In the Blackseat

In the Blackseat is an unfiltered view of the Black experience, as told by Black people. Join us as we discuss everything from raising Black children to Black hair to being Black in the diaspora - this is a no holds barred exploration of the beauty, pain and diversity of being Blackity Black in the world today. In a world that stays trying to tell us who we are, we are controlling the narrative.

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In the Blackseat

S2, Episode 3 | In the Blackseat, Unorthodox Professions, JMD Defense

March 24, 2021 • Liz M. • Season 2 • Episode 3

Close your eyes and picture a gun owner. Chances are, you'll envision a white man, but Second Amendment rights apply to all Americans. Javondlynn Dunagan, owner of JMD Defense, believes that wholeheartedly. After retiring from a career in law enforcement, this sista decided to help other women become more comfortable with owning and handling a weapon. In an industry where women are anomalies, let alone Black women, I thought this was the perfect introduction to our series focused on Black folks in unorthodox professions.

We covered SO much ground, including gun ownership in an age of societal upheaval, how men and women differ when they go to the range, the community she has built in her classes, the foundation she is starting to continue to pour into her community, and interestingly enough, how SHE was once afraid of guns (clearly she got over that!) As always, she shares her definition of Blackness, and her Black heroes/sheroes. Let's go!