Today we’d like to introduce you to Jadejha Edwards.
Hi Jadejha, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers.
My story is a complicated one. I was raised by my mom for the first half of my life. Things weren’t great at all. I was exposed to all types of things a child should never be exposed to like drugs, sex, and violence before the age of 12. I had three other siblings at the time, and since my mom had me so young, I was basically their other mother. I knew I wanted better for myself, and I had a pretty solid relationship with my father at the time, so I moved with him. My life was definitely better living with him, but it still wasn’t great. He had just got back from being overseas and came back a changed man. We got into it a lot about little things. Eventually, it came down to the point where I had to leave home. So, I did. It was a bit of couch hopping here, and they’re not really having a bed to call my own. Until I turned 18, I went into a program for Homeless and Unaccompanied youth. They taught me finances, time management, and even emotional intelligence. It was different for me because I had gotten so used to just figuring everything out by myself, and I didn’t have to do that anymore. I had a bed again, and although I had moved into a house with complete strangers, it felt like that was exactly where I belonged. I did the college thing, and I enjoyed the experience for the most part. The real transition came when I moved to Houston. My social media started getting a lot of attention which lead to things like modeling, speaking events, and even a tv show.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
How about what weren’t the struggles? I dealt with every form of abuse imaginable in my childhood. My mom battled with mental health issues, along with drugs and alcohol. While for a good portion, being a victim of domestic violence, which naturally I got caught up in as well. My father had PTSD. Both parents were always moving due to financial hardships. I’m the oldest of 12 kids, so space, resources, and attention were limited. In 2018, I went through a lot of physical and mental lows. I could barely finish school and was just trying to navigate life while seeing other people around me have it so easy in comparison. My family wasn’t always able to help, and some of them didn’t want to help. My siblings didn’t have the proper guidance they needed, which put pressure on me because I knew I had to give them someone to look up to.
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Currently, I’m a cyber security engineer as my 9-5. I own two businesses and do quite a bit of investing. I have recently broken into the entertainment industry with doing a television show.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
Honestly, just go for it. Look at people who are doing what you want to do and ask questions. See what works and doesn’t work for them. Make conversation with everyone because you never know who you’ll meet or what you will learn. I try to find connections in people who I already know because it’s a lot easier to build that trust, but surprisingly complete strangers have been some of the most helpful people in my life. I look at every experience as an opportunity to network, whether it’s social media, an event, waiting in line at the grocery store, or whatever… they all count.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsjadejha
- Twitter: @Jadejha
- Youtube: @itsjadejha
Image Credits
Roland Agli
Christopher Moore
James Stack
