Kerra Denel fulfils God-given purpose

HELPING people maximise their potential is always at the heart of everything Kerra Denel does.

Through her nonprofit organisations’ Kerra Loves Kids and Caribbean Women’s Network, Denel is fulfilling what she describes as her God-given purpose as she supports vulnerable, underprivileged children living in community residences and at-risk areas throughout TT. In addition, Denel fervently uses her platform to inspire, support and celebrate women across the Caribbean and the diaspora.

“I believe that my purpose is to help others. All of the spaces that I am in, all of my brands – everything directly relates to the empowerment of people, inspiring others and just helping wherever I can.

“Sometimes you have no idea what your passion is or what your purpose is but somewhere along the line I just had this awakening and realised that my God-given purpose is to help people.”

With her disciplined work ethic which she said she inherited from her father, Denel pursues all her philanthropic passions all while managing her CEO role at Kerra Denel Entertainment – an event production, public relations and entertainment management company that boasts clients like DJ Private Ryan, Voice, Skinny Fabulous and GenX Carnival.

“I do event production, media, marketing, hosting, voice overs, bookings, event production and public relations for artists. I work with a lot of artists and DJs within the Caribbean and I basically do everything under the entertainment umbrella.”

I am a connector

Denel told WMN she endured her fair share of trials, tribulations and gendered barriers as a woman boss. She said it was difficult to garner respect and build a credible reputation in those early years but credited the great support system she had from some of her peers, great mentors, her family and friends who helped her navigate those obstacles.

“I have a very small circle of the greatest people I have met in my life. They were able to help me manoeuvre through those hurdles.”

Denel said considering her own experience and after speaking with other women who told her they felt like they weren’t being supported, even by their fellow women, she realised the critical need for a Caribbean platform that supports, empowers and celebrates women and true to her pay it forward nature, Denel used her resourceful talent as a ‘connector’ and founded the Caribbean Women’s Network.

“I am a connector. As much as I know my God-given purpose is to help people in many different capacities…I connect the dots as God has provided me with a lot of resources.”

“I am not discrediting that there are a ton of wonderful women in the Caribbean that are supporting but there are also some women who just feel like they are not getting the support. I wanted to create a space that contributed to that… a platform that focused on Caribbean upliftment and empowerment.”

Denel who is a Trini but is currently based overseas, held her first Caribbean Women’s Network event in the Canadian city and managed to pull together the luncheon event in two weeks.

“The first event had about 70 people who attended. I did not know what to expect from that situation because it was the first time an event like that had happened in Toronto. A Caribbean women’s event for them to come out and be empowered. It was very well received.”

Fast forward two years later, Denel’s nonprofit has spearheaded eight events in her native TT and across various cities including Toronto, Miami and Los Angeles and she has the ambitious goal to host the event in European cities as well.

“I target women from different countries…St Lucia, St Vincent, Jamaica, Trinidad, Haiti and all the other Caribbean islands. I have women in different industries who are thriving in their space and these women use their stories of success and struggles to empower the women in the room. They talk about breaking barriers, all they endured and their resilience.

“It is a safe space to share information but more so it’s a space for women to actually celebrate one another and say if she could do it then I can do it.”

Not even the restrictions during the pandemic was able to put a wrench on Denel’s Caribbean Women’s Network mission. She made the transition online and had a virtual event with over 900 participants.

On April 2, Caribbean Women’s Network held its third annual event for at-risk underprivileged youth.

“Empowering and inspiring women is one thing but I realise that young, teenage girls also need the same love and support.

“This year I am working with the St Joseph Police Youth club and I basically do a smaller version of the event for women. So motivational speaking, lunch, we have group activities and tons of goodies to take home. We will also have a pampering session with wellness. I just spoil them for the day.”

Denel is in the process of planning her women’s event for this year in Toronto and Miami and said all egos are left at the door so women can be assured they are entering a safe space where they can show up unapologetically as their authentic selves.

