At a certain point in their careers, most artists born in places far from the traditional art world capitals have to confront a question: Should they stay in their home countries, or move to Europe or the United States in hopes of landing on the art-world map?
Che Lovelace has witnessed plenty of artists opt for the latter in his decades as a staple of the Port of Spain, Trinidad, art scene. He gets it. “A decade or two ago, Trinidad would have felt isolated,” he tells me over Zoom. “Being somewhere far from the centers of art has always been part of the challenge of living here, which I feel is my place and where I want to work from.” 
For artists like Lovelace, there’s a rare upside to the pandemic: The rise of Zoom and Instagram and the decline of travel have helped level the playing field. “This increasingly digital era has made it possible to interact with the world and be part of a larger conversation—to contribute from this vantage point,” he says. Case in point: the exhibition of brightly colored, vibrant paintings he just opened at the pace-setting Los Angeles gallery Various Small Fires, which marks his second-ever solo showing in the U.S.
In any other year, Lovelace wouldn't have been available the afternoon of our virtual studio visit. He would've been deep in the food, music, and dance of Trinidad's traditional week of Carnival. Maybe more than any other part of pre-Covid Trinidadian life, it's Carnival that Lovelace misses the most. At this point, Mas, as locals call the celebration, has influenced him so profoundly that it's become essential to his work.
There’s a core cast of characters to be found at Mas, portrayed by participants known as masqueraders. Lovelace is a committed masquerader—and more and more, in his studio, he’s found himself inhabiting Carnival favorites like the Blue Devil. “I feel that if I act out a character—perform that character, so to speak—I’m able to get closer to it to paint it in a more intimate way,” he says. “To pretend to be something is kind of to learn it and be it.”
For the past five years, Lovelace has worked out of a former U.S. Army base 20 minutes outside of Port of Spain, situated in a tropical sea of green. He initially felt, guiltily, that it was “too pretty,” and that painting in a space which had been headquarters to American soldiers during World War II might be the opposite of creatively stimulating. “I could almost feel the weight of that history,” Lovelace says. But it soon became liberating. Lovelace grew up in the rural village of Matura, but as an adult has lived only in urban or industrial centers. To be so fully surrounded by nature, Lovelace says, looking through a massive open-air window, “felt like a homecoming of sorts.”
It also coincided with a burst of color in his palette. Early on, Lovelace “resisted” working with bright colors. He worried they’d come across as “too easily Caribbean,” just like painting, say, a coconut or coconut tree. Since learning to transform those tropes, his work has become defined by them. Figures are central in many of his paintings, but Lovelace doesn’t see them as representational. The Blue Devils he depicts aren’t of the Mas or himself. “I’m always playing around with the different ways I can represent the reality of what I’m thinking about or looking at,” Lovelace explains. And the moment something transforms from figurative to something more abstract is one he’d like to “relive over and over.” In a way, he does: “I’m able to discover the figure anew every single time I paint it.”
Over Zoom, I was initially alarmed by how casually Lovelace maneuvered a selection of paintings he’d laid out for me to see on the floor. The rich surfaces of his paintings belie the unassuming way they’re put together: four boards repurposed from a local stationery distributor, taped together and then framed. The freedom of movement in his methods translates to a unique ability to capture movement on a still two-dimensional surface. “Poised on the border between Cubism and realism,” the New Yorker wrote of his first U.S. exhibition, at New York’s Half Gallery in 2017. “Lovelace doesn’t really belong to any school.
But Lovelace has always been part of a community. Post-World War II, the Port of Spain art scene has thrived, and includes a growing legion of talented painters. Most of them are homegrown, but the island’s way of life and lush setting has also attracted the likes of Chris Ofili and Peter Doig, two internationally renowned artists who came from London in the early Aughts and never really left. Ofili leans on the island for his creative process—the Blue Devil has found his way into his paintings, too—and Doig is also active in the community. In 2003, he and Lovelace founded Studiofilmclub, which, for years, screened independent films free of charge.
While no one is going to the movies these days, the pandemic has allowed Lovelace time to finally finish works he started years earlier—it usually takes him a year and a half to complete one painting—and the show at Various Small Fires is an unusually thorough account of what Lovelace has been up to in his studio. When he finally sees it in-person—pandemic-related travel restrictions permitting—it’ll be just his third time visiting L.A. (He went twice as a young surfer.) But the artist is by no means a stranger to the U.S. Lovelace has visited New York at least once a year for decades now—long enough to have witnessed galleries make the shift from Soho to Chelsea. He shacks up at the most covetable of pieds-à-terre: the home of the art dealer Bill Powers and the fashion designer Cynthia Rowley.
It’s not that Lovelace hasn’t had the opportunity to show Stateside—let alone closer to home—over the span of his career. He simply isn’t too concerned with displaying his work, nor suffering the financial consequences. “Even with this space, I’ve been months and months behind on rent, and almost thrown out,” he says. He always finds a solution, whether it’s teaching surfing lessons or, currently, lecturing at the University of the West Indies. “I think you create a presence, you create something that has value,” Lovelace says. “I may not be getting cold, hard cash, but I'm getting a currency.”  To see more of his paintings, visit the site click here 
Source:  Stephanie Eckardt WM Magazine.com

