BLACK HISTORY MONTH SPOTLIGHT: JODANNA DOMOND ON THE ROLE OF IDENTITY AND RESILIENCE IN HER CAREER JOURNEY
This Black History Month, we’re celebrating the Black first-gen groundbreakers shaping the future of the workforce. At Basta, we’re building bridges for these young leaders to launch their careers, achieve economic mobility, and create opportunities for themselves, their families, and generations to come.
In this essay, Basta alum Jodanna Domond, the daughter of Haitian immigrants, shares how her cultural heritage and family values influenced her reflection, redirection, and resilience in her professional journey. Here’s to Jodanna and all the Black first-gen grads blazing the trail this BHM and beyond!
Charting Success: Reflection, Redirection, Resiliency by Jodanna Domond
Reflection
As a woman of color and a first-generation college graduate, my career journey has been shaped by both my identity and the challenges that come with it. If I could summarize my experience as a first-generation black graduate and professional in one word it would be: non-linear. I am a woman of Haitian descent raised by a single mother and extended family, who constantly instilled within me the values of community and self-expression. Despite their trials and tribulations of discrimination coming to the U.S., my family has always been proud to be Haitian. Witnessing them remain true to their identity gives me strength to fiercely embrace my cultural heritage without reservations. When it came to my career, my mother always advised occupations that were always in demand and provided job security in the States.
While I understood and respected her guidance, the jobs in STEM that my mother had suggested were limiting. Meditating on her words, I felt confined within a box when I observed other careers that were vessels of success where creativity thrives. I am a creative. Ever since I was born, I was always singing, dancing, and writing. I was always involved in anything musically related and decided that I was going to pursue my passions further as a career studying Music Business at New York University. I followed my word and expanded my knowledge in this niche area of business for the first two years of undergrad. As a first gen, the words of my mother of job sustainability always lingered in the back of my mind with every decision I made yet because I was walking this journey alone the pandemic unveiled that the music industry was unsustainable.
Redirection
I felt like the rug was pulled out from right under me and rising costs of undergrad forced me to pause and make another crucial decision in my career. I chose to pivot and transfer to an in-state university, University of Connecticut to finish my Business degree in Marketing since many of my classes at NYU were Marketing based and ensured that I would be able to graduate on time. While at UConn, it was mandatory to take classes outside of Marketing but still within the Business school, so every student experienced a holistic business curriculum.
With this option I chose to take a couple finance classes covering corporate finance and company analysis. These classes sparked my interest in finance for the first time. I recalled hearing my mother’s words again of job sustainability. Through networking in these last years of college, many professionals emphasized the significance of finance in every business–without it, business can’t run. It was then, I knew that post-graduation I would pursue a role in finance, particularly wealth management.
Resiliency
At this point, I realized the importance of seeking a career coach to facilitate my transition into a new industry. This is where Basta provided unwavering support with resources necessary to enhance my learning and skills in this industry. Through determination and resilience, I secured a role as a financial analyst in wealth management. As I advance in my early professional career, I often recall my mother’s wise counsel that knowledge is power.
Her perseverance to be the first registered nurse in the family and her commitment to continuous learning has inspired me to continue my learning of the finance industry. I plan to interlace my mother’s advice of pursuing my professional career in STEM, while also using my experience in wealth management as a sounding board to launch into fintech. Through my experience in the financial world, I’ve witnessed technological disruptions that are elevating business efficiency and scalability. Bridging finance and technology will allow for me to amalgamate my family’s values, academic endeavors, and my creativity.
Basta’s mission is to close the employment gap for first-generation students of color and change the face of workforce leadership. Learn more about Basta and our work.
