August 4, 2025 • 23 mins
An unscheduled journey into Georgetown's Botanical Gardens - ooh, unexpected emotions - led me to Andre DaSilva, a Guyana model who gave me an impromptu tour. It inspired a reflection worthy of our pause.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
My name is Andre di Silva. I'm twenty seven years old.
I am a volunteer at heart. I literally I love
to volunteer. I love making people happy. I love to
see when people got a smile on their face. So
I started modeling in twenty sixteen, right after I finished
writing CX.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
It was just an opportunity that was there.
Speaker 1 (00:21):
And I'm a person I love to explore, love to
try new things, and that was something new that I
was trying. But I never knew that it would have
been a passion that I always had inside of me,
that I would have been like going with her drive.
And since then I've been modeling, and for me, muddling
is something very beautiful because you have the opportunity to
(00:45):
not just showcase.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Your personal art or your personal.
Speaker 1 (00:48):
Beauty, but the opportunity to show others what beauty is
not just one inside, but on the outside.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
Hello and welcome to the Journey, your radio show hosted
by de Angelou, author of a sound Bite Life and
Flight of the Views Monkeys, a PRG Emerging Technologies Forum
keynote speaker and founder of RIO Sports. I am Joseph
Ellison enjoy.
Speaker 4 (01:17):
I am Neville presently in the botanical Garden of the
Land of Many Waters, beautiful Guyana. My guest is none
other than Guyanese model Andre da Silva. I have a
pivotal question, what is beauty and does it play an
(01:38):
integral part of a well lived life? Walk along with me.
It's green here, gorgeous tropical flowers popping everywhere, and it
is refreshingly breezy. This morning I got started on our
(02:37):
early rise boost to day tennis sessions. Yes, tennis scientifically
ascertained to be the healthiest sport on our planet, adds
approximately nine point seven years to Claire's life.
Speaker 5 (02:53):
Did you know?
Speaker 4 (02:55):
My thinking is, if one is privileged with an added
nine point seven years on not to make it the
best that it could be. Don't you agree? Well? I
(03:16):
got me a nice shower, so refreshed, Now on to
the next item on my schedule. But isn't that an
evocative conjunction but a coordinating conjunction? Certainly it is. But
and my mind reconditioned itself. I hadn't seen or been
(03:41):
to the botonical gardens since those gorgeous growing up days.
My mind decided this was the moment to do just that.
A good walk to there, Yes, and I did. Entering
the back way from Mandela Avenue, immediately nostalgia those wide
trails of lotus flowers. I think there lotus flowers awakened,
(04:05):
poignant memories of those petals always falling off onto my
stable hands, the feel, the fragrance. Ah, let me not
go there. I strolled on a sparse scattering of folks
and small families, it seems, on blankets under saving trees
(04:29):
lining the two streams on either side of my walk.
I took pictures. Everybody wants me to send pictures and videos,
and I never do. The videos I take never seem
to capture the authenticity of my experiences, so they just
stay there, left to earn their soul before I ever
(04:53):
use them. I knew I would go to see if
the manatee was still there, and to see the bridges
and the bands stand. There's got to be a better
name for that gorgeous construction. I'll check into it. I
knew I wanted to go to the place of the
Seven Pawns to see if it matched any of my imagination.
(05:20):
It's on my way there that I happened on to
our guest hundred Silver, so kind of him not knowing
me to give me a tour, and I decided I
would do this impromptu podcast right there and then and
here we are, all right?
Speaker 6 (05:48):
Is it an order of burial or is there a
specific order?
Speaker 7 (05:53):
Oh?
Speaker 6 (05:54):
Sir Sat sunny ramfo whyn't my euros?
Speaker 7 (05:59):
Can I go?
Speaker 6 (06:01):
I feel you know, I didn't expect to be cut
doing it right right now, I'm getting emotional.
Speaker 7 (06:08):
I have to bewhere this.
Speaker 6 (06:11):
I didn't know where I was going to walk around.
They just thought I should come to the gardens.
Speaker 7 (06:17):
And this is wow, part of the author, right, the
poet is a poet or author.
Speaker 6 (06:28):
Yes, resistance, Yes, oh my goodness, these are very familiar, James,
I didn't know they were here.
Speaker 7 (06:36):
And is there a do you know how they choose
who will be here? All right? And I said, don't know?
If I took go ahead?
Speaker 6 (06:55):
Yeah, So the fences are new or.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
Right up as one as you as a bar.
Speaker 1 (07:02):
Growing up, I used to always hear that these are
the seven people who used to be associated before, and
that's what I did.
