Q+A: Fajorah Poteau

By Lauren Schnitzer

Born in small city Decatur, Georgia, Fajorah Poteau has big plans. Not only was she the only person from her graduating class to come to the University of Georgia, but she is double majoring in journalism and political science. She has four siblings, two older sisters and two younger brothers, and is incredibly close with her family. Her unique name comes from her mom, who made up her name and names for all of her siblings as well. Both of her parents are from Haiti and although Poteau is not from there, she feels a strong connection to it because, as she explained, “it’s in her blood.” Her Christian faith is also an important aspect of her life with her father being a preacher and her growing up in the church. Writing is one of her passions, as she has been pursuing it as long as she can remember and is a published member of Elite UGA, Exceptional Leaders Identifying the Talents of Everyone, as well as the publication’s social media producer. Poteau would describe herself as determined, ambitious, kind and funny. She hopes that her strong ambition and determination will take her far in life as she has plans to go to law school and eventually run for office.

Lauren Schnitzer

You have a unique name. Where did it come from?

Fajorah Poteau

That’s actually a funny story. My mom literally just made it up. She has five kids so she made all of our names up. I’m the second out of five and when she was pregnant with her first, which is my older sister, she had three names that she made up, which were Tashina, Jowinsky, and my name Fajorah and she shuffled it in a hat. She was like if I have a girl I’m going to pick either Tashina or Fajorah or if I have a boy I’m going to pick Jowinsky. So when she found out it was a girl, it was between Tashina and Fajorah, and she picked Tashina. So when she had me, she just said, I’m gonna name her Fajorah and I don’t really know where the name came from, literally just made it up.

Schnitzer

I saw a flag in a lot of your social media. What is the flag’s significance to you?

Poteau

It’s a Haitian flag because I’m Hatian. My parents are both from Haiti. Even though I wasn’t born there you know it’s in my blood.

Schnitzer

What is something that most people don’t know about you, but you wish they did?

Poteau

I’m not sure how to answer that. I’d probably say a lot of people that I don’t know, especially being at UGA, because I come from a very predominantly black community, and I think there is a whole stigma where it’s black people, you know, want to stay with black people, and there’s a divide. So I think most people probably don’t know that I’m a lot more open than it may seem. I’m definitely open to getting to know a lot of people and I kind of find myself being around people who look like me.

Schnitzer

I’ve seen on a lot of your social media you talk about God, what religion are you and is it a big part of your life? How so?

Poteau

I’m Christian. God is definitely a big part of my life. I grew up in the church, my dad’s actually a preacher. So God is definitely, you know, primary in my life, really important.

Schnitzer

Do you have any idea of what you want to do after college?

Poteau

I am pre law, so that’s the goal. I definitely want to go to law school, but I know with my journalism major, I don’t know, I mean we’ll see. I’m on the track of studying for my LSAT and all that stuff. I know one day I probably want to run for office.