Girls First 2024!
Ages 13 – 18 Years
Sunday 28th July, 2024 │Bishop Anstey High School East, Trincity
Sunday 4th August, 2023 │Magdalena Grand Beach Resort, Tobago
About Girls First
Girls First is a ground-breaking conference dedicated to inspiring, empowering, and supporting girls to realize their full potential. The event aims to bring together girls from diverse backgrounds and interests to foster personal growth, leadership development, and meaningful connections. Through a series of engaging sessions, interactive workshops, and inspiring talks, Girls First creates a safe and inclusive space where girls can gain valuable skills, build self-confidence, and envision a future full of possibilities.
Girls First Founder – Karen Darbasie
First Citizens Group Chief Executive Officer
2023 Highlights
Girls First 2024
Our premier girls empowerment event is back! Girls First “Dream Dare Do!” encapsulates the essence of our initiative: encouraging girls to dream big, dare to step out of their comfort zones, and take tangible steps toward achieving their goals.
Hosted by:
Whitney Husbands (Trinidad)
Ainka Williams (Tobago)
Attendees can look forward to a day of:
Interactive Workshops
Inspirational Talks
Career Fair and Networking
Entertainment
Prizes and much more
Bringing the vibes:
DJ Charlotte (Trinidad)
DJ Del (Tobago)
Featured Talks
Ignite the Dream
During this motivational session, participants will hear about our Speaker’s journey from daring to dream big to turning aspirations into reality. By sharing their challenges, triumphs, and belief in perseverance, our speaker’s will highlight that anything is achievable with self-belief.
The “Ignite the Dream” segment aims to inspire girls to recognize their passions, set goals, and cultivate the confidence and resilience to conquer hurdles. Through creating a supportive and inclusive atmosphere, this segment encourages girls to embrace their individuality, honour their strengths, and view challenges as avenues for growth.
Trinidad Speaker
Solange Govia
Solange Govia, a Ryerson University graduate, is a respected costume designer known for quality designs and cultural contributions in the Carnival Fraternity. She works with HARTS and Lost TRIBE, showcasing her talent internationally. Solange’s detail-oriented designs cater to modern women, earning her recognition in the entertainment industry. Her work has been featured in Essence, Allure, and the New York Times, reflecting her growing popularity. Committed to high standards and celebrating women’s diversity, she collaborates with a creative team to showcase Caribbean beauty.
Tobago Speaker
Kimmi Potts
With a background in folk dance and theatre, Kimmi Potts formalized her dance career at the University of the West Indies, earning certificates in Dance Education and a Bachelor of Arts in Dance. She evolved into a Dance Practitioner, Arts Educator, and Multicultural Entertainer. Recognized for her achievements, she excels in community service, the performing arts, and team collaboration. Notable awards include Ms Tobago Heritage Personality 2009, the Kenton John Award in 2023, and the Tobago Youth Award 2023 in Performing Arts.
Dare to Do
This inspiring segment will feature prominent female entrepreneurs who will share their experiences and insights on breaking barriers and promoting innovation and social change.
Whether it’s mastering a new skill, advocating for a cause, or unleashing a passion project, our “Dare to Do” festival segment will challenge girls to be fearless and push beyond their limits, igniting their inner leader and unlocking a world of possibilities. This is the moment for our attendees to unleash their untapped potential and show the world what they’ve got!
Trinidad Speaker
Kathryn Nurse
Kathryn Nurse, a Cosmetic Chemist, combined her passion for science and glamour to create Immortelle Beauty, a company that offers Caribbean lifestyle to women worldwide. After completing a Diploma in Fashion Management from the University of Trinidad & Tobago’s Caribbean Academy of Fashion and Design, she pursued a Masters in Luxury Brand Management in Shanghai, Florence, and Paris. Her goal is to inspire customers to expect more from local brands and encourage other businesses to meet these expectations.
Tobago Speaker
Abeni Taylor
Abeni K.S Taylor, a serial entrepreneur from Carnbee Village in Tobago, founded various businesses under A.T Enterprise Ltd, including the School of Foreign Language-Tobago, the Foreign Language Bookstore and Resource Center, EyeForYouTT, AT Farms Ltd., and Blended 868 By Beni. She began teaching French and Spanish at her private school and has since won multiple awards for her teaching and entrepreneurship. She creates innovative products and services that generate steady income and has been a “Forty Under Forty” National Service Influencer, mentoring students on their growth and development. Her ability to create income-generating endeavours and effectively influence preteens and teens is a testament to her entrepreneurial spirit.
2024 Workshops
Mind Matters – Self-Care and Wellness
A dynamic and engaging workshop designed specifically for young women to explore mental health and develop effective coping strategies. In this supportive and interactive session, teens will discover tools to enhance their mental well-being, manage stress, and navigate life’s challenges with resilience. This workshop will also address the impact of social media on mental health. Teens will learn strategies for maintaining a healthy balance with digital devices, managing screen time, and navigating social media in a way that promotes well-being and prevents potential negative effects.
