Telia Urey is a Liberian businesswoman, philanthropist, and politician. Urey is the daughter of the Liberian businessman and politician Benoni Urey. In 2019, she contested in a representative election in
Liberia
Liberia, officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country on the West African coast. It is bordered by Sierra Leone to Liberia–Sierra Leone border, its northwest, Guinea to Guinea–Liberia border, its north, Ivory Coast to Ivory Coast–Lib ...
Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf
Ellen Eugenia Johnson Sirleaf (born 29 October 1938) is a Liberian politician who served as the 24th president of Liberia from 2006 to 2018. Sirleaf was the first elected female head of state in Africa.
Sirleaf was born in Monrovia to a Gola ...
.
Early life and education
Urey completed most of her primary and secondary education in Liberia and
Ghana
Ghana, officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It is situated along the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, and shares borders with Côte d’Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, and Togo to t ...
, before leaving for
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...
to attend
Columbia International College
Columbia International College is a private school, private boarding school, boarding university-preparatory, preparatory school in the Ainslie Wood, Ontario, Ainslie Wood neighbourhood of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. As of 2014, the school has stud ...
and
McGill University
McGill University (French: Université McGill) is an English-language public research university in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Founded in 1821 by royal charter,Frost, Stanley Brice. ''McGill University, Vol. I. For the Advancement of Learning, ...
in Hamilton, Ontario and Montreal, Quebec, respectively. She studied political science and sociology.
Career
Urey opened Melyke Hair in Canada in 2009, wholesaling and retailing hair and hair products to companies and women in Canada, Liberia, Cameroon, and Ghana. In 2010, Urey went on to open The Pet Store - the first
post-war
A post-war or postwar period is the interval immediately following the end of a war. The term usually refers to a varying period of time after World War II, which ended in 1945. A post-war period can become an interwar period or interbellum, ...
Sinkor
Sinkor is a section of the Monrovia metropolitan area in Liberia. The United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) has its headquarters in Sinkor. Embassies, health facilities, and educational institutions, and non-governmental organizations are also ...
. The Pet Store brought relief to many livestock farmers who reportedly were losing their animals due to the lack of veterinary services in the country.
In 2011, Urey formed Core Investment Group, a real estate development company with residential and commercial developments across Liberia.
Urey is also the owner of the Liberian restaurant Fuzion d’Afrique, established in 2015 and located in
Monrovia
Monrovia () is the administrative capital city, capital and largest city of Liberia. Founded in 1822, it is located on Cape Mesurado on the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic coast and as of the 2022 census had 1,761,032 residents, home to 33.5% of Liber ...
, Liberia. The restaurant hosts charitable events including the monthly “Made in Liberia Fair”, organized in collaboration with the Liberia Business Association and the Liberia Chamber of Commerce, which is a forum where goods and services produced and offered in Liberia are displayed and sold.
In 2019, she was nominated for “Female Entrepreneur of The Year” Award by Liberian Youth Awards.
Politics
Urey has been in political advocacy for over 9 years, been a part of protests for social justice and economic change, supported civil society movements, engaged the media, supported candidates and political campaigns in her fight for change.
In 2019, Urey contested a representative by-election in
District 15 District 15 or 15th district can refer to:
U.S. political districts
Federal level
* Illinois's 15th congressional district
* Michigan's 15th congressional district
* Pennsylvania's 15th congressional district
* Ohio's 15th congressional district
...
in
Montserrado County
Montserrado County is a county in the northwestern portion of the West African nation of Liberia containing its national capital, Monrovia. One of 15 counties that comprise the first-level of administrative division in the nation, it has 17 sub p ...
. She contested on the ticket of the
Collaborating Political Parties
The Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) was a political alliance in Liberia. The alliance was originally formed in 2018 by four opposition political parties: the All Liberian Party (ALP), the Unity Party (UP), the Alternative National Congress ...
. She came second in the election and was publicly praised for effective competition by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who supported her candidacy.
Personal life
She is the daughter of Liberian businessman and politician