A typical Filipina, petite, beautiful and with skin to be envied by those paying fortunes to go on holiday to get her tan. That is how I can describe the outward feature of Hon. Cynthia Alcantara Barker. She grew up in the “City of 7 Lakes”, with great views of green mountains, home of diverse sweet-smelling flowers, various bodies of water and exotic fruit like “lanzones”. The place is called San Pablo City in the province of Laguna in the Philippines. One of five siblings her mother left the Philippines to work as an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) in United Kingdom in the ‘70s while they were still very young, the youngest being only 3 years old. Her mother who worked hard and away from her children to send them to good schools and provide for their needs was combating her own loneliness, but she opened the door of United Kingdom for her children. Nearly four decades later Cynthia opened the door of British politics for next generations Filipinos who aspire to contribute in shaping the values of the United Kingdom in the political spectrum that embraces diversity. She is the first Filipina to serve in British local government as Town Councillor of Elstree and Borehamwood, simultaneous with being Borough Councillor of Hertsmere. Hollywood of England - Elstree and Borehamwood Elstree and Borehamwood are the centre of filmmaking having the largest film production facility outside of Hollywood. Many film productions such as The Dambusters, Where Eagles Dare, 2001: Space Odyssey, Star Wars, The King’s Speech, and The Queen. In television, EastEnders, Big Brothers and Strictly Come Dancing were filmed in the studios there. This is the hometown of Cynthia Barker in United Kingdom. Let us follow her journey as she joined me in my Kingdom...... Read more on Full Issue!