Speaker 7 (07:09):
Ury, So that's the association.
Speaker 8 (07:12):
Okay, So I was told enough, So are they seven
around here already or they're just And it was just
seven points, but I don't know if there's one, two, three, four.
Speaker 7 (07:23):
I see, yeah, and.
Speaker 6 (07:28):
Oh this is who I was thinking about, Sir David
James Gardner Rose.
Speaker 7 (07:34):
I am.
Speaker 6 (07:34):
I think emotions here, These are just bringing back memories,
all right. I didn't know what he looked like. I
mean I should, but I didn't know what it looked like.
Of course, I'm very familiar with him in the story
of how.
Speaker 7 (07:51):
He he died.
Speaker 2 (07:54):
Oky, good.
Speaker 7 (07:57):
Boy.
Speaker 2 (07:58):
I know they fine not the place because I recently
did a survey.
Speaker 1 (08:03):
You find it exactly.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
What we think should happen, what we think they should
do to better up.
Speaker 1 (08:10):
But yeah, you're going to tell you have space for
more because like I said, they say I suppose to seven.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
Yes, and when I was smaller, he wasn't here, as
you can see that, right.
Speaker 1 (08:21):
But the intention was to have seven main persons who
were in connection to him.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
So that's the story I was told as a kid
growing up.
Speaker 7 (08:31):
Okay, well, what I am? I am? I don't want it
to sound wrong.
Speaker 6 (08:37):
I am surprised that it would just be I would
think it would be national heroes rather than just who
are attached to him.
Speaker 7 (08:47):
I don't want that to sound wrong. And I don't
know that. I'm just listening to you.
Speaker 1 (08:54):
Maybe it's the way I put it over to Yeah, that.
Speaker 6 (08:57):
Would I'm gonna let you direct me. You were going
to show me some stuff? Is that okay?
Speaker 2 (09:06):
Fine?
Speaker 4 (09:15):
The gardener is busy about his essential business, so let's
pick up after him.
Speaker 1 (09:27):
We are part of the fashion industry within Guyana, which
branched off from the Guano Fashion Week company.
Speaker 2 (09:36):
That's where we.
Speaker 1 (09:37):
Got our training, our experiences all from.
Speaker 2 (09:40):
So mostly like twice.
Speaker 1 (09:42):
A month we come here at Barnum to rehearse because
the space is available and it's really safe and shade
and every day.
Speaker 7 (09:52):
Right, well, now I didn't attend. I'd already.
Speaker 6 (09:55):
I think it's the day after I arrived. So they
had the big fashion show and I think I origin, yes, No,
I wasn't.
Speaker 7 (10:05):
I wanted to be there.
Speaker 6 (10:07):
I was like, well, you know, I don't even know
where it is, but I was following what was planned schedule,
and I seem to remember the name of you guys
that were you guys on the show there.
Speaker 1 (10:18):
We had the model from our agency, but we were
not like branded at the show itself because for for
for once, we decided that we're not going to do
anything for that because it's something new and we love
the idea of the concept that they have and we're
just waiting to see what more they have in store
(10:40):
for it.
Speaker 7 (10:41):
Oh so you guys weren't actually there.
Speaker 2 (10:44):
As as a company. We were at events.
Speaker 6 (10:47):
We had models from our's Okay, right, I read the
lists and obviously I didn't study the list.
Speaker 7 (10:55):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (10:56):
I think that's a good initiative that they're doing, but
it has to be something that they're going to continue
to win because the fashion industry, it's it's a really
powerful industry because if you look around, you're seeing clothes
on everyone, right, that means that they are in fashion
and each and every day we have to embrace that because.
Speaker 2 (11:16):
That's the side of us, all right.
Speaker 1 (11:18):
So if they can promote it some more, that would
be really good because it's a dying industry and it's
really tough in Guyana.
Speaker 7 (11:28):
It's really tough.
Speaker 2 (11:29):
Said, it's tough.
Speaker 1 (11:31):
It's a popular industry, yeah, but it's tough to survive
on it because you can't just do fashion alone in
Guyana'm gonna be right, because you still.
Speaker 2 (11:41):
Have to survive.
Speaker 1 (11:43):
You know, the cost of living is raising each and
every day and you gotta get your stuff done.
Speaker 7 (11:51):
Now you're saying they could.
Speaker 6 (11:54):
I don't want to make assumptions. So who is there
responsible for run it? I'm very aware that it's the
government all that, But when you say they in your terms,
do you mean that they should be doing this continuously.
Speaker 7 (12:07):
Or what do you need?
