More islandistas at the Glamour Women of the Year Awards

So, we were pretty caught up over Rihanna's gorgeous Stephane Rolland couture dress at the Glamour Women of the Year Awards.

That dress deserved a post all for itself.

Now, onto the other islandistas that were at the event.

Another islandista honouree, U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice was also on hand to collect her award in a sleek strapless black dress with a sharp angled v-neck bodice.

[caption id="attachment_1738" align="aligncenter" width="315" caption="Photo credit: AP/Henny Ray Abrams"][/caption]

Stylist June Ambrose rocked out a sparkly Sonia Rykiel short dress with minimal accessories and natural looking makeup - nice look.




And Estelle performed in a black suit that we're not quite sure about. We like the androgynous look, but we find it should be cut a bit closer and more feminine to really work. As it is, it  just looks like she put on a small fella's suit.

[caption id="attachment_1740" align="aligncenter" width="360" caption="Photo credit: AP/Henny Ray Abrams"][/caption]

Susan Rice is one of Glamour's Women of the Year!

[caption id="attachment_1704" align="alignleft" width="239" caption="Photo credit: Matthias Vriens-McGrath/Glamour.com"][/caption]

 In all the fuss over Rihanna's interview in Glamour's year-end edition, we nearly overlooked Susan Rice,  the United States' U.N Ambassador of Jamaican heritage, who was also named one of Glamour's Women Of The Year.

No less than President Obama bigs her up, telling Glamour she deserves to be a WOTY because:

"She understands the complex threats we face in the twenty-first century, and when those challenges demand action from the international community, Susan gets it done through a combination of skilled diplomacy and sheer determination.”

We love, love, love positive, progressive islandistas and Susan Rice always rises to the occasion as an ambassador not just for the U.S. but for women of Caribbean descent the world over.

Kudos, Ms. Rice.

Island folk honoured by Congressional Black Caucus

 



[caption id="attachment_1558" align="alignleft" width="293" caption="Sheryl Lee Ralph with her husband Pennsylvania State Senator Vincent Hughes. (Photo credit: Margot Jordon/Black Socialite)"][/caption]

Islandistas and islandistos were all up in the do two weekends ago when the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation held their annual Phoenix Awards and dinner in Washington D.C.

 

As ever, the event was a high-wattage gathering of true black star power and this year was topped off by an address by President Barack Obama.

Several island folk were honoured at this year's awards - Jamaican-born actress Sheryl Lee Ralph, Haitian-born musician and humanitarian Wyclef Jean were among the honorees, as were islandistas by descent Cicely Tyson (born to Nevisian parents) and Susan Rice (of Jamaican descent).

Bermudan Premier Ewart Brown also turned out for the event, as did former Essence head honch Susan L. Taylor (Kittitian and Trini through her parents).

Makes you proud to be from one of these little rocks, doesn't it? : )

Check The Black Socialite and Fab Empire for more pics and coverage!

Political power players with island roots

Eric Holder may be the most prominent Caribbean descendant on the U.S. political scene right now but he's not the only one.

There are quite a few islandistas-by-descent who are on the political scene or the power behind the throne (as it were).

They all just happen to be hugely intelligent and educated, career-minded, successful and fabulous - in other words, the definition of islandistas, even if they are some way from home. These are no ordinary women - but would we expect less of daughters of the Caribbean?

Heading the list is the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice, whose maternal grandparents emigrated from the beautiful country parish of Portland in Jamaica to the United States.

[caption id="attachment_1040" align="aligncenter" width="360" caption="Photo credit: Annie Leibovitz/style.com"][/caption]