Talk about a colorful and varied journey! Pregnant at 20, married at 22, migration, estranged relationship, special needs child, wrongfully accused and jailed, molestation, starting over, to founding a multimillion-dollar globally recognized water company operating out of the beautiful and rustic parish of Portland Jamaica. Nayana Williams has seen and lived it all, and today she describes her life as one where she takes things one day at a time intending to impact the people around her positively and live fully in the joy of it all. Nayana takes us on a journey of triumphs, disappointments, resilience, and more. A story that she pens in her memoir, The Lifespan Movement: Progress, Purpose & Happiness.
We had an intimate sit-down with Nayana. Though it was a virtual sit-down, it did not take away from the value we all stand to gain from this feature.
Mother of two children, her daughter, Elizabeth, and son, Milan, and wife to Devon, her teenage sweetheart. Was the road a smooth one for her? Quite the contrary! Nayana’s journey is one that serves her in the here and now, allowing us to witness a woman who is steady yet humble in all her accomplishments. Like others, she has had to deal with a journey that has not been short on challenges, but throughout her story, you too will realise that Nayana perseveres, accepts life, and makes the best of it. Her pragmatic and proactive approach serving her well.
Early Influences
Nayana grew up with her grandmother from birth until she was 6 years old when she passed away, leaving a young Nayana to experience grief. While grieving her grandmother’s death, she was also molested by a distant relative. Young Nayana did not know what had happened until years later. At the time of her grandmother’s death, she was also unwell and not fully aware of all that was happening, a prime time for someone to take advantage of her. It was at about age 15 that she came to terms with what had happened, she had previously blocked it. She never told anyone but dealt with the thought of being violated, which she knew held her back in many ways. The shame, the fear, and the distrust are all feelings that caused her not to be inclusive. She also shared that having opened up about the experience in her recently published book, she now has freedom from the negative feelings she once harboured about herself and others. She encourages other women to free themselves by talking about their experiences and by working on themselves internally. Seeking counselling, where and if possible, and not keeping it all bottled up inside where it will grow into a situation that eats away at the inside of you.
She easily admits that her grandmother was the most significant influence in her life, and her dad a close second. One could understand why her grandmother would hold such a place in her life. A child’s formative years are influenced by the people around them and their experiences with those people. She remembers her grandmother as a hard worker who was predominantly engaged in farming and rearing her cows. Hard work for anyone. She also describes her grandmother as very nurturing, as she would ensure that Nayana and her brother, who also lived with her, were well fed before going out. She was a role model who taught Nayana structure, order, and discipline. She compartmentalized Nayana’s life, so to speak, teaching her that there was a time and place for everything. The valuable lessons learned from her grandmother have played a huge part in the quality woman she is today, giving her the tools needed to navigate the various challenges in her life.
At age 21, Nayana had her daughter and later discovered that she would be a special needs child; a child that would need her for the rest of her life in a special way, as she aptly puts it. It was the day that everything would change and a day that would catapult her into a scene that would find her taking complete control of her circumstances with a no-nonsense approach. The birth of Elizabeth made Nayana realize that if life was ever about her, it no longer was. That moment was when she had to make decisions centered around her daughter’s wellbeing and ensuring that her daughter received the best care possible to start her off on a good foundation despite foreseeing challenges ahead. The decisions made during this time led her to migrate to the United States, specifically California, where there were programs that would contribute to the development of her daughter.
How Life Began
I had Elizabeth when I was 21 years old. Just returning from college, I got pregnant. I was not married, and I lived with my parents, who raised me with strong Christian principles. I felt I was a failure and that I let down a lot of people. Along with that, I had doubts and fear about my future and that of my child. I had a job, but it was not stable, and that added pressure alongside everything I was going through.
When Elizabeth turned one, she married Elizabeth’s father, Devon. We were both living in our parents’ home at the time, neither of us had a steady, solid career, and we saw a difficult journey ahead of us. Elizabeth needed the kind of therapy which required a substantial amount of money that we did not have and being who I am, I had to think practically—which is what I did.
I had relatives living in the United States – California to be specific. My research led me to a program offered in California for children living with disabilities. I spoke with my relatives about the possibility of having Elizabeth and me for a while, and they agreed. I then spoke to my husband and told him about the program and that my relatives were willing to accommodate us. I also shared that I would get a job and enroll in school, and he agreed that was the right move to make.
I left to go to California with my daughter. I enrolled her into school and the therapy program that she needed, got a job, and returned to school just as I said I would. Our life improved significantly, but there was always the issue of my husband not being with us that bothered me. Each time he visited us, I wanted him to stay, but he was not one to. Not having him physically present was a challenge, but I had to deal with it, he had no interest in residing in the United States; he wanted to be in Jamaica.
After being there for a while, I became even more financially stable because my job paid well (I worked in the entertainment industry). Elizabeth was progressing; she learned to walk at age 7, and I got to a place mentally where I began to think it was time for me to move back to Jamaica, especially because my husband and I were still not together. I had a conversation with him, and he suggested that I wait until the house he had started to build for us was completed.
I delayed the move back to Jamaica for two years even though it was not the ideal situation for me so Elizabeth could continue getting the therapy she needed. In the meantime, I relocated to Florida—as near as I could get to Jamaica, and still afford Elizabeth her therapy. Lucky for me, the good fortune that I experienced in California followed me to Florida, and it was a win-win situation.
An Unfortunate experience….
On moving to Florida, Nayana found out she was pregnant. She had her son Milan, and shortly after—7 days to be exact, she received the most disturbing news from an attorney she knew in California. He immediately informed her about seeing her name on a list for an indictment.
I had no idea what he was referring to. I was in disbelief as I listened to what he shared while surrounded by my family. He told me to get an attorney and call the sheriff’s office. Upon hanging up my phone, without processing the conversation fully, while trying to develop the courage to do as he instructed, the Marshalls showed up at my home. They showed me some photos, all of whom I did not recognize except one with a woman I had a brief interaction with about something quite frivolous, nothing of consequence. However, because I did say I knew her, was enough grounds on their part to handcuff me and transport me to a lock-up to await a court trial.
In an instant, Nayana’s life changed. Luckily, she was away from her son only for the night. It was a difficult and frightening experience for her while away from her family and newborn.
It was a harrowing experience, to say the least. Not in a million years would I think something like this would be happening to me. I attended court, and the Judge granted unsecured bail after the charges were formalized. Thankfully, I am the type of woman who will not accept anything unexplainable, and so I believe that I once again took a no-nonsense approach to their charges after carefully evaluating what this would cost me and my family. I knew I had done nothing wrong, and so when the Judge said they had no basis, no concrete evidence at the bail hearing, I decided I was not going to stick around in America. I left with my babies and came home to Jamaica. I respectfully wrote the Judge and explained my reasons for leaving the country; nonetheless, I was soon on America’s wanted list. The prosecutors conducted their investigations while I was home in Jamaica and finally cleared my name of all charges. The experience of being wrongfully accused may have been my most significant challenge to date, but I am happy that it is all behind me.
