Jazette Lane English
Author/Speaker/Womens Advocate
By Rodney Wayne Branche
Copa Style Magazine Publisher/Editor
Copa: Jazette, where are you from?
Jazette: I'm from Wilmington, Delaware.
Jazette: I'm from Wilmington, Delaware.
Copa: What schools have you attended?
Jazette: I have attended several schools due to my life travels: St. Peter’s Cathedral School, Padua Academy, Delaware State University, Delaware Technical Community College, the Fashion Institute Of Technology, Delaware College of Art & Design, and Wilmington University. I have a sports management and an art background...over 30 years in the nonprofit sector as well.
Jazette: I have attended several schools due to my life travels: St. Peter’s Cathedral School, Padua Academy, Delaware State University, Delaware Technical Community College, the Fashion Institute Of Technology, Delaware College of Art & Design, and Wilmington University. I have a sports management and an art background...over 30 years in the nonprofit sector as well.
Copa: At what time did you aquire your fascination for sports, in particular where it pertains to women's sports?
Jazette: So I’ve always loved sports. I come from a family of athletes. Strength, power, skill, instinct, intuition, and intelligence define athleticism...athleticism is a form of creative expression that is so incredibly beautiful to me...when God Kisses the athlete. But as it pertains to women...the year Princess Diana died in the tunnel in Paris (1997), I was in Paris with my family. The crash reminded me that I need to live fully. I was going through something...trying to find myself, trying to figure out another purpose (we have many I think) for my life. I started to feel the need to express myself and I always knew my daughter, AJe’, felt stifled. Over the years we discovered that other women inside professional sports (WIPS) felt the same way...had the same desire. When we made the time a few years later, we created and launched SpeakEnglish5, Sports Communications Group (SE5, SCG) and wrote our book, “WIPS Unscripted” to share their unique stories.
Jazette: So I’ve always loved sports. I come from a family of athletes. Strength, power, skill, instinct, intuition, and intelligence define athleticism...athleticism is a form of creative expression that is so incredibly beautiful to me...when God Kisses the athlete. But as it pertains to women...the year Princess Diana died in the tunnel in Paris (1997), I was in Paris with my family. The crash reminded me that I need to live fully. I was going through something...trying to find myself, trying to figure out another purpose (we have many I think) for my life. I started to feel the need to express myself and I always knew my daughter, AJe’, felt stifled. Over the years we discovered that other women inside professional sports (WIPS) felt the same way...had the same desire. When we made the time a few years later, we created and launched SpeakEnglish5, Sports Communications Group (SE5, SCG) and wrote our book, “WIPS Unscripted” to share their unique stories.
Copa: Please tell us about the book you and your Daughter co-authored, "WIPS Unscripted ."
Jazette: We co-authored “WIPS Unscripted” in 2017. We had been interviewing WIPS in all areas of sports: NBA, NFL, WNBA,MLB, WBC, and Lacrosse. We had been chairing, volunteering and attending sports events and collected insightful information. We discussed: lasting marriages, raising children, infidelity, finance, entrepreneurship, health, camaraderie, life’s purpose, spirituality, and so much more. We reflected on our own experiences (NBA and abroad: Italy, France, Spain, Greece, Turkey & Germany) as WIPS ourselves and decided to take the best of what we collected and write “WIPS Unscripted”.
Jazette: We co-authored “WIPS Unscripted” in 2017. We had been interviewing WIPS in all areas of sports: NBA, NFL, WNBA,MLB, WBC, and Lacrosse. We had been chairing, volunteering and attending sports events and collected insightful information. We discussed: lasting marriages, raising children, infidelity, finance, entrepreneurship, health, camaraderie, life’s purpose, spirituality, and so much more. We reflected on our own experiences (NBA and abroad: Italy, France, Spain, Greece, Turkey & Germany) as WIPS ourselves and decided to take the best of what we collected and write “WIPS Unscripted”.
Copa: When did you you and your Daughter develop the idea for the project?
Jazette: We started talking about it in 2016. It only took us 2 weeks to create the first draft once we began writing.
Jazette: We started talking about it in 2016. It only took us 2 weeks to create the first draft once we began writing.
Copa: Would you like to share some information about you other kids for our readers?
Jazette: My oldest son, AJ English III, is a Professional Basketball Player currently. My younger son, A’Jen English, is the owner of a sportswear line, CD4L and also in pursuit of his professional sports career. Both of my sons have made phenomenal strides in sports and are also philanthropists.
Jazette: My oldest son, AJ English III, is a Professional Basketball Player currently. My younger son, A’Jen English, is the owner of a sportswear line, CD4L and also in pursuit of his professional sports career. Both of my sons have made phenomenal strides in sports and are also philanthropists.
Copa: Also we'd like to find out more about when you went undercover to gather information about the life of homeless individuals.
