Published: January 13, 2020
Written by: Candiece Knight
IT has been said that it is neither the strongest nor the most intelligent of the species that survives; it is the one that is most adaptable to change. And while Patrice Jenice White has proven herself to be both strong and intelligent, it was her ability to adapt to changes in addressing her family structure and employment status that elevated her from being yet another unfortunate inner-city statistic to being the fierce new face of fitness in Jamaica.
As she welcomed All Woman into her Dynamic Lifestyle Training Studio at 4 Hillcrest Avenue, her spry step, toned body, taut skin and tiny five-foot-five frame made it hard to believe that she is 40 years old, and even harder to believe that she has lived the life that she has. But while her body gave away nothing, her unwavering, militant voice told the tale of a woman who was thrown lemons while living in communities where people don’t buy lemonade.
“I’m from Spanish Town. I was born and raised in Cromarty, then I moved to Kingston when I was starting grade six. I moved from Bayfarm Road to Seaview Gardens to Vineyard Town, and then went back to Spanish Town where I lived in Tawes Pen, Manchester Lane, Rivoli — all over,” she mapped out, explaining that she endured different types of living arrangements and guardianships while moving around.
“I am the product of a teenage pregnancy and I lived with my mother until I started high school. Then I went to live with my father, then stepmother, then relatives, and so on. I really just had to rough it out,” she grimaced.
