This past September, Iyanla Vanzant attempted to “”fix” Jay Williams’ life. The Atlanta-based video producer had fathered 34 children by 17 women.
Williams’ eldest child, Amina Mosley, has since come forward with an open letter to Vanzant. In the letter titled “Dear Iyanla, Thank You for ‘Fixing’ My Father,” Mosley writes that Vanzant has not fixed the problem, but only made him the “poster child…for all of the rolling stones across the country.”
“You have done a remarkable job of making him feel better about himself,” writes Mosley, “The reality is that he has not been held accountable.” Mosley adds that she was apprehensive about appearing on the show but learned it was about “healing” and finding peace. She writes:
When I was asked to participate I was apprehensive simply because I was not buying it. There was no way that anyone could “fix” my Father. His poor choices have disappointed me, and so many others countless times and I never thought the day would come where he would truly have the opportunity to face his demons. I fought with myself for a bit about my participation, but call it curiosity or wishful thinking, I decided to continue with the show. I joined my siblings on the couch as we sat across from you, and then my father entered the room. In that particular moment, it felt like seeing a ghost. I hadn’t had any contact with my Father in over a year, and I was not at all pleased to be in presence. I just could not seem to wrap my head around my father knowing exactly how to reach me and where to find me all of this time but was only willing to talk when there was a camera around.
Mosley says her father “has not learned a thing” since the show. In fact, they’ve only been in contact once since the show aired. “That means that it took almost half of your season for me to actually have a conversation with my father and that conversation only took place because I called him,” she wrote.
Her main concern is how the show will help her father provide for his 34 children. “Clearly he has not learned a thing, primarily because he does not listen,” she writes, “so I am encouraging you to ask yourself, ‘what about the children?’”