Author Spotlight: Jen Coppin

Jen Coppin is from South East England. Her parents are Caribbean natives who migrated to the United States.  She is the cousin of Teofilo Stevenson, the 3x Olympic gold medalist and boxing champion from Cuba, who was offered one million dollars to fight Muhammad Ali. She grew up within a strong family of women whose experiences and struggle showed her what was possible and inspired her to dare to dream.

The England native embraces and knows what it means to struggle. From the streets of New York working in factories with and cleaning houses with her mother, she never lost sight of her dreams. She is the founder of the Kora Beauty Skincare line, which is designed to help women with skin care issues, and she is the publisher at New Vision Media Publications.  Jen is also now a published author of the book titled, What is Your Sister Code?, which provides a candid provocative look at the plight of women and the role society plays in the proliferation of gender inequality and marginalization.  

The craftswoman enjoys empowering women and provides opportunities to help women gain their independence and realize their dreams.  She champions women’s rights as basic human rights, and she believes that women can become catalysts for change in a climate that still fosters gender inequality.

Jen has an MBA Degree in Business Management with a course of study in Business finance and accounting.  She also holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology, and was featured in Swagher Magazine as a Wednesday Wonder Woman!  Now meet Jen from the author aspect and learn what inspired her new book.

Fancy: How would you describe your swagher? What makes Jen, Jen?

Jen: My swagher is self-determination, self-motivation, perseverance, kindness, a strong sense of community, love and a dash of humor.

Fancy: What sparked your interest in the marginalization of women?

Jen: Although we live in the 21st century, history has taught us that society has come a long way in changing its perspective about the role of women.  However, there is still a lot that needs to be done in order to change systems and a culture that maintains remnants of old traditions that influence how women are treated.  For example, in the 1700’s the Law of Coverture was established to cover married women. This law gave husbands the right to assume ownership of all fiduciary responsibilities, including the ownership of bank accounts, property, and business. The Law of Coverture also extended into the workplace and made it permissible for women to be excluded in the workplace from job promotions.  This took place in the 1700’s. However, today, we live in the 21st century, and corporate positions still remain a “good old boys club.”   In 2017, CNN Money highlighted that only 5% of women held CEO positions.  Could this be the law of Coverture secretly at play in our society?  These statistics certainly are not a reflection of women refusing to apply for corporate positions, or not being qualified, but are rather a reflection of how women are still being marginalized in society today. Therefore, I must say that the stubborn persistence of gender inequality and racism in society are the underlying reasons for my interest in the topic of marginalization.

Fancy: How did you further educate yourself on the subject?

Jen: I have an MBA degree in Business with a course of study that includes statistics. So I utilized my business background in statistics, and I conducted extensive research on the topic by analyzing statistics, history, current events, and psychology which was my major in my undergraduate studies.

Fancy: So for readers who are not familiar with the marginalization of women can you explain in your own words in layman’s terms?

Jen: In layman’s terms, marginalization is simply the exclusion of a person or group from an activity that could possibly yield to one’s progress as a person, or as a group.  For example, look at slavery, people of African descent were taken from their homeland and forced to work as slaves, which enabled one race to gain economic stability over other races.  However, after all that Afro-Americans have endured due to slavery, there are no reparations for African-Americans to help them to regain economic stability on a level playing field. This event in history captures the true meaning of marginalization.

Fancy: While researching I noticed that marginalization is taught more commonly in Europe and being that you are from South East England, I wondered what your thoughts were on how America is addressing the matter.

Jen: According to history, the first election in United States took place in approximately 1789, but women weren’t given the right to vote until approximately 1920. Therefore, women were “excluded” from the voting process, and that was certainly a very long time for women to be excluded from the voting process in America.  Therefore, I would have to say that in America the issue of marginalization is not being addressed adequately, because women still do not have equal pay in the 21st century.  The wheels are turning, but it is certainly a very slow process, almost mirroring the long time and process for women to gain the right to vote.

Fancy: At what point were you inspired to write “What Is Your Sister Code?”

Jen: Being from a family of strong women who encouraged self-efficacy, education, creativity, love and humility, I was disturbed by news events, the ongoing issue of bullying, and the ongoing themes of female rivalry.  I wrote this book to remind women that they are queens who deserve the best from themselves and others. I wrote this book to raise awareness about how women have been bamboozled and to show women how they can triumph over the tools of marginalization that are used against them every day.

Fancy: Do you consider yourself a feminist?

Jen: Yes, I am an intersectional feminists who believes in woman’s rights, racial equality, and the eradication of marginalization.

Fancy: What type of readers will appreciate this book?

Jen: This book is for women who do not want to be bamboozled and want to play to win.

Fancy: Do you have any upcoming events or projects that you care to share?

Jen: There will be an upcoming “What is your Sister Code?”  book tour.

Connect with Jen below.

For bookings contact: Newvisionmediapublications.com

Follow Author_Jen_Coppin on Instagram.

What is Your Sister Code? Available at Amazon.com

https://www.amazon.com/What-Your-Sister-Code-Coppin/dp/1797745778/ref=sr_1_1