Think Elysian hopes to effect change

IN March, Elena Kam Chin and Mariessa Newallo started Think Elysian Limited, a non-governmental organisation with a mission to change the mindset of the people in TT, and by extension the world, about women and their perceived role in society.

It is also their mission to remind women of their power so they can empower themselves and challenge men to stand in solidarity with and work with Think Elysian to bring about a change in the attitude and mentality.

Asked about the progress of the organisation, they said, “Misogyny affects all women in this country irrespective of socio economic status. It can be as simple as being cat-called in the street, or as serious as the way that ‘rape culture’ is still so prevalent in our country, in the way that victims are blamed or the way that women are spoken about.

Think Elysian is here to effect change in all aspects.

“At the moment we have an online forum Think Elysian Female Forum on Facebook, which is a private group that currently has around 400 female members and where we discuss different issues rooted in patriarchy which we face on a daily basis. We have an Instagram ‘live’ show on Tuesday nights where we invite a guest speaker and we discuss different topics such as body shaming and women’s mental health, and we also currently have our first line of merchandise on sale which includes apparel, bottles and tote bags. This merchandise serve as visible reminders to ourselves and others about what we stand for.”

Both 24 years old, Newallo and Chin have received guidance and invaluable advise from Savanna Lake of Lake Management Concepts, as well as Kristen Alexis of Girl Boss Empire TT.

“We are also truly inspired by numerous other women in our country who are speaking out about these issues and who are working towards the same cause,” said Newallo,

At the launch, Newallo shared anecdotes about her rebellious nature and personal experiences that drove her to create this space and do the work, and Chin followed with the process that lead to the name of the company Elysian — a Greek word that means “relating to or characteristic of heaven or paradise.”

They found the definition fit the description of a woman, and when coupled with the demand for people to think — to change their mind and subsequently change their actions and lives — Think Elysian was born.

“Think Elysian has been formed to offer a different perspective which promotes human development through the advocacy for gender equality, and we plan to achieve this through several avenues. Firstly we have our merchandise which serves as visible reminders to ourselves and others about what we stand for. Additionally we have our online community which continues to grow whereby we have a created a platform for conversations.

“We are currently planning several retreats for women as well as men, school programmes, conferences and networking events. We also have an outreach programme which is currently in the works and will cater to women and children who have been victims of domestic abuse.

We also plan on implementing structured programmes specifically targeted to the youth, both male and female in 2019,” Newallo said.