Jazette: So each year we have our annual SpeakEnglish5 conference called SYNERGY. I’m proud to share that we have had generous support from amazing friends: Charrisse Jackson Jordan, Marcia L. Dyson, Ron Busby Sr., A. Scott Bolden, Stephen Hightower, Susan Lee, Dr. Renee Allen, Michele Thornton, Saymendy Lloyd, and Dr. Lance London. We have had so many phenomenal WIPS participate and attend: Keva Horry, DeEtta Jones, Sandra Evans Short, Shannon Elliott Wesley, Diedra Toney, CleRenda McGrady, Romonda Jordan, Tammara McDonald, Ericka Lassiter, Franchon Crews Dezurn, Tomeka B. Holyfield, Isra Wynn, Wilma “Char” McNabb, Janet Cook, Nichol Thomas, Melissa Mahler, Evelyn Miller Randolph, and more. During SYNERGYIII we partnered with Saymendy Lloyd for our community service component in attempt to capture a snippet of a day as a homeless person in Washington, DC. We called a few WIPS from the NBA and NFL and we disguised ourselves as homeless women and hit the DC streets during SYNERGYIII in October 2017. The mini documentary we created tells a lot but, the interesting thing about the experience - one interesting thing is that the homeless and some of the people who worked in the area knew that we were new on the block and some even figured out that we weren’t homeless. The majority of the passers-by would have realized that we weren’t homeless too if they’d only paid attention to us, given us eye-contact at least. It was an eyeopener for me. I learned a lot that day. About myself...I learned that I am more vain then I realized. I experienced what many Black people must have in “whites only” establishments in the past. Take a look at the video.
Jazette: So each year we have our annual SpeakEnglish5 conference called SYNERGY. I’m proud to share that we have had generous support from amazing friends: Charrisse Jackson Jordan, Marcia L. Dyson, Ron Busby Sr., A. Scott Bolden, Stephen Hightower, Susan Lee, Dr. Renee Allen, Michele Thornton, Saymendy Lloyd, and Dr. Lance London. We have had so many phenomenal WIPS participate and attend: Keva Horry, DeEtta Jones, Sandra Evans Short, Shannon Elliott Wesley, Diedra Toney, CleRenda McGrady, Romonda Jordan, Tammara McDonald, Ericka Lassiter, Franchon Crews Dezurn, Tomeka B. Holyfield, Isra Wynn, Wilma “Char” McNabb, Janet Cook, Nichol Thomas, Melissa Mahler, Evelyn Miller Randolph, and more. During SYNERGYIII we partnered with Saymendy Lloyd for our community service component in attempt to capture a snippet of a day as a homeless person in Washington, DC. We called a few WIPS from the NBA and NFL and we disguised ourselves as homeless women and hit the DC streets during SYNERGYIII in October 2017. The mini documentary we created tells a lot but, the interesting thing about the experience - one interesting thing is that the homeless and some of the people who worked in the area knew that we were new on the block and some even figured out that we weren’t homeless. The majority of the passers-by would have realized that we weren’t homeless too if they’d only paid attention to us, given us eye-contact at least. It was an eyeopener for me. I learned a lot that day. About myself...I learned that I am more vain then I realized. I experienced what many Black people must have in “whites only” establishments in the past. Take a look at the video.
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Copa: How do you explain your drive and determination?
Jazette: My drive and determination comes from within me. As I answer the call from within me, I prepare to perform outside of me (in the world). I believe the Call is God. God keeps me inspired by the gifts He has blessed me with - my talents (I humbly say that I have many.), my children and the people and experiences He brings into my life.
Jazette: My drive and determination comes from within me. As I answer the call from within me, I prepare to perform outside of me (in the world). I believe the Call is God. God keeps me inspired by the gifts He has blessed me with - my talents (I humbly say that I have many.), my children and the people and experiences He brings into my life.
Copa: What does the future hold Jazette Lane-English and her mission helping women?
Jazette: In the immediate future...a successful radio segment “WIPS Unscripted” as a partner of the Renee Allen & Friends Show on WLVS. Our next “WIPS Unscripted” segment we’ll be talking with Ms. Lucille O’Neal, Shaq’s mother, about her book “Walk Like You Have Somewhere To Go” and the guidance she’s given Shaq. (March 13, 2019 at 7pm EST); Next a successful mental health workshop with Dr. Candice Williams of the NFL Trust and with WIPS this summer to empower everyone we can reach with mental health concerns; Next a phenomenal SYNERGYV conference that’s coming up in October 2019 in Washington, DC where we’ll honor and highlight more amazing women inside professional sports and affiliates; Next another book; Also many more empowering endeavors with Copa Style Magazine!
Jazette: In the immediate future...a successful radio segment “WIPS Unscripted” as a partner of the Renee Allen & Friends Show on WLVS. Our next “WIPS Unscripted” segment we’ll be talking with Ms. Lucille O’Neal, Shaq’s mother, about her book “Walk Like You Have Somewhere To Go” and the guidance she’s given Shaq. (March 13, 2019 at 7pm EST); Next a successful mental health workshop with Dr. Candice Williams of the NFL Trust and with WIPS this summer to empower everyone we can reach with mental health concerns; Next a phenomenal SYNERGYV conference that’s coming up in October 2019 in Washington, DC where we’ll honor and highlight more amazing women inside professional sports and affiliates; Next another book; Also many more empowering endeavors with Copa Style Magazine!
For more information:
[email protected]
~Copa