Dr Michelle Reis greets Colette Burnett from Brooklyn's Hot Wings Restaurants

By Walter Greene

At an impressive book launch in Harlem, DR. MICHELLE REIS, PhD, a
lecturer at the Institute of International Relations, the University of
the West Indies presented `Who's Who In The Trinidad and Tobago
Diaspora' a book that focuses on over 1000 people of Trinidad &Tobago
descent, living outside of their birth home,
who has made an impact on the world stage. The kaleidoscope of
personalities range from medical doctors and sports figures to
entrepreneurs and fashion icons. "This is just a tip of the iceberg,"
said Dr. Reis in an exclusive interview before the New York launch.
"Apart from the Trinibagonians who made a difference, the book include
businesses and associations, its a great resource guide and its
actually not finished. I'm doing an on-line version, since I've been on
tour with the book I've got 80 more lots to add." `Who's Who In The
Trinidad & Tobago Diaspora' is a comprehensive reference tool that
seeks to locate the Diaspora and highlights the achievements of
outstanding sons and daughters of the twin island republic.

A CELEBRATION
"The book celebrates Trinibagonians at home and in the Diaspora who
have dedicated themselves to their careers, community and country,"
emphasized Dr. Reis. "Basically I intended to do another book - a
mapping exercise of Trinidad and Tobago migration experience. I was
going to do a book on the steelband, energy resources and do a
comparison between various Diaspora countries in the Caribbean. When I
met with the publishers Caribbean Studies Press, I saw the book they
published on the Haitian version of this and they suggested I do a
Trinidad & Tobago version of the same."

GRANDMOTHER'S INFLUENCE & FORESIGHT
"When I went back to Trinidad and Tobago, the beginning of this book
came easily, because I always collected articles on Trinidad and Tobago
people who were doing significant things all over the world and saved
them in a file. Those were the first bios that became the start of this
book." She recalled her Grandmother, Elizabeth Pena who was a
seamstress, made shoes, crochet and was totally creative and saved
certain things. "I'd always ask her `Why don't you throw away these
things?' and she'd say; you never know when you can use certain
information. So saving those old clippings and information was the
start of my book."

EXCEPTIONAL SUBJECTS FEATURED
`Who's Who In the Trinidad and Tobago Diaspora' comes at a time when
Trinidad & Tobago is celebrating their 50th year of Independence and
some gems are gently placed among the pages like author, poet Maya
Angelou is celebrated and her Trinidad heritage is exposed. Obvious
luminaries like: CLR James, Roger Shim; singer/actress Heather Headley;
comedienne Hazelle Goodman; pop icon Nicki Minaj, actresses Nia Long
and Tatyana Ali; Kareem Abdul Jabbar; Geoffrey and Bosco Holder;
Calypso Rose; Billy Ocean; Shelly Dass-Clarke; Etienne Charles; Rosa
Guy; Eugene Chen and Ato Bolton. "This project is being launched at the
right time, we are looking at our history. I hope that some of these
people who would like to do things back home will be inspired to do so
to help in the development of their home country. My dream is to create
a center for Diaspora efforts. People who have projects will go through
the center because its not always easy to do so. Tobago is interested
in getting this book in their schools.....A
lot of history is documented in this book. For example, Hubert
Fauntleroy Julian, the first Black Aviator to cross the Atlantic is
Trinidadian, they called him `The Black Lindberg' He was born in
1897....These people led extraordinary lives, they were colorful
eccentric people."

DISAPPOINTING ASPECT
Dr. Reis expressed disappointment by not getting the necessary support
from Trinidad government Ministries and foreign Consular offices, but
saw that as a challenge to move forward. "It saddens me, but that
strengthens my resilience more than ever to ensure that this project is
successful." She says her strength to move forward and stay positive,
even when rejected by the powers that be, comes from her spirituality
and her gender.

LUMINAIRES PRESENT AT BOOK LAUNCH
Many of the book's subjects were in the audience at the recent New York
launch and praised Dr Reis
for a magnificent piece of history. Among them: Professor Charles
Green; entrepreneur Colette Burnett; M.A.C. Cosmetics Vice President of
Artistry Gordon Espinet; fashion designers Donna Dove, Greta Wallace
and Ashley Christmas; hairstylist to the stars Antonio Gonzales; writer
Peter Noel; celebrity blogger J Blessed; photographer Colin Williams,
Sunshine Awards Founder Gil Figaro and President of Pollen Nation/event
planner Colin Abraham who hosted
the event.