Dr. Michelle Gill, a Guyanese-born community leader, radio host, and founder, has dedicated her life to uplifting underserved communities in her homeland and the United States.
Gill, who emigrated from Georgetown, Guyana, to the United States, shared her journey and her organization’s mission, Michelle’s Foundation, which she established in 2011 to foster charitable engagement.
The idea for the foundation came after Gill noticed a need for more philanthropic activity among her peers. A simple Facebook post inviting friends to join her in giving back sparked the nonprofit’s inception. “One of my friends, Banky Hype, said, ‘Okay, you start it, and we got you,‘ and that’s how it all began,“ Gill said.
Since then, Michelle’s Foundation has organized annual initiatives, including a Christmas toy drive and a back-to-school supply drive, which have grown substantially over the years.
Initially providing toys to children at a YMCA in Newark, the organization now distributes backpacks and school supplies to hundreds of students across the United States, Jamaica, and Guyana.
Earlier this year, Gill returned to her alma mater, St. Gabriel’s Primary School in Georgetown, where she donated 100 backpacks and 30 tablets to enhance the school’s computer program. “Walking into that school took me right back to that little girl I once was,“ Gill said, describing the visit as a profoundly emotional full-circle moment.
Gill’s commitment to service extends beyond her foundation. She has nearly 20 years of experience as a child abuse and neglect specialist with New York’s child services and serves as a sociology and trauma professor at three universities. These roles, she said, fuel her passion for helping underserved communities.
Gill, a passionate storyteller and radio enthusiast, founded Get with the Fix Radio, an online station dedicated to community discussions and providing a platform for others to share their stories and showcase their talents.
“I got my start in radio back in 2014 with Banky Hype on Roadblock Radio. I just called him up and said, ‘I think I want to do radio,‘ and that’s how it all began. When the pandemic hit, Roadblock Radio closed down, but I still wanted to continue my show because I was interviewing people and having great conversations. So, I brought the studio to my house. It started with just a little table and chair, but over the years, it progressed into an entire digital radio station. Now, it’s my station, and I have about 15 DJs who play regularly.”
Looking ahead, Gill hopes to expand Michelle’s Foundation to address healthcare and education needs in Guyana. While the annual back-to-school drive remains a cornerstone of her work, she actively explores partnerships to broaden the foundation’s impact.
“Giving back to my community has always been at the heart of everything I do,“ Gill said. Her journey from a classroom in Georgetown to an influential leader in the U.S. highlights her unwavering dedication to service and her enduring connection to her Caribbean roots.
For more information on Michelle’s Foundation, visit her website.
