Johnniqua Charles was homeless, an addict, and estranged from her family. Then, she had a run-in with a security officer.
A video of that incident went viral and Charles’ life is beginning to turn around.
“I’m just overwhelmed, and I’m such a humble person [that] to see that, it’s just amazing to me,” she said. “I’m just glad that it’s something so positive.”
Charles is the woman in the viral video known as “Lose Yo Job.” She questions a security guard as to why he is detaining her, then turns her protests into a song and dance.
"Why are you detaining me? You about to lose yo job, You about to lose yo job. You about to lose yo job. Get this dance! You about to lose yo job ‘cause you are detaining me for nothing.”
The video exploded in popularity in just a few days.
The video has spread even further after DJs created remixes that went viral. Most popular is one by DJ Suede the Remix God and iMarkkeyz, who also remixed Cardi B’s coronavirus video.
The video was first posted on Facebook by the guard, Julius Locklear. “Okay IM NOT POSTING THIS TO BE FUNNY TOWARDS THIS SUBJECT!!!!” Locklear wrote in his Facebook post. “I’m posting it cause that rap was lit like I wish I could put a beat to it lol.”
Charles said she hadn’t spoken to her family since around November, and they were caring for her 3-year-old son, Juju.
“I’d been on the streets, and they’d been looking for me,” Charles said. “And I guess they seen that this video could basically change my life, and they put out a whole search party to find me.”
Charles and her family reconnected and she’s now living with them and trying to rebuild her life.
Photos by Getty Images