By M Margaret Burke

KAREN Wharton currently lives in Brooklyn, NY with her husband, James Blain, and their daughter, Kali but she has Guyana at heart and continues to visit her homeland at every opportune time to make a difference.

Born to Alvin and Norma Wharton, Karen spent her formative years in Nabaclis Village, on the East Coast Demerara, Guyana, where she was first schooled.

“My father died when I was 15 months old, leaving my mother with four children, including me. She focused almost all of her energy on raising her children and on making our lives better. In order to do so, she left us for a year with our aunt and grandmother, while she pursued a professional certificate at UWI Mona,” she said. “That was a seminal moment for me, as I look back. It impressed upon me that sacrifices are necessary in order to progress. We were a bit better off financially when she returned. But the lesson I learned then was that my life will be determined by the effort I made and that I needed to take a longer view. I passed Common Entrance and went to Queen’s College.”

Migrating to the United States

After gaining a place at Queen’s College she spent the next five years (1976-1981) there and completed secondary school up to that level. Ms. Wharton said that she worked and played hard while at QC and migrated to the United States with her mother and siblings shortly after writing the ‘O’ Level examination.

Ms.Wharton said that soon after migrating she was successful in gaining a place at the Boston University and subsequently graduated with a BS in Mechanical Engineering. She also pursued studies at Pace University, New York, where she graduated with an MS in Telecommunications.

Ms. Wharton said that the sacrifices continued even in the U.S.A. “My mother worked one job to maintain the family and another to put me through school. Her last day of working two jobs was the week after I graduated from college… although I was in the country (U.S.A.) for many years, my first new winter coat was the one I purchased for myself once I graduated from college,” she said.

She said that she worked for several years as a thermal engineer, designing heat sinks for mid-range computers, before moving into Unix-based systems and sales engineering.

“As a trained technologist, I worked for many years in a media company managing data centre systems and working with developers to help them get their products out earlier. I derive satisfaction from helping others whether in my paid work or in my volunteering activities. I’m very motivated to help others achieve their goals,” Ms.Wharton said.

FIRST TIME FOR A WOMAN
Karen Wharton is now the President of the Queen’s College of Guyana Alumni Association (NY), Inc. Her election in 2016 marked the first time a woman was selected to lead a QC alumni chapter. Prior to her election, she served on QCAANY’s Executive Committee in different capacities and on a variety of projects. Most recently, she helped to organise the QC Summer Math Institute in 2016 and 2017; and the annual Student Conferences of 2014, 2015, 2018.

She also facilitated “This is Ours”, a visual literacy initiative that engaged students from Bina Hill Institute in North Rupununi and Queen’s College in Georgetown and resulted in the publishing of a book in 2015.

Under her leadership, QCAANY celebrated the works of artists of Guyanese heritage; volunteered with Calvary’s Mission Food Pantry, the second largest private food pantry in NYC; and hosted a showcase of Guyanese films.

UNIVERSITY OF GUYANA NY SUPPORT GROUP

Karen’s activism in her community is also varied and vibrant. She is a member of the University of Guyana’s New York Support Group, specifically serving as an Education Resource Ambassador, supporting the University’s Renaissance.

Earlier in 2016, she served on the Symposium Sub-Committee of the organisers of Guyana’s 50th Independence Anniversary Celebrations, New York. With that group, she organised The National Symposium Series that were held during Guyana’s Golden Jubilee celebrations in Georgetown and New York.

Additionally, she is a Founding Member of the Queen’s-based Guyana-Jamaica Friendship Association, where she served as its first Public Relations Officer.

PARENT AND ADVOCATE

Ms. Wharton is also a committed parent and education advocate. She served as a board member of the Parent Association of Packer Collegiate Institute, a K-12 independent school in Brooklyn. As the chair of its Diversity Committee, she supported and sponsored programs that explored issues that included socio-economics, race, gender identity, sexual orientation, adoption including transracial adoption.

As chair of the board’s Grade and Class Rep Committee, she coordinated school-wide communications to parents.

Ms.Wharton has served as the Chairperson of the Board of Directors of Brooklyn Child and Family Services, a not for profit organisation that provided social services for under-served families in Brooklyn.

“I am mostly self-made, having made a number of mistakes and having learned as I went along. I did not have the advantage of many mentors and advocates. I’d like to lessen the chances so that others would not make the same mistakes that I made. I am passionate about creating opportunities for people like myself to share their life experiences with young people,” Ms.Wharton said.

She told the Pepperpot Magazine that now she spends her time and her money to visit Guyana because she feels strongly that the free primary and secondary education she received in Guyana has set her on the path that she is on today.

“I feel obligated to pay that back,” she said.