Grinding for success - Stripper determined to put daughter through college

At 39 years old, Nickie says every minute she steps onto the dance floor or in a brothel room is driven by her singular goal of ensuring her daughter finishes university.

The mother of three has spent years navigating a life many judge harshly, working as an exotic dancer and sex worker so she can keep food on the table and help cover the mounting costs of tertiary education.

For Nickie, the work is not glamorous. It is survival.

"Mi have to do what mi have to do," she told THE STAR.

The seasoned adult entertainer says her daughter is in college -- and that reality is what keeps her grinding through long nights and harsh judgement to make sure the young woman completes her education.

"I have to do what needs to be done because I don't want my daughter to turn pest to anyone or walk in my footsteps," Nickie said.

A high school drop-out, Nickie insists she never imagined her life would take this path. Raised mainly by her grandmother in a loving home rooted in Christian values, she once dreamed of becoming a nurse or even a model. But those ambitions slipped away during her teenage years when she stopped attending school at grade 8.

"Mi did live with mi granny and mi stop go school and start get bad. Mi never use to stay inna the yard," she said.

Her rebellious behaviour eventually landed her in State care.

"Mi run away two time from there and dem come fi mi," she said.

After leaving State care, attempts to get her back into school failed. Disappointed and frustrated, she eventually left home at 16 and started working as a bartender before moving into massage work and later exotic dancing.

"Dem time deh dem nuh really a check about age, and by the time mi a 17, mi deh all a Back Road a sell," she said.

Located in Port Henderson, Portmore, St Catherine, Back Road is Jamaica's unofficial red light district.

A mother of three children -- ages 20, 18 and 11 -- Nickie says her lack of certification makes it impossible for her to get a good paying job. She is also not prepared to work for minimum wage, opting, instead to depend on her body for survival.

"A regular job can't help mi because mi can't work for $18,000, and those money. Other than mi daughter, mi have rent a pay for myself. Certain things that I don't achieve, I want my pickney dem to get," she said.

Nickie says her children are aware what she does for work, and even though they do not approve, they encourage her to make safety a priority.

"My daughter knows what I do, and she always tell mi to be careful in the streets and let her know where I am going. I have to provide as when mi hungry not a soul gonna give mi anything," she said.

"My son and I have a rocky relationship now. He was becoming unruly and didn't want to go to school and I don't want that for him. I want my children to be better than me. My youngest child lives with her father," she said.

Nickie occasionally shares glimpses of her life on TikTok, where some viewers question why she is still in the trade at her age. Despite the criticism she receives online, she refuses to feel ashamed about how she earns a living.

"Mi nuh wa certain age catch mi pon di road, and mi nuh wah over 45 catch mi a dweet. Right now a because mi daughter inna college make mi a go suh hard," she said.

"It rough inna the streets and yuh head have to deh pon yuh body inna dem kind a game yah," she said

Despite years in the trade, Nickie admits the work was never her dream.

"I swear to God I would repeat second form and compete high school because what mi a do now is not summen that mi love," she said.

"Mi regret not staying and get couple subjects and get a good job where mi can make a good income," Nickie said.

Still, she says if her sacrifices mean her children, especially her daughter who is in college have better opportunities, the struggle will be worth it.

Her message to young women is simple.

"Uno please stay in school and try do something good with your life," she said.

"This is a job that you have to stand up firm and be a ruff neck inna the streets or people will take advantage of yuh. Some of the bosses nuh nice and will work yuh and don't pay yuh the amount that yuh suppose to do it. Mi wouldn't encourage any one to go into it," she said.