Dr. Wendell Bobb is a Trinidadian-born medical doctor, board certified in neurology, clinical neurophysiology and sleep medicine. The St George’s College, Barataria alumnus is the chief of clinical neurophysiology at the Washington DC Medical Centre and assistant professor of neurology at the George Washington University School of Medicine. Who would have thought that this is the same individual who was told by a secondary school teacher that he would never become a medical doctor. Today, he is triple certified and an educator, helping and empowering young students. This is his journey from Princes Town to the corridors of the hospitals and classrooms of the universities.
-
San Fernando General Hospital is where I made my debut. At seven pounds and some ounces, I came out kicking and screaming (so I’m told). Perhaps like most other babies, I was anticipating life’s challenges ahead. My conscious memory, however, wasn’t born until I was about two or three years old. I remember Princess, our black and tan-colored German Shepherd, rushing up to me on our porch on Gobin Street, Princes Town. Terrified and helpless, I stood there as she towered over me and sniffed around my head but did no harm as my mom ran from behind to chase her away.
We lived not too far from the vast sugar cane fields, parted by the Taska Road where oxen hauled carts of sugar cane to the St Madeleine sugar factory. My dad took me there sometimes and he would cut the cane with a cutlass then tear the tough skin off with his teeth, proudly demonstrating how he did it when he was a child. These were a couple memorable childhood experiences that have stayed with me to this day. I was fortunate to have grown up in a supportive and safe household with my dad, mom and two older sisters. When I was nine years, my dad accepted a position as Pastor in a new church, so we moved up north.
“That will never happen”
I attended St. George’s College in Barataria where I completed my secondary school education. My start there was rocky. Although I performed well in other subjects, I failed Mathematics consistently from Forms 1 through 3. One day in Form 3, my Mathematics teacher went around the class asking each of us what we wanted to become when we grew up. I told him a doctor. Smirking, he announced that would never happen based on my history with Math. But my friend’s mother, Mrs. Phyllis Joseph, who was a lecturer at The UWI, heard about my struggle and took me under her wing. She helped me realise that I was not inherently bad at Mathematics but I did not practise enough problems for me to do well in exams. So with commitment, encouragement, good instruction and faith, I went from floundering to getting a Grade 1 in the Caribbean standardized exam (called CXC at that time) and a Grade A in Add-Maths.
“Distractions and disappointments which had nothing to do with school sometimes became intrusive and overwhelming”
My transition to university life was somewhat challenging, but I felt well prepared, having done the Advanced Level (A-Level) exams. I prioritized getting and maintaining good grades by carving sufficient time to review the same information multiple times before an exam to ensure that it stuck. Despite my best efforts, at times, I didn’t do well. Distractions and disappointments which had nothing to do with school sometimes became intrusive and overwhelming. I grew to realize that these were part of the formula for my overall development. With guidance from therapists, close family and friends, and ultimately my faith in God and belief that I was born for a divine purpose--as I believe we all are—I was able to pull through the tough times when I felt depleted.
“I want to put water in a needle and give it to old people to make them walk better.”
According to my mom, that was my response when I was about three years old and people asked me what I wanted to do when I became an adult. But at one point, I remember also wanting to become a teacher. The intricacy and complexity of the human body fascinated me and I had a passion to help people live their best and healthiest lives. Medicine therefore seemed like the best fit for me as it also involves teaching students and patients.
