DIANE
HENDRICKSON-JONES
LADY WONDER
WONDER WOMAN
THE SHOWBIZ STAR
AS BUSINESS BOSS
By Marc Muneal
Express
July 28, 2000
Page 31
She
has spent half her life as part of the singing Hendrickson
family. But that is not such a hard act
for Lady Wonder to follow: she is a business boss; she has studied psychology
and counselling, and is raising two children.
She
is a take-charge kind of person and when she gives orders, they are followed.
Diane
Hendrickson-Jones, Lady Wonder, two-time National Calypso Queen, calls herself
an emancipated woman. She celebrates
her fortieth birthday on Tuesday, August 1 - Emancipation Day.
"To
me the word says it all," explained Lady Wonder. "Freeness, free up.
But we must ask ourselves, how free are we? Is it an assumption that we are an emancipated nation, or is it
reality? I see an African consciousness
surfacing near the time of Emancipation day and that's it. The black self-consciousness should be an
element of our lives that's year round."
Emancipation,
Wonder feels, does not only have to do with the remembrance of slaves being
freed from bondage; it has to do with making a conscious effort to make your
life and the lives of those around you happy and worthwhile. Confidence is a characteristic of free
people; the enslaved had lost it, she believes.
Wonder,
who will be 40 this year, has no shortage of confidence. Her handshake is gripping, as is the eye
contact she holds and the assertiveness of her voice.
All
these factors come into play every day as she balances livelihoods. One of her many hats - or head-wraps, she's
fond of both - is as Administrative Manager of New City Mall (formerly Tent
City) on Independence Square.
Her
policy at the office: the door is always open - literally. She likes the people working with her to be
able to see her at all time, to feel free to enter the office whenever they
need to talk, for personal or professional reasons.
"My
satisfaction as a business woman is having people return to me, people whose
lives I've touched. Sometimes, it's not
just a matter of business, but a person may have a problem where they need you
to listen."
Wonder
conceded that it is hard. She is up at
7 a.m. making phone calls concerning the appearance, staff and machinery at the
mall. Then it's off to put in the
scheduled hours at work.
Sounds
routine enough? Factor in the second
aspect of her life: family.
She's
the daughter of calypsonian All-Rounder and Wilma Hendrickson, as well as
sister of reigning Calypso Queen Shirlaine Hendrickson.
"Many
people don't know this," Wonder stated, "but my mother, along with
Shirlaine, is the lyricist of the Hendrickson family." Though her father gets the publicity, Wonder
acknowledged her mother as being the force that holds the family together and
balances the personalities of the three calypsonians, two other public servant
daughters and a graphic artist son.
And,
of course, Lady Wonder is Mommy Wonder too; sons Lasana, 16, and O'Neil, six,
need a lot of time. Her husband of 17
years, Sylvan Jones, is "a very supportive person," she says. "We agree that home time is family
time, and we work together to keep that law.
One has to know how to prioritise.
Are you contributing to both your workplace and your family as you
should?"
About
her music, she prefers to let reputation and name speak for itself.
"I
like people to be happy around me," she stated simply.
It
is putting all these aspects of her life together that makes Wonder appreciate
the true meaning of emancipation.
"Emancipation
is freedom of expression, the ability to let one's true personality shine
through in a comprehensive, holistic and balanced manner in thoughts, words and
deeds.
"I
consider myself an emancipated woman because I have freedom of speech in my
life, no clause 7 in my marriage to a person, a family and careers. A lot of people who are married are not
happy because they can't express what they feel. You must be able to contribute in any type of marriage while
keeping your individuality.
"Emancipation
is looking after yourself and others, praying for them."