Melanie Fiona Returns to Her Guyanese Roots to Inspire the Next Generation of Women Leaders.
Written by: Tracey KhanTwo-time Grammy Award-winning singer and entrepreneur Melanie Fiona will return to her mother’s homeland of Guyana this month as the keynote speaker for WeLead 2026, a women’s leadership conference designed to ensure women are positioned at the forefront of the country’s rapidly evolving future. Fiona will headline the June 27 event in…
Black News 
Written by: Tracey Khan
Two-time Grammy Award-winning singer and entrepreneur Melanie Fiona will return to her mother’s homeland of Guyana this month as the keynote speaker for WeLead 2026, a women’s leadership conference designed to ensure women are positioned at the forefront of the country’s rapidly evolving future.
Fiona will headline the June 27 event in Georgetown, where hundreds of entrepreneurs, professionals and emerging leaders are expected to gather under the theme, “Guyana to the World: Women Building Global Bridges.”
“Being part of this moment in Guyana with the WeLead Association feels deeply personal and profoundly purposeful for me,” Fiona said. “There’s something powerful about returning to the country where my mother was born and witnessing today’s women not just participating in growth, but leading it, shaping it and redefining influence on their own terms.”
The conference is the vision of Abbigale Loncke-Watson, founder and president of the WeLead Association, who launched the organization in 2017 to create opportunities she wished had existed when she began her own entrepreneurial journey.
Today, as Guyana experiences unprecedented economic growth, Loncke-Watson believes women must be equipped with the tools, mentorship and networks necessary to benefit from the opportunities emerging across industries.
“WeLead is not a talk shop,” Loncke-Watson said. “It is a room where women can gain practical tools, mentorship, connections and real roadmaps to success.”
For Loncke-Watson, the conference arrives at a defining moment in Guyana’s history. While the country recently celebrated 60 years of independence and continues to attract global attention for its economic expansion, she is focused on ensuring women are active participants in shaping that future.
“I don’t want any woman in Guyana to feel like she has missed the boat,” she said. “There are opportunities coming from every direction, and women need access to the knowledge, networks and support systems that help them move forward.”
Additional speakers include entertainment executive Yvette Noel-Schure, Minister of Human Services and Social Security Vindhya Persaud, Kathy Smith, Melissa Noel, Deborah Edward and Keisha Edwards.
The idea for WeLead was born after Loncke-Watson participated in the Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative, where she experienced firsthand the transformative power of mentorship and professional development.
Since then, the organization has expanded through entrepreneurship training, mentorship programs and initiatives supported by the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs. Its work has also focused on reaching women in rural and hinterland communities where access to resources can be limited.
A multi-sector entrepreneur, Loncke-Watson was previously recognized by former U.S. President Barack Obama for the impact of her home care agency and has partnered with the U.S. Department of State to train and support women entrepreneurs throughout Guyana.
As WeLead returns to an in-person format, Loncke-Watson hopes attendees leave with more than inspiration.
“We want women to understand that there is a place for them in Guyana’s future,” she said. “This conference is about helping them see it, prepare for it and step confidently into it.”