Speaker 1 (12:08):
Okay, I'm not just talking about the government or people
who are in charge. Yes, they play a major role
in it, but there are also people who have contributed
towards the development of it and just decided that hey
are now going to do anything else. And they have
the keys, if I should say, the keys to open
the doors to allow us to have access to certain stuff.
(12:33):
And I mean, yeah, if there is there isn't an opportunity,
we should create one.
Speaker 2 (12:39):
But these people are our leaders. We're looking up.
Speaker 1 (12:42):
To them, right and they have to show us the
way as we learn it from them, and we want
to respect them because they're the reason why we're here.
So they guess they need to do more for us.
They need to provide, not just provide, but the beccause
(13:02):
of stuff are there, all right. They just need to
provide a space so that we can feel comfortable, so
that we can feel wanted and needed in this industry
because we got to work together.
Speaker 2 (13:15):
Life, you have to work together.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
Because you might have the key to open that gear,
but when you get into that gate, you might need
help to fetch a buck.
Speaker 2 (13:22):
The water, right right, So we need each other.
Speaker 1 (13:26):
If we don't work together, we are never ever, ever, ever,
ever going to get to destination on time, run in
the right way.
Speaker 7 (13:33):
Right now, I know we're in the pond.
Speaker 6 (13:35):
You're bringing me to see these lilies. But and I
know that we're still taping here. I want to hear
more of the story. If you're willing to talk.
Speaker 3 (13:44):
You are on the journey, and it's time for our question.
Speaker 4 (13:47):
Of the week. Isn't working well together contributory to the
joys of a fruitful life? That's something to consider. But
our question week is this, what is beauty? Is it
an integral part of living a life worth living? What
(14:11):
is beauty? Is it an integral part of living a
life worth living?
Speaker 7 (14:34):
Now? Why is beauty so important? I value it?
Speaker 6 (14:39):
But what is it that's beauty in beauty that is
so good for all of us?
Speaker 2 (14:44):
So beauty is for me.
Speaker 1 (14:47):
My name is Andre, and the meaning from my name
is beautiful and beautiful in Greek, if I'm correct, means masculine, right,
and God is beautiful all right. And if God is beautiful,
everything that he makes is beautiful.
Speaker 2 (15:02):
And beauty is like the.
Speaker 1 (15:04):
Core or the essence that gives you that love that
you need to connect to anything that is good and beautiful, awesome.
Speaker 6 (15:15):
Now your particular you told me about your particular modeling agencies.
Speaker 7 (15:20):
It's an agency or a company.
Speaker 6 (15:22):
It's an agency and obviously you you formed it. You
formed it, right, No, tell me about your agency.
Speaker 1 (15:30):
So it's it's called Fashiontastic. I'm one of the leaders
or the persons who helped, you know, help it go in.
But the founder of it, his name is Kenny Ercules.
You also go by kink which is kink I Wear.
He's actually Guyana normal one top male model, Kenny Ercules.
(15:54):
So he formed fashion Tastic mainly because to promote young
talent waiting Guyana. Because for us we trained together at
Guyana Fashion Week.
Speaker 2 (16:04):
We regard the experience, we.
Speaker 1 (16:06):
Know what it is as a now upcoming model. So
his idea came from that whereby he wanted to create
a space or create opportunities for people who want to
model who want to design and showcase their pieces a
space where.
Speaker 2 (16:23):
They can come and feel comfortable and.
Speaker 1 (16:26):
Safe to express themselves in the most beautiful.
Speaker 2 (16:29):
And powerful way.
Speaker 6 (16:30):
Also, now, do you guys have a website or anything
that I could go look at and put on my website?
Speaker 9 (16:37):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (16:37):
Yeah, you can find us on Instagram and on Facebook.
Speaker 5 (16:40):
And sorry, fashion Pastic as a s H. I went
Fashion Fantastic t a s T I c Fashion Tastic
so you would you see.
Speaker 2 (16:51):
How fashion shows every year. We had one last year,
and the year before and the year.
Speaker 1 (16:57):
Before that year, so we've had it three times. But
we decide that we're not going to do it this
year because we want to not just bail our team
in a more powerful way, but to have more sponsors,
secure most sponsors as well, because it takes a lot
when you're just doing it like mostly on your own,
(17:18):
because like I said, you need a team, you need
you need people to help you on this journey, and
if you don't have people to help you, you never
make it their own time and in the right set
of pieces.
Speaker 2 (17:30):
That you need.
Speaker 1 (17:31):
So we decide that we're going to do more promotional
jobs this year or or shoots or.
