Jovana Gilkes: Showing Girls They CAN Be Anything
I really want to impact young girls
Bronx homegirl Jovana Gilkes had a traumatic childhood. A difficult relationship with her mother, and a father who struggled with addiction and was in and out of jail when she was young, affected her deeply.
Jovana carried that baggage into her adult years, where it eventually led her to her purpose— “wanting to make sure that I give back to the kids that share similar stories to my upbringing.” Today, as a publicist, entrepreneur, wife, and mother to two daughters, she’s helping young girls heal through her organization G.I.R.L.S. Can, Inc.
About Jovana -
I would like to think of Jovana as someone who is very giving, very passionate and a resilient person.
My life has been very heavy in terms of my upbringing, into my young adult years. Even as a grown woman with two daughters and married, I still carry a lot of my baggage from those years.
But they helped to shape me to fight just that much harder to break cycles and generational curses and to make sure that I show up to be the best version of myself to my daughters.
Growing Pains
“I grew up in the crack era — born in ‘78, raised in the ‘80s, and made in the ‘90s is what I like to say.”
Growing up in the Bronx was always a fun time, Jovana says. But seeing crack vials and the violence that were, for her, a part of everyday life in the very fast-paced, very busy borough weighed on her heavily.
As a child, she was always involved in dancing and the arts and grew up wanted to be an entertainer. “I was the kid who was always putting on little bootleg talent shows for the family.”
High school was a turning point where, she says, she could have gone down the wrong path, wanting to be accepted and to fit in.
What made the difference in her life?
Role models who saw things in Jovana that she didn’t yet see in herself. She went to community college then got pregnant with her oldest daughter. Becoming a mom was another turning point and her father, she says, was the only person pushing her. “A lot of me wanting to accomplish so much was because I know that I need to make him proud,” she said. And her community of supporters.
“When I fall off course, I’m grateful for having people around me in my immediate circle that remind me that I have so much potential and that my purpose on this earth is to make sure that I see that through.”
Jovana went on to become a successful entertainment and lifestyle publicist, but felt there was more for her to do.
Purpose Work
“I know that my purpose work involves at-risk girls because I was an at-risk girl myself.”
Three years ago, when Jovana was in a transitional period, she had the idea for G.I.R.L.S. Can, Inc. — an organization that addresses the hard questions that young girls have about issues like: toxic mothers, dating the wrong guys, and following the wrong crowd. Providing mentorship and outreach, G.I.R.L.S. Can, Inc. is in many ways the kind of support system that Jovana once needed.
girls,
please know that
what you see on the TV or social media is not who you need to be in order for you to be socially accepted, or to feel that you have value and worth by your outer appearance.
“My goal is to change the narrative with young girls about self-love and self-respect and to let them know that there are people out there outside of your family that you can turn to.”
But it hasn’t been easy. Jovana has found that some people are reluctant to support her work because there isn’t a big name behind it, but that, too, was an intentional decision. Instead of using her connections to bring in well-known faces, Jovana wants G.I.R.L.S. Can, Inc. to grow organically and with people who are aligned with her vision.
In the future, she hopes G.I.R.L.S. Can, Inc. will continue to grow and that the annual summit will become a city a state event that will have the attention and support of the right people.
Next up? A series of smaller, more intimate events for 14-17 year old girls, called Conversations with my Big Sister.
“Young girls do need an outlet because we only always focus on the woman empowerment but what about empowering the youth? ”
Interested in learning more about G.I.R.L.S. Can, Inc? Want to get involved? Sign up for updates?
Legacy
I want to leave behind a legacy that my daughters will carry on for me.
I want them to know that their mother was a fighter, that their mother was purposeful in everything that she did in terms of accomplishing dreams and goals.
I want them to be better than me, honestly.
I want to lead by the example for them, but I want them to be better than me. I want them to know that any adversity, it doesn’t last forever, and they can do whatever they put their minds to.
Words of Wisdom
Jovana’s advice for anyone going through difficult times ~
Bronx Basics
Bronx girls/women are: No Nonsense
Homegirls she looks up to:
Cardi B. — I respect Cardi B’s hustle, surprisingly enough. We’re from the same neighborhood, literally. So I respect how she used her platform to make a way for herself to now be this big household name.
My best friend Renee Harper— we met in undergrad and have been friends for going on 22 years. We share similar life stories—her struggle was heavier than mine— but I just respect how she persevered. I’m grateful to her because we hold each other up. Whatever she’s going through, she’ll still answer the phone and encourage me though my issues. I’m really grateful for her.
“If I had to describe the Bronx in two words: Made me.”
Next Chapter
Jovana is working on another brand called “Conversations with my Sister,” to tackle dating, love, and relationships for older women. “I have more of a story to tell,” and she will use this platform to do it.