We had the good fortune of connecting with Gabrielle Gay and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Gabrielle, what role has risk played in your life or career?
I believe that calculated risk is absolutely incredible and so needed for success. I genuinely took so many risks in my career and I wouldn’t change a thing. For example, our Gabrielle Gay Award for Excellence in Reading and Literacy Mentorship Programme and The Femme Lex Cohort Programme of The Erline Bradshaw Foundation – are the first, largest and most awarded education programmes of their unique kind to come out of the Caribbean Americas. Being the “first” to do something is incredible, but also risky. There is no “blue print”, no guide book on how to begin. But as with all things innovation – it’s key to pray, do the necessary research required, and then take the leap! I genuinely would never have achieved the success I did without taking calculated risks. We all should experience removing ourselves from the mundane comfort zones, even if once. What is one thing that you’ve always desired to do? What hobby, place of travel, or field of study has been relentlessly on your mind for years? I encourage you to try it at least once, you won’t regret it! At the very best : it will be successful, at the very least, you will learn such beautiful, uncomfortable and valuable lessons that will take you wisely through the seas of life. Make a well researched plan. Take the risk. You just might change your life in the best ways ever.

Please tell us more about your work. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?

Imagine having an audacious dream to change the world through education. Picture yourself pursuing that dream relentlessly, even in the face of daunting obstacles and hardships. Can you fathom the heartache of being told, as a young girl, that your ideas could never work simply because they had never been done before? Yet, despite it all, you possessed the courage to pursue them anyway. This is my extraordinary journey to becoming the Founder of The Erline Bradshaw Foundation : the #1 Education Foundation in Barbados, and the creator of Barbados’ and the Caribbean’s most revolutionary education programs of their kind!

It all began at the tender age of five where I immersed myself in beloved classics, such as Jane Austen, Mark Twain, and Robert Louis Stevenson, and every encyclopedia I could get my hands on! This love of reading and knowledge prompted me, at just 10 years old, to become a regular caller on the Voice of Barbados Call-In Program, earning the nickname “Tom’s Gabby” and named the “Outstanding Child of the Year” on V.O.B. 92.9 FM. The Seventh Day Adventist church and schools played an active role in my development as well. I must thank my parents, particularly my mother Mrs. Margaret Gay who always encouraged my every pursuit. This rich tapestry set the foundation for my first ever Education Programme!

But it was not without challenges. When I initially presented this idea to the gatekeepers of Education at the time: they didn’t understand, and didn’t a need for it. Thus, I didnt receive any of the funding or grants available, as it simply had never been done before. But I knew it would work, and I was confident that making Education accessible and Reading fun for the youth: would produce massive, sustainable impact for all!

I was crushed, but I was determined. Therefore, at the tender age of 13, with just my tiny allowance I had saved up, and my mother’s blessing: I launched The Gabrielle Gay Award for Excellence in Reading and Literacy Mentorship Programme in five schools. The programme was an instant and massive success, exploding across the intellectual landscape of Barbados. Today, it has been implemented in over 118 primary, secondary, and tertiary institutions across Barbados, the Caribbean, and beyond. Our groundbreaking program goes beyond promoting literacy; it also focuses on mental health, recognizing the profound connection between the two. Through our Graduation awards, reading sessions, and leadership mentorship, my program fosters a love for reading and empowers students to become leaders in their communities. Collaborating with learning psychologists, the program provides crucial support to remedial readers and offers assistance to parents. It also partners with NGOs and corporate entities to ensure libraries are stocked with donated books. It pays school tuitions and provides uniforms and shoes to students in countries like Sierra Leone, India, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Ghana, Tanzania, Jamaica, Malawi, and Vanuatu. To date: we hold the the distinction of being the first, longest-running, and most awarded reading programme of its kind in Barbados and the Caribbean.

We also made history for education in Barbados, becoming the only Barbadian education initiative in the country’s 54-year history to be recognized by Queen Elizabeth II in the prestigious 2018 Queens Young Leaders Award Programme for our pioneering work across the Commonwealth, and in 2020 I became the first Barbadian to be selected as a certified World Literacy Foundation Ambassador, partnering with the World Literacy Foundation to uplift over 400,000 children out of poverty through education in Colombia.