Speaker 6 (17:37):
Gigs gigs you don't know about, but.
Speaker 2 (17:48):
So like so we're going to do some.
Speaker 1 (17:51):
But we do plan sorry on having some workshops, some
modern workshop and fashion workshop in a whole and don't
want to passion shows like for other people, like the
one that I mentioned that we'll be doing on the
Niners one and we will be meeting every well two
times a month.
Speaker 2 (18:10):
That's our plan, so that our.
Speaker 1 (18:12):
Models will be prepared, because preparation time is in the
God time. So once you prepare and the opportunity is there,
you're going to be able to do what you have
to do in the most powerful way and positive way.
Speaker 2 (18:25):
Ever.
Speaker 6 (18:26):
Now you said you meet twice a month, would you
like to say where you guys meet?
Speaker 2 (18:30):
We meet at the Botanica Gardens, all right.
Speaker 1 (18:34):
The Zoom if your guys need at the Burnham Tomb where.
Speaker 2 (18:39):
He's he has been laid to rest.
Speaker 1 (18:42):
It's going to be every other Sunday, you should, I
should say every other Sunday. Yeah, I will give you
two times a month. We start realizing from ten thirty
to one thirty pm in the afternoon.
Speaker 6 (18:56):
And what kind of folks do you encourage to come?
Or they have to be members of.
Speaker 1 (19:00):
No so we believe that and and everybody can be models.
Speaker 2 (19:05):
But don't get me wrong, anybody can go on the
run way because we don't get nervous.
Speaker 1 (19:11):
The reason why we believe and everybody can be a
model because everybody just wear clothes.
Speaker 2 (19:15):
All right.
Speaker 1 (19:15):
So if I'm fat, I might not have the self
confidence that I need to go onto the run or
to go into a story self and child. It's also
but if I see if we don't say fat, it's
a plus size if we see but if I see
a plus size model on the run way and she's
wearing this dress, and I want it to wear it.
Speaker 2 (19:33):
Like whoa if she can look good and.
Speaker 1 (19:35):
That just I can look good in it, save for
a slim person, sharp person, or top people, a tall person,
because we all wear close. So the opportunities out there.
Because it's not just about putting you out on our runway,
it's helping you to bail your confidence level, helping you
with your personal growth. Because I was a very shy
(19:56):
person and true to volunteering and the fashioning in the street,
I'm still shy.
Speaker 2 (20:02):
But I'm not a shy person that I was back there.
Speaker 1 (20:04):
They helped me become the person still help me to
become the person I am to become in the future.
Speaker 7 (20:12):
Awesome, Now we're passing. What do you call this?
Speaker 2 (20:18):
It's a fun.
Speaker 7 (20:20):
I don't shooting.
Speaker 1 (20:22):
That's last week's song it was on It'll just be
really beautiful.
Speaker 6 (20:29):
Is it only on special occasions or particular time?
Speaker 1 (20:31):
Sure, I'm not very sure, but it is beyond it's working.
Speaker 2 (20:37):
I guess they just put it there to beautify the place.
Speaker 7 (20:41):
So is this how do you know when that was built?
Probably wasn't there when I was here, you know. Okay?
Speaker 2 (20:50):
Over ten years? Okay, well about ten years.
Speaker 9 (21:06):
Along the journey, we stop at intriguing places and meet
fascinating people with novel solutions to some of life's tricky questions,
and we play a few games in track the remarkable
characters of three classic books, A SoundBite Life, A Flight
of the Fused Monkeys, and Illa Set A Time to
Begin Again, all of which can be found on Amazon
(21:27):
and Barnes and Noble.
Speaker 4 (21:31):
Indeed, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, So
there it is right in the heart of diversity and
its subjectivity. Though distinguishing is not a diminishing factor, beauty
(21:53):
also is objective. In my mind, isn't it hanking to
the intelligence and revelations of the age. For example, John
keats beauty is truth, truth, beauty that is all. Yes,
a thing of beauty is a joy forever. And isn't
(22:18):
beauty synonymous with immortality? Or, as Oscar Wilde said it,
beauty is genius. What do you think You are on
the journey with Neville? You may find us on your
favorite platform. Our home base is the Journey dot ryosports
(22:43):
dot com. The journey is put together as one word.
Ryo Sports is spelled r yo s p O rts.
The Journey dot ryosports dot com. Meet us there you
will discover a diverse global family of beautiful people with
(23:04):
genius creativity. I am thankful to Andre da Silva, who,
without reservation, was kind enough to give me a tour.
