Soca Warriors Online Discussion Forum
General => General Discussion => Topic started by: 100% Barataria on December 13, 2008, 09:43:28 AM
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Trini plans Obama inauguration
By SUZANNE SHEPPARD Thursday, December 4 2008 Newsday
Collin Abraham, who scored another major event earlier this year as event planner for the wedding of US celebrities Beyonce Knowles and Shawn “Jay Z” Carter, is the man in charge of planning and decor for the inauguration at the Capitol in Washington DC, on January 20.
In a telephone interview yesterday from New York where he runs a major event planning and design firm, Pollen Nation, Abraham told Newsday he was excitedly looking forward to being a part of the historic event.
“I am for Trinidad and Tobago all the way and I am happy that a son of the soil has shown the talent to be a part of this. I welcome the challenge,” Abraham said. He added that he was eagerly looking forward to playing his part in an event which is sure to get worldwide attention.
Abraham, 39, said he was invited to be event planner for the inauguration several weeks ago after he did a Breast Cancer Week function for current First Lady Laura Bush. At the time the US elections had not yet taken place. When Barack Obama won the election, Abraham got a call back from officials in Washington asking if he was still interested in handling planning and decor for the event.
“Of course I said yes. I was elated to have the opportunity - this is very exciting!” the former Barataria resident said. He is now gearing up for a very hectic December and January. He will be in Washington DC, from December 10 to 12 to do a walk through with State Department officials and then it will be full speed ahead with preparations for the inauguration. By now Abraham should be used to planning five-star events. In addition to the Beyonce-Jay Z nuptials he has designed for US celebrities such as hip hop mogul Sean “P Diddy” Combs, L.A. Reid and Warner Music.
He did Beyoncé’s birthday and album-release party following the 2006 MTV Video Music Awards. For that event, Abraham encased flowers, manzanita branches and live bees in five-foot-tall glass tanks and created a floral arch of green, pink, orange and white orchids, magnolias and hydrangeas at the entrance.
For the secret celebrity wedding, which took place at Jay Z’s Manhattan apartment, Abraham worked closely with Beyonce on the colour theme and floral design — ivory and cream with whites and greens, orchids with garlands from floor to ceiling and columns of branches with crystals at the end.
A graduate of Barataria Senior Comprehensive, Abraham migrated to the United States in 1998. He pursued a course in sound engineering and worked as a floral decorator at the Waldorf- Astoria before launching Pollen Nation in 1999.
Abraham, who last visited his homeland in July, is planning another trip to TT early next year, very likely for Carnival.
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Big up u cyah keep a Trini down
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yeah big up trinis but meh boy soundin kinda gay.floral decoratooooorrrrrr.
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Ah jealous.....