KINGSTON, Jamaica- A four-day, streetside exhibition depicting the life and work of the late Bishop Carmen Stewart, one of Jamaica’s most trailblazing women, will open at 10:00 am, Friday, which is being observed as International Women’s Day, at the corner of Sea Breeze Avenue and Windward Road, Kingston 2.

Bishop Stewart died on International Women’s Day on March 8, 2020 at age 95.

The exhibition, which will be mounted in an open lot across the road from the Pentecostal Gospel Temple Family of Churches at 111 Windward Road, will run from Friday until Monday, March 11, from 10:00am to 7:00pm daily. The church was founded and pastored by Bishop Stewart for over 44 years.

The exhibition is being mounted by the CLS Foundation which is short for the Carmen Lois Stewart Foundation of which her children Stephen Stewart and Dr Carolyn Stewart are president and vice president, respectively.

Stephen explained that in keeping with the life she lived when she refused to relocate from the Windward Road community even after she was named Custos of St Andrew in 1992 and Deputy Governor General in 1996- the first female to hold those positions- the site of the exhibition was deliberately chosen.

“The significance of this street exhibition is that she was always about the community so it’s not being staged in any lofty setting; it’s being done in a way so that people can just walk off the street, children on their way from school can just walk through and view it,” Stephen said.

He explained further that members of the public will be able to see pictorial presentations and artefacts of his mother’s life, including her awards, honours and memorabilia.

“The exhibition is entitled ‘Testimony’ and the reason for this is that if you were to ask Bishop Stewart ‘how did you come to this stage where you’re so recognised in the community, she would tell you it’s because she put God first in her life,” said Stephen.

For her part, Dr Stewart said her mother’s personal theme which summed up her life was “Love the Lord and seek His glory alone”.

With this exhibition it’s as if she’s continuing to witness beyond the grave, it’s all about witnessing so that souls can understand the importance of seeking the glory of God and not man,” Dr Stewart said.

Stephen shared that the schools in the area, including the Wilbert Stewart Basic School which his mother founded in honour of her husband who died when he was 44 years old, leaving her a single parent, have been invited to view the exhibition. Other schools include Vauxhall High, Camperdown High, Dunnoon Technical High and Windward Road Primary.

Bishop Stewart was a counsellor, justice of the peace, a director of the Bureau of Health Education, the education arm of the Ministry of Health and Wellness, founding board member of Love FM and an honorary tutor at the University of the West Indies.

The CLS Foundation has done a lot of work in the Windward Road community including back-to-school and health fairs, keeping the legacy of Bishop Stewart, the woman affectionately called Sister Carmen, alive.