Guest Nakiah Cherry Chinchilla felt as though she was born a generation too late, as she has always felt a call to advocate for societal change and for help people. But she also has listened to the call to go out on the town and live it up. Upon leaving college, she entered into the fashion industry in New York, taking on public relations and operations roles with big brands such as DKNY and fashion magazines such as Allure and Elle. Although it was fun to rub elbow with designers, photographers, and hip hop artists and get to go to glamorous shows and parties, at some point she started feeling as though she needed to do something with more substance. She moved to L.A. but quickly went to the Bay Area and, as a stop-gap before she found her next thing, became a pre-school teacher. The kids and school leaders loved her and told her she was great at it. But she’d heard that before. Just because she was good at something didn’t mean it was the thing she needed to be doing.

Having found the man she was going to marry, she moved back to New York to pursue a career in television. She worked at Viacom and quickly moved up and around, from Nickelodeon to MTV and even helped launch Logo, the LGBTQ network—all while getting pregnant and having her son. Around the time she began contemplating a leap from television, her home life became very confusing when her husband began exhibiting odd behaviors.

In this episode, find out from Nakiah how staying true to your heart can be a guiding force, even when life throws trial after trial your way…on today’s Roads Taken with Leslie Jennings Rowley.

About This Episode's Guest

Nakiah Cherry Chinchilla, is a data scientist and engineer focused on the use of data and technology in making significant changes in the lives of people everyday. Her interest center on the creation and development of technology, apps, games and advanced bionics for special needs children, disabled citizens, and underserved communities. Though she has extensive work experience in public relations for fashion and media companies, she has developed hard-won expertise in neurodegenerative diseases, data analytics, assistive technology, digital media, and special education advocacy.

Part Two of this Roads Taken story will be available wherever you get your podcasts on April 11, 2022.

Executive Producer/Host: Leslie Jennings Rowley

Music: Brian Burrows

Find more episodes at https://roadstakenshow.com

Email the show at RoadsTakenShow@gmail.com

Find more episodes at https://roadstakenshow.com

Executive Producer/Host: Leslie Jennings Rowley

Music: Brian Burrows

Email the show at RoadsTakenShow@gmail.com

Embracing Life, Pt 1: Nakiah Cherry Chinchilla on listening to your heart and tenaciously keeping on

Roads Taken