Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer Mairo.
Jennifer, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Real Naija Ladies of Dallas is a reality series showcasing the lives of African women in the United States. The message is to inspire, educate and give hope to women around the world. We are showing the world how these women through hard work and dedication against all odds have risen to the top in their chosen professions. The show highlights a believable truth that shows all young people the world over that women from all works of life to face the same issues of fear, trust, success, inspiration or what have you.
I started the show as a way to shed more light on the Pamela Erere Foundation (PEF) a Dallas based 501 (C) 3 non-profit that I chair. The PEF sets to empower single moms, divorced women, widows and their children around the world. Though our efforts are currently prevalent in Nigeria, our hope is to enter into countries like Kenya, Congo, Ghana, Republic of Benin, etc. Today, the show has become a phenomenon of its own and proceeds from the show still go towards the PEF. For me, there had to be a deeper meaning than merely entertaining our viewers. The merger between the PEF and RNLOD is what makes it worthwhile.
Real Naija Ladies of Dallas challenges everything you think you know about African women and the goal is to take control of the narrative about women of African descent living in the American Diaspora. There is a story, and it has to be told. Add some humor, hair, and makeup, some friendly debate, yelling here and there, and you got yourself a reality series. lol! I did not go to film school or have any background in production, however, I knew that to tell the story the right way I had to be involved, by involved I mean fully. I produce and also star in the show, that way, the message of the show is not lost.
For me, the journey of Real Naija Ladies of Dallas stems from passion, compassion, and love for my continent of Africa. It stems from my views about women empowerment and how important it is to get men to the table and enlighten them on the issues that affect women as opposed to keeping them in the dark and seeing them as the enemy. This notion is what fuels my passion and this is how Real Naija Ladies of Dallas and Pamela Erere Foundation (PEf) came to be.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
The road for something as daring and unconventional as Real Naija Ladies of Dallas will never be smooth, but I know we have greater days ahead of us. For me, the initial shocker was the cost to get it off the ground, Paying the crew and just having everyone stay sane was such a daunting task. But today we are getting ready to start filming Season 3 and though some challenges still lie. We are a bit more equipped lol!. Hilarious!
Getting the right cast that sees the vision of the show is always a challenge, but thankfully we have been blessed. And then naturally there is negative feedback from “trolls” online. Frankly, that’s what makes us better and stronger. For me, if you want me to keep going, just keep attacking me or saying negative about my endeavors. That’s what propels me, that’s what drives me. In all, we know the best is yet to come.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Real Naija Ladies of Dallas is the first show of its kind in the entire world. There are no reality series centered around Africans in the diaspora. We are the first, and we are proud of our journey thus far. You see, the African story is so huge, yet unfortunately, before I did it, no one had bothered. It’s unbelievable. People have tried to tell it in movies like coming to America and black panther, but those stories through interesting tell an untrue story about Africa and its reality.
This is what Real Naija Ladies of Dallas is doing. But instead of setting it in Africa, it is set in the United States as this is the missing story. The struggles, the triumph, the culture and everything else in between. This is the missing part of the puzzle in the modern day generation, and we must tell it. Outside of being the creator and executive producer of the series, I am a writer, published author and speaker.
I am an equality advocate and believe strongly in mutual respect for all genders of people. Most people know me via my work with the Pamela Erere Foundation (PEF), and for my unconventional, unapologetic approach and passion for causes, I hold dear.
I am very proud of Real Naija Ladies of Dallas as it continues to grow internationally. It shows that we do not have to wait to see others do something before we do it. All we need is passion and dedication. We just signed a huge deal with BEN TV London, UK, Sky Channel 175 This goes to show that the hard work is not in vain. Very encouraging.
What were you like growing up?
Outgoing, Extrovert. Bubbly. I was an avid reader and debater. Everyone knew this. Very stubborn till this day. lol! I would say I grew up above middle class in Lagos Nigeria. We had access to what was considered the finer things in life which included cable television and membership to exclusive clubs like Ikoyi Club.
My dad was a very successful chartered accountant and my mom beautician. She was a hair stylist, London trained so you can imagine the clientele. Wives of Governors and Senators came to my mom to get their hair done. My parents had lived a chunk of their lives in England, and so we were very “proper.”
We attended boarding school once my parents divorced and my father had gotten a huge political appointment with the Nigerian government. My grandparents helped fill the void during the divorce and became what I like to call the levelers in our lives. I have five siblings, and one of them is named Pam. She was my elder sister and passed away when she was like 14 years old. I founded the Pamela Erere Foundation (PEF) in her honor.
Without boring you to death, I would say that my life as a child was very adventurous, and it has brought me to where I am today. My parents and grandparents help mold us to be givers, to care about others and to live and truest, most authentic lives no matter what. I would like to think I am doing just that. Lol!
Pricing:
- Please email realnaijaladies@yahoo.com for sponsorship and partnership opportunities or make a donation to pefhelp.org
Contact Info:
- Address: @realnaijaladies, @pefhelp, @jennifermairo
- Website: jennifermairo.com
- Email: bookjennifermairo@gmail.com
- Instagram: @jennifermairo
- Facebook: @jennifermairo
- Twitter: @jennifermairo
Image Credit:
@perceptionpictures, @zeeno_oo
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