Social Savvy – Digital Media Training
Through captivating activities, dynamic discussions, and practical exercises, participants will master the basics of well-known social media platforms and understand how to use social media for personal and professional advancement. This workshop is ideal for both newcomers to social media and those wishing to improve their abilities. It provides a nurturing space for learning and collaboration, where attendees can explore strategies for crafting engaging content that connects with their audience and engage in conversations about digital citizenship, online security, and privacy.
Empowered & Aware – Personal Safety
The personal safety workshop will provide comprehensive and empowering tips designed to equip young girls with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to prioritize their personal safety in various environments. This interactive workshop aims to foster awareness, assertiveness, and practical strategies for staying safe and making informed decisions in today’s world.
Dollar $igns – Financial Literacy
This financial literacy workshop will teach the basics of budgeting and the fundamentals of banking. This introductory course will equip patrons with an understanding of how savings accounts work and much more.
Workshop Facilitators – Trinidad
Mind Matters – Self-Care and Wellness
Dr. Garbielle Alexander
Dr. Gabrielle Alexander is a psychiatrist with almost a decade of dedicated service in medical care and mental health, and is a strong advocate for the tenet “There is No Health without Mental Health”. Dr. Alexander earned her medical degree from the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus Jamaica and then completed postgraduate studies in the Doctor of Medicine (DM) Psychiatry at the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus, Trinidad. She also has a special interest in holistic feminine health and has promoted its education through leading the health workshop in the First Citizens Girls First Conference over the past seven years.
Social Savvy – Digital Media Training
Asha Maharaj
Asha is an International Gender and Development Expert with an Honours Baccalaureate in International Development from the University of Guelph, and a Master’s with Distinction in Gender and Development Studies from the University of the West Indies.
She has worked with, and for, women and girls at all levels and takes every opportunity she gets to have real conversations with young women.
Empowered & Aware – Personal Safety
Vidal Sealey
Security Operations Manager at First Citizens, Vidal Sealey has over twenty-two (22) years’ experience in the multifaceted field of Security & Safety Management in the Corporate environment. He is a leader of security teams, with specialization in Security Education and Personal Safety Training, Regulatory Compliance, Background Checks, and Vendor Vulnerability Assessments and is also highly skilled in Krav Maga, an Israeli martial art.
Dollar $igns – Financial Literacy
Shinelle Fletcher
Shinelle possesses a Masters of Business Administration from the Edinburgh Business School, Heriot-Watt University and a BSc in Management Studies with a minor in Finance and Psychology. Shinelle has been with the First Citizens Group for over 11 years and has been a member of the Management team for approximately 3 years. Throughout this time she served as part of a core team responsible for investing and creating wealth for customers and more recently developing strategies geared towards sustaining financial wellbeing. Her definition of financial management supersedes money and banking and moves into the realm of decision making, empowerment, confidence and independence. She attributes her career, personal and educational achievements to this belief system and hopes to share with others in their pursuit to “level up”.
Workshop Facilitators -Tobago
Mind Matters – Self-Care and Wellness
Dr. Alina Williams
A Clinical Psychologist at the Scarborough General Hospital with 11 years of clinical and teaching experience across various Caribbean institutions. In 2019, Dr. Williams was named by the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs as a “40 Under 40” influencer. In 2020, she was appointed as a member of the “Roadmap to Recovery Working Group,” charged with restoring and developing the Health and Wellness sector of Tobago. Her passion is to raise the awareness of mental health and stress-related disorders through frank and open discussions.
Social Savvy – Digital Media Training
Korice Nancis
Founder & Managing Director of Fibroid Awareness Trinidad & Tobago, a social entrepreneur, community and tourism development enthusiast.
With a background in Communications Designing and Social Entrepreneurship, Korice brings a wealth of knowledge to this workshop. Her qualifications comprise an MSc in International Development from the University of Birmingham and a BA in Media & Communications from the University of the West Indies – Mona.
Empowered & Aware – Personal Safety
Vidal Sealey
Security Operations Manager at First Citizens, Vidal Sealey has over twenty-two (22) years’ experience in the multifaceted field of Security & Safety Management in the Corporate environment. He is a leader of security teams, with specialization in Security Education and Personal Safety Training, Regulatory Compliance, Background Checks, and Vendor Vulnerability Assessments and is also highly skilled in Krav Maga, an Israeli martial art.
Dollar $igns – Financial Literacy
Shenel Brathwaite
Shenel is a seasoned financial expert with over twelve (12) years of experience in the financial industry. Throughout her banking career, she has successfully navigated various aspects of finance; including investments, risk management and planning. She currently holds the position of a Loans Customer Services Representative at the First Citizens Milford Road Branch, Tobago. Shenel is also currently pursuing studies at the School of Business and Computer Science to earn her ACCA accreditations, having plans of becoming a certified accountant.
Join the Girls First Community – @FCGirlsFirst
In today’s world, creating a lasting impact goes beyond the boundaries of physical events. To extend the reach of our event, inspire behaviour change, and empower individuals to make a positive difference, we have created an Online Community on Instagram where young women can feel inspired, share their thoughts and stay up-to-date on trending topics.