Lawyer Marcia Johnson-Blanco is a ‘Special Person’

Meet Melabeu Cheriece,  Professional Model, Actress & Bikini Bodybuilding Competitor.  She’s the daughter of Guyanese author and Beterverwagting native, Adrianna Rose,  who recently published the novel Trapped in the Middle. Melabeu began competing in August, 2012 and has fallen in love with the bikini bodybuilding sport. During her teenage years she won the Miss New Jersey Perfect Teen Pageant and has grown in the performing arts, professionally.  She is very passionate about health and fitness…

Grace Nichols is a Guyanese poet.  She was born in Georgetown, Guyana in 1950, the fifth of seven children. She was raised in the village of Highdam and attended the school where her father worked as headmaster and her mother taught piano lessons. At age eight she moved with her family to Georgetown, and at age sixteen she left high school with the hope of becoming a teacher. Earning a degree in communications at the University…

Too often people mistake Guyana for Ghana.  During  a recent trip to Florida, I was having a conversation with a colleague about the Mashramani celebrations in Guyana and she said to me “that’s in Africa right?”  I’ve also been asked quite a few times “what other language do you speak in Guyana?  That’s why I decided to put together this synopsis  to enlighten some folks on the difference between “Guyana” in South America and the African nation…

Windee Algernon will go down in history as Guyana’s first female army Colonel and the first full-serving female member of any of the Caribbean’s armed forces to hold such a rank.  Colonel Algernon was promoted in the Guyana Defense Force from Substantive Lieutenant Colonel to this male dominated rank in January 20, 2012. Reflecting on this milestone, Colonel Algernon told reporters that she has been in the army since 1980, served in a number of appointments and underwent several training…

Letitia Wright is having a fantastic 2018.  Not only was she in one of the biggest movies of the year,  she’s also an Emmy nominee!  The 24 year-old Black Panther actress was nominated  for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series for her role as Nish in Black Mirror.  Last night Photographer Basia Bowen captured the Emmy nominee getting ready for the ceremony with her beloved grandmother, Ms. Claudette. According to Vogue UK, after floating…

Shawna Rochelle Kimbrell is a major in the United States Air Force, and the first female African-American fighter pilot in the Air Force history. She was born in Lafayette, Indiana on April 20, 1976, to Guyanese parents, Dr Norman Ng A Qui, and Eve Blackman Ng A Qui after they migrated to the US.  Their hard work and dedication paid off in her father earning a degree from Howard University and a doctorate from Purdue University. That focus on…

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,…

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.

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…

The courage and passion that singer, Lisa Punch, showed during her appearance on the “Rising Star” TV Show inspired me to share this quote.  In just 6-months of living in a foreign country, she fearlessly took to the international stage and showed her fans and the world that nothing is impossible. Always remember that “If you have a dream, don’t just sit there. Gather courage to believe that you can succeed and leave no stone…

Kadecia Baird has established herself as New York’s fastest female high school sprinters.  This 17 year old star athlete has made a big impact on the track and field community. Kadecia grew up in  Campbellville, Georgetown and is a senior at Medgar Evers High School in Brooklyn, New York.  She began competing in Guyana, passionately pursuing a junior national title. However her talent sky rocketed after she migrated to the U.S. three years ago. Kadecia is a member of her school’s…

Congratulations to Miss Timea James, Honor Roll Student and recent graduate of  Town Center Montessori Private School. Your graduation is only a glimpse of what lies ahead in your bright future. Wishing you the very best for the coming years.  You Rock! ~Love, Mom

Author Jan Lowe Shinebourne is a Guyanese novelist who was born in Canje, Berbice, Guyana and was educated at Berbice High School and the University of Guyana. After school she was a reporter in Georgetown. She began writing in the mid-1960s and in 1974 she was a prize-winner in the National History and Arts Council Literary Competition. In 1970 she emigrated to London, England. She did postgraduate literary studies at the University of London. She…

Congratulations to Guyanese-Born Businesswoman Gina Miller who has been named Britain’s Most influential Black Person. In a story published by BBC News, Gina topped the 2018 Powerlist of 100 people, which recognizes those of African and African Caribbean heritage.  The 52-year-old led the successful Brexit legal challenge which ruled parliament had to vote on whether Theresa May could trigger Article 50. Those named were decided by an independent panel – including former High Court judge Dame…

Bishops: My Turbulent Colonial Youth More books by Mona Williams:  Her list of books include: How we made a colour television show (1973); The turtle who longed to be a bird (1973); Christmas in Guyana (1974); The day I swam the river (1974); How the goat lost his voice (1974); Old Medicine (1974); The ant who refused titles (1975); Granny (1975); Father Martin Heale (1975); Old Bell (1975); When I went to the pictures (1975);…