As the world continues to celebrate Women’s History Month in

March, one Caribbean-based organization is doing its part to empower women

throughout the region by helping them take charge of their lives.

We Inspire Women, a movement that was originally created in Jamaica, shares stories behind the sisterhood, by solidifying networks for the global advancement of women and girls.

The sisterhood hosted its first fashionable affair in Trinidad and Tobago at the Hyatt Regency Trinidad with the theme “Paving It Forward In Purple”, where 50 influential women connected and creating lasting relationships in the spirit of International Women’s Day.

At its very core, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the organization, Cortia Bingham McKenzie wanted to provide an outlet to share her own story of trials and adversity over the years.

“My beginnings were not the most favourable,” she admits. “Some thought that based on my humble start and my experience of abuse as a teen and later as a young adult, that the happy, successful and fulfilled woman I am today would not have been possible.”

Bingham McKenzie decided to share her story along with the success strategies she had learned over the years, which transcended into mobilizing other women to tell their stories and strengthen sisterhood through accelerated networking. Thus, the organization was born.

According to the seasoned communications professional, JMMB has been a powerful ladder to the We Inspire Women brand’s success in Jamaica, which has now entered the shores of Trinidad and Tobago.

“The support started in 2017 with JMMB Jamaica and seamlessly migrated to JMMB T&T. It will always be important to align with brands that share our values of Love, Integrity, Sisterhood & Nation Building and our partnership with JMMB encapsulates that.”

Together with the Sapphire Miriam Foundation, We Inspire Women T&T also hosted a vision board session at the Servol Life Centre, La Romaine, where girls from that school, as well as Holy Faith Convent Penal, Penal Secondary and Fyzabad Secondary, were in attendance.

“They were excited and engaging. We gave them the strategies to manifest big dreams and to start adjusting their behaviour to match their future potential,” Bingham Mckenzie professed.

In 2020, We Inspire Women is celebrating 5 years of success, and in celebration of this milestone, the organization coined the tag, “MAKE ROOM 2020”.

“For growth to take place in our lives, we must make room by stepping out in faith,” explained the CEO. “Though we may experience discomfort and uncertainty of the unknown, it is critical to trust that once, we make the decision to grow, opportunities will arise for us to tap into our greatness.”

With the success of the inaugural event in Trinidad and Tobago, plans are already underway for more events under the We Inspire Women umbrella. Bingham McKenzie said that the format is to subsidize the costs, so that women and girls are able to come into the space and experience the gift of powerful stories and enlightenment.

“My desire is to see women show up as the C.E.O. of their own lives. Representation is extremely important for us as women to create a legacy for our girls, so that they will know what a ‘Strong Woman’ looks like so they can follow this example.”

.Tenille Clarke is an avid wanderlust, Carnivalist and cultural enthusiast who pens about her ongoing love affair with travel, culture and entertainment through a Caribbean lens. She is the Principal Publicist of Chambers Media Solutions and Managing Director of Industry 360