Denise Hunt – Empowering women through Random Thoughts
WHEN she launched her Instagram podcast Random Thoughts Live eight weeks ago, Denise Hunt wanted to reach “anyone open to intercession and change”. The actress and former television personality is now a life coping coach who lives in Austin, Texas.
One of the topics she consistently discusses is challenges women of colour face. Hunt uses her personal experience to help empower others who have faced some form of prejudice.
“I advise every woman to find and use her voice. Repeatedly speak your truth in a way that you are heard even when others don’t appear to be listening. If you want something badly enough, remember when you go after it, someone is watching to see how well you do,” Hunt reasoned. “I know this adds pressure, but your success tells the little dark-skinned girl in Allman Town, where I am from, that she too can move up and out and do it successfully and with grace. Nuh watch nuh face!”
Hunt, who appeared in movies such as How Stella Got Her Groove Back, also hosted Entertainment Report on TVJ. Her first taste of colour awareness came while she was a student at The Queen’s School.
She recalls a Chinese classmate giving her a backhanded compliment, telling her that she was not bad looking for “a dark-skinned girl”.
She said that attitude in Jamaica persists today.
“I think all we have to do is look at our knee-jerk reaction when a dark-skinned girl wins Miss Jamaica or Miss Universe. Look at how darker skinned women (and men) are treated in stores/some companies, and then the type of customer service given to our lighter skinned Jamaicans. This is not new. We have been talking about this social disparity ad nauseam. Let’s keep talking, it’s a start,” she said.
Hunt is owner of SizzleFit Faith and Fitness. She oversees a programme that discourages clients from negativity whilst adopting a positive mindset. Random Thoughts Live gives her another platform to express those beliefs.
“The purpose of Random Thoughts Live is to provide real and raw life coping coaching. My hope is that we will all find our healing by conquering the large and small negative habits, thoughts and patterns we have daily,” she explained. “By talking about my own challenges openly, I invite others to face whatever holds them back from living well. I also provide some structure on how to change the negative patterning.”
