[1][2][3] Myrna Manzanares was born in Gales Point, a small village in Belize District, British Honduras, on 30 October 1946.

At age 8, she left her home village to attend St. John’s Anglican Primary School in Belize City.

[1] During her time in California, Manzanares became deeply involved in the Belizean diaspora community of Los Angeles, which she was active in organizing.

[2][7] In 1995, she co-founded the National Kriol Council, which aims to promote the culture and language of Belizean Creole people.

[1] Manzanares also fought for women's rights and sexual and reproductive health,[1] as well as for substance abuse prevention[9] and against HIV/AIDS, serving as chair of the National AIDS Task Force and president of the Addiction Alert Rehabilitation Center.

Noh Tek Mi!, a collection of Caribbean folktales,[15][16] and edited Kriol language materials and journals.