I will be back. You will find clips of him
on our website, as he and one of his models
(23:26):
demonstrated to me what the walk on the catwalk is like.
See you next week.
My name is Andre di Silva. I'm twenty seven years old.
I am a volunteer at heart. I literally I love
to volunteer. I love making people happy. I love to
see when people got a smile on their face. So
I started modeling in twenty sixteen, right after I finished
writing CX.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
It was just an opportunity that was there.
Speaker 1 (00:21):
And I'm a person I love to explore, love to
try new things, and that was something new that I
was trying. But I never knew that it would have
been a passion that I always had inside of me,
that I would have been like going with her drive.
And since then I've been modeling, and for me, muddling
is something very beautiful because you have the opportunity to
(00:45):
not just showcase.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Your personal art or your personal.
Speaker 1 (00:48):
Beauty, but the opportunity to show others what beauty is
not just one inside, but on the outside.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
Hello and welcome to the Journey, your radio show hosted
by de Angelou, author of a sound Bite Life and
Flight of the Views Monkeys, a PRG Emerging Technologies Forum
keynote speaker and founder of RIO Sports. I am Joseph
Ellison enjoy.
Speaker 4 (01:17):
I am Neville presently in the botanical Garden of the
Land of Many Waters, beautiful Guyana. My guest is none
other than Guyanese model Andre da Silva. I have a
pivotal question, what is beauty and does it play an
(01:38):
integral part of a well lived life? Walk along with me.
It's green here, gorgeous tropical flowers popping everywhere, and it
is refreshingly breezy. This morning I got started on our
(02:37):
early rise boost to day tennis sessions. Yes, tennis scientifically
ascertained to be the healthiest sport on our planet, adds
approximately nine point seven years to Claire's life.
Speaker 5 (02:53):
Did you know?
Speaker 4 (02:55):
My thinking is, if one is privileged with an added
nine point seven years on not to make it the
best that it could be. Don't you agree? Well? I
(03:16):
got me a nice shower, so refreshed, Now on to
the next item on my schedule. But isn't that an
evocative conjunction but a coordinating conjunction? Certainly it is. But
and my mind reconditioned itself. I hadn't seen or been
(03:41):
to the botonical gardens since those gorgeous growing up days.
My mind decided this was the moment to do just that.
A good walk to there, Yes, and I did. Entering
the back way from Mandela Avenue, immediately nostalgia those wide
trails of lotus flowers. I think there lotus flowers awakened,
(04:05):
poignant memories of those petals always falling off onto my
stable hands, the feel, the fragrance. Ah, let me not
go there. I strolled on a sparse scattering of folks
and small families, it seems, on blankets under saving trees
(04:29):
lining the two streams on either side of my walk.
I took pictures. Everybody wants me to send pictures and videos,
and I never do. The videos I take never seem
to capture the authenticity of my experiences, so they just
stay there, left to earn their soul before I ever
(04:53):
use them. I knew I would go to see if
the manatee was still there, and to see the bridges
and the bands stand. There's got to be a better
name for that gorgeous construction. I'll check into it. I
knew I wanted to go to the place of the
Seven Pawns to see if it matched any of my imagination.
(05:20):
It's on my way there that I happened on to
our guest hundred Silver, so kind of him not knowing
me to give me a tour, and I decided I
would do this impromptu podcast right there and then and
here we are, all right?
Speaker 6 (05:48):
Is it an order of burial or is there a
specific order?
Speaker 7 (05:53):
Oh?
Speaker 6 (05:54):
Sir Sat sunny ramfo whyn't my euros?
Speaker 7 (05:59):
Can I go?
Speaker 6 (06:01):
I feel you know, I didn't expect to be cut
doing it right right now, I'm getting emotional.
Speaker 7 (06:08):
I have to bewhere this.
Speaker 6 (06:11):
I didn't know where I was going to walk around.
They just thought I should come to the gardens.
Speaker 7 (06:17):
And this is wow, part of the author, right, the
poet is a poet or author.
Speaker 6 (06:28):
Yes, resistance, Yes, oh my goodness, these are very familiar, James,
I didn't know they were here.
Speaker 7 (06:36):
And is there a do you know how they choose
who will be here? All right? And I said, don't know?
If I took go ahead?
Speaker 6 (06:55):
Yeah, So the fences are new or.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
Right up as one as you as a bar.
Speaker 1 (07:02):
Growing up, I used to always hear that these are
the seven people who used to be associated before, and
that's what I did.
Speaker 7 (07:09):
Ury, So that's the association.
