Brown Gyal Diary's 2nd Annual Indo-Caribbean Women's Empowerment Brunch Mother's Day edition will be the perfect way to celebrate Mother's Day with your family this year. This, curated experience highlighting powerful Indo-Caribbean women who are creating a pathway for our community, despite the difficulties we may encounter. We are building confidence and mental wellbeing through collaboration and togetherness. We are creating a boss-babe space where Indo-Caribbean are represented.

Speakers:

Zaheera Mohammed

Mother, Blogger, Activist, Stylist, Influencer

Instagram: @zaheee22

Melinda Rickson

Mother & owner of Endless Trims; providing our customers with the highest quality and best selection for their artistic designs. For that reason, we carry a wide variety of products from around the world.

Denise Saleh

Mother & Owner of Hivewell Beauty

Hivewell Beauty Co. opened up in 2022. The space represents a group of women coming together to better the collective, living purposefully and with intention. Denise leads the space as an Advanced Skincare Specialist incorporating a mindful approach to skin, beauty and wellness. Denise is second generation Canadian, raised in Mississauga, Ontario. She is kin to Jeevan Balkissoon originating from Trinidad and Tobago and Sumirtie (Angie) Balkissoon originating from Guyana. Denise resides in Mississauga with her husband and two sons and truly believes in the emergence of a healing generation through mind, body and spirit, that “self-love slowly opens the door to love for all beings; as self-love flourishes within the individual, we become less interested in harming others.” (Yung Pueblo). Being a mother to two young boys is what motivates her to do the inner work and guide them to kindness, patience and gratitude.

Saira Batasar-Johnie

Student Affairs Coordinator/Part-time Professor, Author, Child and Youth Care Practitioner, Mom

Saira Batasar-Johnie locates herself as a brown, Indo-Caribbean Canadian cisgender woman of Indo-Caribbean/South Asian Indian descent and 1st generation settler in T’karonto/Toronto, Ontario situated on the territory of the Anishinaabe, Mississaugas of the New Credit and Haudenosaunee Peoples, with recognition to "The Dish With One Spoon" wampum and Treaty 13. Saira’s parents were immigrants escaping violence, oppression and poverty in Guyana and Trinidad. Saira is a Child and Youth Care Practitioner that currently works in post-secondary as a Student Affairs Coordinator and Part-time Professor across the GTA. She is also a mom, wife, daughter, sister and friend. Saira is passionate about bringing the history of Indo-Caribbeans to the newest diaspora of young people. She hopes to educate young people with her words and inspire them to continue their journey of understanding themselves in this world.

Instagram: @saira.batasar.johnie

The brunch is a way for Indo-Caribbean women to feel empowered and united in a space with women who have similar cultural practices and understandings. The event will feature speakers, vendors, local Indo-Caribbean business owners, Indo-Caribbean talent, and goody bags!