Essiba Small

Tobago, Trinidad and Tobago

Editor at Trinidad Express

Editor at HER Magazine

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Articles

‘Nailed It: How Liam Bhola Built a Brand from Loss and Resilience’

2 weeks ago | trinidadexpress.com | Essiba Small

When his mother died in 2020, Liam Bhola immediately—and understandably—fell into a funk. The 28-year-old Arima-based Bhola had just graduated with a psychology degree and was unable to find work because the Covid-19 pandemic hit. With the double whammy of a national lockdown and his mother’s passing, Bhola had to find something to help him come up for air; he found this release in doing nails.
From pedals to playlists: Michael Phillips drops his first single

2 weeks ago | trinidadexpress.com | Essiba Small

MICHAEL PHILLIPS is best known for his cycling prowess as a former elite athlete and as a visual artist. But last Thursday at Brian Lara’s mansion in St Clair, Phillips ticked off the “recording artiste” box on his to-do list with the release of his single “Tailor-Made for Me”, which he described as “an exploration of dating in the age of social media”.
Designer Neha Karina - Stitching Heritage

1 month ago | trinidadexpress.com | Essiba Small

Neha Karina Dawar Meena is one of the very few designers in the country who makes traditional Indian wear for women. It’s what sets her apart in an industry dominated by ready-to-wear garments. Born in Delhi, India, the designer, who came to Trinidad with her parents as a child, incorporates her Indian heritage into her designs. “Designing Indian wear locally is a niche yet growing market,” she told Her Magazine.
Mary Care Centre seeks support after devastating fire

1 month ago | trinidadexpress.com | Essiba Small

Mary Care Centre needs your help. The Woodbrook-based home for pregnant teenaged girls was destroyed by fire on April 30, and the caretakers are eager to rebuild. Mary Care was established by the late Roman Catholic Archbishop Anthony Pantin back in 1980 with the mission to support pregnant teenagers, teenage mothers, and their children.
Honouring roots, embracing horizons

1 month ago | trinidadexpress.com | Essiba Small

A grand concert, an international conference and a photo exhibition are among the activities being planned by the National Council for Indian Culture (NCIC) for its 2025 celebration of Indian Heritage Month. The programme runs from May 30 (Indian Arrival Day) to June 1 at the Divali Nagar site, Narsaloo Ramaya Marg Road, Chaguanas.
AI Said What? Inside a ChatGPT Therapy Session

2 months ago | trinidadexpress.com | Essiba Small

Who do you turn to for relationship advice? Your best friend? Your mother? Your sibling? How about ChatGPT? It might come as a shock to many, but ChatGPT, a language model chatbot created by OpenAI (artificial intelligence), was not just designed to assist in general text or research—it was also designed to engage in human-like conversations. If it all sounds silly—the thought of logging in and “talking” to a chatbot about your relationship status or life issues—we get you.
Brave Nicole faces cancer surgery

Mar 15, 2025 | trinidadexpress.com | Essiba Small

LAST September, former Miss Universe Trinidad and Tobago, businesswoman Nicole Dyer-Griffith, took to her social media pages to announce she had been diagnosed with stage three breast cancer. The former senator returned to social media yesterday to share another update-the cancer has spread to her brain. In a video she recorded in her car, Dyer-Griffith said it was during an appointment with her oncologist recently that she mentioned having a few headaches.
From Dirt Bikes to Drag Strips

Mar 8, 2025 | trinidadexpress.com | Essiba Small

At age seven, while her peers rode around the neighbourhood on ten-speeds, Janelle Albarado was riding a 50cc mini dirt bike. Now in her 40s, Albarado plays with bigger toys – a Kawasaki ZX-14R, a speed monster; her baby. Coming from a family of motorcyclists – her father Malcolm and her uncle Victor, who bought her the 50cc bike – it was only natural for Albarado to follow suit.
Uncle Kai Lo’s TikTok charm

Mar 7, 2025 | trinidadexpress.com | Essiba Small

His name is Kailash Sookdeo, but to his followers on TikTok he is simply Kai Lo, or Uncle Kai Lo—the man who shares videos of his breakfast with them every day. No matter what is on his main plate, Sookdeo is certain to have his hot coffee in an enamel cup “to wash it down” and his sweets “on the siiiiiiiiide”, as he likes to emphasise, much to the delight of his fans.
Lady Lava - The Queen of Steam

Feb 22, 2025 | trinidadexpress.com | Essiba Small

She is the Queen of Steam, now doing overtime in the Carnival arena and gaining new fans, including American rapper Cardi B, who was seen fangirling over her during her performance at a recent event in the US. “It definitely blew me away,” Lady Lava (Keisha Harris) told Her Magazine about that viral moment in time. “And of course, it was unexpected.