Letting go….

“Winner are not people who never fail, but people who never quit” and Lisa Punch keeps on winning.  The model/singer/songwriter who represented Guyana at the 2015 Miss World Pageant in Sanya, China beat out her fellow contestants earlier this week and made history for Guyana when she performed one of her original songs and won the Talent category of the Competition. Per missworld.com,  “Miss Guyana received a standing ovation from her fellow contestants and the…

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…

I’ve had an ongoing love-hate relationship with vision boards ever since I created my first one about 9 years ago.  Most people say they work, but a little voice inside was always telling me that they were kind of silly, so I never fully embraced the idea. I was inspired to create my first board after watching a tv show, but I don’t recall putting much effort into it or even hanging it up anywhere. …

The Miss World Pageant is scheduled to take place this September in Indonesia  and the new franchise holder for Guyana,  Natasha Martindale, is busy prepping the reigning queens, Ruqayyah Boyer, to bring home the prestigious title. The Miss World organization appointed Martindale to the Guyana franchise in late June 2013.  A former pageant contestant herself,  Martindale is a Christ Church alumni and also attended Georgetown School of Accountancy and a private College of Business &…

The year was nineteen seventy-five. Barren couple, Pearl and Edward Riley stumbled upon a newborn baby girl. Her cries could only be heard by a true mother, which Pearl immediately became. Bundled up with their new child, they discovered a parcel of artifacts and a scribbled note that read: Sakkara. Pregnant seamstress, Petrina Dugal, became a runaway at the age of twenty-six. She ran away from a brutish husband, Roger, and a well-loved South American…

Dr. Padmanee Sharma is a leading figure in Oncology.  She currently holds Dual/Joint/Adjunct Appointments as Professor in the Department of Genitourinary Medical Oncology and Professor in the Department of Immunology, Division of Cancer Medicine at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Dr.  Sharma specializes in renal, bladder and prostate cancer. Her prime focus is to understand the mechanisms and pathways within the immune system responsible for tumor rejection. Since 2005 she has been…

Celebrity choreographer and actress Shakira Marshall combined her passion for African and Caribbean dance into a class. Marshall, who is of Guyanese ancestry, now shares her love of dances from the diaspora as an instructor at the Center for African and Diaspora Dance in Brooklyn. NY-based video reporter, Melissa Noel, (also a Guyanese Girl) recently caught up with Marshall at her studio and witness her in action. Check out the video. Shakira grew up in…

Guyanese-born Daphne Steele made headlines around the world when she became the UK’s first black hospital matron in 1964. For the time, Daphne’s achievement was nothing short of amazing. Former Deputy Director of Nursing at the Department of Health, Nola Ishmael, described Daphne as a ‘first’ who led with dignity and determination.“ She helped to shape aspirations for BME nurses across the profession who sought to follow in her footsteps.” Daphne was born in 1929…

The Sacred Bombshell Handbook of Self-Love: The 11 Secrets of Feminine Power The Sacred Bombshell Handbook of Self-Love is your passport to become the woman you were born to be. If you’ve been looking for a sign, this is it. Love-Body-Spirit coach, advice columnist, and motivational speaker Abiola Abrams reveals 11 self-worth secrets with assignments to awaken your feminine energy, reclaiming the word bombshell to mean a woman who deliciously embodies her mind, body, spirit…

Entrepreneur, projects specialist, author: Sabrina Panday is a ‘bold and fearless’ woman.  She has a contagious positive attitude, which she credits to being “bold and fearless and never underestimating oneself”. These attributes have propelled Sabrina in assiduously pursuing her “dreams”, which included being a cookbook author. This ‘dream’ became a reality when Sabrina finally launched her cookbook. Adding a delicious twist to traditional ground provisions meals, Sabrina’s “Provisions: Cooking Healthy with Nature’s Bounty” inaugural cookbook is…

 Character contributes to beauty.  It fortifies a woman as her youth fades. A mode of conduct, a standard of courage, discipline, fortitude, and integrity can do a great deal to make a woman beautiful……Jacqueline Bisset

Dr. Marilyn Fraser is the Chief Executive Officer at the Arthur Ashe Institute for Urban Health, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine at the SUNY Downstate Medical Center and the co-Director of the Brooklyn Health Disparities Center. In her previous capacities as the Deputy Director and the Associate Director for Research & Training, she was primarily responsible for overseeing the Institute’s community outreach and research programs. In March 2019,  Dr.  Fraser was named…

The Slipper is a classic tale of love and loss portrayed in the most unconventional style. Included are lovable, colorful characters such as Meetu, Vishnu, maa and baap who’s humor infuses a serious subject matter in a very unique, warm and touching manner. What happens when a headstrong teen falls for an unsuitable suitor? What becomes of her future when her strict parents desire another path? And what ensues years later when Meetu’s past catches…

Congratulations to Rukia Henry who recently graduated at the top of her class with dual degree and high honors.  The soon-to-be Virologist earn a B.S in Biology and Magna Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa at Howard University, and a PhD in Molecular Genetics and Pharmacology at Rutgers University. Born in Guyana,  Rukia has experienced a long history of breast cancer in her immediate family and is determined to continue the fight against this terrible disease. …

Listening is not only a polite gesture, it’s also one of the most important skills you can have.  Good listening skills will help you to succeed in your personal and professional life.  Many great leaders are also great listeners.  So listen once in a while; it’s amazing what you’ll here.  The word “Listen” rearranged will give you “Silent.