Every now and then- sometimes through sheer coincidence, someone walk right into your pathway. And, instead of giving them the greenlight to move on, you switch on the red-light to check out their past.
Such is the case of Jermaine Gordon ...
Every now and then- sometimes through sheer coincidence, someone walk right into your pathway. And, instead of giving them the greenlight to move on, you switch on the red-light to check out their past.
Such is the case of Jermaine Gordon who started from nothing to somebody.
His journey to success didn’t come overnight; but with years of depression from fatherly neglect; the storms of poverty, and hurricanes of child abuse.
Jermaine never walk out of his battle like a war-torn leader opting to surrender; he stood like a warrior and with victory in hand is reaching out to thousands of people across the globe.
I stood in awe as Dr. Jermaine Gordon. Oh yes, he has earned this title- plunged my mind into his early life.
” My life was no bed of roses. Is ten of us my mother birth. Yes, ten children and my father 13. We never lived together . Mom lived in a place they called McGregor Gully. That’s not funny. This is a place in Vineyard Town, Kingston, Jamaica, where gunshots give no warning.
” When I was three years old my father left me on the roadside. I will never ever forget that day. Me and a bag with my clothes. He was supposed to take me to his home, but he didn’t want to live up to his responsibility like a lot of fathers.
” As for the little shack we lived, this was home for my mom Olive, myself and three of my siblings. This piece of rickety board structure couldn’t even withstand a good earth tremor.”
Jermaine was said to be as stubborn as as a mule, and he almost lost his life
when he was only five years old. His mother- like so many others, took him to Port Royal, along with two of his siblings to have fun. But, unable to swim, Jermaine just could not sit and watch the others have fun.
“I too jumped into the water and found myself drowning. I was petrified and still gasping called for help twice before I was rescued by my brother Ricardo.”
His mom just couldn’t cope and after several trips to the Family Court begged the judge to place Jermaine in a state-run institution for boys when he was 8 years old. That’s when hell broke loose.
“My life at the first boy’s home was pure misery. I wasn’t ready to take talk from no strangers and I had to pay the price.
“They beat me with the legs of a discarded rocking chair, and as if that wasn’t enough, boxed me in the face, I virtually saw stars.
“The second boy’s home was no better. Punishment were so humiliating that I regretted being there every single day.
I later assumed responsibility and trust from the administrators who allowed me to leave on weekends and return at the start of the new week.”
But, it seemed Jermaine was never out of trouble. “I told them just a simple lie which cost me a severe beating and I ran away to my home in Kingston.This was the turning point in my life.”
Jermaine settled at two schools- one of which was Vauxhall Secondary ( now high school). There he began to play the saxophone and participated in drama productions at age 14.
Jermaine knew he had talent for back at one of the boy’s home he was among an award winning team for his role as Reuben in a biblical play where the brothers of Joseph- through jealousy, threw him into a pit and sold his coat of many colours for twenty pieces of silver.
Jermaine was now rubbing shoulders with the movers and shakers in society. They include Kimora Lee-Simmons an American model, Curtis Jackson aka Fifty Cent and former playwright Ralph Holness.
” At age 17, I became a member of the Area Youth Foundation- a brilliant avenue for at-risk youths to express themselves through drama. Jermaine wrote a script for his group which won the Best Award.
Ralph Holness a special guest at the event spotted Jermaine’s acting talent and quickly drafted him into his production Balm Yard Affairs. He also played lead roles in Ruth Samuels, Hell A Pop A Yard and Hugh King’s Night Work
The opportunity took the young actor to three different countries with 700 shows to his credit. He was then in his early twenties.
He migrated to Florida, U.S in 2009 in his early thirties. He further his academic studies receiving a Doctorate in Divinity at the Universal church in Seattle, Washington.
He also did a diplomatic course at the University of London; later flew to Germany mastering a global governance course which covers management, a leadership and team development.
Today, Jermaine is the owner of Olanquan Broadcasting Company (OBC Radio),
‘I hope this will give a second chance to the forgotten voices.This covers area such as a podcast and world news.
Coming soon will be a dynamic program for every age-group, especially for youths.
” i am networking to get all small business numbering 39 under one platform. This will give us more visibility and wider participation in the global market.”
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