Sex educator, Jimanekia Eborn is our next “Femme Voices” feature. She infused her positive attitude and her desire to help people to create the career of her dreams, where she teaches people about sex as well as how to get through their trauma. Jimanekia has built her brand from the ground up so that she could find new ways of reaching people and assist survivors and allies in learning about healing. The work Jimanekia does is so important and truly inspirational. Read below to read her story!
Please introduce yourself. What is your name? Where are you located? What are your pronouns and how do you identify?
My name is Jimanekia Eborn, located in Los Angeles, California. My pronouns are she/her. I identify as a queer black woman that happens to love a lot and is polyamorous.
Tell us a bit about what you do as a sex educator and trauma specialist and anything else that you do.
I remember the day I told my manager that I did not want to teach anymore. She looked at me, threw her papers up in the air and said, “What are we doing here then?” What I explained was that I found that a lot of people talk at students and/or individuals and I wanted to talk to people.
Within the last year, my work has transitioned from teaching sex-ed in schools and private locations to actually doing more sitting down and talking with people. The education I do now is very honest, open and direct. I like to meet people where they are. Even working with adolescents, I find that there are so many things that people know. Ask them what they know and go from there.
Youth, teenagers, and kids know a lot of information that they may have picked up over the years. Often, we as adults can discount them. I think it is really important to check in with them and ask them what they do know versus just assuming that they do not know anything. That way, you can meet them where they are and talk to them versus talking at them.
As for my trauma work, which is encompassing of my sexual education, I do a lot of different things with survivors. I do overall education with finding one’s voice and how to speak with those around you. I do work with reconnecting with your body as well as your sexuality. I just started doing office hours via the internet so that I can have short sessions with people to help them to start a plan of moving forward. I am also someone who has been in the hospital with survivors. I can support in many spaces and am adaptable to various situations. I have worked in the mental health field in so many different areas for a decade and this has allowed me to be very verse in my knowledge of support.
This year, I created a podcast called “Trauma Queen”, where we work to normalize the conversations about trauma. The purpose of “Trauma Queen” is to give space to the voices of individuals that are predominately overlooked and under-supported.
How long have you been in the sex education and mental health spaces? How and why did you start?
I have been in mental health since I was 21 years of age. Funny, I started out in school as a criminal justice major because I watched a lot of “Law and Order: SVU” and I wanted to do that. Then I started looking at the burnout rate and a few other things. I ended up getting kicked out of the school. But because of so many reasons, ultimately, I did not need to be there. This is when I became a rape crisis counselor and it took off from there.
I got into the field, honestly, because of my mother’s murder when I was one-year-old. She was murdered by her boyfriend and my possible father. I started wanting to help women get out of unsafe spaces and to heal and it evolved from there.
As for sexual education, I have only been focused in that direct space within the last three years. I decided I wanted to work in a space that was always evolving and growing, as well as I never wanted to have a boring day at work. And here I am. I am so thankful for this journey.
Does what you do make you feel like a part of a community? If so, what would you say is your biggest/most important contribution to this community?
I think it makes me a part of many different communities. Which, honestly, I think is a privilege to be seen and trusted in many different areas. I do think my biggest contribution to this community or communities is holding space and supporting paths of healing.
These days, creativity and entrepreneurship play a big part in peoples’ professional careers. Would you agree and how has this affected you?
Honestly, it has been such a journey to get where I am. I also think it is a generational thing that I refuse to be unhappy. I could not find the path that I wanted, so I created it. I agree that creativity and doing your own work goes so far. It can be hard and frustrating but there is nothing like creating your baby, putting it out there, and having people receive it with excitement. I know so many people that work in my field and some that do trauma work. But remembering and being reminded that no one does it the way I do has been helpful.
The Glam Femme often seeks to explore the multi-dimensionality of women and femmes of color. In what ways would you consider yourself multidimensional, if at all?
I am a GEMINI so I show up with an abundance of dimensions. I check off a lot of things on a lot of lists. I am Queer, Black, a Cis Woman and I am polyamorous.
What struggles related to your intersectional experiences do you face and how do you overcome them?
Sexual education and trauma work are just like any other field. They are lacking a lot of melanin at the forefront. So we are constantly fighting to get our voices heard and seen. I overcome these struggles by calling them out. I am tired of being seen and not heard. You will see me and hear me. I will speak it, give you a second to fix it and if you do not, guess who will be back knocking and banging on your front door?
What is your favorite/most effective self-care method?
Funny you ask about self-care because I lost myself in work this year. So I have been working on reclaiming my self-care. I think for me, the easiest thing I do is walking. I walk around this lake around my house in the morning. The first lap, I walk around and just listen to music. The second lap, I start working. That helps me. I can then read my emails, respond to social media etc. And then I can process some things. I call it “leaving it at the lake”.
What are you most proud of about yourself and what you have accomplished?
I have been asked to speak at three colleges this year, as well as I asked for my legit set rate, which was hard for me. But I was paid my deserved coin for my time and energy and that has allowed me to create time for those that maybe cannot afford services.
Do you have any upcoming projects or goals?
I DO! I am always working on something. I have merchandise coming up, hopefully in February (crosses fingers). Season 2 of the podcast just recently came out and Season 3 airs in February, which I am also excited about! Keep an eye out on my social media to stay in touch with what I am doing and where I’m at.
How can we see your work/contact you/etc.?
Website: www.TraumaQueen.Love (you can also access the podcast from the home page)
Twitter: @Jimanekia
Instagram: @Jimanekia
To inquire to bring me to speak or to work with me, reach out to my manager, Dan Owens Reid at
da*@da**********.com
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