For 20 years, publicist and journalist Glenda Cadogan has highlighted New York’s Caribbean-American community. A native of Trinidad and Tobago, Cadogan attended the University of the West Indies before relocating to New York city.
“As much as I love my homeland, sometimes you want to explore something bigger than the borders of a tiny island,” said Cadogan. “I came here with the hope of broadening my perspective. I am an explorer of sorts, the first pioneer from my family to live abroad.”
Cadogan studied journalism at the New York University, and wrote articles for Caribbean Life, City Sun, New York Amsterdam News, and The Immigrant’s Journal.
“The voice of the Caribbean community was very quiet, with stories about immigration or Carnival,” said Cadogan. “We are so much more, but our lives are ignored. I saw the need and niche, and decided to fill both. But these days, things are almost worse than in the ’80s.”
So Cadogan established Mauby Media Services, promoting the West Indian Day Carnival Association and the Emancipation Support Committee of Trinidad and Tobago. She coordinated the historic visit of Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, and manages media campaigns for state Sen. Kevin Parker.
“This honor is well-deserved and frankly, past due,” said Parker. “Glenda has given her whole professional life to journalism and serving the community, with an immense talent and a heart for giving. I am so very proud of her and so happy she’s being recognized for all the wonderful things she’s done, and hoping this fires her up for another lifetime of good works!”
The Caribbean Life Impact Award “means I’ve made an impact worthy of notice and I’m being recognized for that,” said Cadogan, who says it is a pride akin to becoming an initiate Yoruba priestess. “It’s about finally getting to live the essence of my name, Ayorinde, which means ‘joy walks in.’ ”
