In She’s Mad Real, Oneka LaBennett draws on over a decade of researching teenage West Indian girls in the Flatbush and Crown Heights sections of Brooklyn to argue that Black youth are in fact strategic consumers of popular culture and through this consumption they assert far more agency in defining race, ethnicity, and gender than academic and popular discourses tend to acknowledge. Importantly, LaBennett also studies West Indian girls’ consumer and leisure culture within public spaces in order to analyze how teens like China are marginalized and policed as they attempt to carve out places for themselves within New York’s contested terrains.
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Renowned Guyanese Fashion Designer, Sonia Noel, showcased her First Resort Collection this past weekend during Caribbean New York Fashion Week. The fun and flirty collection was rich with Noel’s signature weave patterns incorporating vivid hues, leopard prints and polka dot. The event which was held at The Out Nightclub in New York City coincided with Mercedes Benz Fashion Week and was attended by members of the press and the Caribbean Diaspora. Models, many whom were…
Submitted by daughter, Darcy George Yvette Irving was born and raised at Saxacalli Mission on the Essequibo River. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Medical Laboratory Science from Lake Head University in Toronto Canada as well as a Masters of Medical Science degree majoring in Pathology from Charles Stuart University in Australia. Yvette wanted to be of service in her homeland and later returned to Guyana where she held the position of Director…
Toronto, Ontario. The University of the West Indies recently announced that Deborah Cox, Canadian Grammy-nominated, multi-platinum R&B/Pop recording artist and actress will receive the Luminary Award at the 10th annual UWI Toronto Benefit Gala, on Saturday, April 6, 2019, at The Ritz-Carlton, Toronto. The Luminary Award is given to people of Caribbean Heritage who are outstanding achievers on an international scale in their respective fields or people who have brought prominence to the Caribbean or…
On Sunday July 1st, 2018, Guyanese from New York/New Jersey Diaspora turned out in support of the Coalition of Guyanese Women – Conversation and Fundraising Luncheon held in honor of the first lady of Guyana, Her Excellency Sandra Granger. The Coalition, made up of Sherif Barker, President of Guyana Unity Movement, Cloyette Harris-Stoute, Founder & President of Guyanese Girls Rock, Sharon Devonish-Leid, CEO of Netstruc PR and Internist, Dr. Candace Cummings hosted the event to help…
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…
Mona Williams is a storyteller, children’s writer and educator whose action-packed stories and dramatic presentations enthrall audiences of all ages. She covers a vast spectrum of stories including myths, legends and heroic tales; folk, fairy and wisdom stories, fables, riddles and autobiographical adventures. Born in the town of Mackenzie, Guyana on 27 July 1943, Williams secured a place at the exclusive girls’ school Bishops. The school lends it name to her autobiography, Bishops: My Turbulent…
UK-based Journalist and Life Skills Speaker, Sherry Dixon, who we featured back in October 2012 (Sherry Dixon, admitted to Black 100+ Hall Of Fame), recently graced the cover of Nubia Magazine and discusses her life and work in the community. This G.G. was also one of the recipients of the 2013 Stephen Lawrence Women’s Award – named after the slain 18 year old black youth whose 1993 murder galvanized London and forced its criminal justice…
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);…
The Philanthropic work of a 26-year-old Guyanese woman has earned her the prestigious Queen’s Young Leaders Award 2017. Samantha Sheoprashad was born and bred in Enterprise, East Coast Demerara with her two siblings and parents. She is a suicide survivor-focused on making a difference in her community and helping young persons to realize their potentials. The young and ambitious entrepreneur has been working with disadvantaged communities in Guyana for some years through her non-governmental organization…
Submitted by daughter, Florence James My mom is an ambitious, strong black woman and a one of a kind person. She taught me how to respect myself and how to detect right from wrong without her around. She showed me that a woman can be a woman without a man in her life. She provided for me and my other 5 siblings and she did a great job at it because today two of my…
On April 10th, the first Guyanese Girls Rock Scholarship award was presented to Kelly Hyles at the “Bridging the Gap” Millennial Conference in Brooklyn, New York. Kelly, a high school senior, was accepted to the top 8 Ivy League schools in the United States and was honored for academic excellence. She was presented with the Guyanese Girls Rock Certificate of Scholarship and a new Apple MacBook laptop computer by GGR’s Founder, Cloyette Harris-Stoute. Kelly was…
Samantha Cross is a new up and coming triple threat singer/songwriter and dancer who goes by the name SCross. She was born in Linden at Mackenzie Hospital, but now lives in Canada. Growing up Samantha always knew that she wanted to be an entertainer. She started singing at the age of 8 and performed her first solo with her church choir. Over the years, Samantha has performed at many venues including some well known clubs,…
Maureen Bunyan is an Emmy Award winning Anchor at WJLA TV 7, ABC Affiliate in Washington D.C. She is of Guyanese and Aruban heritage. Her parents moved from Guyana to Aruba in the 1930s, where Maureen was born. The eldest of three daughters, immigrated with her family to the United States when she was just eleven years old, after her father, Arthur Bunyan, accepted a job with a company in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Her mother Wilhelmina was…
“A queen is wise. She has earned her serenity, not having had it bestowed on her but having passer her tests. She has suffered and grown more beautiful because of it. She has proved she can hold her kingdom together. She has become its vision. She cares deeply about something bigger than herself. She rules with authentic power.” ― Marianne Williamson .
With Easter Monday only a few days away, I thought it would be quite fitting to share this book and it’s author with you. Here’s an overview of the book and the author’s story … Overview: A Guyanese Girl’s Story is a series of short stories from my childhood. One of my favorite is “Kite Flying in the Village”. Kite flying is a family outing for many in Guyana, South America. Easter is a very…

