FEATURE STORY
China L ’ One
Her gift , making room for her and bringing her before influential people .
China L ’ One has given new meaning to being a female Disc Jockey in a male-dominated space . She has inspired many women to think outside the proverbial box and understand that we must all dream in color and not just black and white . The Bible says our gifts make room for us ( Proverbs 18:16 ) and as you read China ’ s story , you will see this increasingly evident .
Her creativity to see beyond a mere possibility , her uncanny ability to think unconventionally and not allow her beginnings nor her circumstances to deter her , have led to her receiving recognition and numerous awards One such occasion is the request for her presence at The British Prime Minister ' s home in London . Her life took on a different trajectory when she fled her home in Sierra Leone to join her mother in England . Not long after , at age 13 , she would have to assume a role that taught her many life skills and has made possible the woman she is today ; one who has achieved worldwide recognition as Founder of We Run the World Female DJ Agency — an allfemale DJ agency that gives women a chance to be accepted for their sheer skills and not because of where they are from , how they looked or who they know .
Read China ’ s story and be in inspired .
TBWM : What was life like growing up in Sierra Leone . Paint a picture . Then tell us about leaving at age 13 to the United Kingdom ; what led you to relocate ?
Proverbs 18:16 Written by Jacqueline Walker-Johnson
China : Growing up in Sierra Leone was really fun . It was just like being in Jamaica , and I say that because I know your magazine started in Jamaica . I spent a lot of time outdoors with my friends and family members , playing the games that little girls played . It was carefree and I enjoyed it . I went to St . Joseph Primary School , which was a Catholic school , and I was in the Brownies . My mom was a nurse and a midwife in Sierra Leone . She travelled a lot , so I spent a lot of time with relatives . She received a scholarship to study in Thailand , and from there , she went to the United Kingdom . At that time , I was living with my stepdad ’ s family . Sierra Leone started having civil unrest , and I relocated as a refugee to the UK .
The idea of going to the UK was an exciting one . As children , we viewed it as such . Unfortunately , the move was a far cry from my jubilant expectations . It was the opposite of what I imagined and knew . I cried for days . Not long after I got there and my mother had my younger brother , she was diagnosed with post-partum depression that got progressively worse and was later diagnosed as schizophrenia . That period was extremely challenging as there were days when I would get a beating from her and end up in the hospital . This was , of course , due to her mental illness . A couple of years after her diagnosis , thinking she was better , she discontinued her medication . She was okay for a while but then had a relapse , and now she is on them for life . It has been over 25 years , and during that period , she has also been diagnosed twice with two different types of cancer . I have been her care giver since then . And I would assist her with my brother .