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Ariel Mangoo Interview Simone  Myrie 

“Fabulous. Flawless. Fearless.”

The story of Simone Myrie doesn’t read like your typical fairytale. Sure, within this narrative, readers find a heroine who defies the odds to eventually come out on top. But, Myrie’ path to dénouement, unlike most triumphant tales, is not a linear one that tracks directly from tragedy to testimony. No, Myrie’ journey is muddled with peaks and valleys:

 

There is success.

There is failure.

There is love.

There is loss.

The multifaceted mega-Author , Director ,President and  a Philanthropist”  shared all facets of her personal journey in a revealing cover interview. Below is a snippet of: Simone Myrie Uncensored.

ALEX ........: Simone I’m glad you could set aside some time for this interview. I know you’re quite busy, as your daughter  starting school right now. I’m curious as to why we don’t see more of  her.


Simone :.......... Alex a lot of people always ask me why I don’t post pictures of my daughter  often . I don’t believe in my daughter being on social media, so I never post pictures of her that often. I just think that the lifestyle that I chose is my choice, not my child. I have a duty as a mom to protect her from the dangers that they may not see. People are always like, “Oh, are you going to let your child be expressive?” No, I’m old school. You don’t let your child cross the street without walking with her. As parents, it’s our job to guide her.

 

 

 ALEX :........Simone And that’s often what the public wants, right?


Simone :............Oh definitely. And a lot of times people will say, “You’re not a role model.” But when you’re on a platform   where millions of people around the world watch you, you have a duty to conduct yourself in a way that you edify the whole race.  10 years from now, I don’t ever want there to be a moment where my daughter disappointed or embarrassed, because at the end of the day, you are your children’s role model.

 

 

 ALEX :........Simone You always seem to be thinking two or three steps ahead. Have you ever considered that maybe you overthink things?


 Simone ......No. I think anyone that’s smart is always thinking forward. The smart person is always thinking about the next phase of their life. At the end of the day,  I want my legacy to be that I’ve made a change for many people, opened doors for women, that I was a great mother juggling a family and a career.

 ALEX :.........Simone You’ve been speaking around the country. What is that thing that you’re really able to dig down and share with people that resonates with them?


 Simone ..........I became a single mom in front of the world. But I think that on the flip side, people saw me as a pregnant woman, going to school and getting my degree.  And I was still able to come out of all of that unscathed. People have seen me at the best and at the worst of times. They’ve seen me in heated situations where I handled myself respectably. I can speak to the students because I know what it’s like to stay up all night studying. I know what it’s like to be pregnant and go to school. I can speak to the person who is in a relationship with issues; I’ve been that person. I’ve been in many adverse situations where I’ve succeeded and didn’t compromise my morals. I think a lot of these things resonate with people because these are things that we all deal with. Tests build testimonies. As long as you’re questioning, “God, why am I here?” and not accepting defeat, that’s when you know you have the option to get out.here’s no honor in that.

 

 

AlEX........Simone During this age of social media, common, everyday occurrences are amplified and given great attention from the public, especially for someone like you. When the attention turns negative, how do you deal with it?


Simone .........To be honest, I think if everyone’s agreeing with you, you’re doing something wrong. If you’re doing something right, that’s when everyone is criticizing you. Social media has made people so rude. But I really try not to open myself up to that kind of negativity. I don’t read the blogs because they are not news. I get my news from people who have been certified to do so.

ALEX :......Do you ever find yourself wanting to distance yourself from people who want that to be their legacy?


Simone :.......I don’t think people who have that goal have anything in common with me. I’ve built my life on things that are more solid. Fame is fleeting. Wealth is what’s real. Who cares about being famous? Making strides that will go into history is what’s important to me.

ALEX.....On your social media pages, you share a long list of jobs and responsibilities you undertake. Is the list long because you’re still evolving as a person and finding out who Simone is?

 

Simone.........Everything that I do comes from a place of passion and experience. I’m very multi-faceted, so I’m always thinking about the next frontier. At this time in my life for Simone it is all about building a special bridge to UNITE JAMAICA PEOPLE  .This bridge draws my  every being and inner strength and determination but is seen as a vital bridge that must be built to help my people. My mail and inbox is constantly overwhelmed with appeals from Jamaicans and others who are very concerned with the Crime and Violence, lack of opportunities for employment,poor infrastructure in their communities, lack of access to educational opportunities, homelessness and above all the breakdown of social order which has manifested itself in so many negative ways.

ALEX :..........Tell us more About your Foundation Unite Jamaica People ?

Simone :......Unite Jamaica People FOR Simone  is about forming bonds and partnerships while encouraging all Jamaicans, friends of Jamaicans and all well wishers to join hands and hearts to work in tandem with the Government and people to resolve issues that will lead to a better quality of life for all….The real mission is to Empower our people and assist with transforming our country. UJP has several concept papers and  I have been lobbying and advocating through Social media,Newsletters and blog newspaper “Oracle Daily Forum” as  I highlight and bring issues to the forefront. My primary advocacy is for a “Re-socialization Program” for the widest cross section of the population, to impact Morals ,values,civic Pride and good attitudes where respect for self, others and the environment are at the forefront of her mission. I will continue to seek significant support to establish this program as I  believe that it is only through a disciplined and productive society that growth and real development can be achieved. The primary Project which I  would like to launch is the National Empowerment Shelter Transformation (NEST) Project..which is the establishment of a homeless community which is self sufficient, self sustaining and rehabilitative, designed to reprogram and give a life line to those who fell on hard times…This would be a first of its kind community andI am  very passionate about its possibilities as she hope very much for its realization and success.

ALEX :...........What were you like at school?

