The Story of YOU: Meet Our Members: Jamie
Member Spotlight: I’m a survivor; I come from a messy heritage of colonizers, Indigenous folks and sex workers. I’m an outspoken woman who comes from a long line of tight-lipped women who believed that “a good woman suffers in silence.”
Name: Jamie Fraipont-Daszkiewicz
Age: 43
Lives: Rural Colorado
Who am I?
The ever evolving self question. In this season in my life I am a questioner, a radical, feminist, witch. A mama of 13, 6 butterflies (non-biological) and 7 flowers (biological) children. I’m a matriarch, a woman who is learning abundance after generational trauma and poverty. I am a curator of community. I am a fighter. I am a woman who knows her worth and her voice. I am a child with a messy heritage, a product of broken boot straps, rugged mountains and Kool Aid stained summers. I am a space holder. I am still learning, still failing, still in process, I am still here, with purpose.
What you wouldn’t know by looking at me…
I’m a survivor; I come from a messy heritage of colonizers, Indigenous folks and sex workers. I’m an outspoken woman who comes from a long line of tight-lipped women who believed that “a good woman suffers in silence.”
My most valuable skills are…
1. Plumbing- poor single mom life, child with Autism, so much $$$$ saved
2. Advocacy- self, others, systems
3. Survival- poverty and rural ass living
4. Reading speed and comprehension
My biggest challenge is…
It’s easy for me to become bitter and angry when people in power perpetuate harm onto others. My default is to fight; but it doesn’t always net the right results. So, I struggle with using my voice for effective change rather than just vindication.
What community means to me:
It’s where we’ve gotten lost and where we have to get back to. Community is curated relationships that allow us to live, thrive and heal. I cherish them because I did not always fit into one where healing happens and where there is room for stability, safety and growth.
My biggest aha within Dear Grown Ass Women is…
I can exhale within our space and with these women. I don’t need to dull or hide my shine.
My greatest extravagance is…
My husband would say that it’s the money I give in community aid; I donate 30–40% of my gross income to supporting others. On myself, my greatest extravagance is artwork. I love supporting women, and their art, in all mediums.
The most precious item I own is…
I have a collection of my ancestor’s journals from the mid-1800’s forward. And the most powerful lesson that I’ve learned from them is that …not much has changed. The division of labor within marriages is still imbalanced, as it was then. And the women in my family always wanted more for their daughters than they had.
On death and dying:
What, to some, might be generational trauma, eventually became our family traditions; like not having services or funerals for our loved ones. We didn’t then and we still don’t. Instead, death has always been a part of the natural life cycle in our family; it always included the children and there is no shroud of secrecy around it. We grieve as we need to and have release ceremonies and rituals with reminder mementos. We encourage the kids to talk to and always consider their ancestors in their choices. Americans have commodified death and for as far back as I know of, my family has not taken part in that.
What’s in my handbag?
A LOT. I carry a small duffle everywhere I go and I carry entire worlds in it. Today 4 books: Molly Galbraith’s Strong Women; which came in the mail yesterday. Emergent Strategy by Adrienne Maree Brown. Whiplash by my kindred spirit Erin Brown. And a Moon Journal. 2 first aid kits, small tool set, 6 packs Narcan, 3 knifes, Leatherman, bug spray, sunscreen, Native deodorant, 20 some pens, several post its, 2 wallets, 4 assorted charging cords, solar windup charger, 1 oracle deck, 1 Erin Brown Affirmation Deck, 10pack surgical masks, 1 N95, rx sunglasses, planner, 2 notepads, 1 stress ball, theraputty, 1 hip loop, 3 assorted therapy bands, some fidget toys, Kleenex, baby wipes, disinfectant wipes, 8 lip gloss, 4 chapsticks, carmax, emergency kit, 2 wallets, Honeystinger waffles, gum, mints, Jerky, hard candies, fruit snacks, lanyard ID badges, 3 mascaras, hair ties, small brush, mirror, pepper spray, headbands, beanie, gloves, 3 flashlights, nail polish, crayons, some air freshener spray and cell phone.
Thank you, Jamie, for sharing your story with Dear Grown Ass Women™ and letting us get to know you.
To learn more and join our incredible global community of women over the age of 35 in our Dear Grown Ass Women™, head over to our site. We look forward to meeting you on the inside!