Taking this calculated risk has allowed me to continually break records and create history: for example, I am deeply honored to be the first Barbadian to be conferred the following titles: World Literacy Ambassador, Sustainable Development Goals Champion for Education in The Prime Minister’s Office of Barbados, United Nations AIS Ambassador, and United Nations Youth Advisory Group Representative for Barbados and the OECS for Education!

It is truly testament to the fact that sometimes: you simply need to bet on YOU. With prayer, planning and calculated risk: I achieved what was said to be impossible! But, I’m never one to rest on laurels for too long. At The Erline Bradshaw Foundation we continue to innovate Education in multiple sectors such as Law and STEM. In 2021, I created and launched The Femme Lex and Femme STEM Cohorts. These initiatives provide young women from Small Island Developing States, developing countries, and marginalized communities in developed countries with vital opportunities for certified mentorship, mental health support, education, internships, and advancement in the fields of law and STEM. Born out of the urgent need to address the education gaps exacerbated by the pandemic, as well as the global demand for governance focused on Small Island Developing States, the Femme Lex Cohort stands as the first and only certified legal mentorship entrepreneurship program of its kind in the entire Caribbean Americas. It connects aspiring female law and politics students from SIDS and marginalized communities to mentorship and internships in specialized legal fields such as Climate Justice, Technology Law and more.

I am so humbled and grateful with the wonderful wins this journey has afforded me, and the phenomenal students, schools and people we serve globally. This journey in education innovation has truly allowed me to reach and change so many lives! To date, we are the #1 Education Foundation in Barbados, and the most followed on social media in this niche, in the country! I have a deeply supportive following of over 110,000+ across various platforms reaching over 1 million + globally monthly: spanning the Caribbean, America, UK, Canada, and more. We have partnered with global entities such as the United Nations, The World Trade Organisation, Fintech Islands Expo, UNDP AIS Forum, Disney, JORD Watches, Robert Half, ThreadTank, Fox TV, U-Report Barbados, Colgate Palmolive, and many others. If you or your organization are interested in partnering and working with together, please be sure to contact me.

My hope is that my story of education revolution and outstanding 18 plus-year track record of innovation will inspire you to take the leap and bet on yourself. You are capable of changing the world, and being a catalyst for change. Greatness is in your DNA! It is your time to bless the world with your unique gifts and talents. We all have the potential to create a better tomorrow for ourselves and the world around us – I look forward to seeing YOU take that step, believe in yourself, and release the magnificent impact within you to perpetually change the world for the better!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If you’re in Barbados in the January months and love all things FinTech and Technology overall – then the FinTechIslands Conference is definitely the place to be! It’s the #1 Technology and Innovation Conference in the Caribbean , and what’s so cool about it, is that it’s an all-inclusive experience so you’re treated to the finest of Barbadian hotels, cuisine and island experiences (Safaris, cultural expos etc). It’s truly the dream for tech-lovers and experts while satisfying your travel desires!

Amazing hotels to check out are Sandals Barbados, Crane Hotel, Fairmont Royal Pavilion and Wyndham Resort!

Sushi Lovers should definitely pop into Naru and the Zen restaurant for their Sushi fix. And for local eats : please head on over to Worthing Square, Rashidas Pizza and Restaurant, the Villages at Coverely and Reggie’s Jamaican Jerk!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I absolutely would love to first shout out God. Without God: I genuinely would never have achieved anything! I have to also shout out my mother Mrs. Margaret Gay, who is also Co-Founder of The Erline Bradshaw Foundation and such a guiding light and support throughout my life. I have to thank all of my supporters on and offline, the millions of youth who have been reached by; and participated in our education programmes; as well as all of the partners and sponsors who have supported The Erline Bradshaw Foundation over the years. I appreciate you all!

Website: www.erlinebradshawfoundation.org

Instagram: www.instagram.com/gabriellegay_

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabrielledavida

Facebook: Facebook.com/gabrielledavidagay

Youtube: https://m.youtube.com/@GabrielleGay

Image Credits
Stoned With Cupid Photography Shane Leacock Photography The Erline Bradshaw Foundation A Ward Photography

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