I’m giddy with excitement to share this sister’s story – from one “shoenista” about another. When a woman stops Samanta Joseph to ask where she got here beautiful Brazilian-made shoes, that woman is often on her way to becoming a customer. Samanta was designing shoes since she was a young girl in Guyana. When her mother ordered her a pair of custom-made sandals to better fit her feet, that experience spawned a business idea. After migrating to the US,…
Our Sheroes
On the eve of its release in theaters across the country, and coinciding with the upcoming “Diwali” holiday, it’s very fitting to introduce this very talented filmmaker and the woman behind the movie “Festival of Lights.” Shundell Prasad screenwriter, filmmaker and movie director working out of New York and LA. She was born in Guyana but migrated to the US at age 6. Shundell is a graduate of New York University’s Prestigious Tisch School of the Arts, where…
Only 6% of all surgeons in the United Kingdom are female, and Dr. Samantha Tross is one of them. She’s the first Black British woman to become a consultant Orthopaedic surgeon. Samantha was born in Georgetown Guyana on June 30, 1968 to Sammy and Gwendolin Tross. The second of their four children, she went to St. Gabriel’s Primary School before her diplomat father was assigned to England and the family relocated. Samantha obtained a Bachelor of Medicine/Bachelor of Surgery degree…
Grace Aneiza Ali is the founder and editor of OfNoteMagazine.org, an online magazine that celebrates people of color in the arts. She was born in Guyana and moved to the United States when she was fourteen years old. Having grown up surrounded by a culture of illiteracy among women, she is committed to the work of educating girls in developing nations. Grace launched Of Note in 2009 as a platform to honor “artists whose work values compassion,…
R&B songstress Melanie Fiona broke out as a rising star in 2009 with her debut album “The Bridge” and Billboard-topping single “It Kills Me”. She was born Melanie Fiona Hallim on born on July 4, 1983, in Toronto, Canada, to Guyanese parents who immigrated to Canada in the late 1970s. Melanie began writing songs at the young age of 16. Her father was a guitarist in a band and would allow her to sit on…
Timeka Marshall was born on February 14th, 1989 in Georgetown, Guyana and is taking the reggae music world by storm. This versatile singer/songwriter got her break into the music industry after winning a jingle competition for a local telecommunications company. Since winning the jingle competition, Timeka has evolved as an artist. Her music is a fusion of reggae/ dancehall rhythms mixed with R&B vocal style. With her name generating buzz in Guyana, Timeka was keen to cultivate her songwriting talents and attended the…
Asha Blake is a former network anchor turned Digital Media mogul and media consultant to the stars! She was born in 1961 in Guyana, the daughter of an education specialist and a teacher. Asha was raised in Toronto and later in Minnesota, where she received a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Minnesota School of Journalism. A five-time Emmy award winner, Asha has served as a solo anchor for national network news programs, hosted syndicated daytime programming,…
Caribbean Squash Queen Nicolette Fernandes was born in Toronto, Canada on June 19, 1983. She moved back to Guyana with her parents at an early age began playing squash competitively at the age of 8. Representing Guyana, she dominated the junior category both domestically and regionally before she became famous for her outstanding performance at various Caribbean Championships. Nicolette made a significant leap when she was just 19-years-old and emerged as Champion at her first Pan American Games. Nicolette has…
Guyana’s singing sensation Shelon Unecia Garraway aka “Shelly G” is a feisty young songwriter and versatile stage performer. She was born on 22nd October, 1985, the third of four children, and a graduate of Cotton Field Secondary School in Essequibo. Shelly G’s talents came to light on a popular TV show produced for Mr. Dynamix (Ian Johnson) in 2004, a program geared to discover new talent. This led to her becoming the #1 artiste with Dynamix Recording Studio. Shelly G made her music debut in 2005 at the National…
Many of you will agree that Deborah Cox is one of the music industry’s most notable voices. A multi-platinum selling artist and self-proclaimed diva, Deborah was born on born July 13, 1974 in Toronto to Guyanese parents. She began singing for TV commercials at age 12, and entered various talent shows with the help of her mother. She performed in nightclubs as a teenager, and began to write music around the same time. Deborah entered the music…