Actress CCH Pounder is guest speaker at Republic anniversary ball
Stabroek News
February 20, 2007
The Guyanese American Cultural Associa-tion of Central Florida said acclaimed Guyana-born actress CCH Pounder will be the guest speaker at its annual Republic Anniversary Ball.
In a press release, the group said Pounder, who is also the guest-of-honour, is well known on American television where she has a major role in police drama The Shield. CCH Pounder, the CCH being Carol Christine Hilaria, is synonymous with strength, confidence and integrity as can be said of other similar styled actresses such as Alfre Woodard and Cicely Tyson. The release said the actress has come a long way from her childhood in Guyana to the lights of Hollywood.
Born on Christmas Day, she spent part of her childhood on a sugar plantation until her parents moved to the USA. Pounder and her sister were sent to a convent boarding school in Britain where they were introduced to art and the western classics. Following high school graduation, she studied at Ithaca College in New York where her acting talents were discovered.
Pounder earned roles in countless productions including The Mighty Gents with Morgan Freeman at the New York Shakespeare Festival and has appeared in television shows such as LA Law, The West Wing, Law and Order and The Practice. The release said despite her success Pounder has never given up her Guyanese roots and as such the Guyanese community in Central Florida would be proud to welcome and showcase her to the society as another example of the heights to which Guyanese continue to rise and the contributions they make to American society.
The release said this is the third consecutive year that the group is hosting an activity to mark the Republic anniversary and Pounder follows internationally renowned author Ted Braithwaite in 2005 and former West Indies Cricket captain Alvin Kallicharran last year.
The ball will be hosted at the historic Ballroom at Church Street in downtown Orlando.