When Caribbean women win, the world feels it.

This year, that truth is echoing all the way to Los Angeles, where Trinidad and Tobago–born entrepreneur and global business leader Shelly-Ann Aqui Solomon has been nominated for the Black Business Association’s Salute to Black Women Awards 2026, in the category of Excellence in Business Award—earning her the distinction of being the only Caribbean nominee recognized across all categories.

Hosted in California, the Salute to Black Women Awards celebrates trailblazing women whose leadership, innovation, and economic impact are actively shaping the future of business. Shelly-Ann’s nomination is not just an individual achievement—it is a defining moment of Caribbean representation on a global stage.

From Port of Spain to the World

As founder of the Positioned to Propel Academy, Shelly-Ann is widely known for transforming lived experience into leadership. Her story has become legendary in entrepreneurial circles: turning $40 into a seven-figure enterprise, while helping women across the Caribbean and diaspora build profitable, purpose-driven businesses—without burnout or cultural compromise.

Her work sits at the intersection of strategy, mindset, and sustainability, empowering women to scale businesses that honor both their ambition and their identity.

“This moment is bigger than me,” Shelly-Ann shared.

“It represents every Caribbean woman who has ever been overlooked, underestimated, or told she had to leave home to succeed. This nomination says: we belong here too.”

More Than a Nomination—A Regional Statement

Shelly-Ann’s recognition arrives at a time when Caribbean women are increasingly asserting their place in global leadership, innovation, and enterprise. Her presence among top U.S. honorees sends a powerful message: Caribbean excellence is not emerging—it is leading.

This nomination matters because it:

• Places Caribbean women in global conversations about business excellence
  • Challenges outdated narratives about where world-class leadership comes from
  • Creates visibility and access for future generations of Caribbean entrepreneurs
  • Affirms that success rooted in culture can scale internationally

In every sense, this is not only a win for Shelly-Ann—it is a win for the region.

A Call to the Caribbean Diaspora

Shelly-Ann is calling on the Caribbean community worldwide to rally behind this historic moment and make their voices heard.

How to Vote:
Visit stbw.org
Click “Submit Vote”
Enter your email and follow the instructions
Cast your vote for Shelly-Ann Aqui Solomon
Scroll down and click “Submit.”

You can also visit @simplyshellytnt on social media and view her pinned post for step-by-step voting guidance.

Voting ends February 13, 2026.

At Caribbean POSH, we believe visibility creates pathways—and pathways create power. Shelly-Ann Aqui Solomon’s nomination is proof that when Caribbean women rise, they don’t just change their own lives. They shift what the world expects from us.

And this moment?
This one belongs to all of us.