Photograph by Carl Brown of "Picture This"

Paulette Watson was born on December 31, 1949, in Newport News, Virginia. She attended public school in Newport News graduating from George Washington Carver High in 1968. While in high school, she met her husband, Jerry. They have been married for forty-two years.

Together they have three children, Jerry II (Bridgett Drew-Watson); Rickie Antoinette Spruiell (Ravon Spruiell); and Christopher Watson (Tiffany Cullen-Watson). Mrs. Watson has been blessed with eight grandchildren; Bria, Jerae, Jamar, Jiar, Jalen, Asya, Jayla, and Jaida. Mrs. Watson's family has always been the joy of her life and she calls them the best support system any mother/grandmother could have.

After graduating, Mrs. Watson started her career at Hampton University's Collis P. Huntington Library, where she worked for fourteen years until her husband's job was transferred to the Pentagon in Washington, DC. She moved to the DC area in 1991, and continued her career with the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies organization; a think tank for and about Black Politicians. There she
stayed for about three years before moving back home to work for the College of William and Mary's Swem Library. She is presently working for Northrop Grumman Technical Systems, as a Librarian at the U.S. Joint Forces Command's Joint Warfighting Center in Suffolk, Virginia.

Mrs. Watson has a vision to educate women and men about breast-cancer health. She feels very passionate about breast cancer, being a survivor herself since 2002, and is truly committed to the cause. Mrs. Watson is a third generation of breast-cancer patients. Her mother and grandmother both died from breast cancer. This is why she has made the commitment to not only educate, but to make sure women/ men in the low income areas; as well as the uninsured, know what is available. Mrs. Watson wants to make a difference in the lives of those who do not know that even in the mist of their storm, they too can celebrate life.

On May 1, 2008, Mrs. Watson was rushed to the emergency room after what started out as an ordinary day at work. Doctors soon discovered that Mrs. Watson had a brain tumor. On May 20, 2008, doctors performed surgery to remove the tumor that was the size of a plum. Mrs. Watson returned to work on a
part-time basis in August, 2008, and in September, 2008, she returned to work full-time.

Mrs. Watson receives at least two calls a month from people as far away as California, asking for a “Paulette Pill” so they can make it through the day. She encourages them to live life and not sit around and have a pity party over circumstances that they do not have control over. Mrs. Watson says, “As a
survivor, you have to try to produce a positive outlook through communication. Life is precious and until we realize that our state of mind will not change, we need to understand that God can do the impossible and whatever we are going through God designed it just for us, in order to strengthen us.”

Some of Mrs. Watson accomplishments consist of being a volunteer for the Reach To Recovery Program for the American Cancer Society. She was also on the Board of Directors for the YWCA Greater Peninsula for a short period until her mother's illness with breast cancer required most of her time. Mrs. Watson is a visionary and an entrepreneur. She is the founder and owner of Pearls of Promise, LLC.
In order to accomplish her vision to educate women and men about breast cancer, she plans to donate a portion of every item sold from her inspired dinnerware collection to the American Cancer Society. Mrs. Watson was recently nominated for the Making a Powerful Difference Contest sponsored by Pine Sol.

Mrs. Watson currently resides in Hampton, Virginia with her husband and is a member of Gethsemane Baptist Church in Newport News, Virginia, where she serves on the Trustee Board, Chaplain for the Board, and in the Sanctuary Choir. Mrs. Watson is currently writing her first book entitled, Wearing My Battle Scars with Grace.