Today we’d like to introduce you to PJ Jackson.
PJ, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I moved to Dallas, Texas from Atlanta, Georgia Last year, July 11th, 2018. I hated where I was in life; even being a fresh college graduate from Clark Atlanta University and Kentucky State University. Moving to Atlanta was the lowest point of my life. I had my first grand mal seizure. It was hard to find genuine friendship in some people in Atlanta. Being used by every woman I came across. Although I’m a dominant woman. Ive strained myself for my sexuality being the face of who I am. So I simply didn’t fit. I grew up in an old fashion Caribbean household. My father would always say, “Keep your personal life and your job separate.” So what I like doesn’t consume me at all. I’d be the same whether I’m gay, straight—whatever. The crowd I was hanging with at the time some of them didn’t have the same drive and was complacent as to where they were in life. Ha! You are who you hang around, right? So I started to sink right with them. I was super depressed. Sleeping a lot, but the only things that kept me motivated at the time was talking to my family back home, skating and writing, stories, articles, and poems. When I finally got to the place where I couldn’t take it anymore, I started to apply for Jobs in Houston where my brother lives and got curious about Dallas as well since it wasn’t too far. But Dallas jobs were contacting me back quicker, so I took what was the last 80 dollars to my name and booked a one way Spirit fight ticket to Dallas, TX. Nobody but two people even knew that I was really going. I didn’t even tell my family at the time. I left my clothes, beat up car, shoes, everything. I couldn’t even afford to buy an extra bag, so I snuck another one anyway. I had a duffle bag and a backpack, and that was it. Took whatever I could fit in there. When I landed, I had no clue about anything. I didn’t even know where I was going to stay.
So I hit up my friend at the time that I actually let stay with me throughout college when he was low. I asked him to come and get me. I can show you the screen shot! I had 0.07 cents in my account. I had one last check coming my way that Friday from my old job and I didn’t even have enough to eat. As soon as I got to his house, I got a call from my dad that he had been diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer, and that was extremely hard for me. He was my best friend that I talked to every single day. (though he was mad that I didn’t tell him about Dallas) So that was super hard. I asked him if he wanted me to come home, and he refused. He didn’t want me to just be there to watch him die. With tears in my eyes the same day I got straight to work applying for 50 jobs a day (Which was my goal). After all of the scammer side interviews and thinking that I would give up, I actually got a job offer. That bad part about it was I was staying off of Buckner rd close to Mesquite, and the job was all the way in Irving, Texas. But I didn’t let it stop me. I took the bus for 2 hours and 37 minutes every day to get to work. Waking up at 5 am to get to work at 8:30 is the hardest thing ever might I add. When I had enough saved up, I got my apartment. I used the next check to rent a bedded pick up truck (Because Uhauls are expensive as hell) and drove to Atlanta loaded up everything I could and drove back.) My parents were so proud of me, especially my dad. They were shocked at how determined I was to get my life together; I guess that’s me being a prideful Haitian ha!. After my time of taking the bus 2 hours and 37 minutes was cut down to short Uber trips, I started experiencing drama at work. My boss was extremely unprofessional OMG it was awful. To the point where I had a seizure from work. I guess from stress. Not only am I trying to get on my feet, but I’m grieving from my dad being in the process of dying from cancer. I was crazy! So one day I actually had it and got into it with my boss, did all the right things you know? Reported her etc. and she sent me home that day. I couldn’t even worry because I got my friend to drop me off at the car lot because I was buying my brand new Jeep that day! As soon as I pull off the lot, I get a call from the head boss saying that I got fired. And for some reason, I was scared because I just brought a new car, but I felt free.
