HAPPY Phagwah

Sheryl Lee Ralph speaks out on being sexually assaulted in Hollywood

ByMicaiahMorganCNWWriter

This week, Emmy Award-winning, Jamaican actress Sheryl Lee Ralph revealed that she was sexually assaulted by a well-known television judge The revelation was made during an interview with Angela Yee, a famous American media personality best known from her time on the popular, widely syndicated morning radio show, The Breakfast Club

Ralph was on Yee’s new show, Way Up, promoting her latest book, DIVA 2 0: 12 Life Lessons From Me For You, when she disclosed details about two situations where she was touched inappropriately and urged to keep quiet, while working as an actress in Hollywood

“There was one incident where it was

This festival was brought to places like Trinidad, Guyana, Suriname, and Jamaica by East Indians who first came to the Caribbean almost 200 years ago The celebration includes throwing colored water and powders on one another, with each color carrying a special meaning Red, for example, symbolizes love and fertility, and green symbolizes new beginnings

This year the festival was officially on March 8, but celebrations have been held throughout the month of March According to Indo-Caribbean community member Hazel Maragh, who is a prominent marketing and community consultant for GraceKennedy Remittance Services, “The IndoCaribbean community in South Florida actually had six Pagwah events that were put on by the different Hindu temples ”

Two of those South Florida-based Phagwah events included one on March 12 called Holi in the

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Park, which was held in Loxahatchee Grove by the Guyanese and Palm Beach Hindu communities Then, on March 18 in Cooper City, the Jamaican Indo-Caribbean community, with Rohan Tolan and Apache Promotions as hosts, held Phagwah 2023 “We celebrated Phagwah when we were young growing up in Jamaica,” Maragh explains “When we migrated to the United States we kept the tradition alive, and we ’ ve been doing it for 25 years It brings family and friends together, but we also collect donations to help take care of less fortunate persons in our community ” Maragh says that, due to the pandemic, the festival was forced to break for three years, but the community is elated to return to the joyous annual tradition “We were so happy to do it again,” she beams like the third time something like this had happened to me, and I thought to myself, ‘what did I do to deserve that what made this man think that he could just come over and put his hands on my body,” Ralph said

She continued by saying that she confronted her abuser after running into him years later

“He sat down at the table across from me He did not remember any of this, but I had to let him know what he did that night He was right there, I had to confront him about it Do you want to know what was the shocking part?

Everybody around the table was appalled continues on B4 – Sheryl Lee Ralph

Church members, including two local policians (Yes, they are actual members of New Life Fellowship) had a fun me hanging with the dancers. From le to right, Sydney Ann Morgan, Dancer, State Representave Lisa Dunkley, Broward County Commissioner Hazelle P. Rogers, in red is Samantha Vacciana, Esq. followed by two addional dancers. – Luke Ballenne photo

DJ Nocturnal (le) chilling with friends at the recent HOLI Celebraon: A fesval of colors and Diversity which was held at Central Broward Park recently. – Contributed

This lucky lady received a gi box from GraceKennedy at the recently held HOLI Celebraon at Central Broward Park – Contributed

It was Bishop Rudducks (le) me to be recognized Presenng the award are (center) Reverend Cecil Wilson and Brianna Wilson

Credit: Luke Ballenne – Luke Ballenne photo

Joshua Grant, JFF U17 Goalie with Willis McGahee former NFL Running Back at the Lauderhill SAKE Awards honoring studentathletes. – Contributed

This dancer performed an Afro-Cuban Dance as part of Women's History Month Celebraon at the 7 Keys to Women's Empowerment conference at the Island SPACE Caribbean Museum in Broward Mall last Sunday. – DavidIPhoto

Guest Speaker, Dr. Patricia Morris addresses the audience at the 7 Keys to Women's Empowerment conference at the Island SPACE Caribbean Museum. – DavidIPhoto

Lady in pick, (le) was all smiles as she received the “Unsung Hero” Award from First Lady, Reverend Ann Marie Ruddock (center) and Bishop Clinton Ruddock (right) – Luke Ballenne photo