In a powerful testament to female leadership, the Jamaica Pegasus hotel recently hosted the ‘Women of Vision’ awards, a cornerstone event of the Plié for the Arts’ 10th-anniversary celebrations. The gala served as a vibrant platform to honor thirteen trailblazing Jamaican women whose professional excellence has forged lasting impacts across diverse sectors.
Acclaimed actress and director Phylicia Rashad, a keynote honoree, set the evening’s tone with a profound declaration: “Where the women go, the culture goes.” She emphasized the transformative power of female congregation, noting, “When women gather like this, there is magic that happens.”
The distinguished cohort of awardees represents a cross-section of Jamaica’s most influential figures. They include Appleton Estate Master Blender Joy Spence; Supreme Ventures CMO Heather Goldson; architect Isiaa Madden; Scotia Group CEO Audrey Tugwell Henry; entrepreneur Jacqui Tyson; Justice Simone Wolfe-Reece; public defender Carolyn Reid Cameron, KC; Olympic champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce; vascular surgeon Dr. Hilary Brown; Seaboard Freight CEO Corah Ann Robertson-Sylvester; ARC Manufacturing Deputy Chair Charlotte Horne-Hayles; and Lake Group CEO Lisa Lake Epstein.
The event, masterfully hosted by Adrian Atkinson, unfolded in two segments: an intimate forum dedicated to cultural leadership and connection, followed by the formal award ceremony. Marisa Benain, the founder and Artistic Director of Plié for the Arts, delivered an inspiring narrative of her journey. A self-described “dreamchaser,” Benain detailed her lifelong dedication to the arts and her commitment to philanthropy, which has facilitated over 25 scholarships for aspiring dancers at prestigious institutions like the Alvin Ailey School and Broadway Dance Centre.
The gala transcended a simple awards night, evolving into a strategic convergence of leaders from law, medicine, business, sports, and the arts, symbolizing a unified front for cultural advancement and female empowerment in Jamaica and beyond.