Written by Karen Klabber
Who is she, this black magic woman?
She is my friend and an incrediblly beautiful warm-hearted soul and a born giver.
The wonderful thing I noticed about her after being fascinated by her beautiful , long, thick, curly, black hair , her big dark brown eyes or her sexy ebony body (I am a woman and I too find her very sexy and extremely sensual). Her beautiful, warm, soft and unbelievable laugh. When she smiles her exotic, cafe au lait face lights up brighter than the sun.
I later learnt thet behind that smile is many years of pain , lonliness, saddness and sorrow- still her smile her laughter is so genuine maybe because she knows the other side of a smile so well. is her smile so touching. With her unusal background and all the suffering she endured, she is still able to forgive those who hurt her, to let go of the negative and never stop believing in love. Maybe this explains her loving aura.
Jadina is the third of seven childern born in Florida from Anna and Partick Mcdowell. She grew up in poverty and very difficult family situations. It was her grandmother a piano teacher who discovered her grandchild´s amazing voice and insisted that she sang lead vocals in the neighborhood gospel choir. Jadina was so shy as a child that she developed a speech problem and had to go to speech therapy.
Through the music she licked blood she opened up and eagerly learnt all the lyrics to as many songs as possible she heard on the radio, songs from Diana Ross, Barbara Streisand, Michael Jackson, Aretha Franklin and so many other great singers. Every Wednesday in the summer, she went to the cinema and watched the matinee movies. She often said that those were 2 of the most magical hours of her week. When the curtains went up and the MGM lion roared- she forgot her painful childhood in this time she dreamt herself of someday become a leadinglady.
At the age of 16 the pain and situation at home for her was so bad that she left Florida alone to go to New York with only $200 in her pocket. She said that the moment she sat down in that greyhound bus, she knew that her life was going to change drastically. She cried most of the way because she didnot know what was waiting for her in New York and she would be alone, but she had to leave to run and not look back.
New York was much harder than any 16 year old could imagine. She lived in shelters and on the streets for almost 2 years- still she never lost her faith and never turnt to drugs or alcohol as a solution. Her ambitious character got her off the streets and she landed a job as the first afro american bank teller at City Bank in New York.
She worked several jobs afterwards and during the time she was a theater student majoring in theater, she quickly discovered that she wasnot a businesswoman- she worked at studio 54, in the library of fine art, at an international wine and liquor shop and several other jobs.
It didnot take long before Professors, and other students were fascinated by her multi-talents performing an stage, on local tv shows or in student films. Before I met her personally. I had seen her in a black and white short student film where she played a tempress who seduces Adam and Eve. It was electrifying, she moved her body like a wild cat and had the face of a goddess.
Through the years she never forgot the time she lived on the street and she knew that she had to give back. She volunteered to work for the city of New York . Two days a week, she went through central park in the early cold winter mornings, giving homeless people, blanket, coffee, shoes , food and shared with them her story as a once homeless person.
After receiving her Masters in Theater she headed for Paris, where she lived and worked for one year, then Brüsell, Amsterdam, Köln, Aachen and Munich where she was offered a record contract and lives now. Since then she has performed on tv, at model shows, works as a teacher, writer and always giving back to the society.
As she told me that she wanted to create an international website not just to display her talents but more importantly to raise awareness and supports for social projects that she believe in (with all her heart ) she also said that I could write it in english. I didnot hestiate a moment to say yes. I know how important it is for her to work with and help children. She doesnot like for me to talk about this maybe because it´s still too painful.
A few years ago a friend of her´s also a singer died at the age of 38 of cancer. Jadina never left her side. After the hospital informed her friend that there was no more hope and she should decide where she wanted to die. Jadina slept on the floor in her friend´s house, fed her, washed her and helped her until 3 days before her death more importantly she helped her fulfill her last wish- to fly back to the states and be with her family before she passed away. This and so many other similiar situations is why I am so proud to call her my friend.
I know that she likes to collect angels. I jokingly call her the black angel and she is quick to remind me that she is not perfect and there are so many things she has done wrong and still haven´t mastered. Jadina? Who said that angels have to be perfect?
The world is a better and much more beautiful place because of you. Stay as you are and I wish you so much success and sponsors for your charity projects.
I love you my spiritual sister. Karen