Platform: Breaking Barriers: The journey from homemakers to CEO
Biography: Twenty one year old Ruqayyah Boyer is an amalgam of international identities – born in Suriname to a Guyanese mother and a Surinamese father, she spent her first two years in the Dutch-speaking South American country before moving to Canada where she spent the next five years. Later on, Ruqayyah moved to her mother’s home country of Guyana here she has resided to this day.
This early experience as well as her dual heritage became the foundation for not only her bilingual abilities (Dutch/English) but a passion for global affairs. A second year International Relations student at the University of Guyana whose goal is a career in political sciences and law, preferably within the United Nations framework. Prior to this, this young Ambassador would have completed her two years of sixth form at the St. Stanislaus College, where she was a part of many extra curricular activities some of which included, Volunteering at the National Library, embarking on group activities through the Rotaract Club and also working her passion in the entertaining Arts.
In addition to her educational endeavours, Ruqayyah has had a stellar launch into the world of fashion and pageantry, Firstly partaking in the Miss Guyana talented teen pageant, going on to represent the land of many waters at the Miss Teen Universal and the returning with the experience of a lifetime and handily winning the Miss Linden Town Week 2010 – copping trophies for Best Talent, Evening Gown, Body Beautiful and Intelligence – before receiving top billing in fashion events like Guyana Fashion Week 2010, Roger Gary Fashion Show which was a part of the Miss Guyana Earth Pageant and also making an appearance in magazines such as Profiles 98 Edition and De Pulse which is yet to be released this year.
This young beauty is the epitome of the word “multitalented” with an avid interest in writing Spoken word poetry and Music, theatrical arts, photography, dance, singing and also scrap booking. She is part of a newly formed singing group called the Peppa Barbies, which includes local talents such as Jackie Hanover, Lisa Punch and Tennecia DeFreitas. In addition she is currently working on releasing two solo singles before July at the Brutal Recording Studios.
Ruqayyah Boyer’s first walk in front of the camera came from Playing a role in a local Linden Film called Ole house pun Ole house part 2, written and produced by a local film writer named, Michael James. After this venture she actively became a part of acting in plays at the Lichas Theatre Arts. However after moving to the capital city, her role in acting was put on pause to work on her music and also to pursue her academics. She is also an avid sportswoman and fitness fan, having had a background in tracking, field and swimming. She also loves the nature which is why she is currently seeking to play an active role in saving Guyana’s forest in an effort to erradicate global warming and mitigate climate change through the bold and innovative inniative, “The low carbon development strategy”.
Her aim, ultimately, is to fulfill Mohandas Karamchand Ghandi’s famed exhortation – one of her favourite quotation – to “Be the change you want to see in the world.”
Charming Righteous and advancement is what her name Ruqayyah means and she humbly remarks. “Thank you to my Parents for they named me well.”
Content posted with permission from Nikosa Holland (Franchise Holder and National Director of the Miss Guyana World Pageant)