I beat depression – Roux-Che Locke
The best advice she can give anyone is to always run their race at their own pace, adding people should not be afraid to wander off the beaten track and to follow their instincts as they navigate their way through this show called life.
Formerly known as Roux-Che Titus, now Locke, she is married to Touch FM’s station manager and former co-host of the ‘Morning Cup Of Java’ on National FM, Mario Locke.
The quadragenarian brunette has graced her presence as a news anchor for the national broadcaster – and one could say she is one of the veteran broadcasters to be at the realm of informing the public about news and current affairs before becoming the O&L Group’s manager for corporate communications.
The 41-year-old mother of three (one son and two daughters) said she traded her media career for the corporate communications’ sphere because she loves and yearned for challenges.
“Despite my passion for radio and television, I realised that I needed a new challenge, as the opportunities in the broadcasting industry (at the time) were, in my view, rather limited. In challenging myself, I pursued my studies in Journalism and Communication Technology, and through this course, I got bitten by the corporate communications “bug” that ultimately set me up on my current career path,” she stated.
She boasts a wealth of experience in both broadcasting and the communication field when she joined NBC in 1997 as radio producer/ presenter. “After 2 years, I was promoted to the position of senior producer and later executive producer at the NBC National Radio. I also started freelancing at NBC TV as a news anchor since 1998. I then joined NUST (the then Polytechnic of Namibia) as a communications
practitioner in 2006. In 2007, I joined the Bank of Namibia as a senior communications specialist until my recruitment at the Ohlthaver & List (O&L) Group in 2009 as manager: public relations. I am currently the Group manager: corporate communications and serve as a member of the O&L Group top leadership,” she detailed.
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF ROUX-CHE
Being a mother, wife, sister, cousin, niece, daughter, aunt, friend and a worker can never be an easy task, especially when it comes to working for a big company such as the O&L Group and the position she holds.
She said: “Being part of such a large and diverse company, my day can turn from an easy morning to managing crisis communications all day.”
Frequently, after she has done the wife and mom chores in the morning, which includes the school run, she would start her day at the office by running through the local newspapers to familiarise herself with any business-related news or just to keep track of current affairs and regional and global news.
“A lot of my day usually entails collaborating with our subsidiaries through purposeful engagement, planning and execution. Our breakthrough culture enables flexibility by encouraging us to work smart, rather than hard. Thus, depending on my daily goals’ achievement, I can be home with my family as early as 16h00 to oversee homework, prepare supper and just unwind before I round off the day with latenight family chats and quality time,” she said meticulously.
“I beat depression. Shivers up my arms and into my neck, a heavy chest, my legs numb and heavy. I’m not sure if I’m hot or cold; my chest
gets heavier as my body decides whether to fight or take flight. Anxiety takes hold of my body. Luckily, I’m aware of what’s going on and I literally force my head and my mind to remain calm, repeatedly saying I’m in control; I’ve got this,” bared Locke, describing depression.
She said: “Everybody has bad days but depression can make every day a bad day. Depression is real – very real. It’s debilitating. It is not an emotion; it’s an illness and a vicious cycle that, without help, is almost impossible to break. Sadly, there are so many people who struggle with depression and that is why it is so important to raise awareness in order to prevent others from reaching those horrible depths which I once faced”.
She is currently on a journey of self-love, which encompasses accepting, embracing, appreciating and celebrating oneself. “There is the immense value this adds to one’s life, while the ability to positively impact lives through the discovery of self-love for/by others is even more rewarding,” she vehemently stated.
WHAT YOU DON’T KNOW ABOUT HER
We all have inner characters that are not known to the masses. Locke is no different, but being private and discreet is not something to expect from someone who has been in the media for more than two decades.
She said: “While I love people and good company, I am actually a very private person. To the point that I am very discreet and selective as to who I allow inside my home, which I regard as me and my family’s sacred space – a space I jealously guard”.
With being discreet and loving her privacy, when ennui strikes, she meditates. “I either meditate or listen to music. So, my hobbies entail reading, music and journaling,” she added.
Another attribute she shared was the humorous side of her. “I actually like that I have a sense of humour. In fact, I think I have a pretty cool sense of humour. It enables me to be adaptable to any situation or even people. I don’t particularly “like” me when I lose my cool or enraged. Let’s just say it’s not a pretty picture. Fortunately, this doesn’t happen often,” Locked shared.
Former NBC-National Radio (National FM) Manager Robin Tyson said Locke had an open and friendly personality and wonderful radio voice right from the start.
Tyson added: “She was a natural on-air, both on radio and television and the public loved her. It was no surprise to me to see her blossoming in those fields and, later, in the area of corporate communication. She is a consummate professional.”