Laughter, tears, togetherness mark WLI’s International Women’s Day forum awards
THE WARMTH in the room served as an inspiration to all who attended the Women’s Leadership Initiative’s (WLI) and International Women’s Day Forum and Awards. Hosted in partnership with the AC Marriott Hotel, the Forum and Awards celebrated the organisation’s 20 years of service to Jamaica and awarded the accomplishments of five distinguished female media practitioners.
Following a heartfelt tribute on behalf of the WLI delivered by Roxann Linton, deputy chair, to special guest and founder, former United States Ambassador to Jamaica Sue McCort Cobb, she was presented with an award and gift by Chair Grace Burnett. In her reply, attendees were treated to stories of experiences in Jamaica, bonding moments and snippets of the organisation’s history before she presented awards to the eight past and current chairs.
A panel comprising Sharon Lake, chair - Education Committee; Eva Lewis, chair – Mentorship Committee; and Nadine Heywood, chair – Advocacy Committee shone a light on the continuous work by the WLI to make Jamaica a better place. The main initiatives were Mentorship of Girls, work with the Voluntary Organisation for the Upliftment of Children (VOUCH), Conversations with Boys, and the flagship Darkness to Light programme addressing child sexual abuse.
During the lunchtime break, Gem Meyers had all present singing, dancing, and joining togeter in a spirit of unparalleled camaraderie.
In her closing remarks, Burnett shared, “In the days leading up to this event, we lost our cherished sister Marcia (Erskine). It was a shock to our core, but we all knew that to truly honour her memory, we had to deliver on an event that she had meticulously planned. At times, I could feel her at my shoulder, and from the joy and closeness we felt today, she was here. We honoured five exemplary women of the media in the way our sister Marcia would have preferred. Everyone smiling.”
The media honorees comprised Simone Clarke-Cooper, executive producer and host of “Sim Soul Sessions”- TVJ; Susan SimesGraham, media entrepreneur and host of “The Susan Show” TVJ; Dionne Jackson-Miller, host of “Beyond the Headlines and All Angles”- RJR Communications Group; Kerlyn Brown, broadcast journalist and host of “Inspire Jamaica” CVM TV; and the doyenne of lifestyle, Novia McDonald-Whyte, associate editor -lifestyle and content, The Jamaica Observer. Clarke-Cooper gave a reply on their behalf and a tribute, and champagne toast followed from McDonald-Whyte.
The event closed with a tribute from the honorees and sisters of the WLI to include a poem specially written by St Lucian poet and Caribbean Laureate Dr Adrian Augier, read eloquently by Eva Lewis, a video collage, as well as a moment of silence and song in remembrance led by the Deputy Chair of Membership, Chorvelle Johnson-Cunningham.
The proceeds of Sunday’s event will, as always, fund the WLI’s outreach programmes. Sponsors included Island Grill, Sagicor Group, GraceKennedy Financial Group, Edgechem Paints, FLOW, First Heritage Cooperative Credit Union, Citibank Jamaica, Jamaica Observer, Gleaner Company (Media) Limited, CVM TV, Television Jamaica, Admark Media, Digita Global Media, Jamaica National, J.Wray & Nephew, Derrimon Trading Company Ltd, Restaurant Associates Limited, and Garrick Communications.
The WLI is a progression of the United Way Women’s Leadership Initiative and “Building Bridges” Exchange launched by former Ambassador of the United States to Jamaica Sue Cobb in 2004. A special committee of the United Way of Jamaica, the WLI is one of several organisations established by women to promote sisterhood and the advancement of women, while contributing to nation building. Its main charity is the Voluntary Organisation for the Upliftment of Children (VOUCH), which serves several marginalised inner-city communities downtown, Kingston, with a nursery, health centre, and basic school.