BY: JADE LEONARD
PHOTOGRAPHY BY: JACOB WEBSTER
"Teach me to do your will
For You are my God;
Let Your good spirit lead me on level ground"
- Psalm 143:10
Even under the distress and some of the darkest moments you may face, when the enemy tries to destroy you, openly confirm God's will. His word will have the grace to persevere you through any storm. God's grace is diligent and faithful. He has promised that he will not give you more than you can handle. His Spirit will always listen to your prayers and provide a way to overcome all obstacles. We need the Lord's guidance to teach us his ways and steer us to the truth. Call on him in the dark but also rejoice and praise him in the light. Jirah has weathered storms emotionally and literally. She and her family uprooted their life from Louisiana due to the devastation of Hurricane Katrina in 2008. From a young age, Jirah cultivated the concept of "rolling with the punches" and being adaptable. She’s always willing to teach and help others, even when it may not be the most ideal time for her. She gives her time and loves on the people she cares about immensely. She may be small but she packs a punch. She’s spicy, sassy, fun-loving and wants everyone to have a great time.
In this issue, Jirah opens up about confidence, stepping out on faith, balancing a full time job while pursuing a side hustle, hair must haves, and her hair journey, leading her to where she is now, with a growing YouTube channel. So without further delay, I present to you The Next Youtube sensation and a positive, God-fearing, young woman. Welcome "Jirah Cosey The Curly & Charismatic Cajun".
The UpNext: Who Is Jirah Cosey? What sets you apart?
Jirah Cosey: "Whew, OMG! This question first?? Okay, let’s get right to it. I’m a Southern Belle (NOLA BABYYYY), I’m passionate, I’m loving, I’m charismatic…there’s just so much!! But I think right now I’m really leaning on the part of me that is spirit-led. At this point in my life, I want to make sure all of my aspirations, goals, and next steps are aligned with where God wants me to be. What sets me apart is my strong faith in God. I know he’s got me with & through everything!"
The UN: Where/how did you learn confidence?
JC: "Okay this took some time but truly knowing who I was allowed me to be so unapologetically confident. And I’ll be honest, some of these things I’m STILL figuring out but listen, you have to try so much harder to shake my confidence now. Knowing who you are keeps you rooted in your ability to achieve and conquer anything."
The UN: Wow! That’s a quote! Not many people can say their families safely survived Hurricane Katrina. How did that event shape who you are? What did you learn about life?
JC: "I was 10 years old when Katrina hit New Orleans, which is soooo long ago, but I’ll never forget the impact it had on the city and my family. Thankfully, all of my family survived, but now we’re a little scattered across the South. Some in Texas, New Orleans, Atlanta, etc. From the age of 11 till my senior year in high school, I attended school in Frisco, Texas which is so different from back home... I’m not gonna lie, it took a little while to get adjusted. IYKYK. But I truly believe that’s where I was supposed to be. I learned so much about myself, life, and how the course of your life can change in an instant. I’m grateful my parents chose to flow with this change and allow God to lead them during that time. My life would be so different if Katrina didn’t happen.
A plus...I wouldn’t have known about Hampton if my high school classmate didn’t invite me on a campus tour with her and her church. So yeah, God put me in Texas for a reason!"
The UN: Why was attending an HBCU one of the best decisions you’ve ever made?
JC: "Omg I love my HBCU! Having attended predominantly white schools for a majority of my life, it was imperative that I attended an HBCU. Attending an HBCU was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made! *invisible ink* I swore up and down that I was going to Howard. But I’m so happy I saw the light and stumbled across Hampton. My life is forever changed because of the culture, the experiences, and everyone I’ve encountered at Hampton."
The UN: Who/What inspires you? What makes YOU want to be an inspiration?
JC: "I’m inspired by multiple things. The smallest thing can inspire me to create, to impact, or to simply try something new. But I would have to say the foundation of my inspiration comes from my parents. Growing up, they always encouraged us to go above and beyond. There were no limits with William and Jenelle, annoying or not, it’s still something I lean on to this day.
My goal is to motivate young women, like myself, through championing self-confidence. It’s all about the journey and coming into your own. If I can inspire with that in mind, the impact will be so fulfilling."
The UN: Absolutely! Confidence is key. When and why did you become passionate about your hair?
JC: "I’m going to give y’all the short answer, kinda, cause I can go ON and ON!! I’ve always had healthy hair...did I always take care of it? Not so much. I used to be ashamed of my natural hair because it was SO big and SO thick...I wanted to hide it. But then there was this natural hair revolution. On Youtube, in the media...I was seeing women with big hair, JUST like me everywhere. That gave me the umph to really embrace my hair. It took some time, but once I realized and appreciated how beautiful my hair was, without the chemicals, without the heating tools…my hair in its purest, natural form; There was no turning back."
The UN: Knowing my hair porosity really changed the game to my haircare routine! In your opinion, why is knowing your hair porosity important?
JC: "Ooh this is a great question! Knowing your hair porosity perfectly crafts your hair routine. Once you know your hair porosity, you can pick the proper products, treatments, and methods to make sure your hair is in its healthiest state. For instance, I have low porosity hair so my hair requires thicker butters and creams to really hold moisture. This is different from those who may have high porosity. (shameless plug) I have a video on my channel that gives you all the tea about hair porosity and why it’s so important"
The UN: Tell us more about how you applied Jayla Koriyan’s Hustle Course into your Youtube (YT) method; what improvements have you seen on your channel?
JC: "God is funny because how I found out about this course was so random. So I was catching up on my favorite YouTubers, Jayla Koriyan being one of them, and I stumbled across a video of hers that talked about her favorite apps for influencers. So in the middle of the video, she showed a snapshot of her IG profile and I saw one of the pictures was a flyer of the Youtube Hustle...mind you, she did not mention the course in her video AT ALL. I was just paying close attention and peeped the flyer. I ran to her IG, found all the details, and signed up immediately. It was a leap of faith for sure! The course went through all of the basics of having a successful YouTube channel. A lot of the information I already knew, but I’m grateful for the course because it gave me the extra push I needed to start my channel. Cause I was playing...for a while. Like I said, God is funny."
The UN: What advice do you have for aspiring influencers on social media and YT? And those balancing a 9 to 5?
JC: "Always remember what made you want to create and influence in the first place. To some, creating may seem so easy and cliche, but it actually takes a lot of time, commitment, and sacrifice. On top of balancing a 9-5. It’s not for everyone. It’s going to get difficult, but the stress and difficulties are not bigger than your purpose, it’s not bigger than your end goal. So when it starts to feel overwhelming or stressful, I think back on why this seed was planted. Then I shift my thinking & continue to do what’s necessary to water it."
The UN: Every curly girl has a gazillion products in their cabinets, but what are 3 hair “tools” you cannot live without? What’re your top 3 products?
JC: "Omg, only 3?? Okay, one, my Denman brush! It detangles and defines my curls like no other. If you don’t have one, get you a Denman sis. My edge brush, because laid edges are essential. And my hairdryer!! My hairdryer is perfect for deep conditioning and making sure my protective styles are fully dry. As for the products, this is hard, but off the top of my head, I’d have to say Xtreme Wetline Gel, Mielle Pomegranate and Honey Leave-In Conditioner, and Edge Booster Edge Control. All of these products keep my natural hair all the way together!"
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