We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jazrome Coulter a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Jazrome , appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?
I would defiantly say my mom! But, not in the traditional motherly way. My mom ran the streets her whole life, drugs, homelessness, you name it, with that lifestyle comes with some grit. She was a sweet women though, no matter what environment she was exposed to, she never let the environment change the core of who she was. When you live backed against the wall your life, your always in survivor mode. Growing up I didn’t understand why she choose that life. But, as an adult I am able to put aside her crazy choices, which helped me realize, she was just doing the best she can to survive. We can’t choose our parents or the life we are born into. But, we can choose what we do with it. Everything that happens, to us is an opportunity to grow in unique way, if you have the ability comprehend the situation and extract the lesson from it. Her crazy life, taught me how to survive no matter what. I experienced a lot of emotional trauma from this, but I gained to ability to live my life without fear. I have bits, of her in me. I am both grateful and scared! Sometimes you don’t know how to get out of survival mode, then you forget to just live life. A lesson I’m currently learning after 5 1/2 years on dialysis. Building my brand around kidney disease is the most important thing to me in life, besides living a godly life. Going through that trauma, with other life trauma, I fight this battle like it will end tomorrow. How long will my new kidney last? Will I be able to deliver my message to the people properly? I spend so much time worrying about what’s next! That I forget to just live! So then I take a step back and I remember where I came from. Because I know no matter what happens next, I’ll survive it, because like my mom, I know how to adapt and evolve.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
The simple version I travel nationally and tell jokes about kidney disease. I’ve built entire sets around the education and awareness of kidney disease. Dealing with kidney disease for 9 years now, from 5 1/2 years on dialysis to 1 year celebration of a new kidney, its been a wild ride. I have certifications as a kidney health coach. I have performed and spoke at over 26 events in the last 3 years, TV interviews, etc. Just to get the world out about kidney disease and how its affecting millions of people! I think the most special thing about what I am doing is, I am the first one. The only comedian to center his entire acts around kidney disease. I still am able to make people laugh and educate them at the same time. Its the most special thing for me, I wouldn’t want to do anything else. I work with a lot of business and non-profit specifically, but I will make my name in comedy clubs across the nation. I am excited this year to potentially start working with Tiffany Smith at the Texas Kidney Foundation, she believes in my mission and cause, I am also excited to go international this year!
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
I think my most powerful quality is the ability to connect with people. Not just conversation, but being relatable to each person and their situations. I don’t feel like my journey is any different from anybody else. We all go through trauma and hard times, we are built to handle these situations differently. I just try to stay open minded and understand whenever I engage anyone, there isn’t a right answer to handle unfortunate situations, but I believe if we are truly transparent with each other, there is nothing we can not overcome. Obviously the second would be the ability to make people laugh. That quality is something we all have the capability of having. Comedy comes with comfort. When we feel safe around people, I believe that’s when we are our most genuine selves. Comedy is very giving, it seems singular. It seems like a solo gig when your on stage, but as we are performing, we are giving parts of us, while learning what is relatable to the crowd so they can stay engaged. So lets transition into just being kind. I would say my last valuable quality! The ability to see people for who they are and accepting there flaws, knowing we are all in an consent environment of growth. We should always treat people how we want to be treated. There is a time to be kind and there’s time to be a thug! Choose kindness first! If your just starting out on your journey, your path, on your mission I would say, give yourself a chance. It’s OK, to celebrate wins, its OK to be upset about losses. But, accept both, go through the emotions and move forward. You are in control of your future!
Who has been most helpful in helping you overcome challenges or build and develop the essential skills, qualities or knowledge you needed to be successful?
I would have to say my mentor and father figure Tab Pierce. He owns a cyber security company and also has a networking business called Networked Live. He found a way to bring his company out of a half a million debt owed to the IRS years ago and gives those tools of success to a select group of people named the mastery alliance. I am an active member of this group. I used a tool of his called the opportunity pipeline to structure and reorder his life to achieve greater wins. I now use this system in my everyday life, over the last 3 years it is an crucial part of my success. Not only that, but he and Catherine pierce were also my caregivers for my kidney transplant in July of 2022. If you want some real change in your life I recommend checking out Networked Live.
Contact Info:
- Website: diseasedjokes.org
- Instagram: aj_coulter2
- Facebook: Jazrome Coulter
- Linkedin: Jazrome.Coulter
Image Credits
Steven Felhimeir