Neuroanatomy was one of my first classes in medical school. My goal initially was simply to perform well in it since I heard that it was difficult but I became fascinated with the different functions of the brain and nervous system. One side of the brain controls the other side of the body. The brain causes the body to become paralyzed during dream sleep so we don’t get out of bed to act out our dreams. Having the knowledge and ability to diagnose and treat disorders that plague patients in an effort to improve the quality of their lives is rewarding. It can be discouraging, however, when available treatments are inadequate or patients don’t improve despite my best efforts.
“It’s important for me to practise the principle of the serenity prayer”
This is a great field for someone who is passionate about medicine and the functioning of the brain. The highs of this profession are when my patients get better; such as someone with sleep apnea who has been so tired that they are unable to remain alert at work or while driving, and with treatment, they feel like a brand new person. Or a patient with stuttering speech who keeps dropping things, and I’m able to diagnose him as having seizures, treat the seizures, and his condition improves. But there are definitely lows. Medicine is a science as well as an art. Sometimes accurate diagnoses are elusive and optimal treatments uncertain. Patients may have poor outcomes. But I’ve learned that after I’ve given it my best, applied my knowledge and experience to any given case and reached out for additional help as needed, I have limited control of what happens next. It’s important for me to practise the principle of the serenity prayer to remain at peace: God help me to change the things that I can, surrender the things that I can’t and when to know the difference.
“She somehow made the practice of medicine look humanitarian and scientific, yet effortless”
My family and friends were very supportive when I chose this career path. Some gave practical advice to ensure that I knew the pros and cons of becoming a medical doctor. Along this journey, I also had several mentors and coaches to help me in my academic, career, psychological, spiritual, financial, and physical development. I specifically highlight Dr. LaDonna Nelson, a close family friend, who would take me to Port-of-Spain General Hospital to shadow her when I was younger. She somehow made the practice of medicine look humanitarian and scientific, yet effortless. Of course I’ve grown to learn that it’s anything but effortless, though it is rewarding. One time, as I watched her assess an ICU patient, Dr. Nelson told me that medicine can be a thankless and stressful job. I’ve experienced both of those to be true many times, but my family members and friends were there to cheer me on.
In the same way that I had Dr. Nelson and others, I am sure that Trinidad and Tobago has sufficient role models and mentors. It is important to seek and find appropriate professionals who can guide you along your particular journey. As you travel, be relentless in looking for mentors in different areas. If someone doesn’t have the time or isn’t giving you the information you think you need, find someone else.
To that young man who is struggling and indecisive about the future, I want to encourage you to find a career that you will enjoy or are passionate about. It should be a career that could help you a make decent living while doing it. However, if you end up doing something that you may not love because you may not have had the opportunity or finances to do it at that moment, try to save enough capital so you can branch out eventually and do what sets your soul on fire. You should also seek out a career coach. Talk to guidance counselors or teachers. Talk to successful people in different areas. Look at reputable sites on the internet. And last but equally important, ask for divine guidance and trust that you will be led in the right direction.
-
Dr. Wendell Bobb graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry and then a Doctor of Medicine degree from the Florida State University College of Medicine in 2009. In 2013, he completed a residency in Neurology at the Georgetown University Hospital, Washington, DC and from 2013-2015, he benefited from two fellowships: in sleep medicine and clinical neurophysiology from Duke University Medical Centre in North Carolina. He currently resides in the USA.
Source: Mentions-Stories About Us, March 2021

