Jamaica's Hope Markes will make history in October 2026 as the first woman of color and first Caribbean national to lead Kiwanis International

MONTEGO BAY, DECEMBER 19, 2025 - The children's faces light up as Hope Markes walks through the door of the community center. It's a scene that has played out countless times during her months crisscrossing the globe as Vice President of Kiwanis International—from small-town America to bustling Asian cities, from European capitals to remote Pacific islands.