What is a queen? What part does a queen play in the opera that is royalty? A quick Google search will tell you she is head of state in a monarchy and is to fulfill ceremonial and representational duties, including acting as a symbol of national unity, attending official events, appointing key figures like the Prime Minister, and representing their country on the international stage; her role is largely symbolic and focuses on upholding tradition as well as stability within the nation. “To be a queen is to embody a combination of qualities such as strength, confidence, resilience, leadership, and influence,” Shyla Murray, Palmtrees’ inaugural queen tells us. “And a Palmtree Queen, to me, is someone who shows the world more than just beauty; She is someone who proudly represents pride in her roots, celebrates her culture, and carries herself with grace- as a Queen should.”

   When Shyla got our email that she was PALMTREE Queen, she beamed with so much joy and appreciation for the opportunity you could feel it through the screen. We knew at that moment she was our girl. “it is literally an honor to be recognized in this sort of way and it represents something bigger than just myself,” she exclaimed. On set for our PALMTREE queen shoot was the first she and the team would be introduced to each other in the flesh. Surprised yet elated, discovered despite her small stature, she possessed a beauty as captivating as the height of a palmtrees trunk and a confidence that cast a long shadow as its fronds. Clearly, a vintage concept such as queen requires a harmonious balance of responsibility and character with a dash of effective good old-fashioned time management skills and quite a bit of discipline but that doesn’t pose a problem for Shyla. Balancing all her extracurricular activities is as easy as a push of a button, especially in this day and age of tech with tools like her digital calendar via her smartphone which she utilizes to keep track of her busy weeks working as a full-time coordinator of student-athlete success at a University and everything else.

   “Representing Guyana means everything to me!” she says. “My favorite thing about being Guyanese is the culture, food, and how patriotic we are.” She even has the dual citizenship to prove it! Even though she was born in the US, she has a special appreciation for Guyanas’ oneness. “In Guyana, family, and community are everything, and there’s a strong sense of social support and interconnectedness, where people help each other out in both personal and professional matters,” she explains. “In the U.S., while there is also a sense of community, there tends to be more of an individual focus, with personal independence and self-reliance being highly valued.”