Today we’d like to introduce you to Jacqueline Azah.
Hi Jacqueline, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I was born in Cameroon, Africa and immigrated to America when I was a baby. Growing up in the California Central Valley was hard because I was one of the only dark-skinned girls at my school. For a long time, I was bullied and I hated everything about my skin and hair. Despite all of my internal insecurities, I made cheer captain my freshman and sophomore year of high school as the youngest and the first black girl to do it.
I quit cheerleading my junior year and joined speech and debate. In my junior year, I became event captain and then Speech and Debate President my senior year + the first black girl to do it. I was ranked top 10 in my state, top 18 at NIETOC nationals, and top 50 at NSDA nationals. The Parkland shooting took place during my senior year. That year our nationals were in Fort Lauderdale, FL. During a pre-tournament event, I was moved by a speech given by the student survivors of Parkland and the importance of using your voice. I knew at that moment I wanted to be involved.
I stayed in the central valley of California and attended community college because I did not know what I wanted to do and I had to create a better footing to get into the school I wanted. I ended up attending the HBCU Clark Atlanta University. I am currently a political science major and I have served as Miss Political Science Association. I founded the first-ever HBCU chapter of Students Demand Action for gun safety. Before we could do anything as an organization, we were sent home because of Covid-19.
I was bummed but the fire of change still burned in me. My call to action was after the video of George Floyd went viral. I immediately wanted to do something to say, “This is not right!” I started organizing protests around the Central Valley and Bay Area. I led about five protests totaling over 30,000 attendees. This led to me working with the ACLU, San Joaquin District Attorney, and co-founding my own organization JHNewBeginnings.org where we manufacture and distribute care packages to the homeless. I have been recognized by over ten magazines and articles including CNN, the Rolling Stone, and a mini-documentary collaboration with Vice.
I served on the Youth Advisory Board of HP after being featured in their seasonal commercial last year centering young changemakers. Along with the activism I do I love fashion and art! I think it’s the most beautiful way to touch people’s hearts. I created a YouTube channel for my poetry that I write and film for called JacquelineUnfiltered. I went on to serve on the Artivism committee of March for our Lives Youth Congress (an organization created by the Parkland students) My non-profit is working on incorporating cutting-edge technology within our care packages.
I currently live in Atlanta and I am working on finishing school and growing my non-profit and creative endeavors. Vulnerable moment: After the George Floyd protest incredible burnout. When the whole world puts you on a pedestal when you are so young and makes a single action (that is a small piece of the greater effort) you make that your identity. You cling onto it because it provides you with purpose. What I was not doing was putting into perspective that the contributions that I have made to history are a reflection of the power I possessed before the praise which will remain long after it would die down. I was so burned out that I lost the direction of who I was going to be and what I was going to do because I felt as though I had to top the last thing I’d done. Being 21 and accomplishing so much is an incredible blessing but it’s also something you have to handle with great intention and responsibility. I have found that my place in the movement is to create. My current plan is to attend film school after undergrad and go on to create thought-provoking and boundary-pushing art with heavy political nuance that promotes inclusivity and equity. I don’t know the details of my life and I don’t think I ever have. I just followed A deep and visceral feeling within myself to take action when I was called. To protect those who could not protect themselves and to prioritize authenticity.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Currently, I have been writing a lot and working on creative directing more visual poetry videos and photoshoots. With my nonprofit, we are creating a reusable self-heating hot pot that the unhoused can take with them and we use to make sustainable food. How it works: it is a layered bowl with a heavy-duty plastic container on the bottom filled with water and a smaller container on top. There is a chemical packet that is dropped into the water causing it to turn into hot boiling water. you put water/oil in the top bowl or whatever the necessary instructions are to create the meal and there is an optional lid. Therefore, they have the freedom to cook a hot meal if they would like. I think what sets me apart from others is that I keep it real no matter how ugly my truth is. I love to share it because it is not a truth that I am inventing. My ancestors or somebody on this earth has had to feel this before. Even though I haven’t spoken to them, I just know they have and I just know that I am an ancestor in training for those to come who will feel it. So I feel a responsibility to leave that honesty on earth for somebody to eventually find. A lot of people find it surprising that when I talk about what I’m the proudest of it’s not what is made me the most money or gave me the most visibility, but it’s truthfully and honestly me sticking to my morals and doing what’s right even when it’s so hard to do. When you live and operate from authenticity, you can never lose. It’s like you’re making your own rules in the game of life. When you make the rules, you will always win.
Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the Covid-19 Crisis?
I learned to be humble. No matter how good you think you’re doing most of us are one or two unfortunate events away from losing it all.
Always cherish those around you because you’ll never know when they’ll be called home.
Giving with an expectation of what others do with your generosity is manipulation. Please give freely. The government is messed up but we don’t have to be.
Contact Info:
- Email: jazah.me@gmail.com
- Website: JHNewBeginnings.org
- Instagram: Instagram.com/JacquelineAzah
- Youtube: youtube.com/JacquelineUnfiltered
Image Credits:
For the first picture I uploaded with me holding that plant and the words on my body the photographer was Isabel Arrizano @Izzys_eyes on Instagram for the picture of my standing in front of the crows with 4 fingers raised pic credits: Aaron James @aaronjames___ on Instagram for the picture of my standing next to my self-portrait the photographer of the picture was Harvey Castro @harveycastro.co on Instagram
