Lifestyle | February 15th, 2022
Deja Boyd Is Breaking Generational Curses
By: Jada Henderson
Deja Boyd succeeds at entrepreneurship while breaking generational curses. Boyd is a first-generation graduate of Florida A&M University. She continued to further her education as a first-year Master of Business Administration (MBA) candidate while juggling her business, Under Sea Junkies. Boyd created Under the Sea Junkies after going through personal challenges and working dead end swimming gigs.
“I began using my God-given gift and skill I was blessed with to now branch into a thriving business,” Boyd said. She is stepping into unmarked territory being a Black woman in aquatics. Often, Black-owned companies revolve around health and beauty.
According to The United Census Bureau, “Blacks or African Americans owned approximately 124,551 businesses, with about 28.5% (35,547) of these businesses in the health care and social assistance sector, the highest percentage of any minority group.”
Under the Sea Junkies is a mobilized aquatics company that educates, empowers and encourages their clients of the importance of learning how to swim and the importance of swimming.
An Under the Sea Junkies client, Phylicia said, “Undersea Junkies is absolutely amazing! I am only on day two and I am already able to swim, and I recommend this company to anyone.”
Black Woman Breaking Barriers
Boyd began her journey in aquatics ten years ago while being employed by big brand companies. She noticed there was a lack of diversity in the aquatics business which resulted in a lack of reliability that affects the Black community.
Throughout history, the stereotype that Black people were known to avoid swimming pools and hated water persisted, but this notion is supported by statistics. According to the Center of Disease Control and Prevention, “64% of African American children have few to no swimming skills, and drowning continues to be a public health problem affecting racial/ethnic groups disparately among different age groups and in different aquatic settings; these differences require implementation of multiple prevention strategies.”
Boyd said, “Being a first-generation graduate while maintaining a business is not cut out for the weak. Understanding that I am breaking generational curses everyday just by not becoming the common negative statistics within my family is a lot.” She continues, “People in my family look at me differently because I decided to choose better for myself. I am okay being the ‘rich auntie’ of the family.”
Reaching a New Level
Photo Credit: Swimming World
While challenges arise when opening a business as a minority, Boyd navigated those obstacles effortlessly. According to Nerd Wallet, “Blacks and Hispanics were offered less frequent assistance in completing loan applications than whites (18% vs. 59%), and loan officers gave out their business cards to them less often (43% vs. 82%).”
Under the Sea Junkies not only stands out by being a Black women-owned private and mobilized aquatics company. They also specialize in the experience of the clients and the knowledge given to clients as well.
Loren Lyons said, “It is the best swimming lesson ever. They are so patient with you. They work with you, and they also push you.”
Boyd is taking aquatics to a new level, and she hopes to eventually reach a milestone and make a footprint in the aquatics industry.
