Women from all over the world will participate today in WeLead Caribbean’s first virtual Women’s Empowerment Conference.
Founded by Guyanese businesswoman Abbigale Loncke, the annual conference will take place under the theme “DisruptHER” and is aimed at focusing on changing women’s lives through discussions on self-care and wellbeing, mental health, politics, business, and education.
The speakers from the conference were handpicked by Loncke herself, among them the keynote speaker, Jay Blessed and Elizabeth Singh who will sit on the Women in Education panel.
Jay Blessed is an award-winning writer, blogger, podcaster, speaker, media personality, and mental health advocate who is raising the consciousness of her community through active dialogue concerning today’s most pressing topics: personal care and mental wellness.
The Trinidadian trailblazer based in New York City, hosts the first and only Caribbean mental health podcast, IN MY HEAD with Jay Blessed, where she conducts candid exchanges with guests and audiences who would not generally discuss sensitive mental health issues in their daily lives.
Singh, a Guyanese-born educator, serves as Program Coordinator in the Office of New Student and Family Programs at Baruch College and instructor of the First-Year Seminar. She advocates for equitable educational access and the success of students, particularly those from marginalised communities.
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Abbigale Loncke, founder of WeLead Caribbean
Loncke told Loop she selected these ladies to speak at the conference because she felt that they both brought the expertise needed at this time.
“This year it was a lot about mental health and s it was an easy choice for Jay to bring her on as the mental health person and for us to focus on that, for that to be the key takeaway for the entire conference…I want us to leave mentally free and she brings that sort of free, not scripted as much dialogue that you can relate to,” she explained.
She added: “From the educational standpoint, Elizabeth has been on my radar because she is brilliant and her roots to the Caribbean is very, very solid and to Guyana is solid and we don’t normally get women who have gone overseas and excelled and are still connected with their community and pulling her on the panel for the education she brings that expertise to it and she brings her connection to the Caribbean, to Guyana and we can relate to that.”
Both women told Loop they were highly honoured to be selected for the panel.
“It is such a humbling experience to be asked during what has been the most difficult year for most people around the world and I think it rings true to the fact that I am functioning in my calling because God will send people to you to remind you that you are doing the work,” said Jay Blessed.
She said the focus in her address will be about embracing 2020, the losses, the lessons, and the liberation.
“If you are looking at life optimistically, it is a birthing ground. It is so full of energy that for most people, they been saying I wish I could get a year off, I wish I could get a week off, I wish I could go on a vacation and now 2020 has forced us to be still,” she said.
She said Caribbean women in the household, workforce, and community carry the burden of emotional responsibility for everyone and she wants to shift and disrupt that paradigm.
“You cannot pour from an empty cup. If you don’t love yourself more than your children, your spouse, and your family members…because you need to. There is no way you can love someone externally more than you love yourself, there is no way you can forgive and forgive someone else and don’t forgive yourself, there is no way you can be motivating someone to be their best self and pouring into them and you not doing that for you, encouraging your children to go back to school and you been saying I want to go to school. Sis, I need you to put that same energy into you,” she said.
For Singh, who was the first in her family to attend university, her message for the conference is to believe in yourself and be your best advocate.

Guyanese educator Elizabeth Singh will sit on the Women in Education panel
“Everything doesn’t fall into place right away but if you work hard there are opportunities waiting for you. It doesn’t come easy but you have to start imagining and advocate more for yourself. I think to myself if I am educated, I am not just going to stay educated for me, I will change my future, liberate my society. I grew up seeing my mum as someone’s maid and even though I respect her and I love her I know she wasn’t proud. My parents sacrificed a lot for me. Now I have a chance to help them and make them proud,” she said.
She said education helps to transform lives.
“When a woman is educated, that education does not stay with her, it goes to her environment and her community. When women are educated at an early age, they don’t get married too early, they learn about themselves, to get children when they are truly ready, and their children can grow up free from poverty. Education is important to help people understand certain competencies within themselves and it doesn’t have to be a full degree,” she said.
Among the women who be featured at WeLead Caribbean’s 4th Annual Women’s Empowerment Conference are Lisandra Rickards, CEO – Soul Career, Dr. Julianne Malveaux, President & Owner – Economic Education and Melissa Poponne Skerrit; First Lady of the Commonwealth of Dominica.
Join the discussion on December 8 at 6 pm Local Time (5 pm EST | 4 pm Central Time) – Streaming live via Zoom, television stations around the Caribbean – NCN (Guyana) | WPG10 (Grenada and Dominica) | WESN Content Capital (Trinidad) and all of WeLead Caribbean’s Social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram and Youtube).
Register at:
For more information visit www.weleadcaribbean.com