Speaker 8 (07:12):
Okay, So I was told enough, So are they seven
around here already or they're just And it was just
seven points, but I don't know if there's one, two, three, four.
Speaker 7 (07:23):
I see, yeah, and.
Speaker 6 (07:28):
Oh this is who I was thinking about, Sir David
James Gardner Rose.
Speaker 7 (07:34):
I am.
Speaker 6 (07:34):
I think emotions here, These are just bringing back memories,
all right. I didn't know what he looked like. I
mean I should, but I didn't know what it looked like.
Of course, I'm very familiar with him in the story
of how.
Speaker 7 (07:51):
He he died.
Speaker 2 (07:54):
Oky, good.
Speaker 7 (07:57):
Boy.
Speaker 2 (07:58):
I know they fine not the place because I recently
did a survey.
Speaker 1 (08:03):
You find it exactly.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
What we think should happen, what we think they should
do to better up.
Speaker 1 (08:10):
But yeah, you're going to tell you have space for
more because like I said, they say I suppose to seven.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
Yes, and when I was smaller, he wasn't here, as
you can see that, right.
Speaker 1 (08:21):
But the intention was to have seven main persons who
were in connection to him.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
So that's the story I was told as a kid
growing up.
Speaker 7 (08:31):
Okay, well, what I am? I am? I don't want it
to sound wrong.
Speaker 6 (08:37):
I am surprised that it would just be I would
think it would be national heroes rather than just who
are attached to him.
Speaker 7 (08:47):
I don't want that to sound wrong. And I don't
know that. I'm just listening to you.
Speaker 1 (08:54):
Maybe it's the way I put it over to Yeah, that.
Speaker 6 (08:57):
Would I'm gonna let you direct me. You were going
to show me some stuff? Is that okay?
Speaker 2 (09:06):
Fine?
Speaker 4 (09:15):
The gardener is busy about his essential business, so let's
pick up after him.
Speaker 1 (09:27):
We are part of the fashion industry within Guyana, which
branched off from the Guano Fashion Week company.
Speaker 2 (09:36):
That's where we.
Speaker 1 (09:37):
Got our training, our experiences all from.
Speaker 2 (09:40):
So mostly like twice.
Speaker 1 (09:42):
A month we come here at Barnum to rehearse because
the space is available and it's really safe and shade
and every day.
Speaker 7 (09:52):
Right, well, now I didn't attend. I'd already.
Speaker 6 (09:55):
I think it's the day after I arrived. So they
had the big fashion show and I think I origin, yes, No,
I wasn't.
Speaker 7 (10:05):
I wanted to be there.
Speaker 6 (10:07):
I was like, well, you know, I don't even know
where it is, but I was following what was planned schedule,
and I seem to remember the name of you guys
that were you guys on the show there.
Speaker 1 (10:18):
We had the model from our agency, but we were
not like branded at the show itself because for for
for once, we decided that we're not going to do
anything for that because it's something new and we love
the idea of the concept that they have and we're
just waiting to see what more they have in store
(10:40):
for it.
Speaker 7 (10:41):
Oh so you guys weren't actually there.
Speaker 2 (10:44):
As as a company. We were at events.
Speaker 6 (10:47):
We had models from our's Okay, right, I read the
lists and obviously I didn't study the list.
Speaker 7 (10:55):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (10:56):
I think that's a good initiative that they're doing, but
it has to be something that they're going to continue
to win because the fashion industry, it's it's a really
powerful industry because if you look around, you're seeing clothes
on everyone, right, that means that they are in fashion
and each and every day we have to embrace that because.
Speaker 2 (11:16):
That's the side of us, all right.
Speaker 1 (11:18):
So if they can promote it some more, that would
be really good because it's a dying industry and it's
really tough in Guyana.
Speaker 7 (11:28):
It's really tough.
Speaker 2 (11:29):
Said, it's tough.
Speaker 1 (11:31):
It's a popular industry, yeah, but it's tough to survive
on it because you can't just do fashion alone in
Guyana'm gonna be right, because you still.
Speaker 2 (11:41):
Have to survive.
Speaker 1 (11:43):
You know, the cost of living is raising each and
every day and you gotta get your stuff done.
Speaker 7 (11:51):
Now you're saying they could.
Speaker 6 (11:54):
I don't want to make assumptions. So who is there
responsible for run it? I'm very aware that it's the
government all that, But when you say they in your terms,
do you mean that they should be doing this continuously.
Speaker 7 (12:07):
Or what do you need?
