A few weeks ago, people across America celebrated Veterans Day in honors military personnel who served in the United States Armed Forces, but sometimes life after service isn’t easy. That’s where Sharmin Prince comes in. As the program director for veterans services at Volunteers of America-Greater New York, Sharmin is running the Battle Buddy Bridge, a peer-to-peer program that trains veterans to help other veterans deal with a mental health diagnosis. “In basic training, you are…
Two female pioneer aviators were recently presented with their own commemorative stamps, which were launched by the Guyana Post Office. Cheryl Moore was the country’s first female military pilot in 1977 and Beverley Drake, the first female commercial pilot in the same year.
As the Executive Director of the Guyanese & American Business & Professional Council (GABPC), Shanie Persaud works tirelessly to develop stronger ties between Guyana and the United States in an effort to forge a closer relationship between the business and professional communities of both nations. GABPC is the first and leading Guyanese-American business organization that provides a vast array of services aimed at promoting and advancing business relations between Guyanese and Americans. Persaud move to…
In August 2013, Althea Chase with the help of her sister Crystal, hosted a sleep over for her daughter and 6 of her friends. They did manicures, pedicures and chocolate facials which they all loved. They ate pizza, drank apple cider in champagne glasses, and had girl talk. The girls talked about their future plans and how they were going to make the world a better place. It was a life changing, fun experience and…
Jamila Keizia Sanmoogan will be one of two, and the only female swimmer representing Guyana at the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The 19-year-old, who recently trained in Columbia on a swimming scholarship, is slated to compete in the Women’s 50m Freestyle event. In an interview the Guyana Chronicle, Jamila shared the following: “It felt as if my dreams finally came true, there were so many feelings, from excitement to happiness” she…
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…
Undra Celeste Duncan is the founder and creative director of Undra Celeste New York; a modern workwear brand for multicultural women. Upon earning a business degree from Howard University, she moved to LA where she studied fashion designing, and later to New York to pursue a career in fashion. She worked for big brands such as Calvin Klein and American Eagle Outfitters before launching her own label in 2014. Undra’s collections have been shown on…
Tarana Dance Centre was a vision brought to life by Artistic Director, Deviekha Chetram. Born and raised in Alexander Village, Guyana, Deviekha has always demonstrated a keen interest in Indian dance since childhood and developed her own free style as she performed and choreographed dances for local events in Guyana. This enthusiasm led her to seek formal training in Kathak at the Indian Cultural Centre, Georgetown, Guyana. She considers herself lucky to have received her…
Luana Pierre is the owner of Pawsome Pets Guyana, a new pet grooming business located in Georgetown. Pawsome Pets Guyana is the only professional pet grooming service in the country. Mrs. Pierre has more than 25 years of experience in animal health and 10 years of pet grooming experience. Luana has been one of my best friends for more than thirty-five years. She was the friend who made me laugh with her dry humor, but…
Born on October 31, 1993 in Georgetown, Guyana, Letitia Michelle Wright is an UK-based actress, known for her roles in Glasgow Girls, My Brother the Devil and Urban Hymn. Migrating to London with her mother at the age of six, Letitia first fell in love with acting at her Finsbury Park primary school when she got the opportunity to play a young Rosa Parks onstage. “I felt so comfortable,” she recalls. “I even did the…
Dr. Alicia Elias-Roberts is a distinguished legal scholar with a remarkable academic journey and an impressive list of accomplishments. She has recently been appointed as the Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of the West Indies, St Augustine Campus, and her expertise in various legal disciplines promises to bring new perspectives and advancements to the institution. Born in Guyana, Dr. Elias-Roberts holds a Ph.D. in Energy and Environmental Law from Queen’s University…
In the spirit of New York Restaurant Week and Black Business Month, we take immense pride in celebrating the achievements of Guyanese female restaurant owners. Today, GGR shines the spotlight on the owner of the Hills Restaurant, Doris Rodney, an inspirational woman born in Guyana, whose passion for food and unyielding determination led her on a remarkable journey to success. Doris Rodney’s story is a testament to resilience and unwavering ambition. Growing up without the…
Amy Elizabeth Imrie (4 Oct 1870 – 4 Apr 1944), Born Pollard, was a British heiress and one of the wealthiest women in Britain who, at the age of 37, became a Roman Catholic Nun, Sister Mary Clare and, subsequently, Mother Superior of the Order of Poor Clares. She was born as Amy Elizabeth Rosalie Pollard in British Guiana to William Branch Pollard and his first wife, Elizabeth Anne (née Blackley). After the death of…
Ms. Valerie Rodway (1919-1970) was a teacher and Guyanese composer. She is best known for her national songs, which include, “O Beautiful Guyana,” “Kanaïma,” “Hymn for Guyana’s Children,” “Arise, Guyana,” and “Guyana the Free. She also put to music the famed Guyanese independence poem by Martin Carter, “Let Freedom Awaken.” Ms. Rodway was a member of one of those families whose contributions to Guyana are still evident. Her father, Newton Berthier Fraser was born in…
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon recently announced the appointment of Catherine Pollard of Guyana as Under-Secretary-General for General Assembly and Conference Management. She will succeed Tegegnework Gettu of Ethiopia, to whom the Secretary-General is grateful for his dedicated service and able leadership. Since 2014, Pollard served as Assistant Secretary-General for General Assembly and Conference Management, prior to which she served as Assistant Secretary-General for Human Resources Management from 2008 to 2014. She was previously Chief of Staff…