The official photo taken on the Grand Bahama Labyrinth (Photo: David Mackey / TheBahamasWeekly.com)
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Special Guests and High School Students Shine at International Women’s
Day Celebration
Grand Bahama, The Bahamas - On March 8th, women and men of all
ages from The Bahamas, along with international visitors and special guests,
joined together at the Garden of the Groves to celebrate International Women's
Day.
With perfect springtime weather and the peaceful garden as the
backdrop, more than 100 guests gathered around the Grand Bahama Labyrinth for
an afternoon filled with music and art, refreshments, and signing the
celebration banner. The afternoon
culminated with its ceremony that included the event’s annual high school essay
and art competition awards and guest speakers, artists and musicians.
Lynette McInnes, who has organized “Join Me on the Bridge” in Grand Bahama since its inception in
2010 said, “I couldn’t be more thrilled about our sixth event. This year’s
theme was ‘Inspiring Women’, and with our talented line up of musicians,
singers, students, and special guest speaker, Alicia Wallace, we were
successful in doing just that, inspiring!”
The stage was set for the opening ceremony with the National
Anthem being sung by Ebony Bowe and Livia Duncombe, who then surprised
attendee, Gloria McGlone director of the Freeport Player’s Guild, by leading
the crowd in singing her “Happy Birthday”.
The mistress of ceremonies, Lynette McInnes, welcomed the crowd
and spoke about the history of the event and global women’s issues. She
described how the Labyrinth is a symbolic bridge and read a quote by its
founder, Barbara Chester, who was being honoured at the event with the
dedication of a neem tree.
Guest speaker: Alicia Wallace is a writer, blogger, and social and political commentator. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from St. Mary's University, Halifax, NS. She is a women's rights activist, passionate about public education, community engagement, and the empowerment of women and girls. Alicia is the Director of Hollaback! Bahamas- part of a global movement to end street harassment - and co-founder of the Coalition to End Gender-based Violence & Discrimination. She serves as the Youth Ambassador for The Bahamas to End Sexual Violence, and is one of 60 recipients of the Queen's Young Leaders Award in 2015. (Photo: David Mackey / TheBahamasWeekly.com)
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A moving a-cappella performance by Susan Jensen-Sweeting
followed.
The high school essay and art competition award ceremony was a
highlight of the event with some attendees nearly moved to tears with the
passionate readings of the essays by the students based on the theme, “What
woman has inspired you and how?”
“Our annual essay and art competition’s goal is to inspire young
women and men to explore and reflect on women’s rights and equality. It’s
critical to engage the youth with women’s issues, so they may become a major
force towards a solution,” McInnes stated. “Each year the competition grows,
and we were exceptionally pleased with the response and quality of the essays
and art, and wish to thank all who submitted.”
The winning art, based around the competition theme, “Inspiring
Women”, was on display and the artists were available to speak to the attendees
about their work.
Tomii Culmer, Miss Universe Bahamas, who was in attendance, was
invited by McInnes to help present the awards to the students.
Art competition winner, Chloe Stuart of Eight Mile Rock with Miss Universe Bahamas and her teacher Damasco Gray. Seen right is event organizer Lynette McInnes (Photo: David Mackey / TheBahamasWeekly.com)
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“Join Me on the Bridge”
2015 Essay and Art Competition Results:
Art Competition:
Winner, Chloe Stuart, Eight Mile Rock, Grade 10
Honourable Mention, Caitlin Farrington, Lucaya International
School, Grade 12
Honourable Mention, Grea Prescod, Mary Star of the Sea, Grade 12
Honourable Mention, Sophia Clarke, Lucaya International School,
Grade 12
Essay Competition:
-Winner (female), LaTess Bartlett, Mary Star of the Sea, Grade 11
-Winner (male), Bryon Thompson, Bishop Michael Eldon, Grade 11
Violinists from the Allegro School of Music’s Allegro Strings
Orchestra, Lyndeen Missick, Richema Williams and Lavonne Mack, directed by Eva
Ratuszynski, and accompanied by pianist Grace Ann Gibby, provided delightful
musical breaks throughout the event.
Special guest speaker, Alicia Wallace, was flown in from Nassau
to join the event.
“It's a privilege to be here, in this beautiful space, surrounded
by strong, powerful women and the men we can call our allies. As I look around,
I am reminded of how much we, women of The Bahamas, are like trees. We start as
seedlings, fragile and vulnerable to the environment, depending on it for
nourishment. As we grow, we become strong, fruit-bearing trees, giving back to
the earth, in more than equal measure, what it has given to us,” said Wallace.
