By Gibron Rahim

THE National Cultural Centre, on Friday last, was the venue for “Emerging Through Generations”. The women’s empowerment forum was held as the first in a series of empowerment events under the banner “Brand Youth” and a part of “Conversations with Selwyn”. The event’s keynote speaker was Sherry Ann Dixon, a Guyanese-born author, speaker and transformational life coach.

Conversation With Selwyn (CWS) is a New York-based weekly webTV broadcast. It was founded by Mr. Selwyn Collins. The Guyanese-born Collins is an author, entrepreneur and, of course, the host of CWS. The broadcast celebrated its fifth year last July. This anniversary was celebrated right here in Guyana with events from July 4-8. With “Emerging Through Generations”, CWS is continuing its mission to empower and uplift people so they walk away from each conversation with an expanded sense of self.

The forum was facilitated by Ms. Anije Lambert, co-producer of CWS’ “Guyanese Youth in Review” series. Lambert led the assembled audience through the series of empowering talks for and by women. The speakers, who included entrepreneurs and activists, shared their experiences and thoughts under various themes with the receptive crowd over the course of the two and a half hour event.

Addressing the audience, Collins explained that he had most recently evolved CWS to also mean “Connecting With Stories” as, he said, he believes we are never more connected than when we share our stories. All the violence and atrocities against women in Guyanese society have to stop, Collins said. He acknowledged that, while Guyana is on the brink of profiting from oil revenues, “We will not be wealthy, we will not know wealth unless the women of this nation are healed,” he said. Just as it is said that educating a woman educates a nation, so too he said that hurting a woman hurts a nation. He emphasised the importance of older, more prominent women and emerging younger women having dialogue. Providing that opportunity was one of the forum’s aims.

First up to the podium was Samantha Shewnauth who spoke about knowing one’s worth. Her talk was a rousing empowerment cry to action for her fellow women. Following Shewnauth was Christine Gooding who addressed partnerships in business and in one’s personal life. She advised those assembled who are considering starting a business to pay attention to the technical and legal aspects.

Speaking on the topic “Good deeds do not require greed”, Onika Abel addressed altruism. Addressing the assembled women, Abel noted that it is sometimes difficult to separate self-interest from positive acts towards others. However, it is necessary to look out for and share experiences with each other. Evie Kanhai-Gurchuran, owner of Java Coffee Bar, spoke about “being the best you [can]with the people that matter most”. She recounted realising that her negative emotions toward a recent fire nearby to her business were affecting those she cared about and making appropriate adjustments. “One thing is certain,” she said, “If we are our best selves, then we have done our due diligence in setting an example of virtue.”

After a poem was recited, it was time for the keynote speaker, Ms. Sherry Ann Dixon. She forwent the podium in favour of moving around while addressing the audience. In her address, Dixon took the audience on her journey through her life, so far, and the lessons she has learned along the way. “I celebrate being a Guyanese first,” she said. “Then I celebrate being a woman. Then a celebrate being a black woman.” She explained that she came to realise the meaning of her grandmother calling her special when she grew older. “If I want to do something there’s no such word as ‘can’t’,” Dixon told the attentive audience. “I can do anything I want to do, with God’s help and the rest is up to me.”

Dixon, with humour and personality, related to the audience her life from her early childhood in Guyana to leaving these shores and moving to the United Kingdom. She had her whole life mapped out for her – she was to be a nurse. The time came though when Dixon realised that she wanted to be a secretary instead. She eschewed university and went straight on to become the secretary to the manager of one of the biggest banks in the United Kingdom. That came to an end when she was asked to change her hair from the afro she had begun to wear it in. She explained, “I had found myself and I said no.” Standing up for herself was one of the best decisions she ever made.

Dixon went on to marketing and public relations and then, eventually, followed her passion into becoming a professional makeup artist. She narrated how she eventually went from a beginner who carried her makeup around in a toolbox to a celebrity makeup artist to beauty editor for PRIDE Magazine. She emphasised the importance of hard work. “You work it until you can make it,” she said emphatically. At the end of her address, she said, “The journey doesn’t stop. Keep on evolving. Keep on being powerful. Keep on being awesome. But most of all, keep on giving back to the youth and helping them on their way up as you go up.”

Among the final speakers following Ms. Dixon was Christine DeCambra, owner of Everything Makes Craft. She spoke about the balancing act from the view of, in her own words, “a budding entrepreneur, a mom, a wife and a superhero”. She related her experiences with the difficulties of balancing all of the roles she plays and offered practical measures other women can use.

Closing off the evening’s talks was activist Akola Thompson. Thompson noted that “empowerment” has become a word that has become ubiquitous in all areas of our lives. She questioned though whether this seeming visibility and the political movements that have resulted have truly led to actual empowerment. “There is vested interest in ensuring women’s movements never move past catchy soundbites and hashtags,” she said. She explained that women are still systematically discriminated against, sidelined and hushed up while those with the power dismiss the continued need for feminism. “Empowerment, we should remember, is about sustained resistance and progress at every level,” she concluded. “It is not tokenism and buzzwords.”

Following the final speech, a raffle was drawn. Attendees had been given numbers upon entering and those numbers were used to select the prizewinners, all leading up to the grand prize – a US $500 scholarship award. Jubilanté Cutting, recent winner of the Nelson Mandela – Graça Machel Award in the Youth Activist category gave the closing remarks and concluded the event.