Genene “Gigi” Nicole: A Priceless Diamond Protecting Other Diamonds
They say diamonds are a girl’s best friend, but they don’t talk about how very few people can afford it. We all want it like we want our voice, yet society has a way of picking and choosing who can have it and who cannot. There are even those who strip it from us. This is much of the life lived for Genene “Gigi” Nicole, founder of “Priceless Diamonds, Inc, a nonprofit created not only to raise awareness of but prevent child abuse, emotional abuse, verbal abuse, neglect, and hate. These are things are no one ever protected her.
You may not recognize it by seeing her now, but Genene “Gigi” Nicole had a less than shining childhood. As a matter of fact, less than shining would be giving her an upgraded life never given or offered to her. For nearly all of her childhood and much of her adulthood, she was physically, mentally, and sexually abused by family members. It set the precedence that taught her survival (and not in a good way).
Born in Kentucky, Gigi was the youngest of four children to a family of mixed descent (Sicilian, Cherokee Indian, and German). By the age of two, her mother and father had separated, resulting in her mother taking her and her three siblings to Kansas. At the age of nine, Gigi’s father, a hustler, bank robber, and hitman, abducted her and moved to Texas. He did the same thing to her sister when she came to visit to arrange marriages for them that would unite organized crime families. This caused both Gigi and her sister to be victims of molestation, physical abuse, and rape — even after running away and being sent back to their mother.
Dropping out of school in the ninth grade, Gigi moved to Wichita, Kanas. To survive, she sold drugs and made escort appointments with older men for her and her friends to earn money — resorting to a pregnancy for her. A week after having her son at the age of 16, she resumed escorting and started stripping because she felt she had no other means of adequately providing for her son.
Upon adulthood, Gigi opened her own company, Sydnee’ Entertainment, an adult entertainment company providing escort services and exotic dancers. Sydnee’ Entertainment became one of the largest of its kind in the Midwest, and she was able to provide for both her and her son. This provision did not come with comfort. Gigi experienced failed romances, two divorces, the loss of a child, an alcohol addiction, multiple run-ins with the law for her (and her son), and even suicide attempts.
Realizing her life was controlled by others or spiraling out of control by her actions, she knew she had to break the vicious cycle of the toxicity she was born into. Eager to leave the adult entertainment industry and sex trade behind, Gigi decided that helping others would be a good place to start. In 2012, Gigi began ministering to the homeless, mentoring teens, and incarcerated women. She also expanded her efforts to become an anti-trafficking advocate to prevent the exploitation of children and young women in the United States.
Her life and efforts were the inspiration in creating her nonprofit, Priceless Diamonds, Inc. Realizing that every child is a precious diamond that should never be devalued, Gigi’s goal is to ensure that no one goes through what she went through. Raising awareness is important; however, having a voice and being a voice has power. And she now owns that power for herself and is gifting her voice for others who are not being protected.
For more information on Priceless Diamonds, Inc. or donate, visit www.pricelessdiamonds.org.
