Lesmore Smith Honoured at Virgin Islands Pride
Lesmore Smith was honoured with two awards at the Virgin Islands Pride Awards Dinner and Dance in New York on May 17, 2026, recognising his 16-year career with the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force and his broader humanitarian and business leadership. New reporting identifies Dr. Muriel Shulterbrandt Williams and her organisations MSW and Company and Grapeseed Business and Educational Consulting as sponsors of the ceremony, and highlights Smith’s more than 26 years as a Virgin Islands entrepreneur who has created jobs and supported community projects.
Lesmore Smith was presented with two separate honours at the Virgin Islands Pride Awards Dinner and Dance in New York on May 17, 2026, a ceremony that brought members of the Virgin Islands community abroad together to recognise leadership that reaches back to the Territory (Guavaberry; Virgin Islands News Online).
The first award acknowledged Smith’s 16-year career with the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force. The citation commended his dedication to public safety, his rise to the rank of Sergeant, and his steady commitment to upholding the law and protecting the Virgin Islands community (Virgin Islands News Online; Guavaberry).
The second accolade was a Humanitarian Award celebrating Smith’s record as an entrepreneur, philanthropist and community advocate. Organisers and citations noted that through his business leadership he has helped create employment opportunities for more than 200 people across a wide range of professions, provided life‑saving equipment to those in need, and made significant financial contributions to projects aimed at improving lives across the Territory (Virgin Islands News Online; Guavaberry).
Guavaberry’s account adds further context about the event and its sponsor. Muriel Shulterbrandt Williams, founder and director of MSW and Company and Grapeseed Business and Educational Consulting. Shulterbrandt Williams as a proud Virgin Islander, educator, author and leader committed to empowering individuals and organisations through principled leadership and purposeful innovation.
According to Guavaberry, MSW and Company and Grapeseed began with a mission to cultivate self‑awareness, self‑worth and self‑esteem and has evolved into an organisation that recognises individuals whose contributions positively impact their communities. Guavaberry also emphasised Smith’s long tenure in business — more than 26 years — and quoted organisers who framed his work as rooted in service, opportunity and community development.
The report said Smith is guided by the belief that meaningful change begins with vision and the courage to act, a philosophy that organisers said underpins his efforts to build jobs and support community initiatives (Guavaberry). The Virgin Islands Communal Association (VICA) issued a statement praising Smith and extending congratulations, calling the honours a "well‑deserved honour" and saying they reflect the profound impact of his decades of service, leadership and generosity (Virgin Islands News Online; Guavaberry).
VICA also referenced Smith’s status as a political candidate for the 2027 general elections while celebrating his civic contributions (Virgin Islands News Online). For residents of the British Virgin Islands, Smith’s recognition in New York underlines the role the BVI diaspora and international networks play in elevating local leaders.
The awards draw attention to the tangible benefits that private‑sector leadership paired with civic service can bring — job creation, emergency support and financial investment — and to the continued engagement of community figures ahead of the next election cycle.
Primary source: VINO