What makes you powerful?                                                                         

Not giving up and staying  in the fight for myself and others is what makes me powerful. There is power in not giving up. The word resilient is used a lot and can often feel cliche but when you think about it. Being resilient is to embody power. Displaying confidence externally even though you may feel scared inside. My friends often tell me that my refusal to give up is inspiring. As an adult I have given my power to other people and as of last year, I am taking it back. Giving my power to others has in a way crippled me. Taking it back is hard, sometimes it feels defeating and impossible. It has been so liberating to know that I have power in  my mind, body, soul, finances and it is mine and no one else's.

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What message would you offer for current, former, and future Black and LGBTQ+ young people impacted by the system?                                                                                                                 

 

You know how they say dance like no one's watching? I would say dream like no one's watching. Sometimes we fail to understand our dreams can be a reality. Dreams can come true but it takes a lot of work. It takes dedication, it takes sacrifice, and many tears. They said the road won't be easy and they are right. That’s why it's important to have your village. Having people that believe, that push you to reach higher, and remind you to love yourself is pivotal. Everyone else believes in you means nothing if you don’t first believe in yourself. You have to believe that anything is possible and there is no obstacle you can't face.

 

Not everyone is going to be excited for your dreams, everyone is not going to support your vision or your method. You have to be firm in who you are and what you want. Your dreams cannot become a reality if you are not invested in yourself. My dreams have paused, came back to life, and been on hold again because I wasn't investing in myself. I had to focus on self love, self preservation, and self worth to be able to show up and fight for my dreams. I meet a lot of people who talk about the life they could have lived. Dream of the life you are going to create for yourself because the world is yours and your possibilities are infinite.

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What does Black Joy mean to you?                                                        

 

Being black brings me joy! I think of all the different shades of Blackness and be like ooooooh look at that melanin! I haven't always felt this confidence though. As a child I was conditioned to assimilate to white normativity. Last year was the first time in 36 year I went to an interview with my natural hair on full display. It was frightening, I was afraid I would be seen as unprofessional or assumed to not be passionate about the work.. However my ability to excel in a job is not dictated by my appearance.  

 

It brings me joy to see  the Black community working in unison to fight oppression, create resources, and ensure we are making space for the upcoming generations. It brings me  joy to see that we are celebrating Black people across generations for their contributions to society. Black creatives are writing, producing and sharing Black stories so that children can see their full beauty in every medium of art and performance. 

 

It brings me joy to see other Black women thriving and inspiring other young Black girls to do the same. At the end of last year I thought of 12 Black women who I find inspiring and I am meeting with one of them each month this year. These are people who are leading in their career and holding executive positions. Many are the first Black women to do so in their field.  Learning from other Black women not only allows me to grow, but will allow me to pour into the next generation of young Black girls. This is the embodiment of Black Joy. 

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More about Courtney Jones                  

 

Cortney (She/Her) finds joy in helping others find their true potential, while inspiring youth and adults to never let their past situations determine their future. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work from the University of Texas A&M-Commerce and Master’s degree in Social Work emphasizing on Administrative Leadership from Texas State University-San Marcos. 

 

She is a remarkable social worker and a dynamic motivational speaker, whose speeches are based on life trials and tribulations and how she has overcome adversities to inspire others across the Country. 

 

When Cortney is not working, she enjoys movies, poetry, traveling, live music, and spending time with her friends and family. Cortney’s personal mission in life is to Never Give Up and to Engage in every opportunity that present itself, Encourage others to be their best selves, and to Empower people to accomplish their life goals. She embodies “Be the Change You Want to See in The World”. 

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Contact: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cortney-jones-msw-5b1063169/