My mom was born in the early 70’s in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, but lived most of her life on the island on Mustique before coming to the USA in the early 2000’s.

Q: When you were living back home did you see a lot of movements and activism for women’s rights?

A: No

Q: Did you feel like women during your time had a voice or a dominant place in society?

A: I am not sure, because I lived in Mustique [small private island]. So I did not really question or was not really exposed to things like that. I never felt that division while living there. But I did remember the Teachers Union March in St.Vincent.

Q: What was that about?

A: A group of teachers walked out to protest their rights on certain things, it was a powerful thing, but still sad.

Q: Was it successful? Did it bring about any change?

A: Very little change. The Prime Minister at the time, ordered troops to tear gas them during the protest.

Many countries are not as powerful and educated as America. We just go with the flow sometimes. Women knew their place and stuck to it. I never questioned my role as a woman.

• My mother also detailed to me about a time she was slapped by my grandmother for not giving food to her step-father at the time. She felt like as the man of the house he had a responsibility to take care of them. But my mom had to support my grandmother and her 5 other siblings, along with her step-father. My grandmother enforced obedience to men in the household. My mom also mentioned that her role as the care-taker and the bread-winner gave her a sense of independence and she thinks it made her the strong and assertive person she is today.