​Let’s all congratulate a true Morvant resident on making an impact at the global level as Ms. Rhonika Kaplan has become a senior technical geoscientist at Chevron. Chevron Corporation is an American multinational energy corporation is currently one of the world’s largest companies.
Kaplan, who grew up in Almond Drive, recalls the good times she had growing up in the community. “I remember growing up playing all day in the street, running races, riding bikes, and roller-skating. I never felt scared or uncomfortable. We were a community, and everyone knew each other and supported each other.”
All the best to you and you definitely put T&T on the map.
Source: Adrian Leonce, FB, June 2, 2021

BOBIE-LEE DIXON

([email protected])

From his days appearing on Hazel Ward Redman's Twelve and Under to performing before members of the British Royal Family, T&T born-UK-based opera singer Neil Latchman is now awaiting a most prestigious honour to be bestowed upon him in his career—a Guinness World Record award, for his unprecedented 2018, performance at Leh, Ladakh, in the Himalayan mountains, where he belted out high notes alongside harpist Siobhan Brady, at a height of 3,495 metres.

Guardian Media caught up with this Trinidadian St Mary’s College alumnus who spoke of the achievement and shared some unforgettable memories of his life in the land of his birth.
Q: Tell us a bit about your background and what it was like growing up in Trinidad?

A: The Trinidad I grew up in was absolutely wonderful. So my childhood memories constantly draw me back to it like a magnet. To this day, I feel butterflies in my stomach as the plane touches down in either Trinidad or Tobago. I do have a soft spot for Tobago and have many wonderful friends there. My father was a businessman with stores on Frederick Street and my mother a lecturer in French at UWI and John Donaldson Institute, so quite different people, a mixture that makes me pragmatic as well as aesthetic. Not a bad combination in my profession.

Primary school was wonderful. We lived in Cascade, Port-of-Spain, and I went to St. Bernadette’s Primary School in St. Ann’s. To this day, I have extremely fond memories of walking home for lunch and sometimes stopping off at Hi-Lo (Massy Stores), on my way home to chat with the staff. My mother would be really annoyed with me wondering where I was and eventually calling the Manager, as she knew that was my favourite port of call. I was always a people person and nothing’s changed! The singing and music definitely were rooted at St. Bernadette’s. Sister Chanel who was in charge of music there was very encouraging of my talent and so was Linda Hadeed who taught at the school. The Music Festival and “Twelve and under” days began there.

Q: When exactly did you migrate and for what reason?

A: I sadly left Trinidad after my O Levels. My parents felt it was the right thing, but, I was very homesick. I eventually studied English Literature and Music at Queens University, Kingston, Ontario. The person who inspired me there was Pat Rideout who performed regularly with Glen Gould at The Juilliard School. My vocal studies with Pat were definitely the catalyst that would sow the seed for the career that followed. Unbeknown to my parents, I would go to Toronto and to The Juilliard regularly to work with Pat. On leaving Canada, I came to the UK and read Law at Leicester University and later a member of Lincoln's Inn. I met my future wife, who was a medical student at the University and to this day, she is enormous support and a confidante in negotiating my career journey.

Q: Describe when you first fell in love with classical music and the genre of opera?

A: It is difficult to be chronological about this. I was surrounded by beautiful music, both classical and popular in our home. My mother had a beautiful singing voice, but, the love and gift definitely came from my Aunt, Norma Sinanan who was an outstanding concert pianist and trained at The Juilliard. We were extremely close and she taught me the piano and accompanied me often. If she was abroad, she would instruct my mother in detail how to accompany me for a performance and what repertoire I should choose. I have much to thank both of these women for. I think Trinidad is a very ‘operatic’ country to grow up in. There’s always some drama-taking place, not forgetting the Carnival and my natural forceful nature as a person. So the operatic approach suits me.
Q: You have attained many awards and accolades as an opera singer. Did you ever imagine that you would?
A: For me, I was just a boy with a voice and fingers who drew people’s attention when I sang or played the piano. That little boy still goes on stage with me to this day in massive world arenas and Halls and before huge audiences. I do occasionally take a “second glance” and a reality check when I absorb the prestigious venues and international figures who are often in my audience. However, that’s a momentary jolt and I’m brought back to the present and the privilege of what I am fortunate to do and enjoy.
Q: Do you have a musical mentor?
A: Yes. The Romanian Opera Diva, Nelly Miricioiu is a Master I work with regularly and trust her judgment implicitly.
Q: What’s the story behind your Leh, Ladakh performance. How did it all come together?
A: That performance almost did not happen. I had performed at the famous Thiksey Monastery in the Himalayas in 2015 for the 100th anniversary of the death of the composer, Alexander Scriabin. One of the people involved in that performance was Desmond Gentle (London piano tuner). In 2017, Desmond approached me about doing this performance in Ladakh. However, due to the altitude of Ladakh, you have to make sure you’re physically and mentally prepared for the trip let alone sustain the voice at that high altitude, 3,495 meters above sea level. Due to the climate conditions of the region, Desmond said we’d have to wait to see when the best time would be to make the trip in 2018. He was aware that my diary was filling up and that was something he’d have to cope with if I couldn’t make the time frame. I build in my trips to Trinidad around my performance diary and decided that I would come home in August and leave Trinidad on the 1st of September arriving in London on the 2nd. After all my plans were made, I suddenly heard from Desmond that they wanted to do the trip at the end of July. I immediately said to him that I couldn’t. His response was, “I can’t do this without you.” Wow! I told him my dates for Trinidad. His response was, he’ll organise my flight out to India on the evening of the 2nd September, and I would be met and everything done physically for me to make things extremely easy.

