Shayron Tower
Biography
Shayron Tower is the Founder and Executive Director of The Corn Islands Virtual Library. He is an intercultural communicator, photographer, and advocate for education, culture conservation, and youth well-being.
As a born and raised Cornislander, from an early age, he demonstrated an interest in the history and culture of the Corn Islands, leading him to promote the identity of his community through radio broadcasting, social media, and a television program he founded during his teenage years called Juventud al Aire.
He was a member and pianist of Island Starts, a band that played Caribbean and local traditional music, providing a platform to showcase the islands' and the greater Caribbean folklore. Other efforts supporting local culture included documenting traditional activities such as Maypole celebrations, Christmas Carols, and Emancipation Day festivities. Collaboration with researchers, academics, and media has also been instrumental in his endeavours to promote the Corn Islands.
Occasionally, Shayron would visit secondary schools on the island to engage in discussions with young students on diverse topics, including nurturing love for and preserving the local identity. He also contributes articles to various media platforms about the islands and regularly conducts local research to gather oral resources.
With his project "The Creoles of the Nicaribbean," he won the national competition ExpoPhoto Nicaragua in 2020. Through his work, he skillfully captured the distinctive characteristics of the Afrodescendant Creole people from Great Corn Island and Pearl Lagoon. The primary objective of his photographs was to dispel prevalent stereotypes associated with the Creole ethnic group and to promote an anti-racism message.
In August 2021, he founded The Corn Islands Virtual Library, a platform for locals and academics to delve into the island's rich heritage. This project, funded by STS Initiative, was formally launched online on 1 May 2023. Thanks to the dedication of individuals from the islands committed to preserving historical evidence, the website boasts a wealth of available information.
Although Shayron has worked in other areas of his community and country like tourism, education, and youth well-being, it is particularly noteworthy to highlight his efforts in preserving the history and identity of his hometown, the Corn Islands.
Degrees
Publications
• Assessment of the everyday use and formal learning of the Creole language in the municipality of Corn Island in the Southern Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region of Nicaragua (2021)
