The Reef By CuisinArt is not yet open to tourists visiting Anguilla, but on Sunday evening, March 7, 2021, its Yacht Club Restaurant was the scene of one of the largest “Hats & Heels” events in the five-year history of the women’s organisation.
The well-organised, and spectacular event was, truly, as the theme suggested, one of “Women Empowering Women”. The immediate area of the Yacht Club, in front of the attractive swimming pool, was taken up by an array of table and chairs for the event which included a buffet dinner. It was a most colourful scene as women, of all ages and stations of life, appeared in what might have been their best dresses, hats and shoes from their closets. Many of the dresses and hats were believed to have been special personal creations and designs for the occasion – or were purchased in Anguilla’s growing fancy apparel stores.
In addition to the menu, it was an evening of speeches by a number of specially-selected women. They comprised the Minister of Education and Social Development, Ms. Dee-Ann Kentish Rogers; Dr. Ronya Foy-Connor, Director of Gender Affairs; Dr. Michelle Queeley, who spoke on Women in Education; Mrs. Janine Edwards, Women in Tourism; Ms. Carencia Rouse, Choose to Challenge Women Inequalities; Janay Reymond, The Importance of a Woman’s Voice; Lisa Rey, Women in Fitness; and Mrs. Jade Richardson, the Hats and Heels President, who gave a round-up of the event and expressed gratitude to all the women for their participation.
The Hats & Heels event, a precursor to the celebration of International Women’s Day, on March 8, was hosted by Mrs. Shellya Rogers-Webster.
Among those in attendance were the recently-appointed Governor of Anguilla, Dileeni Daniel-Selvaratnam; and the Parliamentary Secretary for Economic Development, Tourism and Natural Resources, Mrs. Quincia Gumbs- Marie.
In her welcome remarks, Minister Kentish-Rogers told her fellow women: “The Ministry of Social Development, and the Gender Affairs Unit, celebrate International Women’s Day starting March 8, 2021. This year’s day of recognition and acknowledgement runs under the theme: ‘Women in Leadership: Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world’. To this end, the Gender Affairs Unit chose to highlight the achievements of our 2021 Women’s Week honourees under the theme: ‘Leading Ladies Born to Cherish’.
“In Anguilla, we have many women as leaders in a wide variety of areas and industries. This is, of course, worthy of celebration – and celebrate them, we do. Even as we celebrate women who are in leadership now, the ones leading in different sectors, we must also remember that these achievements will not tell their full story.
“That is not your message of feminism. It is not about having some women in the highest places being satisfied, believing that the work is done. We must spend more time, more action, and more intervention, helping those who are most vulnerable among us. But the truth is that women and girls are, more often than not, more likely to fall apart of that group. For feminism to be truly successful, we must be able to create safer, healthier, more equitable uplifting conditions for all women – especially those in the most challenging circumstances.
Foy-Connor
“It is precisely for that reason that it gives me pleasure, on behalf of the Government of Anguilla, to thank our 2021 Women’s Week honourees who have paid attention to the most vulnerable among us – the elderly, the sick, the hungry, the children, and the naked. These honourees simply saw people’s needs and stood in the gap in order to ensure that those needs were met.”
The Minister added: “They met those needs by addressing each problem fairly, understanding that issues require solutions that are tailored to the needs of the people that face those issues. That is feminism in action.”
The event included the distribution of various prizes and gifts to a number of women for their roles in the Hats & Heels function and their work in the Anguillian community.
