014 - Authenticity with Jaida Houston
Accelerate Access Episode 014 - Authenticity with Jaida Houston, 2019 Nyah Project Fellow
Welcome to the next episode of Accelerate Access: The Podcast! We share stories of how access to opportunity changes lives. Hosted by Nyah Project founder, Leigh-Ann Buchanan, the podcast provides an inside look into the transformational journeys of our Nyah Fellows as they navigate college, careers, and personal growth as young leaders in the community.
This week, Jaida Houston, 2019 Nyah Fellow and soon-to-be graduate of Morris Brown College in Atlanta, sits down with Leigh-Ann to discuss life from Overtown to “Black Hollywood”, how she got interested in urban planning and development, and the need for community and a sense of belonging. Also find out more about Jaida’s journey to success at an HBCU, her take on the affordable housing crisis, and more!
"When your life is already set up how someone believes it to be, you have to be your own guardian angel and say, 'Okay, well, I'm not doing it. I'm gonna make my own path.'" - Jaida Houston
They discuss:
Her 3 biggest regrets
The importance of being in a room where you’re well-represented
The ties between kindness and vulnerability
Why she had a broken spirit as a child despite having a great mother
How her mother’s relationship with a man named Theodore exposed her to living in a house, new experiences and a more cultured lifestyle
The history and current situation in Overtown, a historically black community in Miami known as the Harlem of the South, where Jaida grew up
How the opportunity to travel, especially a homestay in Germany and to Indonesia with Nyah Project, became major turning points in her life
The influence of teachers and mentors, especially from the Overtown Youth Center, on her life
How to deal with rejection
The strong sense of community and belongingness that she would with the Nyah Project
The importance of authenticity and persistence in achieving one’s goals
Listen on: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | iHeart Radio | Amazon Music
