By Marissa V. Foster 

THE eldest sibling of three sisters born to Rhonda Brown and Dwayne Henry; Denica Henry, is a 21 -year-old beauty who was born and raised in the small village of Broomfield in Corentyne, Berbice. She was educated at the Auchlyne Primary School and subsequently at the New Amsterdam Secondary School (NASS). It was in secondary school that Denica realised she has a passion for art. She majored in the Arts/Humanities stream at NASS and it was here that she became theoretically skilled by the hands of her teachers; Ms. Shaundelle Phillips and Osafo Dosantos. Henry and her class also managed to grab the first prize of the National Drama Festival while she was attending high school.

This beauty with a brain also attended Sixth Form at NASS but due to financial difficulties, she only completed one year. She landed her first job at the Sha Veh Supermarket in Port Mourant. Henry realised at this point in life that her journey would not have been a ‘walk in the park’, but she was determined to succeed in life as this was the first of many experiences for her. In 2011, she was a part of the Children’s Parliament which is currently known as the National Youth Parliament. At the tender age of 18, Denica moved to Georgetown and gained employment at the General Register Office (GRO), where she worked in the Information Technology Department.

After two years of living in the city, Henry realised the impact the ancient county had on her. She reflected on the effects internal migration has on Berbice, its economy and the people living there. “Georgetown has many opportunities available for youths compared to that of Berbice. There is much work to be done and if someone can use their platform to help make the country aware of such an issue then I believe it should be me’’, stressed Henry.

As such, she decided to move back to Berbice, where she is currently studying for an Associate Degree in Social Work at the University of Guyana, Berbice Campus. She also held the position of Student Representative of the University of Guyana’s Students’ Society. This young advocate’s passion for art, social work combined with her experiences makes her a force to be reckoned with.

Denica was also a contestant in the Ms Berbice Pageant. While she did not obtain a place in the top five, she was crowned with the titles of Best Body and Miss Congeniality. Throughout 2017 up until the last pageant, she stood by her platform strongly and used her voice across Berbice to spread the message on the importance of good mental health. She also completed countless workshops and programmes that were done across Guyana.
Strength and beauty

Earlier this year, Denica cut her hair off and joined the many females who are now growing out their natural hair. She stressed that she was always pressured to straighten her hair as a little girl because of standardised beauty standards.

Nonetheless, she uses her hair and story to help young Berbician girls feel confident in their natural state. Currently, the President of the Corentyne Chamber of Commerce and the assistant secretary of the Student’s Social Work Association at the University of Guyana, she upkeeps these position with much respect from her colleagues and youths from Berbice.

All Berbicians might not have seen her but I’m sure they heard of her or in this case; heard her voice because she is the host of Morning Spice on Rock 88.5 FM as well as a news reporter for the Little Rock television station. Self- confidence, girls in STEM, healthy eating, mental health, basic etiquettes are all just a small fraction of topics she has discussed on her radio show. Denica also features young Berbicians of interest every week on her programme.

“I believe our lives should always be a work in progress. The hardest part about change and bettering yourself is quitting detrimental habits and focusing on things that will benefit you for the better in the long run. The fact that persons, things or habits have been a part of your life for a long time does not matter,” Denica said. “What really matters the most is what is best for us and our overall health. New beginnings are always difficult, take baby steps and you’ll get to your destination one day. I also believe in having a strong faith and having a relationship with a higher being as well as a strong support system of friends or family. I must thank my mother for being my number one supporter and I know we all have one or more person in mind that we can say the same for, so hold onto them.”

All the certifications would mean nothing unless you stay true to yourself is something she also believes. Denica will continue to use the endless amount of platforms she has to make enlighten Berbicians on the many topics that plague our country. The aspiring policymaker is an example that it matters not where we come from, its where we’re headed for.