– ‘The Hangout’ with Feliz Robertson

By Tamica Garnett

Almost all of Guyana has come to know the bubbly personality, sassy style, sharp opinions and signature voice of HJTV’s Feliz Robertson through her early morning radio show “The Hangout” which airs on 94.1 BOOM FM.Listening how natural Feliz’s engaging vibe is in the mornings, anyone could tell that this woman was born to be on the radio and television, so it comes as no surprise that this was precisely what Feliz has actually always wanted to do.

Growing up in the family-oriented village of Highdam, Mahaicony, young Feliz would often envision herself as a broadcaster. She admired persons like Oprah Winfrey, Margaret Lawrence, and Guyana’s own Ron Robinson for their talent, personality and grit.

“I always wanted to be on the radio and to some extent TV. I would always pretend that I was a broadcaster with my sisters and friends. I was groomed for it with speech and diction training from a Call Centre I worked at years ago called Atlantic Tele Centre. That gave me the confidence to pursue my broadcasting passion.”

And now we hear her today, almost daily, on the radio entertaining with her quick wit and welcoming personality, which leaves her audience feeling comfortable and involved. Her show includes exciting and amusing segments such as “Reveal” and “Battle of the Sexes” during which listeners would “Tell Fel” about issues in their everyday life, and she engages the public in chatty discussions.

At a very young Feliz had to deal with the pain of losing a parent.

“My childhood was like any other, mostly care free until my dad died of cancer when I was 9-years-ld; that changed everything for me.

“I found myself praying to grow up fast so I could work and help take care of my family,” Feliz recalled.

She attended Carlton Hall Primary in her community before graduating and earning a place at St. Joseph’s High in 1995.

Feliz came to treasure her education.

“Coming to school in town was difficult because I was living in Mahaicony but now more than ever I realize that it was my saving grace.”

And then came the media life! Feliz first got her foot in the door as a media person back in 2007, when she started out in the newsroom of the National Communications Network (NCN).

She later left the country to pursue a family, but her happily-ever-after aspirations ended in tragedy when her husband became abusive.

The silver lining was her son, Zion.

Feliz returned to Guyana, with her son, and was incorporated into the Hits and Jams (HJ) family, right around the time the entertainment company launched its 94.1 BOOM FM radio back in 2013.

It was a decision she does not regret, though she was somewhat apprehensive at first.

“To tell you the truth, when I consider the amount of scrutiny my life is under I rethink my decision to be in the public eye. But I am still here so I guess this is God’s way of toughening me up,” she said.

Feliz describes herself as a woman “for all seasons”, who is “a good listener”, saying “as much as I can talk I do prefer to listen. I am a warm person with the ability to run cold if taken for granted. I am a woman of resolve. If God brought me to it he will take me through it.”

For Feliz being a broadcaster is not only a job, it’s a tool she uses to help become a more positive person, a place where she can get away from the world and all that may be going wrong around her, and put her focus into her audience.

“One man rightly described radio as ‘theatre of the mind’ I couldn’t agree more. It’s a place where I can block out what is going on in me and project a happy, powerful and positive day for someone else.”

Feliz is particularly touched by the encouraging messages she receives from her fans, especially those heartened in one way or another by something she may have said.

“The people who message me to say ‘thanks for saying what you did, it helped me’. That’s what it’s all about. There is no greater reward. One day I was talking about my loving son and I was quite emotional. As I was done talking my phone blew up with messages and someone I was angry with hugged me and that anger just disappeared and made me realize that life is so short and that people are hurting just like me but through a microphone and some wires we can reach each other and find healing.”

But of course like any other job, the profession has its bad sides.

“As much as I love people who message me there are also those who message with the negative but as I always say don’t let the devil use you. If what you have to say will not edify me, touch me or bless me in some way, keep it to yourself. Please and thanks. I have enough stress with bills.”

But being the optimist that she is Feliz continues to rise above the negativity, and on her oh-so-bad days when things start to get more than she can handle, she simply turns to doing what she does best – laughing.

“Oh I have bad days, trust me; you name it, I have it, but I also have the biggest laugh you have ever heard from a tiny person. When my days get major stressed out sometimes I just burst out laughing. People think I am crazy when I do it but I just have to say, ‘Jesus help me here’ as I laugh my way out of the doldrums.”

As accomplished as she is, Feliz, who celebrated her 33rd birthday last Thursday still thinks she has some way to go before she can say she is where she wants to be.

Feliz has hopes of also getting involved in marketing, with aspirations one day owning her own marketing firm. She currently also works for 360 Marketing out of Trinidad.

She also uses her platform as a radio personality to lend awareness to issues, especially women empowerment.

The mother of one is currently working on a project with Maggi that is looking to empower and change the lives of some 150 women in Guyana’s poorest areas such as Sophia and Albouystown.

“In many ways I feel like there is still so much to do and yet I look back and truly thank God because I never expected to be where I am today. Don’t get me wrong, I am on no pedestal but rather I am on a path of reaching as many people as I can with a message of hope that if my life could be changed so can yours.”

But Feliz is not just all about that radio life, or work life, outside of it she is all about that home life, bringing her own little touch of cheerfulness to even the most mundane of tasks.

“I like shopping, not necessarily for clothes but for things like spoons and curtains and things for the house. I find that relaxing. I love reading and watching a good comedy series too. I don’t have a boo to Netflix and Chill but I got YouTube and snacks, similar combination.”

Outside of that Feliz puts the rest of her energy into being a mother.

“Motherhood has changed everything about me – from my stretchy tummy to my resolve. I do not give up as easily now because I know this little person is depending on me for EVERYTHING. That is the biggest responsibility God would ever give a person. Don’t take it lightly, work and give them everything including real love.”