Jeannette Squires is blossoming in this new season of her life and is encouraging others to do the same through her newly formed podcast Force NYC. Force NYC which stands for Faith on Repeat Changes Everything You Choose is a safe space platform curated by Jeannette and her co-star TT that is tailored to having candid conversations that destigmatize culture's status quo. Topics such as vulnerability, spirituality, mental health, and personal development are all covered on the 45-minute podcast.
Force NYC was an idea she had for a while. It initially started off as a different project, but something nudged her to hold on until it aligned with what she had first envisioned. She knew what the impact of her and her co-star TT's revelatory messaging would be and how it would influence a community, so they both had to make sure that everything would be properly structured. Why the name Force? To Jeannette, the word Force meant being intangible. Unbreakable, Strength and Power. After sitting with the name Force, she wanted the title to represent more so she came up with the acronym. She credits her faith-filled spirit and strength from being connected to God. Including that in the title was very important to her. “Choosing to have faith day in and out changes everything.” Says Jeannette.
The next step in creation was finding a studio that offered a laid-back aesthetic vibe matching her persona personally so she can be comfortable and appease viewers. She reached out to her photographer Stills who was friendly enough to expand his portfolio into videography for her idea to come to life.
Force NYC's first episode release discussed the necessity of being self-aware so we all can communicate with clarity and intention. When people understand themselves better, it's easier for them to build positive self-esteem. Once uploaded to YouTube the video reached 300 views within an hour. People bombarded the comment section with statements such as “Thank you for inspiring sharing your energy with me and the world! “Great job ladies, I enjoyed this so much and can’t wait for more!!”
Jeannette was taught as a teenager that words of expression are meek and that being vulnerable is not a way to exhibit strength. This led to her developing unhealthy defense mechanisms and unhealed trauma. Growing up on the streets of Brooklyn, being labeled as “soft” was culturally not accepted. In other words, not a good look. Recognizing these defaults and bottling negative feelings up for years she knew change was needed.
The process of transforming from the insecure and fearful young girl into the impactful, confident mother, and bold leader she is now was not easy. It took discipline, dedication, spiritual strength, and community. It wasn’t until she was in her darkest moment that she realized she only had two choices: settle or move forward. Jeannette was challenged to apply the wisdom of her past wounds and apply them to the hope for her future.
She gives thanks to her community village which includes TT that has supported her in this journey of healing and rediscovery in a judgment-free safe zone. “I created a safe space with TT to express thoughts, feelings, and experiences, and we made sure to support each other in the most authentic way. If we can continue to create a safe space where grace is given, and show others that people are allowed to express themselves unapologetically we can then build a strong unity of men and women for not only future generations but ours as well.” Jeannette said.
“That’s my inspiration. To start a movement that will help bring light into dark spaces which results in people beginning their own shadow work journey.”
Jeannette, Women's Empire salutes you! We appreciate all you have done and will continue to do for our communities. To find an episode of Force NYC, visit their YouTube channel at ForceNYC.