There’s a saying I live by: “If I can do it, so can you.” And I say that not because life has always been easy, but because I’ve seen what’s possible when you believe in yourself, even when the odds are stacked against you.
My journey began on Forshaw Street in Georgetown, Guyana. I was just ten years old when my parents, in search of better opportunities, put me on a plane to England. They believed in a future I couldn’t yet see, and with a heavy heart, I waved goodbye, unaware that it would be the last time I’d ever see my mother alive.
A Harsh Welcome
Arriving in 1960s England, I quickly realised that the promise of a “better life” came wrapped in racism and rejection. The Britain that once invited Caribbean families to help rebuild after the war had changed its tune. People like me—Black, bold, and full of potential- were often greeted with signs that read “No Blacks, No Irish, No Dogs.” Imagine being a child and hearing slurs on your way to school. I was called “golliwog” more times than I care to remember.
*But I kept going.
Because I had a fire inside me. A voice, my grandmother’s, that reminded me, “You are special. You can do anything you want to do.”
Love, Loss & Lessons
Within just a few years of arriving in the UK, I lost both my sister and my mother to illness. I was young. Heartbroken. And yet, something inside me said, keep going.
I clung to the values I had learned back in Guyana—resilience, self-respect, and faith. I didn’t always know the path, but I trusted I had a purpose.
Unexpected Doors
My first job was as a legal secretary, and when my boss retired, he did something I’ll never forget—he paid for me to study cosmetology because he saw something in me I hadn’t yet fully claimed.
That act of generosity set me on a path that led to becoming a top celebrity make-up artist. Through that work, I met icons like Whitney Houston, Maya Angelou, Nelson Mandela, and Luther Vandross—not just for a photo-op, but to really connect with them. I’d ask what books they were reading, what music played in their ears when the cameras weren’t rolling. And because I asked from the heart, they answered from theirs.
Turning Pain into Purpose
Eventually, I stepped into journalism and became the editor of Pride and SHE Caribbean magazines. That experience opened the door to something I never imagined—becoming a motivational speaker.
Now, I speak to women across the world—from St. Ambrose Primary School in Guyana to the stages of the UK—about the power of self-belief, self-love, and transformation. I speak to remind women that no matter where you start, you have the power to rise.
Why I Do This
Too many women—especially in the Caribbean and diaspora—are walking around doubting their worth. Struggling in silence. Comparing themselves to others. Taking their own lives because they don’t feel seen or heard. That must stop.
And it starts with us.
If I can help you step into your power, then you’ll help another sister. And that’s how we change the world—one inspired woman at a time.
What’s Next?
I’m finishing my first book—a deeply personal account of my journey from Guyana to London and back again. It’s filled with stories, heartbreak, and triumphs, but most of all, it’s filled with truth. My hope is that it inspires others to look inward and realise: your story matters.
And I’m not done yet. My mission now is to build a sea of motivators. To mentor women who will rise and help lift others with them.
Because no woman should have to walk this journey alone. And no dream is too big if you believe in your journey
