Shuvrajit Das Biswas
‘On the Record’ is a brave new offering from HBO Max, which details the several charges of sexual assault and rape against now-disgraced music mogul Russell Simmons. Several women have accused the head of Def Jam Records, and among them is Alexia Norton Jones. She dated Simmons in 1990, and after a pleasant evening together, he invited her to his apartment, where he proceeded to rape her.
Alexia spoke of her experience exclusively to Variety, saying, “I had willingly gone there. I went there, and I would have been intimate with him. Why did he have to take from me what wasn’t his?” She detailed how Simmons pinned her against the wall and raped her, paying no heed to her explicitly saying ‘no’ several times. Notably, Jones is the granddaughter of famed book publisher W.W. Norton, and her father Clarence served as the attorney and speechwriter for Martin Luther King Jr.
Since Jones and Simmons ran in the same social circles, and the latter was friends with her father, Alexia had nobody to confide in about what had happened. After some years, she even forgave Simmons. However, after other accounts against him came to light, she filed a report with the NYPD almost three decades later. Despite knowing that it fell outside the statute of limitations, Jones wished to stand by the survivors. Curious to find out where this brave woman is at present? We have the latest news and updates here.
Where is Alexia Norton Jones Now?
After coming out with the bombshell revelation against Simmons, Alexia has gone quiet for the most part. According to her LinkedIn profile, she lives in the Greater New York City Area. However, Variety reported in 2018 that she’d filed the report against Simmons from her Arizona home. Alexia defines herself as a Holistic Health Coordinator and Publishing Consultant. Notably, in the late 80s, she found success as the agent for Dave Winfield, the Hall of Fame star. Jones was involved in the publishing process of “Winfield: A Player’s Life,” which became a bestseller.
It appears that she’s studied at Harvard University and the University of Denver. Alexia graduated with a degree in philosophy and religious studies at the latter and belonged to the Alpha Lambda Delta. She’s studied traditional Chinese medicine, and her Twitter bio lists her as a Taoist and Metta Meditator.
From October 2013 to January 2016, Alexia has been the brand ambassador for CHFO or Channelopathy Foundation. She’s been at it for around two years and four months as a stateside consultant. Most recently, Alexia has been in the news for speaking out against Oprah Winfrey, who was earlier attached as an executive producer to ‘On the Record.’
Jones claims that not only did Oprah back out, but her handling of the situation causes the erasure of the women’s narratives. She spoke to Variety, saying, “Then here it is, casually. I have this other name [Alexia Norton Strong] on TV, spoken by Oprah Winfrey. What was so painful about it is that, what sexual violence is, it is about erasing you. It is about saying you don’t matter. Right in that moment, Oprah is sharing her oRussell Simmonswn story about what happened to her. She then inserts her pain into our experience about why she’s stepping away. And at the same time, I don’t have a name.”
To conclude, Jones is determined that Simmons gets what’s coming to him, and his hoping ‘On the Record’ will help to do just that. Notably, she’s not seeking any monetary damages from the disgraced mogul. Jones just wants to ensure that the survivors’ voices are heard. It is a real sign of solidarity from the self-described Civil Rights Survivor, who urges others to believe women. [Picture Courtesy: CBS/YouTube]
Read More: Where is Russell Simmons Today?
