Today we’d like to introduce you to Ivonnah Erskine.
Ivonnah, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
In 2005 I was cast in and became one of the most noted Wild N’ Out Girls on Nick Cannon’s Wild N’ Out on MTV. After moving from New Haven, CT to Los Angeles, CA that summer I was in search of a church home. And after hopping around for a tick, I finally found myself at Hope’s House in Granada Hills.
I fell in love with the church, but more importantly, I fell deeply in love with Jesus Christ in a way I had never experienced before. Every week I was challenged to take a look in the mirror and I realized that I was not living my life right – I found myself at the altar call every Sunday no matter what it was for. I didn’t have a lot of self-worth or self-esteem and I was insecure, so I had to do lots of internal work to get my life together.
I ended up teaching Kid’s church, then I was asked to mentor the teen girls which was a total shock because of my background. Music videos, the cover of KING magazine, XXL Eyecandy and the like, I had my son the beginning of my senior year at 16 years old…but I had done the work to get my life in order, so God put me in position.
Then over the last few years, I started a publishing company and wrote a book about my journey from ratchet to righteous and understanding my self-worth called “You’re a daughter of the King…Conduct yourself as such.”
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It has not been smooth. There were so many things I had to sort out to get my book done – personally, business-wise, and mentally. I did not want to write about anything that I was not living myself. I couldn’t tell the girls I that was mentoring and others to wait to have sex if I was not. So I stopped having sex (after multiple slip-ups) which had been a normal part of a relationship for me and was now waiting for marriage. That meant the loss of relationships. Unhealthy relationships, but still hard to part with nonetheless.
The preparation it took to write this book was hard. Learning everything I had to know about starting a business and I was starting two. The Joan Rose Press and Ivonnah.com. Self-publishing seems easy but it is not, Lord Jesus it’s not. There are many things that can trip you up and cost you money if you’re not careful. Once you think you know everything, there is one more nugget that drops and you have to adjust. But I did not want to put my work into the hands of others with the possibility of being rejected or being published in a way where it didn’t sound like me – I did not want my book to lose my voice.
Then there was the task of getting my words onto paper that would convict hearts but not make my reader feel judged. I knew I could because people loved my blog because they never felt as though I was judging them. But thinking about turning my blog-length writings into book form was a bit daunting. Then making sure I was writing something that people would actually want to read, ay yi yi. It was a lot but it was all worth it.
Alright – so let’s talk business. What else should we know about you and your career so far?
I have two businesses, Ivonnah.com – All Things Ivy where I sell my book, my shirts “In Jesus Name I Slay”, and will have my online course “Popular to Published – How to self-publish with $700 or less” dropping this summer.
And I have The Joan Rose Press – A Publishing House where I self-published my book. “You’re a daughter of the King…Conduct yourself as such”.
I am proud because I have created everything from scratch. I built my website, I taught myself photoshop and designed my book cover. I took my iPhone and tripod downtown to take pictures and video. A friend of mine shot the back cover photo with my iPhone because I was afraid of the Micheltorena stairs by myself. I started something and saw it through to completion which was a feat in itself.
I am still working to be an actress but I have fallen in love with the women and children of Uganda and will be headed back on my second missions trip there this summer with Reach Up Reach Out. Serving others is something that I love to do and doing it on the continent of my ancestors makes it even more special.
I didn’t let my past or anyone’s opinions of me stop me from doing that I was called to do in regards to teaching in church and mentoring teenage girls. I am happy that I can be a role model for people who have maybe lost their way or didn’t make all the right choices. There is redemption when you have it fixed in your mind that you want your life to change and then you can help others do the same.
I wrote my book to encourage and empower young single women and girls, but I have had married women tell me that they have also gained something from it and that there are things they wish they knew before they were married. Which is just another confirmation that our ways and our thoughts are never as big as God’s. I knew my married friends bought it to support me, but getting the awesome feedback about how it has blessed them has been wonderful.
I am actually a Christian who lives by what I speak and loves the way Jesus would.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
My mom – she sold her home in Connecticut & moved to Los Angeles with me so I would not be here alone.
My family supports me like none other.
Miss Pam, who received a thank you in my book. When others in the church doubted me, she had my back and mentored me to teach kid’s church.
I have THEE best friends in the whole wide world. I always feel bad for women who don’t have women. My girls are the absolute best and I know I can always count on them.
My church – It is really hard to be in entertainment and keep your life on a good path if you don’t have support. My pastors really believe in the development of the whole artist. We have free money management workshops, business workshops, acting workshops, whatever workshop you need, they’ll get it.
Pricing:
- You’re a daughter of the King – $14.99 on Ivonnah.com (Autographed) or Amazon.com (Not autographed)
- Shirts $10 with the coupon code Voyage
- Popular to Published will be $995 if paid in full
- You’re a daughter of the King – eBook $9.99 on Amazon.com
Contact Info:
- Address: 20929 Ventura Blvd
Ste 47 – 115
Woodland Hills, CA 91364 - Website: www.ivonnah.com
- Phone: 818.452.3803
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: Ivonnah
- Facebook: IvonnahDotCom
- Twitter: Every1LovesIvy
Image Credit:
Coco Markee, Jessie Denise, Evelyn Floyd, Giovanni Flixx
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