Desmond fulfilled every promise and so did I. I even pulled together a piece that was specially written for me called Baadal Badal by the award-winning songwriting team, Michael Ward and Philip Henderson for the occasion. The title, “Baadal Badal”, refers to the cloud, due to the high altitude I was literally singing in the clouds,

Q: While this performance gained you Guinness World Record recognition, it was also a bittersweet experience. Why?

A: It was on the foothills of the Himalayas that I would last see Desmond. Desmond Gentle died two weeks later on returning to London. The altitude of the journey and the rigours involved were too much for his health. He suffered pulmonary thrombosis. Had I not made a journey he was so insistent on to perform at this altitude, I would have had many regrets.

Q: COVID has brought to a halt many performing spaces worldwide, affecting the arts. How have you been coping?

A: COVID has hit the arts in particular, deeply. However, it has made us be more inventive and resourceful. Last year July, my first live-streamed performance was a huge success and others followed. What I suddenly draw on is the experience of years of performing as we have to perform observing social distancing, most of the time without rehearsing, are the words of my first vocal mentor, “let the audience into your world, don’t work so hard that you constantly need to reach into theirs.”

Q: Do you have any plans to use your success and experience to gift your birth land with an institution for the classical arts?
A: An institution in the Classical Arts in Trinidad would take some planning, but contributing to it would not be something that I would rule out at all. I performed for the Prime Minister, Dr Keith Rowley on his maiden voyage to London as PM. His beautiful words of thanks to me resonate in my ears to this day and I would be extremely honoured to continue the narrative with him, on the future of the classical arts in the twin islands. Source: the Guardian,May 30, 2021

An article about  "Doubles" - how they're made, how they taste, etc. to someone not born on Trinidad and Tobago.   To read the story, click here . Or copy and paste this URL into your browser
  ​http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20210526-doubles-trinidads-favourite-street-food

 From the late Author/Historian Angelo Bissessarsingh.
Although they brought the habit of ganja-use from their homeland, the Indian Indentured Labourers who began arriving in Trinidad in 1845 were introduced to rum in the colony. As early as 1860 it was recorded that drunkenness was a problem since many Indians were jailed for abandoning work due to inebriation. When the Canadian Mission to the Indians was founded by Presbyterian minister, Rev. John Morton in 1868, he noted :
“I have never been in a place where rum stares one so constantly in the face as Trinidad. Two large distilleries are above smuggling but there is not a village of any size in this island, except the Mission (Princes Town) which has not got a distillery where smuggling is more or less carried on. San Fernando has 42 licensed places, Iere Village 4, the Mission 10 etc. ”
The smuggling that Morton talked of was the manufacture of illegal spirits, called Babash. The drinking among the Indians inadvertently contributed to the high rate of wife-murders which occurred throughout the 19th and well into the mid 20th centuries. With a drink of rum selling for as little as six cents, a labourer could be drunk all day for a couple dollars which could very well represent his week’s earnings. Drinking was seen as a means of dulling the harsh realities of labour on the sugar estates of Trinidad. In 1887, J.H Collens noted:
“In Trinidad, as in India, many of these people become renegades to their creed, solely for the sake of being able to drink and sell rum, and it must be borne in mind that, with the Coolie, who will not partake of proper nourishing food when he has to pay for it himself, to drink rum is to become a drunken, besotted beast…………I have stated that by the Koran the Mussulman is prohibited from indulging in strong drink. It is unlikely that many in Trinidad forsake the religion of their forefathers from no better motive than to gratify their craving for alcohol. Years ago, when a youngster, I remember seeing a pictorial sketch in Punch entitled ' Accommodating.' An officer is seated in his bungalow, enjoying the dolce far niente of military life in India. Addressing his native bodyservant who stands near :—' What caste are you, Bamsammee V Native : ' Same church like Sahib ; me eat beef and drink brandy, sar !' To him Christianity and grog-drinking were unfortunately synonymous terms. After all, coolies are much like other people : treat them properly
and they -will serve you well—always, however, with an eye to the main chance ; but is not human nature the same all the world over”
In the 1890s the dangerous precedent of rum for wages began. At Forres Park, the lifestyle of the labourer was typical…Squalid barracks, zero sanitation, no school for children , scanty rations, and heavy tasks. One great evil which was introduced by Mr. Farmer, the manager in the 1890s was the offering of white rum, firewater, as a supplement to wages and even as wages themselves. This of course enslaved the Indians since they became rapidly dependent on the alcohol and thus were always in debt to the estate since the cost of rations was also deducted from the pittance they received for their task work. Almost until the demise of the sugar industry in 2007, employees of Caroni 1975 Ltd. could acquire rum on credit from the distillery and have the cost deducted from their wage packets. In the 1950s, researcher Morton Klass recorded the lifeways of Indo Trinis in Felicity. In a typical sorrowfully poor shopping list for the fortnight, the average family stinted the basics,…one tin of sardines for five persons , a few pounds of flour and a bottle of oil; but never missed the half-bottle of puncheon rum. One of the banes of Indo Trinidadians, most people are angry when this is mentioned, but it is a sad reality with historic origins.
Disclaimer : Views expressed are that of the author . Not intended to offend anyone sector of population.