Wi likkle but wi tallawah

Denel said she founded her other nonprofit aptly named Kerra Loves Kids because of her love for children and passion for empowering the kids her organisation works with.

“In Trinidad I work with different orphanages as well as persons who are living in at-risk communities or are underprivileged. I put together a Christmas event annually.”

For Denel, Kerra Loves Kids is also a way for her to carry on her grandmother’s legacy after she passed away.

“My grandmother was humble at heart and didn’t come from much but she would always open her home to the kids in the community no matter their circumstances. I wanted to honour her. There is nothing like a grandparent’s love.”

Denel said in TT, many people drop off supplies to the various community residences but lamented that more needs to be done.

“My mission is really to show these kids that there are people out here who care about them and want to pour into them with love.”

“Many of them who are living in the orphanages have been put there because of sexual abuse, or their parents have been murdered or really extreme circumstances…we do what we have to do and we show up for these kids. So, even though Kerra Loves Kids is a small organisation, wi likkle but wi tallawah.”

Denel recalled a moment that reduced her to tears and led her to make a promise to herself to always do everything she could to support children in need.

“I remember one of the first children’s homes that I went to in 2016, one of the girls was following me around for the whole day. She came up to me and she said, ‘Aunty Kerra, I don’t want you to think I am crazy, or I’m stalking you, but I really want you to know that we appreciate you coming here and spending time with us.’”

Denel said the child told her she often felt like people scorned them because of their circumstances.

“I had tears in my eyes because hearing that from a child was heart breaking…From that day, I vowed that no matter how busy my schedule got, every year I would do an annual event for those kids.

“There are tons of people who are walking in the same purpose as me, for which I am grateful because the more people we have working in these spaces, is the more we can uplift these kids to be great leaders in our country.”

My turning point

Denel said she never felt like she had a story to tell, but hers is quite the journey. Transitioning from her flight attendant aspiration as a young child growing up in TT, to an enthusiastic teen volunteering with the oldest steelband in Toronto, Afropan, Denel said in retrospect she really had no idea what her purpose was then. The one thing she was sure about was how much she loved and craved her Trini culture.

“I quickly realised I was not musically inclined to play an instrument but then I started volunteering my services to put together their (steelband) events and that made me realise that I was really good at planning, coordinating and just getting people together. I volunteered for ten years straight and though I wasn’t playing pan, I was in that pan yard every day to support them and help run the kitchen and their events.”

“Looking back on my journey, that was my turning point of me realising just how much I loved my culture, of me realising of how great we are as Caribbean people and me wanting to support Caribbean people.

Always seeking to align herself with the Caribbean community living in Toronto, a young Denel eventually landed a job as an event photographer with Trini Jungle Juice.

“I went to events, took photos of people, wrote reviews and that also allowed me to meet soca artists that were performing at the events and do interviews with them.”

The now philanthropist and entrepreneur believes God’s purpose was already in the works then since even though she didn’t know it, it was in these earlier years that she acquired the tools needed to build her successful career so she could in turn “be a blessing.”

“From that I built a rapport with most of the artists that I work with today…That’s how my foot got in the door.”

Eventually, Denel had people from Jamaica, Cayman Islands, USVI, Toronto and across the US booking Kerra Denel Entertainment to produce their events.

Denel said her drive to fulfill her purpose is fueled by her faith in God and her mother and grandmother who before they passed away, both instilled their kind spirits and passion for helping others into her.

“I lost my mom unexpectedly three years ago. My mom was my biggest cheerleader, my best friend and she was the person who told me to go live my dreams. She always believed in me. The person that I am today, is my mother. She was one of the kindest people I had ever met…next to my grandmother who has also passed away.

Denel said going forward she simply wants to make a way for the next generation of people to be great whilst living with love and purpose.

"I lead with love and kindness in everything I do. I want to continue to walk in my truth, live on purpose and be a light to others."