Happy Birthday to Our Beautiful Guyana!

At the young age of 8, Anaya Lee Willabus will go down in US history as the  youngest published female author of a chapter book.  She was born in Brooklyn, NY to Guyanese parents, Dimple and Winston Willabus of Georgetown.  Anaya’s book, The Day Mohan Found His Confidence, tells the story of a young boy named Mohan and the many challenges he faces at home and at school. On June 9th, 2015, Anaya was recognized by Guyanese-born New York State…

Her Ladyship, the Hon. Justice Louise Esther Blenman graduated from the University of the West Indies in 1986 with a Bachelor of Laws Degree (LL.B.) with Upper Second Class Honors. She later obtained the Legal Education Certificate from the Hugh Wooding Law School in Trinidad in 1988.  She was called to the Bar in Guyana, in 1988. Justice Blenman obtained the Masters of Law Degree (LL.M.) with merit from the University of London. Justice Blenman has served…

Zena Hallam is a Florida-based  certified aromatherapist, reflexologist, and modern day alchemist. She first experienced the power of natural therapies as a girl in Guyana, South America, watching her mother heal the people of her village—including her grandmother, who would have lost her leg and then her life to diabetes, if not for Zena’s mother’s knowledge of herbal medicine. Watching others heal and thrive was a truly transformative experience for Zena. She decided to formally study…

We all know that curry and roti is one of Guyana’s most popular cuisine and a common dish within the Caribbean community. It is also much more enjoyable when you indulge with your fingers. However, one can also admit that it’s sometimes quite messy and will ruin your pale nail polish or fresh manicure. For this very reason I sometimes prefer to eat this dish only while at home where I can really dive in with my fingers. I recently attended a function and observed one…

My mother is a woman like no other. Nicola Amanda Dover Roberts, amazing mother of three rocks!!! She is the best mom that you can ever ask for. She is brave, adventurous, loving, charismatic, caring and to top it off kind-hearted. She is an intelligent, hardworking young woman whose beauty is beyond compare. I remember this one instant whereby I wanted to participate in my primary school’s fair because it was my last year in the…

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…

Guyanese cake artist extraordinaire Corrie Bacchus is combining your ideas with her ability to magically transform sugars and spices into truly unique cakes, edible art sculptures and desserts. Hand-sculpted cake art gives evidence of her passion for creating savoury slices of heaven. Bacchus said since childhood she has been fascinated with baking. Her mother baked every Saturday, and Bacchus always helped in the kitchen, observing her mother’s techniques. Through her business, Corries Creative Cakes, Bacchus…

Amber Low a is 22-year-old commercial pilot with Roraima Airways and the youngest female pilot in Guyana.  She is the daughter of renowned Gynaecologist, Dr Guy Low.  Amber initially wanted to be a medical doctor like her father but instead she became a flight attendant, a decision which later fueled her desire to learn her how to fly a plane and become a pilot.  Here are a few excerpts from Amber’s interview with the Guyana Chronicle…….

Michelle A. Albert, MD, MPH is a general cardiologist with expertise in preventive cardiovascular medicine as well as managing the most critically ill cardiovascular patients with a range of conditions including coronary artery disease, valvular heart disease, cardiomyopathies and vulnerable populations with heart disease such as women and racial/ethnic minorities. Born and raised in Guyana, Dr. Albert had a fairly austere upbringing. The sudden death of her grandfather by cardiac arrest was probably the trigger for…

Charisse Holder is on a mission to preserve her legacy. The young first generation Guyanese-American filmmaker recently wrapped up production of  “Where’s My Inheritance?“,  a film she co-produced with Randy Harris that documents their journey back to Guyana, the land of their ancestors in search of the missing pieces of their identity. The much anticipated film will premiere at Metro Tech Center’s Pfizer Auditorium in Brooklyn, New York  on Friday, June 21, 2019. Film Synopsis…

When she entered her guidance counselor’s office earlier this year, it was not a big revelation. Bibi Sulaman, a senior at Jamaica Gateway to the Sciences High School, had met with her counselor to verify her credits and classes before graduating this June. Casually, her counselor revealed that she was valedictorian of her class of around 150 students. “It wasn’t a surprise,” said Bibi. “[Being valedictorian] wasn’t my goal. I just tried to do my…

Sunday’s Child by Anne Lyken-Garner is the remarkably inspirational true story of a little girl struggling to rise above poverty, appalling living conditions, food lines, violence, abuse, mental anguish and political hardships. It shows how she picks out little glimmers of hope and love and uses them as positive anchors in her life. She draws on everything she has – just to survive. Readers, all of the events I’ve recorded in this book have happened…

Mashramani is carnival like in nature. This year’s theme is “Showcasing our Culture, Sustaining Our Heritage.” Customarily, this is a colourful festival and is a combination of costume competitions, float parades, masquerade bands and much dancing and merriment in the streets to the sweet sounds of steel pan along with calypso and soca music. The Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport continues annually to create and manage the Mashramani celebrations as the largest national event.

Martha nee Fung Kee Fung was one of the earliest female business owners in Guyana (1800s). She became a landed proprietor who owned many businesses including a rice mill. She bought two abandoned sugar estates Waller’s Delight and Ruimzight at Windsor Forest which she rented to tenants to plant rice. Martha Street in Windsor Forrest is named for her. Sarah Lam-a-Poo born in 1870, was the grandmother of Errol “Ping” Gillette, Guyana’s first Ombudsman after…

Khadijatou Doyneh, aka K2, is a Guyanese raised and London based singer-songwriter, author,  spoken word poet, musician, and dancer. Her extensive travel across Europe, USA, Canada and Africa at an early age  gave birth to Khadijatou’s ‘lifetime travel-bug’ and wish to contribute  to creative culture.  She  started her performing arts career in dance theatre after graduating with a BA (Hons)  Dance and Spanish.  She discovered her aptitude for  writing, blending words and rhythms, and became a recognized artist on the …