By Alex Popa
Naësha Joanna is an American with a Haitian heart. She currently lives in the US, but she can never forget her humble beginnings because she credits Haiti with giving her much of her potential and the career opportunities she enjoys today.
Naesha admits that being Haitian isn’t easy, as Haitian society is unsafe and has often few opportunities to offer. But she believes people can overcome their situations, no matter how bad they might be, so long as they work, keep their eyes on the prize, and never give up. Which is exactly what she did.
Education and Work
Naesha graduated from the University of Montreal with a diploma in Criminology in April 2023. She is a certified paralegal, although this isn’t an avenue that she considers worth pursuing. Not because it wouldn’t be financially rewarding, but because Naesha considers herself a talented individual with a predilection toward entertainment and art. It’s no wonder, then, that she’s lately gravitated toward comedy, acting, singing, and social media. She owns an online boutique where she sells wigs, durags, and bonnets, and plans to pursue her entrepreneurial career even more in the coming years.
Naesha has been featured in three movies since 2022, including one called Jimanie. She also hosted a comedy show in May 2023 that opened the door to more potential gigs in the entertainment industry. Naesha aims to stay on the same path and grow her brand as much as possible.
She wants to improve her acting – even make it to Hollywood if possible – and perhaps her dancing and singing skills.
How Haitian Youth Can Replicate Her Success
Naesha is aware of the problems that plague Haitian society. These include poverty, lack of opportunity, violence, and single-parent families that fail to provide children with adequate support and security. However, this doesn’t mean every young Haitian is doomed to fail.
Naesha believes there are ways that those born in environments like that can succeed –and her life story exemplifies that. She hopes to become a role model for those less fortunate. “I want to inspire others to be proud of who they are and to always follow their dreams, no matter how hard it gets. That’s because the same God who placed the dreams in your heart will give you the resources and the strength to realize them.”
“I want to inspire others to be proud of who they are and to always follow their dreams, no matter how hard it gets. That’s because the same God who placed the dreams in your heart will give you the resources and the strength to realize them.”
In Naesha’s view, it all comes down to hard work, strength of character, determination, and faith, because you cannot succeed in life without these assets. These days, she’s focused on building a more prominent online presence and making her dreams come true. And she hopes she can encourage people to follow suit and open themselves to new possibilities.
