Jody Brown: A Legacy of Trust and Faith in Fatherhood

Educator, Jody Brown’s path to fatherhood was marked by challenges, shaping his journey in profound ways.

After marrying Devmarie Blake-Brown in 2008, the couple began their journey towards parenthood.

However, they faced several miscarriages before welcoming a baby girl, who was born prematurely and tragically passed away after six weeks.

This profound loss led Mr. Brown to decide against having children, as he couldn’t bear to put his wife through further trauma.

But hope remained. He tells JIS News that his church prayed for the couple, and on their next attempt, his wife became pregnant—this time with a baby boy.

Their son, Kemuel, was born prematurely but overcame the odds, thriving as he grew. Later, the couple welcomed their second son, Kaiden.

For Mr. Brown, a lecturer at Mico University College, fatherhood is an “exciting but challenging journey.” While there are difficult moments, he finds being a dad rewarding.

“Every morning… when [I’m preparing to] leave for work, to hear my sons say, ‘don’t leave’… it feels good to know that they actually don’t want their father to leave. Then sometimes they would stay up in the nights until I reach home— just to see me— and then the hugs and the excitement that I get, that is like, something that is incomparable,” he shares.

Raising two boys, Mr. Brown’s parenting philosophy is shaped by lessons from his own father, who instilled in him a deep sense of trust and responsibility.

“He grew me with a lot of trust. So he would set the rules, and then he would say to me, ‘I am asking you now, having known the guidelines and the rules that are there, to follow them without me having to come to you all the time and remind you that you should do this’. The way he grew me is how I’m raising my boys,” Mr. Brown reflects.

He explains that trust made it easier to admit mistakes, knowing that honesty strengthens the bond.

Now, Mr. Brown seeks to instill the same foundation in Kemuel and Kaiden, believing that trust is paramount.

“Even though, as parents, we are still going to love [our children] no matter what, there is going to be a point in time where [they] might get in trouble. We have to know that when [they] speak or do actions, they are the truth, so we can stand and defend [them] without any repercussions,” Mr. Brown reasons.

“He acknowledges that, given his sons’ vastly different personalities, a tailored approach to parenting is essential.

As a result, he blends various parenting styles—sometimes firm and direct, other times more flexible and open to negotiation—to meet each child’s unique needs.

Mr. Brown describes Kemuel as an introvert—observant and thoughtful before speaking—while two-year-old Kaiden is more defiant and outspoken, likely influenced by his age.

As he watches his children grow and learn, Mr. Brown is also discovering more about himself and what truly matters to him.

“Becoming a father… I have learned to put myself last and put my sons first, because my aim is that whatever struggles I had when I was growing up, I don’t want them to have those struggles. So

I work extremely hard for them to ensure that they get a better chance at making it in life,” he tells JIS News.

Mr. Brown is hopeful that his sons will lead successful lives and strive to be the best they can be.

For Kemuel, who is still exploring his passions, Mr. Brown and his wife encourage broad participation in activities like sports and public speaking, helping him become well-rounded and excel in whatever he pursues.

Meanwhile, for Kaiden, they actively nurture his confidence and outgoing nature, encouraging him to step beyond his shyness.

More than anything, Mr. Brown, a Christian, hopes his sons will embody the values he strives to live by.

“I strive to live out my beliefs daily, hoping to model integrity, compassion, humility, and self-control – virtues I want my sons to embrace. I believe that their true identities can only be found in Jesus Christ, and I encourage them to explore their God-given talents and purpose,” he tells JIS News.

“Ultimately, my goal is to nurture, not just their physical and emotional well-being, but also their spiritual development, preparing them to become men of strong character who can positively impact their families, communities, and the world,” the doting father adds.

Beyond instilling good values in his own sons, Mr. Brown also mentors primary school boys in St. Thomas—where he resides—and neighboring parishes, offering guidance to help them navigate school and life.

This initiative is carried out through the At-Risk Boys Symposium, which was established after Mr. Brown was honoured with the 2022/23 LASCO/Ministry of Education and Youth/Jamaica Teaching Council Teacher of the Year award.

“This stems from the fact that while I was growing up, coming from a community like Church Corner, persons would consider you not brilliant. So a lot of times, boys have been marginalised because of the communities that they are from,” he says.

“We have mentors who take on these boys. Some of them are from the parish, some of them are overseas and they talk to their mentees, encourage them in their schoolwork and their behaviour, and some of them get assistance with schoolwork and finances… among other things,” Mr. Brown further informs.

This year’s At-Risk Boys Symposium is scheduled for the first semester of the 2025/26 academic year, with invitations extended to schools in Portland and St. Mary, joining institutions in St. Thomas.