Speaker 1 (12:08):
Okay, I'm not just talking about the government or people
who are in charge. Yes, they play a major role
in it, but there are also people who have contributed
towards the development of it and just decided that hey
are now going to do anything else. And they have
the keys, if I should say, the keys to open
the doors to allow us to have access to certain stuff.
(12:33):
And I mean, yeah, if there is there isn't an opportunity,
we should create one.
Speaker 2 (12:39):
But these people are our leaders. We're looking up.
Speaker 1 (12:42):
To them, right and they have to show us the
way as we learn it from them, and we want
to respect them because they're the reason why we're here.
So they guess they need to do more for us.
They need to provide, not just provide, but the beccause
(13:02):
of stuff are there, all right. They just need to
provide a space so that we can feel comfortable, so
that we can feel wanted and needed in this industry
because we got to work together.
Speaker 2 (13:15):
Life, you have to work together.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
Because you might have the key to open that gear,
but when you get into that gate, you might need
help to fetch a buck.
Speaker 2 (13:22):
The water, right right, So we need each other.
Speaker 1 (13:26):
If we don't work together, we are never ever, ever, ever,
ever going to get to destination on time, run in
the right way.
Speaker 7 (13:33):
Right now, I know we're in the pond.
Speaker 6 (13:35):
You're bringing me to see these lilies. But and I
know that we're still taping here. I want to hear
more of the story. If you're willing to talk.
Speaker 3 (13:44):
You are on the journey, and it's time for our question.
Speaker 4 (13:47):
Of the week. Isn't working well together contributory to the
joys of a fruitful life? That's something to consider. But
our question week is this, what is beauty? Is it
an integral part of living a life worth living? What
(14:11):
is beauty? Is it an integral part of living a
life worth living?
Speaker 7 (14:34):
Now? Why is beauty so important? I value it?
Speaker 6 (14:39):
But what is it that's beauty in beauty that is
so good for all of us?
Speaker 2 (14:44):
So beauty is for me.
Speaker 1 (14:47):
My name is Andre, and the meaning from my name
is beautiful and beautiful in Greek, if I'm correct, means masculine, right,
and God is beautiful all right. And if God is beautiful,
everything that he makes is beautiful.
Speaker 2 (15:02):
And beauty is like the.
Speaker 1 (15:04):
Core or the essence that gives you that love that
you need to connect to anything that is good and beautiful, awesome.
Speaker 6 (15:15):
Now your particular you told me about your particular modeling agencies.
Speaker 7 (15:20):
It's an agency or a company.
Speaker 6 (15:22):
It's an agency and obviously you you formed it. You
formed it, right, No, tell me about your agency.
Speaker 1 (15:30):
So it's it's called Fashiontastic. I'm one of the leaders
or the persons who helped, you know, help it go in.
But the founder of it, his name is Kenny Ercules.
You also go by kink which is kink I Wear.
He's actually Guyana normal one top male model, Kenny Ercules.
(15:54):
So he formed fashion Tastic mainly because to promote young
talent waiting Guyana. Because for us we trained together at
Guyana Fashion Week.
Speaker 2 (16:04):
We regard the experience, we.
Speaker 1 (16:06):
Know what it is as a now upcoming model. So
his idea came from that whereby he wanted to create
a space or create opportunities for people who want to
model who want to design and showcase their pieces a
space where.
Speaker 2 (16:23):
They can come and feel comfortable and.
Speaker 1 (16:26):
Safe to express themselves in the most beautiful.
Speaker 2 (16:29):
And powerful way.
Speaker 6 (16:30):
Also, now, do you guys have a website or anything
that I could go look at and put on my website?
Speaker 9 (16:37):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (16:37):
Yeah, you can find us on Instagram and on Facebook.
Speaker 5 (16:40):
And sorry, fashion Pastic as a s H. I went
Fashion Fantastic t a s T I c Fashion Tastic
so you would you see.
Speaker 2 (16:51):
How fashion shows every year. We had one last year,
and the year before and the year.
Speaker 1 (16:57):
Before that year, so we've had it three times. But
we decide that we're not going to do it this
year because we want to not just bail our team
in a more powerful way, but to have more sponsors,
secure most sponsors as well, because it takes a lot
when you're just doing it like mostly on your own,
(17:18):
because like I said, you need a team, you need
you need people to help you on this journey, and
if you don't have people to help you, you never
make it their own time and in the right set
of pieces.
Speaker 2 (17:30):
That you need.
Speaker 1 (17:31):
So we decide that we're going to do more promotional
jobs this year or or shoots or.
Speaker 6 (17:37):
Gigs gigs you don't know about, but.
Speaker 2 (17:48):
So like so we're going to do some.