As a Hilarian, she was taught to be of service to her community while achieving and sustaining academic excellence. And, as a member of the enlisted corps in the US Air Force, Ayana Simone Hodges has been able to live those ideals.
With the Air Force’s core values of Integrity First, Service Before Self, and Excellence in All We Do, Hodges has found a mirror to the ideals and principles she was introduced to as a child.
“I have been grateful to have had numerous opportunities to build partnerships within communities in the States and abroad, mainly through outreach efforts focusing on disadvantaged children and youth and events aimed at strengthening relations with our host nation,” she told WMN.
Now, after 21 years of service, Hodges has been promoted to senior master sergeant (SMSgt), a rank which by law, is only granted to two per cent of the Air Force.
But going into military service was not her intention when she left TT at age 16. Back then, she had planned to study business and entrepreneurship, and be with her father and older sister who worked and studied in Long Island, New York.
She graduated from Bishop Anstey High School in 1999 and did the SAT exams (for US college admission). She was looking forward to starting her tertiary-level education at Norfolk State University in Norfolk, Virginia, as well as to spending time with her father, Anthony Stewart-Gilkes, who had moved there two years before in order to advance his career opportunities, and sister who was studying there.
Things did not work out as she had planned because circumstances changed. Instead, she found herself drawn to the idea of travelling, adventure, health benefits, education, and camaraderie, while making a positive impact. Her cousin, retired Lieutenant Colonel Vanessa Matthews-Grant was a captain in the Air Force at the time and, after doing some research, she decided to join thinking she could ask Matthews-Grant for any advice if necessary.
“I’ve always been someone who loves adventure and trying different things. Anything to do with travel, meeting different people, seeing new cultures, that has always been my thing thanks to my mother, Kathleen Stewart-Gilkes, who, from a very young age, exposed my sister and myself to different countries and being very open-minded to people in general.”
So, in 2000 at age 17, Hodges, who is a US citizen, joined the Air Force.
She told WMN she thought herself fit and did not think the Air Force would be as physically demanding as the army or marines. In TT, first in St James, Belmont and then Chaguanas as her family moved, she played tennis, danced, and was generally very active.
At five years old she started playing the piano and fell in love with classical music. She began classical training and continued until age 16. At age seven, while attending Sacred Heart Girls RC, she started taking ballet and modern jazz classes with Heather Henderson Gordon and continued dancing with Carol La Chapelle. In addition to the piano, she studied the steelpan and voice at Pan Piper’s Music School in St Augustine under the tutelage of Louise MacIntosh.


