On December 11, 2020, Soka Gyal hosted an evening of Vincy gyal excellence at Blue Lagoon Hotel and Marina Ltd. Creative Vincentian women came together to share their stories of success and overcoming obstacles.

Panelists included Nadia Huggins, Zahra Gaskin-De Freitas, Sherika Syaers, Eniye Kagbala and Odini Sutherland, moderated by LaFerne Fraser.

Gyals Create was made possible with funding and support from 3 Day Startup and US Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

Watch the full discussion with creative Vincentian women.

ABOUT THE SPEAKERS:

PANELISTS:

Nadia Huggins: Artist/ Photographer

Nadia Huggins was born in Trinidad and Tobago and grew up in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, where she is currently based. A self-taught artist, she works in photography and, since 2010, has built a body of images that are characterized by her observation of an interest in the everyday. Her work merges documentary and conceptual practices, which explore belonging, identity, and memory through a contemporary approach focused on re-presenting Caribbean landscapes and the sea.

Nadia’s photographs have been exhibited in group shows in Canada, USA, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Barbados, Ethiopia, Guadeloupe, France, and the Dominican Republic. In 2019, her solo show Human stories: Circa no future took place at Now Gallery, London UK. Her work forms part of the collection of The Wedge Collection (Toronto, Canada), The National Gallery of Jamaica (Kingston), and The Art Museum of the Americas (Washington DC, USA). Nadia was selected for the New York Times Portfolio Review (2018), and her work has been included in several publications, including A to Z of Caribbean Art. She is the co-founder of ARC Magazine and One Drop in the Ocean – an initiative that aims to raise awareness about marine debris.

Odini Sutherland: Owner & Founder of Peta Odini

Odini Sutherland is a fashion designer currently living in St. Vincent. In 2008, she moved to London to pursue a degree in fashion at Ravensbourne. Odini began her studies initially as a textile print student, however after doing menswear elective unit, she transferred to the menswear group in the last term of her first year. She graduated in the summer of 2012 with a BA (Hons) Fashion with a specialization in Menswear.

In 2014, she debuted her brand Peta Odini and its full collection in Trinidad. She later received a Fashion Excellence Award from Caribbean Style and Culture Organization in Washington, DC in June of that year. In 2018, Odini moved to the People’s Republic of China and returned to St. Vincent and the Grenadines in 2019 after teaching English and traveling within East Asia. In November 2019, she was elected as the first president of the newly formed Fashion Association of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Sherika Sayers: Owner & Founder of Black Canvas Studios

Born in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Sherika Sayers has been in the creative industry for over 14 years. Her creative interest spans painting, drawing, photography, sculpting, filmmaking and design. After returning from her studies, Sherika began teaching Visual Arts and formed her fine arts business Black Canvas Studios.

Sherika has now added curator at the National Gallery of Arts (St. Vincent) to the books. She hopes to raise awareness of visual arts in St. Vincent and the Grenadines while also giving artists opportunities to have their work showcased locally and internationally.

Eniye Kagbala: Artist

Eniye Kagbala is an audio and visual artist working in sound, performance and moving image. She is a recording artist and member of the musical collective Elephant Disco. Eniye has performed in Nigeria and across Europe. Her performance film “Pathways was recently premiered at the 2020 Demakijaz Film Festival in Poland.

Zahra Gaskin-De Freitas: Founder of Happy Brown Girls Global

Zahra Gaskin-De Freitas, born in Brooklyn, raised in Long Island, moved to St. Vincent and the Grenadines in 2004. With a degree in Health Care Administration, Zahra managed offshore medical coding facility on island from 2005 to 2013. Then feeling a necessary shift for herself, she moved into the world of telemarketing and sales by becoming the proprietor of Alpha One Data Solutions.

In 2015, Zahra started Kiddies Korner, an after-school care programme which promotes the holistic development of children. Kiddies Korner provides an avenue for children to hone their academic skills, creativity and talent in a safe and loving environment.

Zahra is the founder of Happy Brown Girls, a movement through which she actively collaborates with women of colour and provides a safe space for these women to garner the tools to navigate motherhood, business, health and wellness. The goal is to produce a community of well-balanced healthy women. She looks forward to creating more healthy spaces within the Caribbean and globally.