5 Questions with Shauna-Kay Douglas

Meet Shauna-Kay Douglas, a young woman full of light and life; she is known to challenge her challenges. She is the youngest child of her parents, who are now deceased, born in Lionel Town, Clarendon, and was raised in Blackwoods, Clarendon. Since birth, she has been visually impaired, seeing 60% from one eye and virtually none from the other. Regardless, she embraced the view held by Helen Keller, “The only thing worse than being blind is having sight, but no vision.”

She is a past student of the Edwin Allen High School, Church Teachers’ College, where she obtained a diploma in Spanish (Primary Education), and the Bethel Bible College of the Caribbean – Jamaica, where she majored in Theology and a minor in Guidance and Counselling. Shauna-Kay is now a trained Teacher, Pastor, Poet, and Author. She recently published her first book - Poetic and E. P. I. C. Shauna-Kay continues to live by the saying, “God is a young girl’s Keeper.”

She is passionate about God and serving others. Shauna-Kay “aspires to inspire before she expires.” As such, she continues to motivate others through writing creative and inspirational pieces, socializing, and ministering to God’s people. We were privileged to speak with Shauna-Kay, who gave answers to five questions we asked. So, as you read, we pray you will use her JOurneY as a spur to challenge your challenges.

1. Tell us a little about your professional journey.

My professional journey started when I was a sixth-form student at the Edwin Allen High School when I participated in the National Youth Service (NYS) summer employment programme. Here, I was exposed to clerical duties as I worked as a Clerical Assistant. My involvement in summer programmes with NYS and the Parish Council continued during my tenure at Church Teachers’ College in 2010-2013. Thus, I earned the opportunity to work at the Chapelton Parish Library, and I used creative ways to engage the children in summer school hosted by the library.

Despite these experiences, my professional journey officially started after earning a Diploma in Primary (Spanish) Education at Church Teachers’ College. This journey was rewarding as I embraced the three “Ds” of the college: Discipline, Dignity, and Decorum, both in my personal and professional life. I thoroughly enjoyed teaching practice. After college, I was unable to secure a job in the classroom. However, I sensed the call of God on my life to enter pastoral ministry, so I enrolled at the Bethel Bible College of the Caribbean - Jamaica. I did a bachelor’s degree in Theology with a minor in Guidance and Counselling. I recently took up Pastoral duties at the Mt. Providence New Testament Church of God. I also aspire to go into the field of counselling. With a minor in Guidance Counselling, as well as a rewarding practicum experience at Four Paths Primary and Junior High School, I have been afforded the privilege to plan programmes, do motivational speeches, perform dub poetry, and engage in both group and individual counselling sessions. I have also provided psychosocial support to both staff and students.

2. What inspired you to become an author?

Being an author was one of my long-term goals. I love writing, especially poetry and other creative pieces that inspire. My love for writing these pieces started at Church Teachers’ College to make my presentations entertaining and bring added life to my lessons while on teaching practice. I believe that students should have fun while learning, and as such, I would pull all the creative stops to ensure that this happens. However, when I was faced with unemployment, I realized that writing was both creative and therapeutic. It was writing that shifted my focus.

Thus, in 2014, I began to take writing more seriously and started sharing my poems on social media. The responses were great, and people would encourage me to publish a book. I would tell them one day, but I never put a timeline to it, though I always wanted to do it.

However, in June 2021, I shared some of my poems with Dr. Marsha Smalling, the Principal of Glenmuir High School and an author herself. She encouraged me to publish them. I told her that I would be doing so, then she asked me the question, “when?” That “when” did it for me. I immediately started to compile the poems I had written over the years and wrote new ones. I finished compiling within a week. Thus, the start of my journey as an author.

3. What is most fulfilling about being an author?

Being an author has afforded me the awesome opportunity to share my talent and epic journey with the world. It aids tremendously in making my mantra a reality. My mantra is, “I aspire to inspire before I expire.” I also see it as a ministry tool, and I am grateful to God when people who read my book provide meaningful feedback on how transformational it is to their lives. The feedback encourages me and affirms that its mission has certainly been accomplished. I am really passionate about motivating people and helping them to view life and its challenges with the right perspective. Through writing, I am able to touch lives in a meaningful way, and that is quite rewarding.

4. Tell us about your book “Poetic and EPIC,” and how interested persons can access it.

The E. P. I. C. in Poetic and EPIC stands for Edifying, Practical, Inspiring, Compelling. The book comprises 55 poems to inspire, encourage, teach valuable lessons and spread cheer. All poems within are based on my experiences with God, His Word, and life in general. I also used social commentary and natural disasters to illustrate valuable lessons. This book aims to help people find value in the rubble, clarity in confusion, and JOY in the JOurneY. It is also aimed at helping them to navigate life and its challenges with the right perspective. Poetic and EPIC is suitable for all age groups and is available on Amazon and Kindle. People can also reach out to me on Instagram @shaunakaydouglas or on Facebook at Shauna-Kay Douglas to order their copy.

5. As a visually impaired person, what advice do you have for people with similar challenges and are afraid to pursue their goals?

Believe in yourself, embrace your journey, and never give up. Do not allow the challenges to prevent you from achieving your goals. Instead of seeing them as hindrances, see them as launching pads to your destiny. Instead of stopping at “self-pity street,” move to “Strategic Lane” and “Overcomers Avenue.” Find the strategies that work for you and utilize them. That is the secret to moving from self-pity to overcome. I know that due to my visual challenge, I would need to memorize my speeches and sermons to maintain eye contact with my audience; I thank God for a good memory. I also count the steps when I go somewhere for the first time so that I can up those steps the next time, and no one will know that I have a challenge.

Additionally, seek to find opportunities where others make excuses. Have an optimistic mindset; the optimist looks for solutions to problems. He knows that there is even an ounce of positivity in a negative situation, so he goes every day looking for positives, even if he has to look harder some days. There is JOY in your JOurneY. Do not be afraid to embrace it. Be unapologetically you and grace the earth with your unique beauty.