Today we’d like to introduce you to Chanel Jack.
Hi Chanel, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Whew! I learned that my story is based on the receiver because it’s a long jam-packed one that I am sure we don’t have time for. However, the story that inspires my work is based on the city I was raised, which is Columbus Ohio, and it includes my first experience getting bullied in middle school. I was raised on biblical principles and morals, so I was taught “if you want friends, show yourself friendly” but this did not save me from the mean girls at my school.
My mom took action and reported the bullying to my principal, and she sat everyone in her office to have a serious “Girl Talk”. At the end of that talk, the mean girls were crying and admitted to not liking me because my hair was longer than theirs. At that moment I felt two things: relieved because I had a clear understanding of the psychology of bullying so nobody was EVER able to bully me again, but on the flip side there was a sense of fear to be great because I wanted to be liked and not get hurt for it.
This caused me to dim my light for a long time unknowingly until I left Ohio in 2016. I was blessed to travel and live in Atlanta, New York (where I was born), and DC. It was LIFE CHANGING sooooo many beautiful and powerful women poured into me and gave me opportunities in the same field they were in, and I was a stranger. I did not use to that kind of love and support from my peers AT ALL but because of them I became a model because so many women told me I was beautiful, so I started to believe it too and they did not gatekeep any information.
My aunt Tiesha even got me on set for some major films when I lived in NYC and I started to book industry work! There were some trials of course because I only left Ohio initially for a 3-month dance internship, but I did everything I could to not come back to Ohio and there were so many opportunities out there. I felt seen. I felt like my life had just begun.
After I was tired of house hopping, I came back to Ohio in June of 2017 and immediately saw the culture change. I went out with my friends to a party to celebrate my coming back, and NOBODY danced. Everybody just stood on the wall with their nose turned up. At this time, I had a big social media following and partied with celebrities before and THEY didn’t even act like this. I wanted to cry; I went from being empowered to being back in Ohio with unkind women who compete against one another.
However, I knew God called me back and I wanted to “manifest” something different and spread the same love that the women out of town showed me that changed my life. So, I decided to create my first side hustle “Ohio Girls Do It Better” which is a shirt line and platform that uplifts women. It was my prophecy to my city because I know the tongue has power and I wanted to make it “cool” to show love to other women/girls in hopes others would follow. I started that brand with $100 to my name and a vision, and the rest was history.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Of course not! I am a Christian and was raised in the church so I am a strong believer in having faith because sometimes the direction that God calls you to may not make sense and that has been my life pretty much. As I said before I started as a hip-hop dancer and came back to Ohio as a model with a little acting experience, then became an entrepreneur.
My path has never been straight which can be frustrating for me because I have to embrace constant change and uncertainty, but my path has always been inspiring and impactful for others. That keeps me going because I am being obedient to what God has called me to do and people see Him in me. One of my biggest struggles currently is that sometimes I honestly feel like giving up because I am not sure how much more I can grow in Ohio.
I am happy to be a change agent, but I don’t feel like my worth is valued so I am praying about transition currently. I love being inspiring for others, and I give so much of myself that sometimes my cup feels empty, and I would like to be able to make a real living off of my work and knowledge. However, I will give it all I got before I decide to leave again so I am opening myself up to new circles and mentors that can help me get into the rooms I need to be in to continue to do this important work.
As you know, we’re big fans of Girl Code Navigation & Women’s Leadership Academy. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Our Girl Code and sister non-profit Women’s Leadership Academy(501-c-3) mission is to empower, educate, and promote sisterhood in a world that dehumanizes women & girls and puts us against each other. We primarily focus on queens of color, but this space is inclusive to all women and girls because cliques go against our movement. I think I am set apart because I focus on girls AND WOMEN.
After all, we are the next generations of role models, influencers, and mothers, they are watching us, and we did not have the resources that are out now so it’s imperative to pour back into the adults and work on our healing and belief system as well. I also have an inclusive space for ALL women, our focus is on women & girls of color, but we are not exclusive to women & girls of color because I know there are bigger healing conversations that need to happen, and being your sister’s keeper is not based on the color of one’s skin.
I am most proud of the impact Girl Code has been able to create in such a short period. I created my Girl Code book in 2020 and I knew the timing for it didn’t come yet I also knew it was just a piece to a puzzle I didn’t get yet. God told me to dust it off THIS year in 2022 and he gave me the next instruction to create programming and to link my current Girl Talk events under it through my nonprofit. I asked for confirmation, and I got it and won my first Pitch competition “Pitch Black” as further reassurance and I HATE public speaking!
So, God has been moving in this work and I still don’t have every piece to the puzzle, but I am proud of the accomplishments thus far. I want people to know the difference between the two businesses: Girl Code brings awareness to the problems in our girl culture with content, marketing campaigns, media, events, and storytelling; and our non-profit Women Leadership Academy focuses on solutions and community building with programs, workshops, events, and training.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
With my resilience, confidence, durability, my love for others and God, and my gift to see potential in something before everybody else, I took the road less traveled and bet on myself which comes with a lot of doubts because I don’t have a blueprint in front of me and even though I am not where I want to be financially I see the impact I am making and I know God is pleased with me which is why he keeps giving me vision and next steps to keep going.
I also have people in my ear telling me I should do things the traditional way, but I know where I am going and the impact I can make if I stay obedient even though other people may not be able to see it now. I also hosted my Girl Talk events when I was in unbearable pain from fibroid tumors and had to get iron transfusions, but I kept pushing through to get my message to women out even in my pain and God is blessing me for it now…
So those characteristics have been vital in my journey and my vulnerability gives people hope and wonders how I do it which always points back to God & pleasing God is my ultimate success.
Pricing:
- The Girl Code book is on Amazon for $20
- Girl Code hoodie $60
- Girl Code tote $20.00
- Email girlcodeseries@gmail for more info about Girl Code programming and workshops
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.girlcodenavigation.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chanel_bee/
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@GirlCodeMedia
Image Credits
Dominique McKnight (@domalexander)
