The Jamaican poet Christena Williams, better known by her stage name of Antonia Valaire was a Nominee in the 39th International Reggae and World Music Awards (IRAWMA) Spoken word. She is a native from Portmore and her Alma mater is Spanish Town high school. Valaire has won the International Spoken Word Artist from the People of Extraordinary Talent (P.O.E.T), USA, for which she retained in 2021. As a podcaster of The Verandah Conversations she was nominated in Best radio, or online show, by (P.O.E.T), 2022 and 2023.
Valaire has a BA degree with Honors in History and Philosophy from the University of the West Indies. Her book “Pearls among Stones” won Prime Minister’s National Youth Award. She is also the author of “Black Gold” and “Out from Babylon System: Liberation of Mind.”
In addition to writing, Valaire has performed on the Jamaican Poets School Tour, Bridgewater International Poetry festival virtual (USA), Submitted video to Ronda Leiria Poetry (Portugal), Youth summit on crime & violence, UNDP, featured in The Gleaner, Random Poem Tree (T&T), Poetry NZ 47 (New Zealand), and Shortlisted in Desmond O’Grady poetry competition (Ireland), & Matches shoes box was included in the Miss Lou 100 +Voices, (Jamaica).
She is an Alumni of International Republican Institute; a US Based Organization.This is a course that she completed with distinction in the Caribbean Youth fellowship Programme in Leadership &Public Policy with CAPP, IRI &NED, Subsequently, she was chosen as a top youth leader to represent Jamaica in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. She is also a recipient of CATAPULT A Caribbean arts grant in 2022, with collaboration with Kingston Creative, The American friends of Jamaica and Open societies foundation. Also, she was selected from 252 submissions from the Caribbean to represent Jamaica at The Marché de la Poésie in France funded by UNESCO, EU and Transcultura: Integrating Cuba, The Caribbean in 2023.
