Today we’d like to introduce you to Jamila Shields.
Hi Jamila, 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?
I grew up in Kansas City, MO with my mother, older sister, and baby brother. We didn’t have much but we had a lot of love and never went without our basic necessities. I grew up in an environment where everyone worked day in and day out to provide for their families because that is what they thought life should be for them. I never really seen my loved ones chasing their dreams or doing what they loved. As a teenager, I knew that the thought process that many of my family members had was cyclical, unhealthy, and of disservice to them, I had to get out! I thought about college all of the time, I knew, without a doubt, that it would be may way out and it was. I am the first in my family to pursue a bachelor’s and master’s degree. I am the first to work in Corporate America as a Program Manager for the nations leading public health organization. I am the first to leave home. I am the first to break the generational cycles that have kept my family in bondage for decades. It has been a difficult yet rewarding journey, all roads and detours led me to this moment and I will forever embrace it.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Smooth? Absolutely not. I am only here by God’s grace. Being that I was a first-generation college student, I had to financially provide for myself throughout my journey through college, it was rough. I went to THEE Jackson State University and I often missed football games, social gatherings, sorority events, etc. I didn’t have the luxury of enjoying college, and at some point, I grew a lot of resentment for my situation. I thought about giving up and moving back home but I also knew that home was comfortable. I changed my major twice, I was in a terrible car accident and had to sit out a semester which pushed me behind for graduation and I didn’t get to graduate with my class. I was clueless about the next steps in my life because I didn’t have mentors or examples of who I could become, I winged it, hahaha. I was accepted into graduate school at a PWI and experienced racism, sexism, ageism, and classism, it was extremely exhausting to have to prove myself to white men and women who were only accepted into the program because of their privilege and not their grades, test scores, or the amount of community service hours that they had acquired. I was accused of plagiarism and had to fight to prove that the work was in fact my work. I was denied a scholarship for my GPA being .2 lower than the requirement while I watched my white classmates who GPAs fell way below a 2.5 celebrate themselves receiving the very scholarship. I graduated jobless and hopeless but I rested on the many promises that had kept me sane throughout my journey. I am currently living yesterday’s prayers while manifesting more for my life, it hasn’t been easy but I am beyond thankful for vision.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Nina Nichole?
Nina Nichole was founded in July 2021 in memory of my late bestfriend Shawniece “Nina” Nicole Wilmore. Nina was diagnosed with a rare kidney cancer, Renal Medullary Carcinoma in October 2014 and passed away on December 16, 2014. Nina Nichole is an online earring boutique that embodies love, the love that Nina shared with everyone that she encountered; a portion of our profits are donated to an individual currently living with cancer. I am extremely thankful for our consistent customers who have shown up for our brand which ultimately gives us the ability to award recipients each quarter. To date, we have awarded two rewards and will soon award our third recipient. Our brand also consistently pours into our followers, customers, and the individuals who are awarded each quarter. We want the world to know about our girl Nina and the LOVE that she shared with everyone around her, even strangers. We blog about our recipients on our website, we’d appreciate if our supporters shared our vision with those around them.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
Just do it. We are our own worst critics, the world needs you and your ideas. I sat on this vision for a little over a year and refused to start my journey because of fear. I did not know what it looked like for me, and to be frank, I still don’t, but I show up every day and am excited for the sales that I do receive. Be patient with yourself, stay away from social media because it is very deceiving, and trust your process because it is unique to you.
Pricing:
- 12.50
- 20.50
Contact Info:
- Email: help@loveninanichole.com
- Website: www.loveninanichole.com
- Instagram: loveninanichole
Image Credits:
Professional Shots (yellow suite) Mike Dawkins
