Today we’d like to introduce you to Nefertiti Jáquez.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Nefertiti. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
After enduring a difficult upbringing and being a victim of emotional and physical abuse, I knew I wanted to be in a position to help others. When I was nine, I decided that the best way was to become a lawyer.
In college, I studied pre-law and public policy, but came to the realization that I wanted to be a journalist after spending time as an Emma L. Brown Foundation intern at the NBC station in Rhode Island. It was there I learned in the ins-and-outs of the television business and how powerful storytelling could be. While struggling with the decision to change careers paths, one of my mentors, Dennis Swanson, told me that law school will always be there, but the time to be “one the faces of your generation is limited.” I went against my parents’ wishes by not getting a law degree, because my mentor’s words moved me and gave me the notion that I had a greater purpose in life. It wasn’t being a lawyer or a face that reported news but being an investigator, a victim’s advocate and a voice for the voiceless.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Nothing in this industry comes easy – even when it does. My first gig was in Miami, which is a large market. I was excited to learn from some of the best journalists in the country. I saw it as an amazing opportunity to hit the ground running and prove myself.
I was a little naïve. There were blogs saying I was only hired because of how I looked and wondered if I would change my name for TV. I read that my name was too exotic and ethnic and that I looked like a porn star. That first year I heard a lot about my naturally curly hair, the size of my lips, my facial features and the makeup I wore. No one cared that I was a trilingual daughter of immigrants who graduated from an Ivy League institution and they didn’t know how badly I wanted to be a good journalist to help them.
While that hurt, I can proudly say that my Miami team – including Yusila Ramirez, Danielle Knox, Gary Nelson and my best friend, Gio Benitez – helped shape me into the journalist I am today.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I think what I specialize in, and what is a strength of mine, is getting people to open up. When a person loses a loved one, I am trying to talk to them during the worst time of their life. That isn’t lost on me. My job and my personal mission are one and the same: to tell the story of the person we’ve lost in our community so they won’t be forgotten. It’s to make sure viewers learn about all of our people — not just ones with status. I think what sets me apart from others is that I don’t tell a story and forget about it. I don’t take trust lightly and I don’t want to seem like I’m exploiting a situation. I genuinely care about the victims and in many cases, become a part of their family. To me, it’s the most rewarding part of my job and what drove me to get into this line of work.
I have a beauty and lifestyle blog that I’m currently revamping, called Cultivate Your Canvas which you can find at www.nefertitijaquez.com. It’s all about helping women feeling good in their own skin and honoring the true beauty that comes from within. It’s imperative to have strong images if women out there. Women who aren’t afraid of simply being themselves.
I just launched a new project on Instagram called DopeSoulTalk. @dopesoultalk is a platform created to inspire love, to encourage health, to promote culture and so much more.
I am also an amateur photographer and trained dancer – and have my own dance company which I founded at Brown University called imPulse Dance Company.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
After being in the business for more than a decade, I’m looking to expand beyond local news. I’ve given a lot of myself to the people of Atlanta, Houston, Miami and Philadelphia and I’m in a phase of my life where my happiness is a priority. Being a crime journalist takes a lot out of you and I can honestly admit that my balance was off, and my friendships and family relationships suffered as a result. My job has been a 24/7 operation for me so I’m choosing the next step carefully as to assure I’ll allow myself the freedom to be happy outside of the workplace.
My plan is to continuously find ways to reach my maximum potential. That means being the best daughter, sister, friend and partner I can be. I want to continue being there for my community and representing the voiceless, regardless of how tough the fight may be. I will end my career the same way I started — by helping those who cannot help themselves.
Contact Info:
- Address: Represented by:
United Talent Agency
888 7th Avenue
New York, New York
10106 - Website: www.nefertitijaquez.com
- Instagram: @nefertitijaquez
- Facebook: @nefertitijaqueztv
- Twitter: @nefertitijaquez
Image Credit:
Meta Photo + Film.
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