I want her life!

THERE are many local women who have been making strides in their careers and personal lives, some quietly, some in the limelight. These are the women who stand as role models for others; they may not be your typical ‘who I want to be when I grow up’, but they exude some quality, some je ne sais quoi, that makes them stand out.

Below are some of the women our readers readily identified as having lives they’d wish to emulate.

These women have excelled in various areas of the Jamaican community ranging from sports, entertainment and media to politics.

1. Shermaine Robotham

She’s the public relations agent at Health and Communications Projects and previously worked at the Ministry of Health, Students’ Loan Bureau, and Jamaica Public Service. Robotham studied at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, USA.

“She is a career woman who is truly dedicated to her family. She has a bubbly personality and no matter what’s going on with her, she is smiling” said small businesswoman Julia Smith. “She has a very dynamic personality.”

2. Portia Simpson Miller

“Because I believe that Jamaica needs deep-seated changes and that has to start at the top,” said Rose Marie Grant. “That is something that she practises.”

“She is a strong woman who is from the old school,” added Heather, a Linstead resident. “To see that she was so poor and rose to such a high position, woman power!”

Simpson Miller first became Jamaica’s seventh prime minister in March 2006. Her ascension to Jamaica’s highest political office came after having served for 17 years as a cabinet minister with portfolio responsibility for labour, social security and sport; tourism, entertainment and sport; and local government, community development and sport.

3. Yendi Phillipps

Former Miss Jamaica (World) and Miss Universe Jamaica, model, dancer, and TV personality, Phillipps was the first Jamaican to ever finish second in a Miss Universe pageant.

“She always tries to be herself no matter how people criticise her or what they have to say about her,” said hairdresser Stacy-Ann Bent. “She stands up for what she believes in. She is a go-getter and always seems to aim for the top. The sky is the limit for her. And she always has a smile on her face, no matter what.”

4. Dionne Jackson-Miller

A Jamaican journalist for nearly 20 years, Jackson-Miller is an attorney-at-law who hosts the daily radio programme Beyond the Headlines on RJR 94 FM and the weekly television programme All Angles on TVJ.

In 2013 Jackson-Miller was elected as journalist of the year and last year was voted in as president of the Press Association of Jamaica. “She is one person I would listen to morning, noon and night,” Yvette Billings said. “She is very intelligent and full of facts.”

5. Khadine ‘Miss Kitty’ Hylton

Entertainer, author, radio host and Digicel ambassador, Miss Kitty has become an inspiration to many women.

“Her ability to code-switch and transform according to the setting so smoothly and flawlessly is just amazing,” said university student Keneisha Wilson. “Her ambition to be the absolute best and to acquire the finest things in life while being down-to-earth and not forgetting where she is coming from reflects my ambition. I also admire the love she has for her mother and how she constantly expresses that love. That is how I would like to achieve my goals and provide my father with some of the things he could not afford as a result of the sacrifice he made to ensure that my goals and aspirations were met.”

6. Natalia OH

Natalia Outar, fashion enthusiast and blogger, has been making an impression on those who are into fashion on a small budget. She is the founder and voice behind the popular Jamaican fashion and lifestyle blog, Natalia Oh. “She would be my choice,” said Nicolia Harris, dressmaker/do-it-yourself designer. “I don’t think a lot of people  know about her, but she is a breath of fresh air and she takes fashion to a different level. Simple but fabulous!”

7. Alia Atkinson

Alia Atkinson made swimming history last year by becoming the first black woman to win a world swimming title — the women’s 100m breaststroke — at the world short-course championships in Doha, Qatar.

“I would want to be her, without a doubt,” said Karen Bernard, who professed to be a lover of sports. “She has really been making Jamaica proud.”

8. Tessanne Chin

The Voice winner has the hearts of many Jamaicans, including legal secretary Terry Rochester. “Plain and straight, that is my girl,” said Rochester. “She is a role model to women, showing that you can use your God-given talents to make something of yourself and be independent.”