga/Tableland (2015-2020), Minister of State in Education, and finally Trinidad and Tobago's High Commissioner to South Africa . But his story is not a straight line to success. In this episode of The Blueprint Podcast, Lovell sits down with Dr. Jelani Reid for a raw, unfiltered conversation about politics, rejection, and the courage to be yourself in a system that rewards conformity. He opens up about the 2020 election when his own party did not select him to contest the seat he had won and held for five years—and the constituents who blocked roads with burning debris in protest . He reflects on his July 2024 letter seeking nomination to run again, admitting: "I have a whole chocolate bar now. I've been insulted. But I still reconcile that we need to win the seat" . He doesn't hold back on what's wrong with Trinidad's education system: "We produce too many doctors that we have no space for, while industries are dying because we have no joiners, no masons, no skilled labour" . He shares his philosophy on discipline: "It's not about controlling children. It's about teaching them to control themselves" . And he reveals the personal mantra that keeps him grounded: "Value your own. Seeing Africans value themselves taught me to value myself, my culture, my context." Lovell is a trained historian who made students laugh while teaching slavery—because he believes education should create meaning, not trauma. He's a former "bad lad" who was promoted two classes because he was bored. And he's one of the few politicians willing to say that the PNM's brand is damaged and needs to cut off "dead flesh" to survive. This is a conversation about agency, identity, and what it really takes to build a better Trinidad and Tobago. Listen now.