Honourable mention art entrants: Caitlin Farrington, Grea Prescod, and Sophia Clarke. (Photo: David Mackey / TheBahamasWeekly.com)
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The event culminated with the attendees joining together on the
Grand Bahama Labyrinth, a symbolic bridge, for the annual group photograph, as
the event has grown so much over the years it now has too many attendees to fit
on the traditional bridge in the Garden.
Past event special guest speakers have included, The Minister of
Social Services, Melanie Griffin, Senator Tanisha Tynes, Loretta Butler-Turner,
and Branville McCartney.
McInnes thanked the following event sponsors:
The Garden of the Groves and The Garden Cafe; The Grand Bahama Labyrinth & Barbara Cheste; pluriME International; Michael David Winery, Lodi, Californi; Bahama Islands Info; Barefoot Marketing; TheBahamasWeekly.com; Mackey Media Ltd; Freeport Advertising & Printing; Bahama Buy and Sell; Happy Helpers; KONK Natural Immune Defense; The Art of Giving; Butler’s Food World; Sweet Affairs Desserts; Bell Channel Inn & Upstairs on the Bay; George H. Productions; Vumba Ventures; and competition prize sponsor Bill and Ruth Ann Harnisch.
Photos courtesy of David Mackey (Mackey Media Ltd. / TheBahamasWeekly.com) See ALL photos on Facebook.
Essay Competition Winner, LaTess Bartlett, Mary Star of the Sea, Grade 11, reading her winning essay. Read her essay below. (Photo: David Mackey / TheBahamasWeekly.com)
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“What woman has inspired you and why?”
Join Me on the Bridge 2015 Essay Competition Winner:
Bryan Thompson, Bishop Michael Eldon High School, Grade 11.
Edmunds Lee once said, “Surround yourself with the dreamers and doers, the
believers and the thinkers but most of all, surround yourself with those who see the
greatness within you, even when you don’t see it yourself.” To inspire someone means to fill
someone with encouragement or enthusiasm. Many women inspire me for different
reasons, but the one that has inspired me the most is my grandmother, Josephine Riveccio,
because of her kindness, patience and trustworthiness.
Friendly, generous, and considerate are all words that describe my grandmother, but
can all be summed up into one word, kindness. She is by far the kindest person anyone will
ever meet. She makes one feel that they are her best friend and you have known her
forever after talking to her for a few minutes. She always gives to the church, supports
numerous organization and gives away more than she owns away to family, friends and
people in need. Also, she always thinks of other people before herself. She puts herself in
the shoes of another person and tries her hardest to try and aid in any way possible.
“Patience, use it before you lose it”- Unknown Author. My grandmother does not need to
worry about this. Despite any situation she is in, patience will always be with her. She hates
more than anything to become incensed, so she does not let it happen. Even in an
argument with loved ones, she will never retaliate but accept her faults. I do not know
anybody with as much patience as her and I assume it is rare for anyone to find someone
like this.
A trustworthy person is one who can be able to be trusted. Being a bookkeeper at a
church, my grandmother is always going through the money and it takes a lot of trust to
fulfill such a task. Not only at work, but everywhere she goes people know that they can
trust her with secrets, ask her for advice or discuss any problem they encounter. I trust my
grandmother with anything because I know she will keep anything I tell her to herself.
The flaws in my grandmother are minimal. All of her attributes can be considered as
the Fruit of the Spirits and an individual should be glad if they obtained a maximum of even
half of these characteristics. I am proud to have her in my life and she is more than worthy
enough to be the most inspirational woman to me. I hope that one day I will be lucky
enough to possess just a small portion of her personality because in our society and world,
we need more people like this, they are the ones that keep us all together in peace.
About “Join Me on the
Bridge, Grand Bahama”
Launched in 2010 as part of an international grassroots campaign,
“Join Me on the Bridge” is an annual celebration held on International Women’s
Day, which has grown into one of the largest women's’ rights campaigns in The
Bahamas. The event encourages joining on a bridge (real or symbolic) to stand
in solidarity with women, men and children, who are celebrating the
achievements of women, and focusing on issues they still face.
For more information: FreeportBridge@gmail.com or visit JMOTB’s
Facebook page: www.facebook.com/JoinMeOnTheBridge
