Happy Birthday to Our Beautiful Guyana!

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…

Brehanna Michelle Daniels made national headlines in 2017 when she made history as the first African-American female to go over the wall in a national racing series, as the rear tire changer. In 2018 she became the first African-American female to work for a pit crew in NASCAR’s prestigious Cup series. Brehanna was born in the US on Jan. 26, 1994 with her twin brother to Kimberly and Luxley Daniels.  She is very proud of her…

Domestic Violence Awareness! When you allow yourself to be dominated by someone else, you begin to lose respect for yourself. You become silently enraged, both at …the person who is dominating you and at yourself for allowing the domination. Someone else is in control of your life, just as assuredly as if you were a slave obeying orders. Stop doing this to yourself!’ “Reflect on how much pain you’ve suffered, and remember your abuser’s broken…

Lleuella Morris is no stranger to courage and determination, and overcoming the odds. She is a multitalented businesswoman, an avid volunteer, a committed Christian, and a mentor who is passionate about the development of people. She is the eldest of three children born to Colin Morris and Maureen Semple in the village of Hopetown in Berbice, Guyana and named to honour both sides of her family heritage. The unassuming Ms. Morris is a quiet self-starter…

When Ingrid Berkeley-Brown began her career in law enforcement 30 years ago,  she wanted to be the best that she could could be and leave above the rank of constable.   Today the Guyana-native has risen far above that rank   On January 29, she made history when she was promoted to Superintendent in Peel County, Ontario, making her the highest-ranking Black female police officer in Canada. Berkeley-Brown was one of only two Black female recruits in a class of about 300 at the Ontario…

For those of us who have emigrated from Guyana, Demerara Gold is a refreshing reminder of the expectation, excitement and anxiety that we experience in our journey to  join our families in America. I recently had the pleasure of sitting in the front row to watch Ingrid Griffith, the star of Demerara Gold, as she seamlessly transformed into a slew of characters and captivated the audience with her raw emotions and hilarious depictions of events from her…

A stellar achiever at a very young age and one of Guyana’s youngest dental surgeons, Dr. Sulan Fung aims to empower young women and spread awareness on her interest – maintaining a healthy mouth. Twenty-four-year-old Sulan began her scholastic career at Stella Maris Nursery at three years old. She later earned a place at Bishops’ High School where she received awards for best debater and best actress, along with elocution prizes. “I got prizes mostly…

Dr. Latoya Shonell Gooding is a beacon of hope to many cancer-stricken patients in Guyana. She goes above and beyond to ensure they receive the best care as they battle this deadly disease. Her kindness has touched many families and helped most of her patients through those dark days. She was compelled into the field of medicine, specifically Oncology, following the death of her grandfather to prostate cancer. According to Dr. Gooding, he was given…

Oslene Carrington is the CEO of the Guyana Economic Development Trust,  an independent philanthropic organization that incubates and supports projects that develop the workforce and boost the private sector of Guyana.  The US-based philanthropic organization has partnered with the School of Entrepreneurship and Business Innovation (SEBI) of the University of Guyana (UG) to provide funding for an annual Guyana Innovation Prize of $10,000 to encourage innovation and entrepreneurship. The award provides pre-seed funding to commercially…

You can be happy if you choose to be thankful.  Even if your life is not perfect, there are lots of reasons to feel good about something.

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…

Keisha Scarville is an accomplished and talented fine arts photographer.  Born in 1975 to a Guyanese father and mother,  she self-defines as Guyanese-American. Keisha spent her childhood in Brooklyn after her parent migrated to the United States in the late 1960s. She will be the first to admit that within the walls of her childhood home, her experience was still a Guyanese-centered one. Keisha earned a B.S. from the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) in…

The Honourable Madam Justice Désirée Bernard, a citizen of Guyana, was born on 2 March 1939. A lawyer by profession, she began her career in 1963 when she attained a Bachelor of Laws Degree from the University of London.  Qualifying as a solicitor in 1964, Justice Bernard engaged in private practice in the High Court of the Supreme Court of Guyana from 1965 to 1980. During that period, she was appointed a Magistrate (1970), Commissioner of…

Female Officers of the Guyana Defence Force and the Guyana Police Force at the National Park on May 26, 2013 Source:  Stabroek News  – Photos by Arian Browne        .

Captain Feriel Ally of the local Air Services Limited (ASL) recently created history on July 12, 2012 when she became the  first female in Guyana certified to operate a grand caravan aircraft.  The daughter of Guyana’s aviation pioneer Yacoob Mazaharally, Captain Ally began her aviation career in 1988 when she trained for, and obtained, her private pilot’s licence in the USA. Following her training, she returned to Guyana and built her hours flying the Cessna 172 and 206, ferrying…