Her goal in life is simply this “no matter what career path I take, I must be able to make a difference”.
And a difference she is making, but, most of all, inspirational is what she has become to all young women in Guyana.
Twenty-nine-year-old Attorney-at-Law Latoya Roberts is an exceptional young woman with a determination that could move mountains. However, the person that she is today is one who struggled, one who came from very humble beginnings.
Latoya Roberts
Roberts spent her childhood days on the West Bank of Demerara (WBD) in a village called Vreed-en-Rust.
She grew up with her mother, Myrtle Peters, who was a farmer and basket weaver. Her days then would be spent journeying to school via boat and in the afternoons assisting in the garden or farm; some days, she also wove baskets.
However, with the fire burning inside to pursue a better quality of education even at that tender age, Roberts was sent to live with relatives in Georgetown where she attended the Tucville Primary School.
“However, for the holiday season, I would usually go back home with my mother,” the young woman explained.
Following her performance at the Secondary School Entrance Examination (SSEE), she gained a place at the North Georgetown Secondary School which was a disappointment to her, as it was her dream to attend President’s College.
As they say, a dream can always be realised as long as you put in the hard work and this became true in Roberts’ case.
Her determination became even stronger to attend President’s College and this motivated her to work hard, and this she did, graduating at the top of her class after writing the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations.
She was able to gain a place at President’s College as a Sixth Form student and she then set her sights on studying law.
“After finishing CXC, I was not sure as to what area I wanted to pursue; however, based on the grades that I achieved, it was suggested to me that I should pursue law. I was always very vocal; public speaking also always came naturally to me so in Sixth Form at the President’s College, I started out in that field.”
According to Roberts, law was her choice not just because it is lucrative but because it was seen as an opportunity to give a voice to the voiceless and those who cannot otherwise represent themselves.
“I was motivated to continue to pursue law, because I saw it as my opportunity to effect positive changes in society especially coming from where I came from. I wanted to become a role model.”
Journeying to achieve that dream
The young Attorney described her journey as one that was arduous and financially challenging.
“My journey was life changing, arduous because law is a journey that requires much financially and as my background was so simple, this was something that my parents could not afford. So it called for much patience, much planning and as a Christian, much prayers and dependence on God.”
When she graduated Sixth Form, she continued to pursue her studies in law at the University of Guyana and successfully graduated. However, not being financially able to move onto the Hugh Wooding Law School (HWLS) like her colleagues, Roberts had to seek employment leaving her studies behind.
However, the fire within her continued to burn. “I always kept my eyes on the prize,” she revealed.
A few years later, she was able to write the entrance examination and was accepted into the HWLS.
“I went to law school and that in itself was a miracle because I did not have all of the finances, but God provided. My dad worked very hard and I got a lot of support from my church family as well.”
Roberts graduated as the best Guyanese law student for 2016 and was treated to a grand welcome at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA).
“At law school, going through the different courses, excelling in some, learning in other areas and then the icing on the cake, graduating as Guyana’s best law student for 2016, that was affirmation that this is what is for me and that the journey is now complete. So for me, the whole journey, it was an arduous one as I said, but it is one that has taught me discipline, how to be tenacious and how to focus on your goals and continuing working towards it, defying the odds and difficulty that may come along the way.”
Her encouragement
“Each young woman in Guyana needs to take a moment to think about the direction in which they want their life to go in. So, the first thing I would say to them is to set a goal; there should always be something that you are working towards. And once you have set that goal and made that plan, come hill or high water, do not allow anything to deter you from achieving that goal. Life can be extremely difficult, I can attest to this as I have experienced it first hand, but you can battle through if you continue to put in the work and explore all the options.”
Roberts further encouraged: “Young women, please surround yourselves with people who are positive and who would inspire and motivate you. Most importantly, pursue a relationship with God; it gives you a basis and a foundation because when those around you may fail, God will always be there. Hard work always pays off; it may take one year or even 20 years, but continue to be consistent and it will pay off, I can attest to this.”