Simone :..........Simone was the go to girl from High School..always advocating and splitting justice. When students had issues with each other or even with a teacher…Simone was the mediator and representative to negotiate (lol).At high school in Petersfield I was student Council President, President of the debating team, Prefect and friend to everybody.

ALEX ........Were you good at English?

Simone .......I would not say I was excellent at english-I was your average english student ,but I was a creative thinker who liked reading and putting thoughts together on paper.

 

ALEX:........What are your ambitions for your writing career?

Simone :.......Well ….Like every writer I would like to have a best seller and continue to contribute to the field of literature as an advocate,motivator and someone that inspires others to exploit their full potential. Most of my published work can be obtained from Amazon,Create Space,Barns and Noble

 

ALEX ..........What genre are your books?

Simone ...........Primarily my works could be classified as falling in the style of FICTIONAL in the sub-category of motivational and inspirational. From a cross-style perspective some touch on the realities making writings such as Life of an illegal immigrant reflect truisms as I recount my own realities and those of relatives and friends along the journey.

 

ALEX :.....What draws you to this genre?

 

SImone ......“Woman is the sum total of her experiences” so my own life experiences have primarily determined my thought process and being a very sensitive individual I observe needs of my fellowmen and try to create synergies of my realities with their realities and use literature to build bridges of communication to create an invisible bond to help in my own way to motivate and inspire. I will deliberately find the joy, the sensitivity, the strength, the vulnerability, the resilience. Because that's what I appreciate about people  . That's what I want to celebrate — our resilience and our strength...

ALEX:...........In 2015, you published "The Life Of An Illegal Immigrant ". tell me about this book ?

Simone :..........The decision taken by anyone to migrate to another country is never usually taken lightly especially when we are talking about “illegal immigration” or to be more current “undocumented immigrants”  . The decision usually comes with much thought, consideration, “soul searching” and sometimes agonizing introspection.There is usually some amount of dissatisfaction in a person’s life that drive the motivation to pack up and leave the land of their birth to go to reside in a “foreign” country where there is uncertainty about one’s ability to cope and develop within the new society.

 

In some circumstances as pertain in many nations today, the decision to migrate is very easy ,yet extremely torturous as it becomes a matter of fleeing one’s county for the preservation of life and basic existence . We note where people pay significant sums to be “smuggled” out while facing treacherous journeys with some even paying the ultimate price for having ventured.

 

In more conventional circumstances as pertained in the narrative of “The life of an illegal Immigrant” the situation was not necessarily one of “desperation” but rather one of recognizing a declining social and economic order within the country which would have curtailed the opportunities for upward mobility and the provision of opportunities for exploring goals and aspirations.

 

In these circumstances it was a struggle to decide to immigrate to the USA knowing full well that this was likely to be a one way journey for a very long time as breaching the immigration code would not permit freedom of travel back to the homeland.

 

For the Jamaican “country girl” it was about leaving the unique cultural experiences, the food, the friends, the baths in the river ,climbing trees and picking fruits and just “hanging out” with relatives and friends who you were confident had “your back” and you genuinely cared about. Nevertheless, the future had to be given serious consideration and priority if ambitions were to be fulfilled.

 

Deportation, hiding from the immigration, working for depressed wages, working in less than favorable conditions, being exploited. These were secondary thoughts to the “bigger picture”. We are going to meet new people, seek educational opportunities, be all that we can be ,live in the land of “plenty”, send remittance home to help less adventurous relatives and all the myriad of possibilities on a “wish list”. Yes, it will all be about living the “American dream”.

 

So like millions of others who emigrate every year in search of a “better life” with social and economic opportunities we come sometimes with overly optimistic expectations that sometimes result in some disappointment

 

 

ALEX :.........Are we going to see another book from you?

Simone ......Absolutely. I am playing with the idea of writing a book about "THE POWER OF THE MIND TO ACHIEVE".. right now and i would love to be a Co author with Henry Washingtion  that my wish right now .

ALEX :........Do you think “Black lives matter” in this country?
No. I don’t. I think Black lives have been devalued by the United States merely because of legislation and acts of people in power that say, especially to our Black boys, that they don’t matter. I see it all too often. I think that, socioeconomically, people that sit in my tax bracket are not putting money back into our community. This year, I participated in Bloody Sunday’s 50th anniversary, and I could count the number of celebrities on one hand. I saw more politicians than people who influence the culture. They haven’t taken their platform to really use it in a way that is influential in our community.

ALEX........Simone standing where you are  now  what would  you say to your self 20years ago ?

 

Simone .........I would  would tell my 20 year-old self not to be afraid of anything and to try everything

. “Do it all,” she says. “Speak up, be bold, be bad. Just live it.”

 

ALEX......What  advises her fellow and upcoming author ?

Simone ........To keep their head up while navigating through life “Just remain passionate about it,"  "Don’t let that flame die out. Remain passionate. Stay positive. Speak positive. Believe, encourage, support. All of those things work. It can be easy to turn cynical. You have to find the good and praise it."

 

 

ALEX .......The Unstoppable," Simone Myrie  affectionately call by many JAMAICAN " JAMAICA Oprah Winfrey" shows us she  still find her way to advocate for the People of Jamaica — her passion for people  runs that deep. But the true source of her happiness lies in her faith and family.And the best is still yet to come.

Simone Myrie Quote........ Talents come in many different shapes and forms and when we join with others and combine these talents in the service of others significant positives usually result.It is very important that we should all seek and discover the gifts that we have been given and develop and utilize them to ensure a better world for all who have been afforded the pleasure to reside in it and amongst us. 

 

 Ariel Mangoo

New York Times  

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