After the Makers: Special Event
Guyanese Girls Rock: Fostering the Next Generation of Guyanese Women
There are moments when a community gathers not simply to celebrate accomplishments, but to intentionally shape the future. The 2026 Guyanese Girls Rock Foundation Annual Scholarship & Awards Luncheon was one of those moments. Bringing together educators, professionals, students, families, and community leaders, the afternoon served as a powerful reminder that investing in young women is among the greatest investments a community can make.
Founded by Cloyette Harris-Stoute, the Guyanese Girls Rock Foundation has dedicated itself to creating opportunities for young women through mentorship, leadership development, scholarships, and educational programming. That mission was reflected throughout the luncheon, where graduates, scholarship recipients, accomplished women, and emerging leaders shared the stage in an atmosphere defined by encouragement, celebration, and genuine community. Every achievement was celebrated as a collective success, reinforcing the belief that when one woman succeeds, an entire community moves forward with her.
The afternoon began with welcoming remarks from Annie Mohan, Board Secretary, before guests heard an inspiring keynote address from educator, author, and motivational speaker Jovelle Powell. Powell openly shared her journey from experiencing homelessness to becoming an accomplished educator and nationally recognized speaker. Rather than allowing difficult circumstances to define her future, she spoke candidly about resilience, perseverance, and the importance of believing in possibilities that may not yet be visible. Her testimony resonated deeply throughout the room, particularly with the young women in attendance, serving as a reminder that one’s beginning does not determine one’s destination.
The program also celebrated the accomplishments of the Young Women’s Leadership Academy (YWLA) Cohort 9 graduates. Each young woman represented determination, growth, and promise. As they crossed the stage, their aspirations and accomplishments were shared demonstrating confidence that extended far beyond academic success. It was evident that these young women were not simply graduating from a program but entering the next chapter of their lives equipped with leadership skills, purpose, and a supportive community standing behind them.
Several graduates were also recognized with scholarships, honoring both their achievements and the potential they carry into their future educational journeys.
One of the afternoon’s most memorable moments came through a moving poetry presentation by Xytara Astaphan. Her words spoke to identity, perseverance, and hope with remarkable authenticity, leaving many in the audience visibly emotional. As she concluded, the room rose together in a standing ovation, acknowledging not only the beauty of her poetry but the courage and sincerity with which it was delivered. It was a powerful reminder that storytelling remains one of the most meaningful ways communities inspire, heal, and preserve their voices.
The luncheon also recognized women whose leadership continues to strengthen the Guyanese community through the Women of Inspiration Awards. This year’s honorees included Jennifer Bisram, Kay Malcolm, Sherif Fraser, Tishiannae Singh, and Sonia Noel, women whose dedication to service, leadership, and community continues to create opportunities for others. Their stories offered the young women in attendance living examples of what leadership can look like across many professions and stages of life.
Throughout the afternoon, it became increasingly clear that the Guyanese Girls Rock Foundation is creating far more than scholarships. It is cultivating lifelong relationships, mentorship, and an enduring network of women committed to one another’s success.
During our conversation, Taruna Sadhoo, a board member of the Foundation, reflected on what makes the Young Women’s Leadership Academy so impactful. She explained that participants leave with more than leadership skills. They leave with meaningful relationships that continue long after the program concludes. The Academy allows young women to build lasting friendships with one another while developing connections with accomplished women throughout the community who become mentors, role models, and sources of encouragement. Those relationships become both immediate and long-term support systems, reminding participants that success is not meant to be pursued alone.
Perhaps that is what made the luncheon feel so significant. It was not simply an awards ceremony. It was a gathering where young women could see themselves reflected in educators, entrepreneurs, artists, advocates, and community leaders who genuinely wanted to see them succeed. Every conversation, every applause, and every embrace reinforced the idea that no one has to navigate success alone.
If you were a young Guyanese woman searching for confidence, mentorship, or a community that believes in your potential, this was exactly the room you would want to carry with you long after the afternoon ended. It was a room where women celebrated one another without hesitation, where leaders reached back to encourage those coming behind them, and where the next generation was reminded that leadership is strongest when it is shared.
The Foundation’s impact is made possible through the generosity of its scholarship sponsors, community sponsors, and individual supporters whose investments continue to open doors for the next generation of Guyanese women. Named scholarships were supported by Arlene Kendall, Christina Motilall, Anand Mohabir, Romesha Deen and Cinnabon Carvel Hollis, Jennifer Rampersaud, Cheryl Gregory, and Vanessa Grenan and Jennise Hall. Community sponsorship was provided by Ridgewood Savings Bank, Elteni, Back Yard Events and Dave’s West Indian Florist, while ticket sponsors included Kemylee Brisport, LMSW, Cristina Motilall, and Shameeza Ally. Also instrumental to the success of the program were Board Member Nicole Jean Remy, YWLA Program Director Dr. Kyomi Gregory-Martin, Mentoring Coordinator Susan Persaud-Sykes, and Writing Mentor Ms. Arlene Kendall. Their collective support ensures that leadership development, mentorship, and scholarship opportunities continue to reach young women who will shape the future of the Guyanese community.
For The Corriverton Co., documenting gatherings like these is an extension of our commitment to preserving the stories that shape Guyanese communities across the diaspora. While After the Makers often explores heritage through people, places, and traditions, this special event reminded us that culture is also preserved by investing in one another. On this afternoon, there was no shortage of inspiration, no shortage of encouragement, and certainly no shortage of women proving that when a community intentionally pours into its daughters, tomorrow’s leaders take root.