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 Cynthia M. Ellis–Topsey Nana Barouda Lubafu Isieni Ambassador at Large—The Garifuna Nation Cynthia M. Ellis, the Ambassador at Large for the Garifuna Nation and co-founder/chairperson of the GODSMAN CELESTANO ELLIS—CENTER FOR GARIFUNA CULTURE (GCE-CFGC) INC., epitomizes unwavering determination and resilience. Born on January 16th, 1953, in August Pine Ridge, Orange Walk, she radiates inspiration and empowerment. Her life's purpose centers on championing Garifuna sovereignty and land rights, both locally and globally. A mother of five and beloved grandmother to 17, Cynthia's commitment to equality and human rights extends beyond her family. Her nurturing spirit serves as a beacon of hope for countless young individuals and women, igniting aspirations and nurturing potential, particularly in the realms of sustainability and environmental justice. Central to her legacy is her role as the Champion of the Duke of Edinburgh Award Belize, where she inspires and cultivates leaders, empowering them to lead groundbreaking projects such as the preservation of the El Pilar Forest Gardens. Cynthia is not merely an advocate; she is a formidable force. Her tireless efforts have mobilized women and driven essential initiatives addressing violence in Belize. As Ambassador at Large for the Garifuna Nation, she passionately advocates for Garifuna sovereignty and land rights on the international stage. Her extraordinary journey, filled with invaluable lessons and triumphs, is being meticulously crafted into a memoir that encapsulates her life as a relentless activist—an inspiring testament to perseverance and purpose. Cynthia has recently traversed the United States, collaborating with esteemed members of the Garifuna Nation and colleagues from renowned universities like the University of Santa Barbara and the Ohio State University. She has also made her mark on the international stage, actively participating in forums such as the U.N. Permanent Forum for Indigenous Issues and the Alabama Black Midwives Conference. Her life motto, "Building Belize one family at a time," embodies her unwavering commitment to fostering unity and driving positive transformation. Cynthia, a 21st-century global citizen guided by her spiritual name, Lubafu Isieni (symbolizing unconditional love), is on a mission to coach, motivate, and mentor those who aspire to achieve their personal best. In her ongoing pilgrimage, Cynthia has woven a powerful tapestry of unity that transcends boundaries and limitations. Freed not only as a woman but as a visionary, she stands ready to reshape the narrative for generations to come. Guided by the wisdom of her ancestors, she has shed the burdens of trauma and suffering. Today, she stands as a formidable Garifuna woman, steadfastly answering the call of the ancestors in the Dabuyaba—a testament to her enduring commitment to leave a legacy that will inspire and guide humanity for generations to come. The Spirit of Marronage Expressions of Afrikan Indigenous Self-Determination Ping-Ann Addo, Diana J. Fox, Nana Barouda Lubafu Isieni (Cynthia Ellis-Topsey) (Eds.) An inspiring Maroon political, cultural and spiritual awakening is taking place across the Caribbean and Atlantic world, spanning from Belize to Suriname, Brazil to Sierra Leone. This landmark book reveals women's leadership in this underestimated transnational political movement and resurgent sacred project. Highlighting nuanced intersectional approaches, this collection of essays by leading scholars and participants in this field show how Maroons have transcended legal erasure, resisted forced removal, countered gendered violence, and stopped resource extraction, to reclaim their place as Indigenous peoples in a world-making project of liberation and steadfast self-determination. Prof. Dr. Mimi Sheller Worcester Polytechnic Institute “The Spirit of Marronage” (re)presents a remarkable synergy of voices, perspectives, and positionalities, all of which are committed to the embodied praxis and politics of bridge- and movement-building for co-creating the cognitive, spiritual and material conditions for new horizons of re-existence. This book convinces readers that Maroons and the lived principles of Marronage are no longer just the inspiration for appropriated metaphors, or the focus of locally mapped ethnographies, or topics confined to the footnotes of texts probing the histories and legacies of Afrikan descendants and Indigenous peoples of the Americas, Abla Yala, Améfrica. Usually presumed to be disparate, even when articulated through alliances and overlapping struggles, this instructive volume unsettles those conventions in its critical expansion of the meanings and groundings of “Maroon” and “Indigenous” as salient categories in the discourses and practices of international human rights. In its challenging reinterpretations and collaborations, this provocative book is a model for working toward the decolonization of the social relations, power dynamics, intellectual yields and practical applications of research, social analysis and knowledge creation. Dr. Faye V. Harrison Professor of African American Studies and Anthropology University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Editor of “Decolonizing Anthropology: Moving Further toward an Anthropology for Liberation” Author of “Outsider Within: Reworking Anthropology in the Global Age” This path-breaking volume brings together decades of work on Caribbean Maroon and Indigenous peoples and their communities. With special attention to women’s lives, it interrogates the contentious issues related to definitions of indigeneity, arguing for a wider, more inclusive understanding. It provides a basis for new conversations about peoples and communities which have been ignored in this region for far too long. Rhoda Reddock The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus For more information on The Spirit of Marronage, please go to: https://vernonpress.com/book/2581  Newsletters Update. All our Newsletters are now archived at the Blog section of our website. Read these interesting and informative Newsletters: http://jabirubooksbelize.com If you know someone who would like to receive our monthly Newsletter, please have them go to CONTACT on our website and send us an e-mail. Please note that our monthly Newsletters are also published on our FaceBook page at: https://www.facebook.com/JabiruBooksBelize Thank you for forwarding and sharing this Newsletter. BOOKS WRITTEN BY DR. HENRY W. ANDERSON Add these great books to your personal library for your reading pleasure. They are available as e-books and printed books.  INFORMATION/LINKS Dr. Anderson's books are available both as Print-on-Demand and E-Books at store.bookbaby.com (Recommended by Publishers). Please go to: https://store.bookbaby.com/profile/jabirubooksbelizecom Dr. Anderson's books are available at the libraries of the Belize National Library Service and Information System. Search under Author: Henry W Anderson. Please go to: https://bnlsis.mlasolutions.com/m5/catalog/(S(tsaodaxofc2mvp3zhpl4wwt2))/Default.aspx?internal=1&installation=LeoBradley E-Books are available at other Retailers: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, Vearsa, Kobo, OverDrive, Copia, Gardners Books, Baker & Taylor, eSentral, Scribd, Ciando, Hoopla, Playster, and many more. Print-on-Demand books are available at some of the Retailers listed. Please visit us at: https://www.facebook.com/JabiruBooksBelize Visit our website at http://jabirubooksbelize.com 
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