Seeking to inspire a future premier of the Virgin Islands or perhaps the second chief justice of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court to hail from the VI, the Rotary Club of Road Town and Follow the Movement hosted the territory’s first I am a Lady seminar at U.P.’s Cineplex on Thursday.
About 200 high school seniors from various schools attended.
The event started with group sessions on topics including leadership, personal appearance, professional presentation and social media. The girls then heard from guest speakers, including one who had them rapt: Shonovia Thomas.
Ms. Thomas told the girls that she is serving a sentence at Her Majesty’s Prison for manslaughter, and she advised them to do whatever they can to make sure they never wind up there.
“I am speaking from my experience and from my heart,” she said, recounting the daily indignities of prison life, including lack of privacy, restrictive rules on clothing, and the tendency to be treated as a liar no matter how you behave in prison, “even if you’re working hard to prove yourself.”
“You have control over your life now,” she said. “Don’t ever come to the prison and let the prison control you.”
See the Oct. 23, 2014 edition for full coverage.
{fcomment}