Women in Uniform at Guyana Independence Flag Raising Ceremony

Grace Aneiza Ali is the founder and editor of  OfNoteMagazine.org, an online magazine that celebrates people of color in the arts. She was born in Guyana and moved to the United States when she was fourteen years old. Having grown up surrounded by a culture of illiteracy among women, she is committed to the work of educating girls in developing nations. Grace launched Of Note in 2009 as a platform to honor “artists whose work values compassion,…

She’s a Foxy Lady and she Rocks!  Rhona Fox,  is a dynamic Indian-American actress. Born in Essequibo, Guyana, Fox was raised in Nassau, Bahamas, where her parents who are teachers, moved to secure a better life for her and her two older brothers. After graduating high school at 16, she journeyed to New York on a summer vacation and the rest was destiny. Enrolling in college there, the Big Apple remains home and work today….

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…

Three women, Janet Jagan, Jane Phillips Gay and Jessica Burnham, were the first females elected as Members of British Guiana Parliament in May 1953 after  the first universal adult suffrage elections were held in the same year. Former first lady Janet Jagan became the first female Deputy Speaker of the Legislature in 1953; the first female Prime Minister in March 1997 and the first female President of Guyana in December 1997.  Jane Phillips-Gay was a…

The festival of Holi can be regarded as a celebration of the Colors of Unity & Brotherhood – an opportunity to forget all differences and indulge in unadulterated fun. It has traditionally been celebrated in high spirit without any distinction of cast, creed, color, race, status or sex. It is one occasion when sprinkling colored powder (‘gulal’) or colored water on each other breaks all barriers of discrimination so that everyone looks the same and…

Luana Pierre is the owner of Pawsome Pets Guyana, a new pet grooming business located in Georgetown. Pawsome Pets Guyana is the only professional pet grooming service in the country. Mrs. Pierre has more than 25 years of experience in animal health and 10 years of pet grooming experience. Luana has been one of my best friends for more than thirty-five years. She was the friend who made me laugh with her dry humor, but…

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…

“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…

I joined Rotary because I wanted to give back in a more structured manner and the idea that I could do so together with other professionals appealed to me. From the 25 of us who first joined Demerara, 21 years ago, I only knew one of the other members well. Since then there has probably been at least another 60/70 persons who have been members of our club and I can honestly say that in…

Born on January 16, 1982, Thara Natalie Prashad, musically known as Thara, is an American R&B singer/ songwriter/actress of Guyanese Heritage. Her father is Indo-Guyanese and her mother is part Irish and part African-American. While pursuing degrees in biology and acting at Fordham University, the sassy singer gave up her scholarship to pursue a music career.  Thara impressed DJ Clue of Desert Storm Label with her audition and was offered a music contract in 2004….

“My name is Raaqima Mc Rae and I migrated to New York from Guyana four years ago. Today (June 25th, 2014) was my graduation, I graduated with honors. Adjusting to this new environment was definitely not easy, but the challenge was worth it. I am proud to say that this Fall I would be attending Johnson and Wales University to major in Travel, Tourism and Hospitality Management, and minor in Pre-Law and Spanish. If I…

We are so proud of the young women in Guyana as they continue to exceed academically. President’s College student Shalita Appadu, 18, of Corentyne, Berbice, has topped this year’s CAPE examinations. Appadu, a former student of the New Amsterdam Multilateral Secondary School, scored six grade ones and one grade two at the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE). In 2011, Shalita obtained 15 grade ones at this year’s Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations. Congratulations Shalita…

Last Saturday evening the The Museum of Art Fort Lauderdale in Florida hosted the  “Translation of Art” Fashion Event showcasing designs from 10 countries, including Guyana, Africa and many Caribbean Islands.  Guyanese Designer, Sonia Noel, presented her “First Resort” collection to a very impressed crowd of fashion enthusiasts.   This is what event coordinator, Ruth Michel Dupoux, had to say about Sonia and her collection “The museum of art of Lauderdale was illuminated last Saturday by…

United Nations Assistant Secretary-General for Human Resources Management, Catherine Pollard, was born in Georgetown, Guyana 1960.  She attended Bishops High School from 1971 to 1978 and holds a Master’s Degree in Accounting from the University of the West Indies, Kingston, Jamaica. Catherine was appointed to this top post by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in April 2008.   The Office of Human Resources Management (OHRM) is responsible for implementing the vision of the Secretary-General for an integrated…

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…