Dr Jennifer 'Jenny Jenny' Small earns PhD and urges women to use time with purpose

Dr Jennifer “Jenny Jenny” Small, the Jamaican broadcaster, entrepreneur and now PhD holder, is urging women and young people to treat time as a serious resource and to use difficulty as fuel for growth.

Small, who has spent 26 years in radio and 20 years with Dancing Dynamites, said people often recognise wasted time only after a day ends with little learned, little completed and a list of unfinished plans. She said rest has value, but argued that even quiet moments should serve a purpose.

The FAME 95FM radio host said her own drive was shaped by hardship, her mother’s sacrifices and the support of teachers who helped her along the way. She recalled deciding early that she would not repeat the struggles she had seen around her, and encouraged young Jamaicans not to copy harmful patterns simply because they grew up with them.

Small also spoke about her businesses, including a travel venture, Dynamite Saturday School and Small Treasures Child Care, which recently marked its 13th year with a 3K event at Hope Gardens. She co-owns two schools with Janice Levy.

Her doctoral journey began during the COVID-19 period, when restrictions forced many people to stay home. Small said she first explored gender studies at The University of the West Indies, then cultural studies, before being guided toward Delaware State University. She described the DSU programme as demanding but motivating, adding that it suited her appetite for hard work.

Her research examined the passive acquisition of dancehall and infidelity norms through dancehall music. Small said she interviewed students from the University of Technology and The University of the West Indies, and found unanimous agreement among participants that dancehall has influence, though two said they try to separate the music from the behaviour it may normalise.

Small said she attended her graduation so her daughter could witness the achievement firsthand. Hearing her child cheer for her, she said, reminded her that parents should live in ways that inspire their children and show them what is possible.