I’m blessed to know quite a few amazing women. Warriors… Inspirational women… Caribbean women who are doing big things in their respective fields in their communities, countries, regionally, and on the global stage. Women, who are on a mission to amplify Caribbean voices and create spaces for our unique and shared regional experiences to be shared in all its authentic glory.

One such woman is Melissa Noel. I had the opportunity to chat with the award-winning international journalist, host and media entrepreneur recently about the twists and turns, highs and lows of her professional journey to date.

While she was born in New York and and raised in New Jersey, Melissa spent a lot of time in Guyana during her formative years, this she explained, helped her to grow up fully immersed in and appreciative of her Caribbean culture and roots.

She credits her grandmother with inspiring her journey as a journalist.

“My family settled in New Jersey and my grandmother used to send me to pick up the newspaper she used to get in Guyana every week. I would get the paper, bring it to her and we’d sit down and we’d read. It used to excite me and also just made me so curious when I saw how excited she got to know what was going on back home. She felt so connected, so happy to know what was happening back home. I was like from a newspaper? At that point in time I was like if that makes her feel connected just by reading these words on a page well I want to write and I want to tell stories and help people feel connected. I was probably about ten years old.”

The rest, as they say, is history.

Despite her determination to pursue a career far removed from the path her parents hoped she would follow, their support was unwavering.

“I was supposed to become a dermatologist and find the cure to like skin issues like eczema that I have right, that was their thing. Melissa is going to be a dermatologist and I was like no actually, I want to do journalism. They were like journalism. You can make money from that? Fast forward a bit and my mom enrolled me in like pre-college programs in New Jersey and I got to write for magazine programs. I went to a very small Catholic high school, they didn’t have a really big newspaper or anything but every little chance that I got  any programs, my mom would enroll me in speech writing competitions, Model UN Competitions, and Writing Programs with local colleges, so I got the practice.”

Melissa studied Broadcast Journalism and minored in English and Caribbean Studies at Howard University, an experience which she said opened up a whole new world to her. She hosted a show which she says allowed her to tap into her Caribbean-ness while also affording her the opportunity to interview music greats like Damian Marley, Wyclef Jean and Machel Montano.

“I got to learn the craft of radio and produce a show and be responsible, you know, to have to create the segments and so on and so forth. And then outside of radio, I went into TV work, you know, working and interning on Capitol Hill, interning for local news stations…. what that did for me was show me that there were limitless opportunities but what it also showed me was that there was a very narrow view of what was success in journalism because we were always taught like you want to be on TV, you have to start in some small town somewhere. You have to make like nothing you know, and work your way up, pay your dues and I always wondered where was the space for Caribbean stories? “

Melissa told Your Caribbean Guide that her time at Howard University allowed her to be her full self.

“I never had to choose, there was a space for me to celebrate this dual identity and I’ve always been a dual citizen. My time in Guyana helped shape the person that I am. My time in the US helped shape the person that I am, but I think what Howard did for me was allow me to really be my full authentic self, celebrate both sides of who I am, and really embrace what I wanted to do.”

She further explained that she had to learn that there was a very narrow view of what success in journalism looks like. She said people often made her feel like there wasn’t space to tell Caribbean stories. Not at all daunted, she was determined to figure out how to do just that.

After graduating from Howard University in 2010, she worked the overnight shift at ABC News.

“…the worst shift ever,” she said.

Midnight to 10am for about two and a half years. So I did everything from producing segments, writing stories, working for Good Morning America work for World News. I just kind of did a little bit of everything. Once it started grad school in the mix, and then I just one day woke up and I was like I’m tired of being questioned about why I’m pitching stories about the people and the places that mattered to me.”

Despite challenges that ranged from racism to sexism and everything in between, Melissa persevered, determined to find or create a niche for Caribbean stories.

“I got passed over for a lot of opportunities… So early 2013 I was just like, You know what, I’m over this!”

After earning her master’s degree from the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism in New York City, she decided to work part-time at the school to maintain a steady income. However, she soon realized she needed space to plan her next steps, so she took time off, first traveling to Guyana, then spending time in Trinidad with friends she had met while studying at Howard University.

During this personal sabbatical, Melissa reflected on her career path. She wasn’t sure about the business side of things, but she trusted that time would help her figure it out.

For about a year she explored freelance writing while contemplating her future. Her family expressed concern, urging her to think about job security, pensions, and retirement, but she remained focused on her goal, asking for patience as she worked through her plans.

In 2014, everything changed. That year, she connected with the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), covering their Caribbean Week in New York, and she traveled to Grenada for a Sustainable Tourism Conference. She also began writing for Voices of New York, reporting on Caribbean community events in the city, and connected with NBC Black, a vertical of NBCNews.com.

“Those connections literally changed my career,” she recalled.

It was then that Melissa realised she had successfully carved out a unique role for herself in mainstream US media: covering Caribbean stories as a correspondent.

Although the role of a Caribbean correspondent didn’t exist in mainstream US news at the time, Melissa mustered the courage to pitch the idea. Supported by editors who saw her expertise and background in Caribbean studies, she was able to focus on telling these stories.

For five years, Melissa grew with NBC Black, covering significant Caribbean issues and events. She credits the founding editor of NBC Black, Amber Payne, for believing in her and giving her the opportunity to thrive.

“I still talk to her to this day because she was so supportive,” Noel said.

“The fact that I get to take everyday Caribbean stories that are so normal to me, but may be so new to somebody else and tell them is just like I don’t know like it just makes me so happy, I feel so much joy.”

In an industry where such opportunities were rare a decade ago, Melissa’s perseverance and vision allowed her to do what she’d always longed to do:  create a space for Caribbean stories in mainstream media. While happy to note the vast increase in space allotted for the telling of Caribbean stories and the number of people who are willing to tell those stories, she said it’s important for these projects to be pursued for the right reasons.

“I see a lot of people wanting to do this work, because of I guess, like the quote-unquote, access and spotlight it’ll give you, but you have to be in it for the right reasons. You have to care about the craft, and you have to learn your craft. The reason why I’ve been so successful in this industry beyond creating a niche for myself and telling Caribbean stories and having this specialty and international reporting, is because I’m a good writer, and nothing trumps good writing. You have to learn to write well, I don’t care what it is that you seek to do. Sometimes I have students telling me ‘Well, I want to be on TV. I don’t want to write.’ You have to write for television. It’s a different style of writing, but you still have to write and not only do you have to write but you have to write well, and you and there’s no shortcuts in good writing because it’ll come back to bite you.”

Melissa now has her sights set on broadening her impact in the media world and is actively working on expanding her production ventures through her company, Mel and N Media. “I’m excited about what’s ahead, especially as I move deeper into the production space with series and projects in collaboration with strategic partners across the U.S. and the Caribbean,” she explained. Her focus isn’t just on storytelling, but on reaching new audiences and amplifying diverse voices in a more dynamic way.

Noel is also taking on more speaking engagements and participating in conferences to highlight her evolution from journalist to media entrepreneur.

“It was important for me not just to tell stories, but to create opportunities for others to do the same,” she reflects. Through Mel and N Media, her goal is to help others expand their reach and influence, ensuring their voices resonate widely in a sustainable way.

In addition to her work at Essence, Noel serves as the Caribbean Community Editor for Documented New York, an immigrant-focused outlet. Her role involves creating meaningful coverage that reflects the Caribbean diaspora in New York City. “It’s been incredibly fulfilling to help build out the Caribbean Community vertical, ensuring that this vibrant group feels seen, heard, and represented in a city where their presence is significant,” she told Your Caribbean Guide.