 Rogue
Amazons
Pam Jones and
Juliet Draper
Pam Jones and Juliet
Draper met 1992 and formed Rogue Amazon Productions in 1997 as a
performing arts company dedicated to stimulating social
awareness. "Our mission is to entertain and generate financial
support for institutions that work to resolve challenging
community issues," Pam Jones. This was achieved initially by
producing plays showcasing formidable roles for people of colour
with the aim to raise social awareness and money for at-risk
Colorado Springs youth. One such production was "Zooman and the
Sign" which raised more than $10,000 for New Horizons School,
Head Start and the Urban League`s Child Care Center.
The desire to produce
music however came a lot earlier when a 10-year old Juliet
dreamt of having an accapella jazz ensemble called Rogue Amazons
Zealously Zinging. The dream was reawakened after she met Pam.
Pam takes up the story: "Tossing out ideas on our way dancing in
Denver, we started a "music ideas folder." We realized we were
good together. I had the concepts and melody, Juliet had the
voice, poetry and rhythm."
 Pam
Jones, the younger sister of Grace Jones and partner Juliet
launched their CD single of the ironically titled, `I need a
man` with partner Juliet Draper. The song was originally a hit
for Grace in 1977 and helped launch her career in Europe. Now
the beautiful lesbians that are Rogue Amazon Entertainment hope
to repeat that success as they bring the track bang up date.
The CD single also
includes the track `Rogue Amazon` the couples theme song and the
duo`s first attempt at song writing. Jones, who calls herself,
"The Production Queen," believes strongly in the sounds produced
and thinks the CD has a major chance for success, primarily
because of Juliet`s talent .
At 23, Juliet Draper was
homeless and addicted. She joined the Army to clean up her act.
Pamela Jones realized she was an addict while living a jet set
life with her trendoid sister Grace. Later the two women became
lovers, started a business, and released a CD that's spent the
year burning up the dance floors of France, Germany, Denmark,
and Australia. "Pam is management," laughs Draper. "And I am
labor."
Juliet Draper is a
full-time Colorado Springs fire fighter, has performed as a
singer, dancer and actress in dozens of musical theater
productions, most at the Karamu Theater in her native
Cleveland. Juliet also starred in the 1998 drama "Zooman and
the Sign" by Charles Fuller, a social commentary dealing with
youth violence, at the Smokebrush Theater in Colorado Springs.
 Juliet
works hard to stay in top form. She stands 5 feet, 9 inches
tall, weighs about 185 pounds, and wears a size 13 shoe. She can
bench press 225 pounds, squat 350 pounds, and dead lift 425
pounds. She has a body that closely resembles twisted steel. To
say that she is physically fit, athletic and strong seems a
pathetic understatement. "Going to the
gym is an important part of my life, something I do before I go
to work each day. Exercising helps me cope better with the
events of the day."
Being a firefighter is a
dream come true not only for Draper but also for her father
whose own dream of becoming a firefighter for the Cleveland Fire
Department in the 1960s never materialized. As he explained
matter of factly to her, "They weren't hiring blacks back
then." As Draper said, "He was in great shape and in the
top ten on the list, but when that door didn't open for him, he
opened another. He took a job in the post office and worked his
way up to general manager. He's thrilled at my being a
firefighter. Fortunately in this day and age I got the torch. My
motto is, Give me the ball; I'll run with it."
Does Juliet Draper foresee
a day when she won't be a firefighter any longer...like, when
age creeps in? There was a long, audible gasp at the question
and then she said, "I look at Jack Lalane, my idol. He is in his
80s and does 100 push-ups every day, not as fast, but he still
does them. As long as I take care of myself, I'll be a
firefighter as long as I can. If I progress in my career, the
administrative responsibilities will replace the strenuous
physical ones."
"I love being active
and doing things, so for me the job of being a firefighter is a
good match, a great package of things. Every day is different
from the next and I like that. There's a lot of depth to being a
firefighter."
 Pam
Jones is the fifth of seven children born to Jamaican parents in
Ithaca, New York, was reared in Spanish Town, Jamaica, in the
West Indies prior to graduating from Stephens College in
Missouri and attending Harvard University's School of Divinity.
Pam was born a bookworm
and women's libber to a family of entertainers, Pentecostal
ministers and athletes. If she hadn't had that Jones forehead
all would have sworn she was adopted.
Wanting to be a fashion
designer, professor, writer and most of all a mother she majored
in philosophy and minored in fashion design at Stephens College
in Missouri and then achieved a full ride to Harvard Divinity
for graduate school.
Three weeks into her
graduate studies a greater goal presented itself. She grabbed
her books and belongings and headed west to live in a teepee
with the Marlboro Man.
In the late 70's, Colorado
Springs was not a welcome place for young, black, female
entrepreneurs (what place was at that time?). With the help of
friends and family, she established a 20 year niche on the west
side of town. To her delight she became the mother she most
wanted to be back in 1983.
While raising her
daughter, she was the owner and manager of Jones of Jamaica, a
retail fabric and clothing store in Colorado Springs, CO., prior
to opening The Body Scenter, a retail body care products company
in 1986 – a business she still operates via mail order.
A divorce, a daughter and
a few businesses later, Pam had the fortune of meeting Juliet in
church. The Unitarian Church in downtown Colorado Springs
hosted an Amendment 2 political rally and Juliet had come for a
12 Step meeting. Being the only two black people in the room,
they were instantly drawn to one another.
 Pamela
learned her way around the entertainment business through
osmosis while working for her sister, Grace Jones, in the mid
80's. She found the excesses of the performing arts business
more than she could handle. After returning to Colorado Springs
and buying the Body Scenter she swore she'd never get involved
in this business again. Well...never say never!
Although they connected
immediately it took another three years for her to really
understand; JULIET is truly an extraordinary entertainer and
athlete. Pamela tossed her reservations to the side and in 1997
they founded ROGUE AMAZON ENTERTAINMENT.
Website:
http://www.firejock.com/rogue/indexr.htm
and http://www.firejock.com
Source:
http://www.firejock.com/rogue/juliet.htm
http://www.alicemagazine.com/chicks_we_love/index.html
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