Motherhood teaches Kylla Herbert to be more patient, better understand ‘the true meaning of unconditional love’  

Kylla Herbert, president of the Camden-based South Jersey Caribbean Cultural and Development Organization (SJCCDO) and coordinator of the St. Kitts and Nevis Penn Relays Committee, says that attaining motherhood taught her to be more patient and better understand “the true meaning of unconditional love.”

Herbert, who is also a founding member of the Caribbean American Heritage Collaborative, Inc. (CAHCI), told Caribbean Life on Monday that her first “motherly experience” was helping to care for her brother 13 years younger than her.

“As a teenager, I would help my parents with taking care of my brother, helped with homework, walked him home from school, and baby-sat as needed,” said Herbert, whose late father, Nkem Tshombe, a native of Nevis, of the twin-island federation of St. Kitts and Nevis, founded SJCCDO. “That experience helped my brother and me to have a close relationship, and helped to prepare me for when I had my own child.

“When I became a mother, I felt it was important to expose my child to different cultural and educational experiences,” added Herbert, an appointed commissioner on the Philadelphia Mayor’s Commission for African and Caribbean Affairs. “I kept my son busy throughout his life by getting him involved with educational and athletic programs. He participated in many activities, including acting, music, basketball, soccer and travel.

“Taking acting lessons led to him starring in school plays and two independent films written and produced by his peers,” continued Herbert, who has served on the PEC Neighborhood Advisory Committee and Camden City Mayor’s Youth Council, and continues to volunteer with several community organizations. “These experiences noticeably increased his confidence and communication skills.”

Herbert – who grew up in Philadelphia, with “love and appreciation” for her Caribbean roots – said her son also played basketball and soccer in and out of school.

“Playing organized sports helped reinforce the discipline and accountability that were being instilled at home,” she said, stating that she is “grateful to experience the blessing of motherhood.

“Motherhood encouraged me to be open-minded and to look at situations from different perspectives,” she added. “I help my son navigate through life by providing love, guidance and support.”

Additionally, Herbert said motherhood has made her to be “a happier person.”

“It has allowed me to share love, joy, ups and downs with my son,” she said. “I have been able to share my love of travel with him, which has elevated our bond and allowed him to connect with Caribbean ancestry.

“We have traveled throughout the USA and internationally,” Herbert added. “We have been to various Caribbean countries, including his paternal grandfather’s homeland of St. Kitts and Nevis.

“We have also traveled to Canada and Europe,” she continued. “These travels have taught us a lot about different cultures, and inspired his desire to travel and learn independently.”

Herbert said her son is currently studying Information Technology, with a focus in Cyber Security.

“I am proud of my son’s accomplishments, and look forward to his future educational and entrepreneurial endeavors,” said Herbert, who graduated from Overbrook Highschool and continued her studies at Ursinus College, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in physics.

She has also earned several certifications, including a Webmaster Certificate from the University of Delaware.

As a child, Herbert said she watched her father host and participate in many activities in the Caribbean community in the Philadelphia region.

She said she worked closely with him during SJCCDO’s formation and development, and that her relationship with her father nurtured her awareness and inspired her continued involvement in the Caribbean community.

As SJCCDO’s president, Herbert said she oversees the community programs and event coordination for the South Jersey Caribbean Festival, held each July in Camden, NJ.

This year, the South Jersey Caribbean Festival celebrates its 24th anniversary in showcasing Caribbean culture, food and entertainment on the Camden waterfront.

Over the years, Herbert said the South Jersey Caribbean festival has featured Camden’s own Universal African Dance and Drum Ensemble, and Camden’s Sophisticated Sisters Drill Team.

She said some Caribbean performing artists featured included the Mighty Sparrow, Black Stalin, Swallow, Kerwin Dubois, Dexta Daps, Alison Hinds, Farmer Nappy and Kevin Little.

The SJCCDO programming also includes cultural workshops, a Caribbean-American Heritage Month celebration and a Youth Steel Pan program.

Last month, Herbert coordinated the initiative for the first high school from St. Kitts and Nevis to participate at the Penn Relays Track and Field Carnival at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.

She said she worked diligently with the Charles E. Mills Secondary School, located in the village of Sandy Point (St. Kitts), “to make this effort come to fruition.”

Herbert said she started her career working for Bell Atlantic as an account manager, where she was responsible for supplying technical support and solutions for the telecommunication needs for business customers.

She was also responsible for cultivating relationships, generating revenue and resolving customer issues.

Herbert said she later moved on to utilize her technical and analytical skills as an information systems consultant contracted with the Dupont Company, providing helpdesk support, database enhancements and maintenance for their Financial Cost Analysis System.

After working briefly as a teacher in the Philadelphia public school system, Herbert said she changed career paths in the mid-2000s, and started a business support and tax preparation company.

She said her company provides tax preparation, tax problem resolution, financial planning, notary, business startup and business development services.

Her company also provides customized solutions to meet the needs of clients, providing them with “quality, personable and efficient service.”

Herbert said she developed an interest in travel and world cultures from her mother and their family trips.

She said she enjoys spending time with her son, family and friends, and “travelling and learning new things.”