I’m Nala, Like in The Lion King

Hi!

I’m Nala! Like in the movie, The Lion King!

Usually at the club this is met with, “Oh... well, then I’m Simba”

Though I’ve heard it at least a hundred times, it makes me smile every time.

I chose the name Nala as my stripper name because it means beautiful things - gift, beloved, queen, princess, lion, and successful woman. It is of Arabic and African origins and also means “first drink of water” “or water in the desert”... I think there’s a lot of beautiful ways to relate that to the strip club environment or just to any environment of life (desert of life), where you have the opportunity to be refreshing...

Refreshingly beautiful, refreshingly kind, refreshingly lovely...

I’m 5’8” so like 6’1” in my heels (because I think they’re 5inches... I’ll have to check! I’m curious now!) so I also always get the classic, “Aren’t you a tall drink of water?!” or chocolate milk lol.

I always do a little twirl then. Tee hee!

So I think all around Nala was, and is, the perfect name for me.

Maybe you’re wondering, in Lil Wayne’s voice, “Whats yo real name, and not yo stripper name”

My real name is Christy Jo.

I always clarify and say, “like Mary Kate” when I’m on the phone or making a reservation or something like that.

I started dancing when I was a junior in college. I had enough money and scholarships saved up after high school to completely pay for my freshman year. It was a great feeling! Then my sophomore year, the reality of a private school education and it’s tuition hit hard. I worked 2 jobs, one on campus and one off campus, in addition to handling a heavy school workload at a prestigious private school.

I remember being so deeply, exhausted.

Friendships I had made started to be strained and one day, maybe I won’t ever forget this day, I walked into the dining hall and saw all of my friends there eating together... without me...

I walked up to the table and said, “Why didn’t anyone tell me we were getting lunch today?” and they said, “You’re always so busy, so we figured you were probably busy”

I was so hurt.

I had to find other ways I could make money for my tuition because I didn’t want to be so busy working that I had to lose out on my friends, college experiences, and even just myself and my own well being!

I was venting with an older non traditional college student in my International Politics class about my stresses with paying tuition and she suggested stripping.

Oh! First I was studying International Business but I reallyyy didn’t care for Economics and Accounting and found out they would be the core of my studies lol So I switched my major to Philopsophy and minored in French. I know, I know, “What are you going to do with a Philosophy degree?” That will be another story lol

After class that day I began to study, yes study, stripping. I was very sheltered growing up. Like, I had a cell phone that only called 4 numbers- the family business, the police, and my mom and dad. And maybe one of my Uncles lol. I didn’t get a real cellphone until the middle of my freshmen year of college! But I embarrassingly digress lol

After 2 months of studying everything about the industry from how to even dance, to ways to sell a lap dance, I went to my first strip club ever with my classmate and was hired on the spot and Nala was born.

I have had some of the worst experiences and some of the best experiences of my life in strip clubs as well as met some of the best people and the worst people.

But I will say that everything, and everyone, has taught me, shown me, and strengthened within me... an understanding of how to be and what it means to truly be ...Beautiful.

On the inside and on the outside.

No matter what.

I would not be Christy Jo, the girl that I am today, with the heart, mind, and spirit that I have... had I not also become Nala.

So, “Hi, I’m Nala!”

♥️