Meet Jerrilyn Black, a transplant from Texas
now living in Washington DC.
If
you told my mother over 10 years ago that I would be a certified life coach and
business owner, she wouldn’t have been surprised, but I would have been. When I was a business major in undergrad, I
called my mother and asked her what I was good at. I was doing horribly in my accounting and
finance classes, and was struggling over all with anxiety, homesickness, and
finding an identity. My mother said that
I was good with people. I didn’t
understand at the time that it meant something to be good with people, but now
I do. I love working with others to get
to better places in life.
After
I graduated from college, I had the opportunity to work with a group of amazing
and dynamic young teenage women, and together we were responsible for hosting,
coordinating and developing content for a conference for teen girls. That experience was incredibly powerful because
it reinforced how powerful young women are, especially when they work
together. After that experience, I
worked in human services as a caseworker for the State of Texas, where I
developed relationships with youth and families involved in the foster care
system. While there I had the opportunity
to understand just how much systems impact the way engage with the world, which
encouraged me to obtain a master’s in social work from the University of
Chicago.
Developing
a social work background has been integral to my approach as a life coach, and
values of social justice and equity are forever infused in my work with
others. Social work has given me the
space to use a holistic, justice-oriented, person in environment approach when
helping others realize their freedom, grow into their power, overcome doubt and
fear, and live their best lives.
My
experiences assisting clients and loved ones through the ups and downs of life
have helped me realize that many of us are not following our life paths due to
fear, anxiety, and stress. Having once
been held back by mountain and molehill sized anxieties; I understand the
potential barriers to change. I also know that once we overcome those obstacles
that we are capable of living our dreams.
I create a nonjudgmental space for others to share their stories,
experiences, and dreams, and ultimately assist them in creating workable plans
to achieve life success.
I
also spend time within my community. In
the past I mentored a teen through the College Bound program, and I currently
volunteer at the YWCA to teach a GED class to adult learners. I also participate in the Sanctuaries, a
spiritually diverse art community with soul, where I share poetry and
collaborate with other artists.
My greatest accomplishment to date has been:
Starting my
J. Francis Black Life Coaching has been my biggest accomplishme
nt to date
because it has really required me to step out on faith, and conquer many of the
same fears and challenges that my clients face.
A good friend told me that I am my own greatest investment, and it’s
been a really beautiful experience to invest in myself so I can facilitate
others recognizing their inherent value to achieve their goals and dreams.
I enjoy working with clients, and sharing in
their journeys and ‘a ha’ moments as they overcome barriers to change.
This accomplishment is more than just getting
an LLC, a website, and business cards.
It’s about creating a platform to uplift power in others, which is very
exciting and uplifts my own spirit.
This
venture has also been a great way to meet others who are doing amazing things
for the betterment of people and communities.
In starting my business, I’ve learned so much about myself, the role I
can play in people’s lives, and the significant role they play in mine.
The most challenging thing I ever
experienced is:
The most challenging thing I’ve
experienced is moving to a new place without friends or family, and I’ve done
it three times. Originally from Texas, I
moved to DC as a youth, having only visited once, when I went to college. When I decided to attend grad school, I moved
to Chicago having never visited at all.
I moved back to the DC area over two years ago after most of my friends
had gone. Those experiencing were
challenging because I had to learn how to make new friends/family, and to
become more secure within myself. I had to start over each time, learning new
things along the way. Every experience
left me asking “Who am I?” to then start searching for the answers, which is
not always and easy process. At times,
it’s been difficult living so far away from my family, who are still in Texas,
yet I am very thankful for their continued support.
Most valuable lesson:
The most valuable lesson
that I continue to learn is to let go of what no longer serves my highest good
and purpose. These include past beliefs
and behaviors, relationships that are unsupportive or drain my energy, and
situations that veer me away from accomplishing my priorities. Yet that lesson also comes with accepting
what is for my greatest good, including self love, creative endeavors, and
people that are encouraging and compassionate.
Ultimately I continue to discover how to make the space for good thing
to come into my life.
Final
Remarks:
“It is the possibility of
having a dream that makes life interesting” – Paul Coelho, The Alchemist. We all have dreams that have the possibility to come
true. We don’t have to know when they
will come true, or even how, but having a dream or a desire means that we have
something that we can pursue, while learning some amazing lessons along the
way.
Recent Spotlight Features
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BOND Inc Spotlight features
ordinary African American women who are doing extra-ordinary things. If you or
anyone you know would like to be featured, send your requests for more
information to iambondinc@gmail.com.
