Desreta Jackson

Desreta Jackson (born April 19, 1971) is a Virgin Islander actress, producer and entrepreneur. She is best known for her role as Young Celie in the movie The Color Purple. Quotes I'm in California. I live so close to the mountains that my backyard is a mountain. It's very peaceful living here. I left the British Virgin Islands at a young age, so I don't remember the trip. I was told that my mother and I were on the run. When I was a child, I suffered from a strange condition where I would become paralyzed from the waist down. This happened about the last three to four months of every year, and I would be unable to move or walk, causing me to be bedridden. However, I suppressed much of what I experienced during those episodes. As an adult who helps others, I understand why my mind blocked out those memories to protect me during the molestation from my stepfather. Well, because I was abused and molested as a child, I believe my body shut down to help me survive. So, when we moved to California, and I was away from my molester, it was the first time in my entire life that I did not experience paralysis. I can recall the morning when I realized a year had passed, and I wasn't confined to my bed. Despite being homeless and staying intermittently at the Roosevelt Hotel located downtown on 'Skid Row,' I was happy. I found California to be a safe place for me, and it just felt right. I loved everything about it. Even the little things, like not knowing where we would sleep at night, didn't bother me because I was happy. I loved it and I've never left California. Well, while still homeless, my mother met this man. He was like her boyfriend, but he was the one who made her aware of the assistance available to her as a single mother with a child. She didn't realize that she didn't have to be homeless with a child, but he told her about the help that was available. At some point, I started getting into gangs. My affiliation made things easier on the streets, so I went all in. One day, while attending an English class, the teacher gave us an assignment to perform a scene in front of the class. The teacher chose me and another young lady to act out the scene. As we began the performance, the young lady started crying and became more dramatic. I was like, OH! Then I really went in! When I was about four or five years old, living on the Island, I used to sing and tell people that I would become a movie star someday. Recently, I found it fascinating to recall that memory. It brought back the feeling I had as a kid when I realized I wanted to act. So, I went to my mother and told her that I wanted to act. Consequently, I joined Marla Gibbs' acting class. Desreta Jackson, The Iconic Actress Who Portrayed The Original Young Celie in The Color Purple, Reveals Untold Stories That Have Remained Hidden Until Now! ;By Gina Sedman External links Category:Actresses from the United Kingdom Category:People from the British Virgin Islands Category:Living people Category:1971 births Category:Immigrants to the United States Category:Women born in the 1970s