Bio

Jamie Broadnax is the creator of Black Girl Nerds. BGN is a website for nerdy women of color to embrace their eccentricities and put their idiosyncratic behaviors on display. The site crushes stereotypes about women of color and highlights a myriad of topics of all things nerdy. Topics such as cosplay, comics, gaming, TV/Film, coding, and a whole host of other topics that speak to the nerd community. Jamie believes that the term nerd has evolved and is no longer archaic stereotypes of the past with images of glasses and pocket protectors. Jamie uses glasses as her logo (since she has to wear them to see) but she feels that visual impairment does not constitute nerdiness. It's now NERD (National Establishment for Real Diversity). The Black Girl Nerds website may confuse some, since the nerds illustrated on the site are multi-faceted and simply cannot be pigeon-holed into a box.

“We are women who represent all things to all people. We crush stereotypes and explore other cultures. We are not who we are because of what society says, but because of what WE say, and that is exactly how we like it. Take it or leave it.” Jamie works at a 9-5 “regular” job in the meantime while trying to balance her blog and building a social media presence, but eventually she hopes that she can devote 100% of her time to writing and building a strong rapport with other blerds. When she is not writing (which is rare) she spends time with her pets and watches a ton of TV. She is an avid fan of Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead, and True Blood. She listens to corny music from the 80s and 90s and enjoys the opportunity to sit down and read a really good book.

Favorites (hover / click to see name)

  • music

    • Jon B
    • Brian Mcknight
    • Alanis Morisette
    • No Doubt
    • Janet Jackson

  • movies

    • Reservoir Dogs
    • Kill Bill Vol 1 & 2
    • The Color Purple
    • Scream
    • The Usual Suspects

  • publications

    • Sister Citizen by Melissa Harris-Perry
    • Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
    • The Shack by Paul Young
    • The Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris
    • What Are You Doing Here? A Black Woman's Life & Liberation in Heavy Metal Music by Laina Dawes

  • I am BlerdNation because...

    I cannot be labeled. I cannot be confined within the four corners of a box. I cannot be defined. I break all of the rules and I crush stereotypes. I lack conformity and I march to the beat of my own drum.

  • Who is your blerd role model? Why?

    Shondra Rhimes. I have been a longtime fan Shonda Rhimes since Grey's Anatomy aired in the late 90s. I am also a writer and have written several unfinished screenplays myself and I look up to her as someone who has broken through the glass door and dominated primetime TV. She is not only a talented runner, but she is an executive showrunner who makes all of the creative decisions. My hope is that one day I can fill the shoes of someone like Shonda Rhimes and create my own TV show or direct my own film. I went to film school for 3 years and although I have not yet been successful in obtaining a film career, people like Shonda Rhimes give me hope.

  • How do you stay connected to other blerds?

    Social media! I just moved back to my hometown of Virginia Beach and I have yet to make any friends (since they all moved away) since I arrived. However, in the meantime I have been able to foster a lot of friendships via my blog and through Twitter. I would like to eventually start Blerd meetups in my area and nationally across the country. I think its critical that we find like-minded people of our ilk to converse with and to build a rapport. The power of nerdery is strong and just think of the potential of nerds getting together for a social cause or to start a company and what that can do for a community! I have the power! (now cue the He-Man theme song)

  • What’s your most awkward blerd moment?

    Haha. There are waaay too many to name. I would say just being me can be very awkward. I'm naturally introverted, but when I force myself to become extroverted or to socialize in any way, I feel like I'm yelling. Sometimes my voice mysteriously goes into a higher octave and I subconsciously feel the need to raise my voice. In a social setting, people will turn around and look at me as if to say, "what's her problem?" This actually happens quite frequently and frankly I feel very awkward right now for even typing this.

  • What’s your favorite word/phrase?

    "Seriously?"

  • What are your goals/passions?

    To own my business. I've always wanted to become an entrepreneur and I know deep in my heart that God has graced me to do so. I just have to be patient while I wait for the process. Aside from creating a blerd empire through BGN, I would also like to own a marketing/publicity firm to allow independent films to get the visual penetration it needs to mainstream audiences. I've always been an advocate for indie filmmakers, and I would love the opportunity to allow young black filmmakers to have their works seen and heard by the masses with my Film PR firm. Speak it and believe it!

  • What are you listening to, watching, or reading that impacts you or that is giving you a different perspective?

    Right now I am reading a book called "GhettoNation" by Cora Daniels. I urge anyone reading this to pick up that book right away. The book talks about the term ghetto and how ghetto is not determined by where you live or how much money you make, but it is a state of mind. It also reflects on the dumbing-down of our society (not just in black culture, but all over) and how we praise mediocrity and even failure more than success. It's a sad state of affairs and my hope it to change this dumbing down attitude and go back to a time when intellectualism was something worth striving for.

  • Are there any famous, or not-so-famous, people that you think would be a great addition to BlerdNation?

    Shondra Rhimes (a BGN and fan of the blog), Oprah Winfrey, Melissa Harris-Perry (another fan of the BGN blog), Aisha Tyler, and Yvette Nicole-Brown just to name a few.

    Not so famous? Just look at the followers of the Black Girl Nerds Twitter account. There are way too many to name, but the account is mostly followed by some AMAZING blerds who are doing some extremely significant things in their respective communities.

  • What advice would you give to other blerds?

    BE YOURSELF. If I could yell that from the mountaintops I totally would. I believe in the black community we feel like that we must hold on tight to social norms, otherwise we may be ostracized by family or friends. If you feel that your quirkiness does not sit well with your friends, then I'm sorry to break this to you, but its time to get some new friends. You should NEVER feel judged for what kind of music you listen to, who you date, what you wear, or how your speak. You should be yourself and if you ever feel like you are in a situation where you feel more comfortable doing what your friends are doing, trust me in the long run, you will find yourself to be very unhappy. I am simply speaking from experience. So don't wait until you're a grown adult to get it, be yourself now and embrace a group of like-minded blerds who will not judge you for your eccentricities. We are a very open-minded group of people who reject social norms and embrace oddities.

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