“I’m not somebody to shy away from a challenge or meeting people or immersing myself into something different. So, I said to myself, ‘okay, I’ve done all these things. Even though this will be something new, I think I’ll be okay.’ But I wasn’t ready for it. It was pressure!”
She said basic training taught her how to follow instructions while paying attention to details. But most importantly, it taught her and her fellow recruits to work as a team.
“You as an individual are not going to be good at everything. You might be good at one thing but your teammate might be good at another. If you come together and identify everyone’s strengths and help each other out, then you spend less time getting your things organised. It’s about getting you to see yourself as an airman and not as a civilian and to operate as a unit.”
She described the time as different and challenging but rewarding, and that feeling has continued throughout her career. Some of those challenges stemmed from her being a woman, a West Indian, or a person of colour. They caused “major setbacks” in her career and had a negative impact on her, but she was able to stay positive and continue to grow individually and professionally thanks to her faith, family and a strong network of extended family.
“I was able to remain positive, maintain a firm belief in myself, and turn a negative situation into a positive outcome. While difficult at the time, I believe these unfortunate experiences helped prepare me to be a positive role model for others who might find themselves in similar situations.
“I am happy to say the Air Force as an organisation has identified its shortcomings and is making great strides to build a strong diversity and inclusion initiative across the enterprise; something I am very passionate about and proud to be a part of.”
Another unexpected but positive turn was meeting the father of her two children in the military. Her son, Jaylen Hodges, 13, is “a wizard” with animals and science, and daughter, Jayla Hodges, ten, is also highly intelligent and interested in the arts.
Hodges said at times military life can be difficult for her and her children, particularly when they are separated due to deployment or being stationed in another country. Over her career, she has had deployments and assignments to Kansas, Las Vegas, North Carolina, Arkansas, Pakistan, Iraq, Kyrgyzstan, Qatar, Afghanistan, Germany, and South Korea where she is currently stationed.


“Without a doubt, as a mother, it has been challenging to be away from my children for months at a time, or in some cases over a year. Technology has assisted in easing that burden, but navigating time differences in an effort to communicate on a consistent basis is an ongoing challenge.”
The children’s father is a contractor in Kuwait and cannot assist, so when she is deployed or has remote assignments where family is not permitted, her relatives step in. They either stay with her sister, Nneka Green, in Virginia or in Trinidad with her family. And when stationed in the US, or whenever family is allowed, they moved with her.
“Everything that I do, I do for my kids. At the end of the day I know I’m doing this, making sacrifices, for their best interest and it has and will continue to benefit them.” They have had many opportunities many children have not. They have travelled and been educated in other countries, attended the best schools, and experienced many different cultures.
“I am extremely blessed and extremely grateful to have the type of family support that I do. It’s not often that a military member’s mother retires to support you when you have your first child, leaves their home country and flies to a different country to spend up to six months at a time every time their child needs support. And my mother has done that for me throughout my entire career.”
Hodges’s records went to the Air Force board in January; she was selected for the position of SMSgt on March 16. She has no intention of transferring from the enlisted corps to being an officer because she has a passion for people and prefers to deal with them in a more “hands on” capacity.


“While I have to say I am filled with nothing but utter admiration and respect for our senior leaders and policy makers, my strength lies within my abilities to train, mentor, motivate and develop our airmen. As an enlisted leader I have the ability to directly contribute to the growth of the younger airmen regardless of their career field.”
She said the Air Force provides her with the space and resources to develop and uplift airmen and help them reach their full potential while cultivating essential resiliency skills.
“That brings me tremendous joy and satisfaction. The fact that I am able to work with people from varied backgrounds and cultures as well as different agencies and organisations has enlightened my experiences and broadened my perspective on team dynamics and team building.”
She is a wing inspections team member, master resilience trainer, and diversity and inclusion facilitator for the wing, helping to promote, educate and ensure a culture of respect and dignity throughout the organisation.
She is also a sustainment services flight superintendent who oversees the logistics and day-to-to operations of three dining facilities, two hotels, a post office and a state-of-the-art fitness facility. This has allowed her to pursue her interest in business, as the position allows her the freedom to be creative and expressive while providing products and services which satisfy consumer needs and enhance overall purchasing power.
“Additionally, nothing excites me more than analysing, solving problems and seeing a process successfully completed from start to finish. And multiple leadership and management courses have been afforded to me as a benefit of being a member of the US Air Force.”
Hodges would love to be a United Nations ambassador when she retires. She also intends to continue working in her community, developing young people, while being an active Hilarian alumni supporting Old Hilarian Association endeavours and projects.
“It is important for us all to recognise no matter where folks may come from, or what they might look like, their value is immeasurable, and we were all created for a higher purpose. So never judge a book by its cover, but rather strive to see how someone’s gifts and talents can be utilised for the greater good. This will require that we aspire to see beyond the surface or beyond that exterior layer.
“Additionally, keep faith in whatever you believe, for anything is possible with hard work, dedication, and perseverance. Dare yourself to see each obstacle as an opportunity to grow in that moment for what is yet to come. Essentially, learn to embrace all forms of adversity. Lastly, be fearless in the pursuit of that which sets your soul on fire and unapologetically, spread your wings and fly!”
Source:  Newsday  April 4, 2021