PRESS/MEDIA
Learn more about Melissa’s past and upcoming appearances, featured events, speaking engagements and news features from print to podcasts.
Over three dozen distinguished honorees were recognized as Caribbean Life hosted its 2023 annual Caribbean Impact Awards presented by Elliot Ifraimoff & Associates P.C, Injury Attorneys.
38 honorees strutted their stuff, on the red carpet, before over 570 effervescent patrons, to pulsating Caribbean music before receiving their prestigious award in Queens, NY. Guyanese-American Melissa Noel, the founder of Mel&N Media Group and news and politics editor for Essence magazine, was the emcee for the evening.
New York is a melting pot of so many cultures, but to describe Caribbean Americans – it’s best to use an example of a “chopped salad,” where you can see all the different cultures and islands represented. The representation was on full display throughout the heart of Brooklyn for the Tropical Fete Carnival Festival. “I’m a proud Guyanese American,” shared one of the emcees Melissa Noel. She explained the fashion and vibrant colors we see during carnival celebrations are meant to make a statement.
“A lot of it came from fighting against forces trying to keep them from celebrating their roots, whether that’s drumming you know celebrating your freedom,” Noel shared.
With support from the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) as the recipient of the Ethel Payne Fellowship for Reporting on Africa, Melissa Noel reported on the story, “Beyond The Return: Black Women Entrepreneurs In U.S. & Africa Fueling Movement For Future Partnerships” for ESSENCE online. The article was published on March 31, 2021
Noel’s story provides insight on how the desire to “further expand African connections is driven by unique cultural experiences, educational exchanges and improved economic mobility.”
Learn more about Melissa’s upcoming appearances, featured events, speaking engagements and news features from print to podcasts.