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…
Ira Leona Lewis is known throughout the Caribbean and American community as “Lady Ira”. Born in British Guiana to the late Omar Converty and Elaine Pile, Lady Ira has been an essential figure in spearheading efforts that promote the Cultural awareness and well being of New Jersey’s Guyanese American community for over 20 years. Supporting her vision of a united and informed Guyanese community, Lady Ira is dedicated to the development of organizations and events that benefit Guyanese…
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…
Rainy Milo (Rachael Smith by birth) is an R&B recording artist born on November 12, 1995 in south-east London to a Guyanese mother and British father. She got her stage name, Rainy Milo, from a nicknames at school that stuck. Milo began her career singing with local musicians and arts collectives at age 14 She attended the Harris Academy South Norwood and then went on to study Musical Theatre at the BRIT School known for honing the talents of acts like Adele, Amy…
Guyanese-born media powerhouse and business mogul, Felicia Juanita Persaud, has made notable achievements and strides in the Investment and PR industries. The 39 year old award-winning journalist is the founder CaribPR Wire; a PR and news agency focused on the distinct Caribbean, Caribbean American and ethnic marketplace, Hard Beat Communications; a Special Events, Promotions and Digital Media Solutions Company and Invest Caribbean Now, a company that connects global investors with investment opportunities in the…
“A dream is a wish that your heart makes” and 9 year old Sapphire Autumn Rose is following her dream and sharing her heart with the world! The pint-size entrepreneur recently launched her “Heart Full of Dreams” collection via her online retail store dobviousrose.com. The pink and rose color infused collection includes beautiful fashion necklaces, bracelets, scarfs, dream pillows, T-shirts, blankets, and charms for young girls. The daughter of Guyanese designers, Michelle Cole and the late…
Amy Barbour-James (named Caroline Amy Aileen Barbour-James) was a London-born Guyanese civil rights activist and civil servant. Barbour-James was born in London on 25 January 1906 to Guyanese parents, John and Caroline Barbour-James. They were a middle-class family who lived in west London in the early 20th century. Amy’s father, John Barbour-James, was a postmaster in Victoria-Belfield, in Guiana and was transferred to a post office off the Gold Coast (now: Ghana) in 1902. The family later relocated to London in 1905….
Abiola Abrams is a first generation Guyanese-American author, columnist, speaker, filmmaker and multimedia personality who was raised in New York City. Also a certified wellness coach, Abiola gives heartfelt, no-nonsense, stigma-free advice on self esteem and self worth, body image issues, healthy relationships, mental health, sexual health, and how to live with verve. The first person in her Guyanese family born in the US, Abiola was bullied in her African American neighborhood for being “the…
Future Olympian, Andrea Fosters, recently added another award to her outstanding resume when she was named “Woman of the Year” by the New Jersey Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women! The middle distance runner is the first Guyanese student to receive this distinguished honor. This annual recognition is awarded during the month of February in honor of the 32nd anniversary of National Girls & Women in Sports Day; a national observance celebrating the extraordinary achievements of women and girls…
“As queen, I am very proud and feel honoured to be representing my country in Malaysia for the Miss India Worldwide, April 2013 pageant and will do my best to make my country proud.” These were the words of reigning Miss India Guyana 2013, Katherina Roshana, during her acceptance speech back in January. Katherina will represent Guyana at the International Miss India Worldwide Pageant scheduled to be held in Malaysia on April 21st, 2013. She…
Farah Valentina Bates, who was recently crowned the first Miss Berbice 2017, hails from the smallest Town in Guyana, Rose Hall, but she has big dreams of making it on an international pageant stage and being her own boss someday. Born in July 1999, this tenacious 18-year-old is a second-year student at the University of Guyana pursuing her diploma in Public Management. She is the first born for her parents and has one sibling. This…
Congratulations to Miss Nicolin Roberts on scoring Grade I (with Distinction) on her Math CXC Examination! Nicolin is 4th former at Central High School in Georgetown, Guyana, but sat for the exams at the 5th form level, earning all A’s in Knowledge, Comprehension and Reasoning. BRAVO Nicolin – You Rock! Share on FacebookTweetFollow usSave
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…
Gertie Wood’s name has appeared at fleeting moments on the periphery of scholarship on the Guyanese women’s movement. As such not much has been said or published on the significant volume of work and activism she undertook for women and girls in British Guiana. Social worker, women’s rights activist, accomplished concert artist, and politician, Wood was sometimes the sole female voice articulating for women and equitable conditions of work in the period of her greatest…
Abigail Wade is a Guyanese Professional Makeup Artist and Stylist who currently resides in Brooklyn, New York. A creative being, Abigail is working hard to achieve the “American Dream” through her craft. The quality of her work speaks for itself and has even attracted the attention of some big retailers in New York like Macy’s. She’s also the go-to makeup artist for Love and Hip-Hop Atlanta cast member Grace Hamilton popularly known as Spice, whenever…
