Annessa Lall: Graduate With a Master’s Degree in Homeland Security

0
1556
A proud moment: Annessa Lall graduates from St. John’s University with a Master’s Degree in Homeland Security.

Annessa Lall is a product of the American Dream. She came to the United States from Guyana when she was two years old. Annessa watched her parents work hard to provide and care for the family. She was determined to do well and in 2020 she graduated from St. John’s University with a Master’s Degree in Homeland Security. Annessa has made her family and her community proud and with her drive and ambition she will definitely soar above the stars.

Annessa’s family is from the West Bank of Demerara, in Guyana. Her dad Nandkeshore Lall is from Canal Number 2, and her mom Anita is from Patentia. Annessa has two sisters, Aruna and Amy. The family migrated to New York in May 1997. Annessa went to PS 108 and her best subjects were English Math and Social Studies. She articulated to IS 8 in Jamaica and then to John Adams High School. Annessa enjoyed the diversity at the school; it gave her the opportunity to focus and to decide what she wanted to do in the future. She graduated in 2012 and it was time for college. She chose John Jay College where she read for a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice. She decided to enter this field because it was encompassing. It touched law, politics, and society.

Annessa graduated in 2016 and with a wealth of work experience. She was with Metrocity Financial Services that was run by Mendra and Jai Singh. She acquired all-round experience in filing, record keeping, and the management of payroll and real estate. Annessa was there for over two years during which time she learned the functions of an office. This experience came in handy because she later gravitated to a law firm in Manhattan. She was able to combine work with study and in 2016 Annessa graduated from John Jay College with her Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice with a minor in History. It was a proud moment but she knew that this was just the start of her academic career. She went on to complete a post-graduate certificate in Criminal Investigations.

Annessa volunteers at a food pantry to help those affected by Covid-19.

Annessa’s qualifications and experience led to a job at the New York City Law Department. According to Annessa, the job has given her all-round skills. She has learned how to do case reviews, interview persons, analyze a case, write depositions and when to recommend a settlement in a case. But in spite of the experience she amassed, Annessa felt that she should further her studies. In 2018, she enrolled at St. John’s University to do her Master’s Degree in Homeland Security and Criminal Justice Leadership. This has placed her in a good position to serve in one of the federal agencies that deals with security matters, especially in the narcotics division.
Annessa credits her professors for combining textbook with personal insights in the course.

During an impressive career she has had many mentors. Annessa looks up to her parents and thanks them for their support, motivation and love. Her siblings Aruna and Amy have always been around to give moral, and other forms of support. Then there is her grandmother, Jasso Kissoon, whom she has kept close to her heart and who continues to inspire her. Recently, Annessa was on Liberty Avenue in Queens, New York, helping to clean up the streets and she also volunteers at food pantries. Annessa is an avid reader. She is currently reading ‘The five people you meet in heaven’ by Mitch Albom. The thread that connects the human spirit and the triumph of sacrifice and forgiveness that result has made a deep impression on her.

Annessa also writes poetry and she sees beauty in nature. In one of her poems she says:

‘There is something about the water that lures me in,
I know what I release will never come back to me,
Whether the waves are roaring or still as a rock
There’s a sense of serenity,
Hanging on to a branch of hope that every tide brings a new beginning!
Annessa is a wonderful inspiration. We are proud of her achievements and wish her and her family all the best in the future.