I went home and went right back into finding work. Had a job starting that following Monday! Started working some horrible call center job and my mom called me and told me that I needed to come home because my dad had weeks to live. So I notified my boss right away. At the end of my shift, he came to me and told me something I’d never forget. “If you don’t come in Friday, don’t come back, I know that your Dad is dying but its too early for you to call off for things like that.” Without hesitation, I knew that that was my last week there. Getting home and feeding your parent or to help bathe them is a blizzard experience because we always think of our grandparents eventually leaving us but never our parents. We think that they’re untouchable. Well, he gassed a week late on Nov. 3rd, 2018. After the funeral, I went back to Dallas jobless and then A job called me and said that I was to fly to them on Monday to start my training. Making way more than my past two jobs. Stable now, I grieve every day for my dad, but I keep pushing. I actually found true love that is rare. Someone I wouldn’t trade for the world. Developed good friends. Life LONG friends. Celebrating for anything and everything Even released my first book with all of the raw edits called Seven Days of Bleu. Working on my first fiction novel, Seven Deadly Blessings that is set to release this winter. I’m just enjoying the way I breathe got heavily involved singing in my church, skating like always, still doing art, just really learning to love the way that God would want me to and to be the best person I can be. You need me I’m there, I found my purpose on what I’m supposed to do with my life moving to Dallas, and that’s to touch the lives of EVERY single person I come across. I’m not popping on the gram. I’m popping in real life beyond what a camera can see and what words can write. That’s what makes it all worth it. That’s where I’m at. Moving here was the best thing I ever did. I take pride in that decision. So I’m not perfect by any means, but I move with understanding and love, consistently developing myself to have the best heart. That’s my true talent. That’s my art form.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Some of the struggles that I would say is learning to know that you cant search for yourself in everyone. You have to meet people where they’re and accept them when they show you the first time. Also, not letting the way other people act affects my character, that’s super hard. People are going to ‘people,’ and I have no control over that. All I can control is the way I react and the energy that I put into the universe! I talk about death all the time. Because I have now learned that if I was to be taken from this earth today at a young age? I left it all there. I did my best in loving others, spitting knowledge to others, being a service to others. I’m not really big on public favors. Social media favors. So I feed the homeless man when the cameras not on, give money to others without bringing it up at the dinner table. I’m an “I didn’t ask if you had it I want to know if you want to go” type of person. Let’s enjoy life together. That’s hard because people think I’m crazy for it or naive. But that’s having true faith when I can’t trace it in others you know?
What should we know about your work? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I’m a writer, poet, and painter. I really can do anything in visual arts even with music, but those are the ones I take pride in. What sets me apart from other writers is that I pull from natural life like not only experiences that I go through but from others around me. I write EVERYTHING down so quotes that people say take into account with their life stories and growth. I learn from others through their spirit. Their poise with certain situations! I’m a student every day when someone speaks. I love it. I perform from time to time. I have a book “Seven Days of Bleu” that released with all raw edits, typos, punctuation errors. Everything. It was my first project. My raw project. I’m working on a fiction novel called Seven Deadly Blessings that will be about the blessings that we receive that we as people turn deadly. If you received a million dollars, that’s a blessing, right? But what you do with that million dollars can deem you as deadly. It highlights the seven deadly sins and the seven heavenly virtues. That will come out this winter, and I’m super excited. As well as writing another poetry book that’s not titled just yet. (That will have edits lol). Writing and focusing on getting back in the swing of things for law school (Everything came at a haunt when my Dad pass).
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
The proudest moment of my career is when I released my first book. I was super excited even with the errors. I had all of those poems from Atlanta from when I moved to Dallas. A letter that my dad wrote to me is in there as well. Everything of my old work was put in there so I can have a new slate for where I’m at now in life. I’m so excited for these upcoming projects. I’m trying to have people moved by my work. Not just buying it!
Pricing:
- Seven Days of Bleu is sold on Amazon for 20.39 !
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Days-Bleu-Poetry-Collection/dp/179859563X/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Seven+days+of+Bleu&qid=1562858694&s=gateway&sr=8-1
- Instagram: Pj.pill
- Twitter: Pj_machete
Image Credit:
Morgan Mosley
Edited by P. R. Jackson
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