Patricia Jaggernauth – Wishing haters well, and walking her own path

BY SIMONE J. SMITH

“Shield’s up Simone! I don’t worry about the haters. The opinions that others have of you are none of your business. There is a part of them that is missing, that you are fulfilling”

You have seen her on CTV Your Morning as Co-Host and Weather Presenter, as well as CTV Toronto Weather Specialist. She is one of the most followed and recognized television personalities at CP24, CTV (Canada’s #1 Network) and Bell Media studios.

This Guyanese-Jamaican beauty is an EMMY and Canadian Award-Winning Television Host and Personality. We all love seeing her beautiful smile when she serves the community as a remote reporter for CP24 and Live Eye Host on CP24 Breakfast.

Her commitment to community placed her on a mission to assist in eliminating impaired driving in Ontario and across the nation, and she is recognized as the National Spokesperson for the Arrive Alive Drive Sober Charity/Organization.

Her entrepreneurial savvy brought her into her role as President, CEO & Creative Director of her online fashion and accessories line: PJ GLAMGIRL Boutique: www.pjglamgirl.com

Her many past projects include hosting, producing and writing “NiteLife TV” for Nationwide music, working as a web personality on YAHOO where she hosted and co-produced her show “Pulse of Canada,” and writing and producing for BITE TV.

As a commercial actress, she has made appearances on a variety of major television networks including: Global TV, MuchMusic, SLICE, and MTV.

It brings us to her newest HIT talk series: “LIVE WITH PJ” which is available exclusively on her IGTV and IG LIVE. She wanted to provide a space to have powerful and uplifting conversations, and the show has seen hundreds of thousands of viewers, both LIVE and on IGTV. She interviews highly notable guests including political heavyweights, advocates, notable television personalities, business moguls, Grammy Award-Winning musicians, world class photographers and celebrities.

Did you think that was it? She is the host and executive producer of “The Patricia J Show” seen across Canada on demand on Bell Fibe TV1 and internationally online. With this show, she speaks to her guests about their struggles and their challenges, what inspires them, and what motivates them.

Her most amazing news to date; she most recently added E! News and NBC to her resume having co-hosted the daytime talk show “E! Daily POP,” LIVE from Los Angeles, California.

With more than 300,000 accumulated social media followers, and a career of more than fifteen years as a professional television host and Media mogul, it should be no surprise that the Toronto Caribbean Newspaper is honoured to present to you our Super Woman Empowered Patricia Jaggernauth.

“Walk your own path”

I have to confess; it is hard to believe that a person can be so high energy all the time, but after nearly an hour on the phone with her, I can definitely say that Patricia is the real deal.

During our talk, Patricia candidly took me on a journey through her experiences, and shared parts of her that she does not talk about often.

“Being so bubbly Simone,” Patricia began. “People think that it is fake. Kids used to bully me; try to dim my light. They thought I was being fake, but do you know how tiring it must be to fake being this happy all the time.”

Patricia will proudly tell you that she was born into a party. “I was born at Toronto General Hospital on August 1^st, right in the middle of the Toronto Caribbean Festival. How fitting is that. It just so happens that I always work through my birthday, it is my party after all.”

Patricia giggles softly and goes on to share more intimate details about her life. “My mom was a teenage mother. She met my father when she was really young. They were two young teenagers.

My mom was the black sheep of the family because she had stepped out of her culture. I have the darker skin in the family, because my father is black. My mom’s side of the family only knew what they were taught, so they didn’t agree with my mom’s decisions. I don’t fault them because things were the way they were.

My mom ran away, and then, it was just she and I. My mom took me out of an environment where I could be judged. She did everything for me. She kept me engaged in multiple extra-curricular activities. My mom found all these programs for me. She always looked into the future. Her future was me. Her thought was, how was she going to make my world incredible?

I enjoyed figure skating, so she found a Learn-to-Skate program, and we became really close with the organizers. I became a volunteer, and then it became my first job. I wanted to take it there with this dream of skating. This dream felt really big. I taught kids how to skate; it was so natural to me. I was also teaching new immigrants how to skate, and that in itself, was beautiful.”

Patricia’s mom saw creativity in her daughter and continued to foster that creativity.

“I was going to arts and crafts, I would go to pottery on the weekends, and then I truly discovered music. Music saved my life. Theory is not for everyone. Books are good for the basics. When you realize you are creative, books can’t help that.”

“Bet on yourself!”

She was involved in so many things and did relatively well in class. She went through high school loving everything, but she wasn’t sure what she wanted to do.

“It is hard to figure things out in four years. My soul journey was learning that I didn’t have to fit the mold. It made me a wild card. I actually graduated a year early. I accelerated through high school, but I wanted hands-on learning.

 I had a great bond with all of my teachers during high school, so when I met with my guidance counsellor, to talk about my future, he suggested staying back and taking co-op.

 I decided to stay back the year, and I narrowed down my aspirations to law. I wanted to be a voice for the community. I got a placement at a law firm, and it branched into my first career. I am a different type of learner. To get a legal career is expensive. I didn’t have to pay for my legal experience. I owe a lot of who I am to that co-op program.”

“I wish haters well”

Her next step was her postgraduate education; but postgraduate school is expensive

“I wanted to be able to afford school by myself, and I did not want to burden my mom with the responsibility. She had done enough. Life has a funny way of providing answers. One day we were going to our local Caribbean grocery store, and when my mom and I opened the door flyers went flying everywhere. The Miss Guyana Pageant was one of the flyers that I picked up.

My mom was like, ‘You could do this.” I was doubtful because I was a tomboy at the time. When I looked closer at the flyer, I saw that the prize money was $2,500.00. If I won, I could afford my first year. I could afford my own college and university career.

 I ended up entering the pageant, and I didn’t win the $2,500.00, but I found myself on that stage. I learned that I loved to be in front of people. I did eleven pageants, all the way to Miss Universe Canada. I made it to the top ten. I was confident and I fell in love with my body, and public speaking. I fell in love with my passion to be in front of people.

I thought to myself, could I turn this into a career? Some of my pageants brought me into 299 Queen (Chum Limited). It is the place that everyone wanted to be at. You remember Electric Circus, and Speakers Corner, right Simone?”

 I remembered all right, and I didn’t want to admit it. Seemed like so long ago.

“Each and every time I went in and out of the building, I knew that I wanted to be there,” Patricia continues. “My mom encouraged me to go into the media space, and as you know, the rest is history.”

Patricia pursued her dream and attained her diploma from Seneca College of Applied Arts and Technology in Journalism Broadcasting and is now giving back by being part of their Challenge Accepted recruitment campaign, which focuses on the success of its graduates. The campaign calls on future students to carve out their future because, “Now is Your Time.”

I got off that phone call in a great mood. What an encouraging and positive discussion it was. You can learn more about this fabulous media juggernaut by visiting https://patriciajtv.com/.

Keep smiling beautiful! Toronto Caribbean Newspaper is smiling with you.