We recently connected with Nayshma Jones and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Nayshma, thanks for joining us today. Was there a moment in your career that meaningfully altered your trajectory? If so, we’d love to hear the backstory.

Walking Backwards: Reassessing, taking a risk and following your intuition despite cultural status-quos.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I started my career as a Social Studies teacher, my love for history comes from my family and our daily dinner table talks. In my seven year teaching career, I donned all the bells and whistles to make social studies fun for my students but realizing there were many socioeconomic barriers to their “academic success”. Hunger, poverty, homelessness and the social-emotional needs that come with those challenges. This created a desire for me to affect the communities in which my students lived, to make positive change for the classroom outside of the classroom. Navigating my career to non-profit was the new direction and 3 years in, I know I’ve made the right choice.

However, there’s still more work to do. In 2020, I was led to get my master’s degree in Psychology. As a neurodivergent, Caribbean woman, this was certainly a bold choice as there is still much work to do in reducing stigma and increasing access to mental and behavioural health services in the Black community. Now a student of Licensed Mental Health Counseling and owner of Trust Your Gut, I’m laying the foundations of equitable mental healthcare.

Currently, I use my voice to draw connections of mental health and various aspects to our lives. Many wouldn’t believe that academics, industry, food, even climate change has direct impacts on our mental health. Through the @the.baddie.collective on Instagram and Youtube, I get to interact with a diverse community of people who are neurodivergent or want to learn more about being a inclusive member of society.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

COVID-19 brought out the best, worst, and otherwise in all of us. Some created new businesses, became stay-at-home parents, online students while others experienced devastating health impacts or witnessed it in close friends and relatives.

I believe that experience led many of us to a knew appreciation and understanding of life. Since then many have restructured their lives to prioritize health, wellness, and balance. Evidenced in the Great Resignation, people have decided that the status quo stressed of pre-COVID work will not suit their lives moving forward. Some have completely shifted into new careers, returned to school, entered into therapy, and built communities so strong in response to the sanctioned isolation.

2020-2022 we certainly examples of resilience for me. I took a leap of faith (and a pay cut) to transition from teaching to non-profit. Moving to New Orleans one month before the unexpected shutdown. I was in a new state with no family and not enough time to make new friends. Luckily, I was placed with an amazing set of colleagues and supervisors that were incredibly supportive even during failing health. Upon recovery, I decided start school in the midst of the pandemic, living and going to school in Texas while working two jobs in Louisiana and Florida. Realizing, I have spread myself too soon, I stopped school. One month, turned into one year before I knew it. With the rising cost of living, priced out of the housing market, living with family, it was easy to be discouraged. However, my faith kept me strong, knowing that this could not be what was destined for me. I decided to take my chances an go back to school after almost two years. It was the best choice I made of 2022, knowing deeply that my purpose is to help others, not continuing school would be not only a disservice to myself but also to that one person that could benefit from my support.

In my last role, I was the lead for a program aptly named Empowering Resilient Women. I was charged with creating a dynamic and robust community-centered curriculum to develop leadership skills and knowledge in a small yet diverse group of Miami women. Little did I know, that I was also being empowered.

As I remember having snack, bars, and water in my supply closet as a teacher for my students who were hungry. In my new role, I get to work towards universal meals for students. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, summer, year-round. It is truly a full circle moment.

Since then, although the road has not been easy, it is clear that I made the right choice. Slowly but surely things are falling into alignment. Had it not been for my faith, resilience, and community I would not be where am I today and certainly would not be going where I’m heading.

Training and knowledge matter of course, but beyond that what do you think matters most in terms of succeeding in your field?

The most important resource in building ANYTHING is community. How to build (or break) relationships will certainly determine the success in your industry/field/career etc. As humans we are social beings, whether your circle consists of one or hundreds being part of a community is essential to our survival and for us to thrive. Although I am still a student and cannot offer mental health services, I’m starting the ground work now. Using the available tools and skills to speak up and out about the need for adequate mental health services now will allow me to build a base for when services can be provided.

Additionally, through my career, I have met and built relationships with amazing people-who care about people and work towards a more just and equitable society everyday, in all areas. Finally, my family and friends are my mainstay tribe. Being able to bounce ideas, receive spiritual and emotional guidance, and support them in the efforts is an essential source of health for me and forever grateful.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @nay.lay.jay
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nayshma-j-22676314b/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebaddiecollective

Image Credits
Miami Herald