BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (March 9, 2022)—On a day when women, their accomplishments and the barriers yet to dismantle took the spotlight, a series of presenters brought messages of tenacity, hope, belief in self and the greater good and support during an International Women’s Day 2022 online conference put on by the  Caribbean Football Union (CFU).

The speakers, each in turn, held rapt an online audience that numbered close to 200 and included a varying demographic, from youth to senior players, administrators, coaches, and referees, men and women.

The featured speaker, Sonia Fulford, president of the Turks and Caicos Islands Football Association and a member of the CFU, Concacaf, and FIFA Council, shared her story, from player to top-flight female administrator, encouraging women to stand up, stand out, and be fearless in letting their voices be heard.

“I’m where I am today because I took the first step in breaking the bias, because that’s what it was,” Fulford said of her foray into administration and to becoming a bona fide member of the TCIFA, which included a failed bid at elective office despite giving yeoman service to the organization.

“I didn’t feel it (the bias) was against me personally because I was a woman, but I certainly believe it was a bias because I was not a part of the old boys’ club,” she said, referencing the former well-connected, all-male leadership of the TCIFA. “But in everything, I believe if you are patient and determined, then you will overcome and succeed.”

In encouraging hard work and dedication, Fulford, who was elected president of the TCIFA in 2014—the first woman in the position and now one of only two female heads amongst FIFA’s 211 members—acknowledged the powerful impact of representation and determination.  

“When you think no one is looking, when you feel you are not getting the support you need, don’t worry about that. Always remain focused on where you want to go and, more importantly, how you want to touch the lives of others, because every day that’s my main motivation,” she said

“I want to be a part of change, and I’m intentional about that,” a passionate Fulford said. “So, Ladies, my charge to you today is to be intentional about supporting one another. In doing so, you need to uplift each other, encourage one another, celebrate one another, help one another, be kind to one another, and the most important one of all, don’t forget, do not close the door after you have made it. We have always left the door open to help those coming from behind. Not only leave the door open, but also give them a hand. Ladies, let us make a difference and change the landscape of how we want to see the women’s game in the future and where we want to see ourselves in it. Let us be the change we want to see and let us start by doing it today, by breaking the bias,” Fulford said.

Other speakers on the day included FIFA Referee Jassett Kerr Wilson, U20 Reggae Girlz assistant coach Tashana Vincent, and a quartet of rowers, Team Antigua Island Girls.

Kerr-Wilson, whose trailblazing achievements include being the first woman to officiate in the Nations League and the first Caribbean woman to stand in the Gold Cup, also brought a message of self-assurance.

She recalled her first game as a referee, in a Division 1 match in her native Jamaica. A call she made sparked not just controversy but an invasion of the field, a caustic rebuke, and threats by the invaders, which included the entire team against whom the call was made and their supporters.

Kerr-Wilson said while others thought she would have walked away, the incident only strengthened her resolve. “Not because negative is spoken over your life means it should come to pass,” she said. “Be the game-changer and be in charge of your future.”

Kerr-Wilson recalled other incidents of attempted intimidation and bullying, including a training session where a male instructor told her she would disgrace herself and her country. “I was not a disgrace. I kicked the bias. I am an ambassador for my country. I became a game-changer. I became a trailblazer, blazing a path for young girls to conquer bullying and to break the bias,” she said to a round of virtual applause and supportive comments in the chat.

Vincent, who greeted the audience by saying she “lives football,” told her story of being a 10-year-old pigeon-holeed by her school to play netball—because that was the arena for girls—and taking her agency into her own hands, and with her mother's consent, changing schools.

That set her on a path that would lead to her making the national U19 team at 14, and scoring in her first match, in her first five minutes off the bench, and donning her national colors for 17 years, amassing 32 caps and 31 goals.

“One of the greatest moments for me as a player was being named the 2007 female Caribbean Footballer of the year. At that time, I was at the peak of my career, and what that did was validate me, validate women’s football in my country, and reward me for the hard work I had done,” Vincent said.

A decorated collegiate player and FIFA Legend, Vincent said that venturing into coaching was a natural corollary, given her promise to herself to create opportunities for other girls—and boys—to live their football dreams.

“One of the pledges that I made as a young player was to be there for upcoming players, to guide them and share experiences. As a child growing up, there were not many female coaches around,” said Vincent, whose credentials also include being the Ballaz International Development Program coach.

The non-footballers, Team Antigua Island Girls, comprised of Christal Clashing, Elvira Bell, Samara Emanuel, and Kevinia Francis, spoke about taking up space in non-traditional places.

The team made history in 2019 when they completed the Talikser Whisky Atlantic Challenge, rowing 3,000 nautical miles from La Gomera in the Canary Islands to English Harbour, Antigua, becoming the first Black team ever to row any ocean and the first women’s team from the Caribbean to complete the challenge.

Christal told the audience that her struggle with depression and anxiety brought on by premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) was one of the main catalysts for her undertaking the challenge—to prove that she was capable of living with and excelling with a mental disorder. Samara, a boat captain, shared her story of overcoming the stigma of teenage pregnancy to become Antigua’s first female RYA certified and excel in her profession. Elvira said she undertook the trek in the 28-foot boat to be a living example to her teenage son. She had to keep her claustrophobia in check over the 47-day period. Kevina, the team captain and a multi-sport athlete, as well as a certified fitness instructor, spoke of following an athletic track despite her family having mapped out a career in medicine for her.

“People will have their perception of what you should be or what you should do, particularly as a woman, but you have to walk in your authenticity,” Francis said.

The vibe for the session was set with a set by DJ Lisa-Lis, who played a mix of women’s and Caribbean anthems for 30 minutes before the official start of the event, keeping people engaged.

Rismarly Tookay from Curacao, a 19-year-old player currently on an internship with Ajax, gave brief remarks about playing for many years with the boys until a girls’ team was established. 

A musical treat—acoustic guitar and vocals—from Annia Matthews added color to the event.