It is no surprise that a vision like this would be given to Paula. She's no stranger to good food, having grown up with a mother that was (and still is) an excellent cook, with an undeniable talent for creating and developing flavors in the kitchen that are unmatched. Today, her mother Lorna Taylor stands in the kitchen alongside Executive Chef Dexter Royes, an internationally trained food genius.

Bamboo Walk is often described as a Caribbean restaurant with excellent food, great drinks and a brilliantly designed ambiance. Some may also describe it as a diamond in the rough, but all agree that Bamboo Walk is top-tier when it comes to customer service. What makes it most unique is the cuisine - the blending of two cultures people never thought could come together - a Jamaican and Haitian combination that both intrigues and delights all who visit.

These cultures come together not only in business and flavors, but in marital bliss as well, since Jamaican-born Paula is supported in this venture by her husband Pierre Mercure who was born and raised on the island of Haiti. Proudly, the Haitian coalition did not stop there. Other major investors in Bamboo Walk are Sherlie Valentin, Guy Pierre Toussaint and Wilder Guirrer.

Today we celebrate not only what Bamboo Walk sells but what it represents. For so long, and even today, women have experienced inequality in economic opportunities, educational inequities, and so much more. Today, however, we are witnessing what has been created by a woman, and a woman of color no less, all while holding down a career, being a wife, and being a mother to 3 children.

Bamboo Walk became a reality because a group of Black immigrants and college educated professionals came together with their resources and decided to build. We believed it was possible not only because we have faith in ourselves, but also because God told us it was possible! Thank you to everyone for your love and support over these past 365 days - it is so greatly appreciated!