Speaker 1 (17:51):
But we do plan sorry on having some workshops, some
modern workshop and fashion workshop in a whole and don't
want to passion shows like for other people, like the
one that I mentioned that we'll be doing on the
Niners one and we will be meeting every well two
times a month.
Speaker 2 (18:10):
That's our plan, so that our.
Speaker 1 (18:12):
Models will be prepared, because preparation time is in the
God time. So once you prepare and the opportunity is there,
you're going to be able to do what you have
to do in the most powerful way and positive way.
Speaker 2 (18:25):
Ever.
Speaker 6 (18:26):
Now you said you meet twice a month, would you
like to say where you guys meet?
Speaker 2 (18:30):
We meet at the Botanica Gardens, all right.
Speaker 1 (18:34):
The Zoom if your guys need at the Burnham Tomb where.
Speaker 2 (18:39):
He's he has been laid to rest.
Speaker 1 (18:42):
It's going to be every other Sunday, you should, I
should say every other Sunday. Yeah, I will give you
two times a month. We start realizing from ten thirty
to one thirty pm in the afternoon.
Speaker 6 (18:56):
And what kind of folks do you encourage to come?
Or they have to be members of.
Speaker 1 (19:00):
No so we believe that and and everybody can be models.
Speaker 2 (19:05):
But don't get me wrong, anybody can go on the
run way because we don't get nervous.
Speaker 1 (19:11):
The reason why we believe and everybody can be a
model because everybody just wear clothes.
Speaker 2 (19:15):
All right.
Speaker 1 (19:15):
So if I'm fat, I might not have the self
confidence that I need to go onto the run or
to go into a story self and child. It's also
but if I see if we don't say fat, it's
a plus size if we see but if I see
a plus size model on the run way and she's
wearing this dress, and I want it to wear it.
Speaker 2 (19:33):
Like whoa if she can look good and.
Speaker 1 (19:35):
That just I can look good in it, save for
a slim person, sharp person, or top people, a tall person,
because we all wear close. So the opportunities out there.
Because it's not just about putting you out on our runway,
it's helping you to bail your confidence level, helping you
with your personal growth. Because I was a very shy
(19:56):
person and true to volunteering and the fashioning in the street,
I'm still shy.
Speaker 2 (20:02):
But I'm not a shy person that I was back there.
Speaker 1 (20:04):
They helped me become the person still help me to
become the person I am to become in the future.
Speaker 7 (20:12):
Awesome, Now we're passing. What do you call this?
Speaker 2 (20:18):
It's a fun.
Speaker 7 (20:20):
I don't shooting.
Speaker 1 (20:22):
That's last week's song it was on It'll just be
really beautiful.
Speaker 6 (20:29):
Is it only on special occasions or particular time?
Speaker 1 (20:31):
Sure, I'm not very sure, but it is beyond it's working.
Speaker 2 (20:37):
I guess they just put it there to beautify the place.
Speaker 7 (20:41):
So is this how do you know when that was built?
Probably wasn't there when I was here, you know. Okay?
Speaker 2 (20:50):
Over ten years? Okay, well about ten years.
Speaker 9 (21:06):
Along the journey, we stop at intriguing places and meet
fascinating people with novel solutions to some of life's tricky questions,
and we play a few games in track the remarkable
characters of three classic books, A SoundBite Life, A Flight
of the Fused Monkeys, and Illa Set A Time to
Begin Again, all of which can be found on Amazon
(21:27):
and Barnes and Noble.
Speaker 4 (21:31):
Indeed, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, So
there it is right in the heart of diversity and
its subjectivity. Though distinguishing is not a diminishing factor, beauty
(21:53):
also is objective. In my mind, isn't it hanking to
the intelligence and revelations of the age. For example, John
keats beauty is truth, truth, beauty that is all. Yes,
a thing of beauty is a joy forever. And isn't
(22:18):
beauty synonymous with immortality? Or, as Oscar Wilde said it,
beauty is genius. What do you think You are on
the journey with Neville? You may find us on your
favorite platform. Our home base is the Journey dot ryosports
(22:43):
dot com. The journey is put together as one word.
Ryo Sports is spelled r yo s p O rts.
The Journey dot ryosports dot com. Meet us there you
will discover a diverse global family of beautiful people with
(23:04):
genius creativity. I am thankful to Andre da Silva, who,
without reservation, was kind enough to give me a tour.
I will be back. You will find clips of him
on our website, as he and one of his models
(23:26):
demonstrated to me what the walk on the catwalk is like.
See you next week.
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