Luvvie Ajayi Jones

Luvvie Ajayi Jones, is a Nigerian–American author, speaker, and digital strategist.

“When we want to say something and our voice shakes, we should take that to spur us forward, because that is when it is most necessary. Let your voice tremble, but say it anyway.”

Name: Luvvie Ajayi Jones

DOB: January 5, 1985

Nationality: Nigerian-American

A “domino”, a “fear-fighter”, a “professional trouble-maker”. Writer Luvvie Ajayi Jones has published pieces challenging outdated beliefs, powerful figures, and various social issues. Jones expertly walks the line between serious and humorous in her speeches, and her unabashed frankness captivates thousands. As a blogger, an author, and a speaker, Jones touches hearts and inspires change. 

As a child, Luvvie Ajayyi Jones dreamed of becoming a doctor. Jones chased her dreams for her entire life, preparing for a career and a life she was sure she would live. However, her well-planned life came to an unexpected halt in her freshman year of college when she received her “first and last D of her academic career.” Instead of despairing over lost dreams, Jones worked through the sudden barrier in her life and pursued a new path. She began blogging in 2003 and continued until she was laid off from her marketing job in 2010. 

In her viral TedTalk, Jones admits she was afraid when she was laid off from her job. The life she had built up to that point, a steady and reliable wage, a retirement plan, and a standard 9 to 5 job, was swept out from under her in a flash. The unpredictability of a career as a writer prevented Jones from admitting she was a writer until years after she had been laid off from her marketing position and almost a decade after she began blogging. The fear of failure tied her down to hopeless paths with dead ends and farther away from realizing her “purpose” in life: to write. Fear controlled her, as she argues controls many of us, by convincing her to choose comfort over true happiness and fulfilment.

Living a comfortable life controlled by fear didn’t do any good for her or for others around her. Jones realized she needed to get “comfortable with being uncomfortable.” And what better way to do that than by literally facing all of her biggest fears in one trip? Jones constantly threw challenges at herself, whether it was ziplining or challenging powerful people online, and grew because of the victories and tumbles she took in the process. 

Since she embraced her new identity as a writer and devoted herself completely to being a critic of the world, Jones has become an unstoppable force. Unapologetic in her beliefs and charming, she amasses thousands of devoted readers. Her work is praised and featured in mainstream platforms such as the New York Times, The Chicago Tribune, NPR, and much more. Jones has published four books in her career, all of which have had great success as instant bestsellers. Her blog, AwesomelyLuvvie.com, features pieces on a variety of topics, ranging from critical to humorous, and more often than not, both. The striking honesty in Jones’s writing and the unique warmth of her words create an intimate relationship between her and her audience. 

In all of her projects and in real life, Jones can be seen trying to be a changemaker and convincing others to follow suit. Her podcast, Professional Troublemaker, hosts conversations with influential trailblazers and fellow “changemakers.” Professional Troublemaker publishes fresh, organic conversations that draw people in and is a unique aspect of Jones’s podcast that prestigious platforms have praised as a “must-listen.” 

Following her success, Jones embodies the definition of a trailblazer as she paves the way for others to have their voices heard through the noise of oppression. Her most recent campaign in 2021, Black Business Luvv, aimed to raise one million dollars for black businesses by promoting others on her own website. In just one month, her campaign raised $500,000, changing the lives of 31 black businesses. Her history of successful campaigns goes back for years. One of her most prominent campaigns was the #SharetheMicNow movement, a brilliant campaign born by Jones’s desire to raise the voices of silenced black women by telling their stories through the social media platforms of white women. #SharetheMicNow created a global impact and was duplicated worldwide, stemming into variations such as #SharetheMicNow, #SharetheMicNowHome, and #SharetheMedicalMic. 

As a speaker, author, podcaster, and a person of courage, Luvvie Ajayi Jones is a legitimate changemaker among her generation. 

Written by Hayeon Kwak

Links to other resources:

https://luvvie.org/