Don’t forget to love yourself…..

Linda McPherson is the current President of District Council 1707 of the American Federation of State County and Municipal Employee (AFSCME).  She represents some 28,000 non-profit social services ranging from home care, social services, direct care, public center-based day care, educational, fundraising and her own local Heat Start.  She is employed at Community Parents, Inc. /Medger Evers Head Start where she works as a Family Service Coordinator.  She praises the federally-funded Head Start program for…

“Become the leader of your life. Lead yourself to where you want to be. Breathe life back into your ambitions, your desires, your goals, your relationships.”― Steve Maraboli, Unapologetically You: Reflections on Life and the Human Experience

A family that braids together stays together!  The braiding technique developed by the talented Smith sisters has made them a household name in Kansas City, Missouri and earned them a well-deserved feature in the May issue of Allure Magazine.  Originally from Linden, the five sisters (Glynnis, Shelly, Rhonda, Alecia and Leslyn Smith) are the powerhouse stylists at “Braid Heaven” Hair Salon who have perfected the “bubble braiding” technique.  Here’s their story by Allure Magazine. They…

Gertie Wood’s name has appeared at fleeting moments on the periphery of scholarship on the Guyanese women’s movement. As such not much has been said or published on the significant volume of work and activism she undertook for women and girls in British Guiana. Social worker, women’s rights activist, accomplished concert artist, and politician, Wood was sometimes the sole female voice articulating for women and equitable conditions of work in the period of her greatest…

Professional bodybuilder, Alana Shipp, has muscled her way to the top echelon of  Women’s Body Building in just a few years.   Born in 1982 in Barbados to Guyanese parents, Alana spent her early childhood in Guyana prior to moving to Queens, New York at age 11. After graduating high school, Alana enlisted in the US Marine Corps and spent almost 8 years as a non-commissioned officer, working as a logistics procurement manager in Okinawa,…

Knowing yourself means understanding who you are as a person and accepting the truth of what you discover. It means knowing what you’re good at and what needs improving, knowing what you’re passionate about and what scares you, knowing your goals and dreams, knowing your habits and behaviors, your likes and dislikes, being aware of your physical being, accessing your health, well being and your relationships.  Everyone has a purpose in life and and knowing what…

The Adventures Of Lucy And Brown Boy – Lucy is a young girl who loves adventure but lost her dog Brown Boy. This book also includes a fun coloring section as well as learning questions from the book. The Adventures Of Lucy And Brown Boy ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  Lisa Punch was born and raised in Georgetown, Guyana and migrated to the United States of America at the age of 21. She writes poetry, songs and…

Elizabeth Jaikaran is a New York-based author and lawyer who has  published work across a spectrum of print and digital media.   She began writing at a very young age and published her first article to Stardust Magazine when she was only eight years old.  Elizabeth has since published fiction, nonfiction, comedy, poetry and legal commentary. She is a proud child of Guyanese immigrants, born in Brooklyn, New York and raised in Queens. Elizabeth is most…

Oscar Wilde said it best “Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” You should be your own biggest cheerleader. Forget about what you look like and be proud of who you are! Stop trying to measure up. The only person you have to compete with is yourself and always remember that You Rock!

Born in Georgetown, Guyana and raised in California’s Silicon Valley, hairstylist Marcia Hamilton is known for her ability to mesh old school beauty with up to minute trends and techniques. She discovered her passion for art and style at an early age, but against her mother’s predictions, Marcia had ambitions of becoming an auto mechanic. After a series life changing events, destiny lead Marcia onto the inevitable path of her career in hair. She began…

As a highly successful voters’ rights lawyer in the US, Marcia is able to help thousands of persons, particularly minorities, through her work and hopes to replicate her successes in Guyana. Now 46 years old, Marcia lives in Washington D.C. with her husband and two daughters. Though she has lived in America for more than three decades, Marcia said that she had never forgotten her roots. Promoting democratic rights in Guyana and beyond…Lawyer Marcia Johnson-Blanco…

Coined as “the board woman’s bible”, 7 Traits of Highly Successful Women on Boards – views from the top and how to get there is an essential read for women on boards, and those aspiring to get there, not only in the private, but also public, charity and Sme sectors. It delves into the hearts and thoughts of 22 highly successful women on corporate boards in the Uk, sharing gems of advice, tips, traits and…

Shondell ‘Mystery Lady’ Alfred is a professional boxer from Guyana. She is one of the first female boxers to represent Guyana internationally and in 2011 the “Mystery Lady” was awarded “Most Inspirational Boxer of the Year” by the Women’s Boxing Archive Network (WBAN).  Alfred’s knockout victory over Corrine Van Ryck DeGroot was largely responsible for her winning the award in front of a glamorous line up of boxers worldwide. Shondell grew up in Albouystown where she took to athletics and later karate while in…

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…

The newly appointed board member of the American Caribbean Maritime Foundation (ACMF), a Westchester-based charitable organization, is setting sights on increasing the group’s mission for the next generation of Caribbean youth. Michelle Nicholas, who is the vice president of development at Westchester Family Services, said she was bringing her passion and economical skills to help increase interest in Caribbean maritime. A native of Guyana, Nicholas said she was exposed to the maritime industry at a…