Today we’d like to introduce you to Jada Holmes.
Hi Jada, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I’ve wanted to be a writer and help others for as long as I can remember. Growing up in a chaotic environment pulled me toward child and family welfare — I wanted to help others build the confidence I had to fight for myself.
My story really starts in 2017, when I moved to Kalamazoo to attend Western Michigan University as a first-generation student. Being first comes with a pressure that never fully goes away — you’re figuring everything out as you go. During undergrad, that pressure showed up in unhealthy ways. I’d started smoking marijuana at 14, and by college it had a real grip on me. It stayed that way until I was 26.
One day — while smoking, actually — I had a moment of clarity about all the time, money, and energy I’d poured into something that wasn’t serving me. That moment became my ministry, Seeking Sobriety. It’s not just about drugs or alcohol; it’s about letting go of whatever habit is holding you back from who you’re meant to be. For me, that was smoking.
In January 2026, I hosted my first event, “Prayer in Pajamas” — 35 women showed up, and I realized how many women are standing right where I was: ready to shed their old selves. Since then I’ve spoken at women’s conferences and hosted “Painting with Purpose” in April. My goal now is simple: keep creating spaces where women can do that work together, with an event every quarter.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
No, it hasn’t been smooth at all. My biggest struggles weren’t physical — they were mental. I was loyal to low thinking and ways of being I’d believed since I was young, and those beliefs had a deeper grip on me than I was willing to admit in my early 20s. Sometimes you really are your own biggest enemy.
Self-worth shapes more of our daily decisions than we realize. If I didn’t believe I was worthy of an opportunity, of happiness, of a different life — I didn’t pursue them. Some days it was easier to stay in self-pity, because hopelessness had become second nature after so many years.
What changed things was my faith. Leaning on Jesus let me finally look at myself in the mirror and say, “Jada, you are valuable. You don’t owe loyalty to your old ways of existing — if you want more, go get it and believe in your skills.” Since I laid down smoking, I’ve been able to see myself clearly for the first time in a long time.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I graduated from WMU with a BA in Interpersonal Communication and Journalism, with extra coursework in videography and digital media. Writing has always been my first love — my dad used to joke I’d end up on Good Morning America — and anything involving editing, writing, or speaking still lights me up.
I specialize in creating community and lovingly challenging people to ask themselves: What’s no longer serving me? How do I become my best self? I’m known for journaling, and I push everyone I love to do it too. I believe the answers are already inside us — we just need to quiet the noise long enough to hear them.
My career has moved through a few chapters, all rooted in the same mission. I started in social work, working with young refugee men ages 13–17 in long-term foster care through Bethany Christian Services. I’m now an Enrollment Specialist at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Michigan, where I match volunteer mentors with families. Alongside that, I freelance write for NowKalamazoo, and from January 2024 to May 2025, I worked as a video editor and journalist with BlackMagic Media — that’s also where I met Hananiah Hardin. These days I speak at women’s conferences and recently moderated a panel for the Her Era Girls Empowerment Summit through Boys & Girls Club of Greater Holland, a place that poured into me growing up.
What I’m most proud of is staying authentic and unafraid of being human — making mistakes, learning, and moving forward. Aaliyah said it best: dust yourself off and try again. In a world of doom-scrolling and instant gratification, I’m proud to say I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be, and this is only the beginning.
What sets me apart is my wit — I love to laugh and make others laugh, a trait I get honestly from my parents. I’m also a natural go-getter; being first in my family keeps me driven, and my dream is to one day take care of them all — my mom, dad, two brothers, and my niece Brooklyn and nephew Luka. As the only daughter, I’ve also held my own in plenty of living-room WWE matches.
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
Growing up, I was the family pop star, comedian, and writer all rolled into one. I loved to read — during summer in middle and high school, I could finish a book in a day, which is part of why I was already taking AP Literature and language classes by 8th grade. I’ve always been outspoken and confident in my opinions. In high school, I was obsessed with Vice Magazine and how they wrote about taboo subjects — I told myself I’d write for them one day.
I was competitive too, and played softball through school. I’m from Holland, MI, and graduated from West Ottawa High School in 2017 (go Panthers!). Having only brothers meant our living room occasionally turned into a WWE ring — until our parents caught us and shut it down.
Growing up in Holland made me a natural beach bum. I was on Lake Michigan my whole life before moving for college, which makes sense — my mom’s from South Haven, my dad’s from Chicago, so we were always near water, whether in Michigan or Illinois.
Contact Info:
