It has been almost nine months since the trailer for the first half of 16 and Pregnant Season 2 was released and for those nine months the number one question asked by fans of the show has been, “Who’s the girl with the dreadlocks that attacks her baby daddy?!?”
On November 16 that question will be answered when we meet Markai Durham, a 17-year-old half-Jamaican, half-Bahamian bisexual powder keg from Tampa, Florida with a dangerously short fuse!
So far the episodes in this half of the season have been relatively tame drama-wise, though not lacking in emotion and harsh reality! Markai looks as though she may change all that with her fiery personality and apparent flair for the dramatic.
When asked on her Formspring account about the now-infamous argument with her baby daddy James, Markai says, “Once you know why you’ll understand, Amber hits Gary for no reason, my reason was very touching & emotional.” (I will update the post after her episode airs and we find out the real reason!)
Here’s the original trailer – Markai and James’ spat is right around the 1:20 mark:
Markai was quite the rebel and had a history of drug use prior to becoming a mother. She mentions on her Formspring that she used to take ecstasy “only once a day when I went out at night,” and confesses that she once overdosed on X pills over a guy!
But when she started dating James, Markai began to tone down her wild ways. Markai sums it up this way:
I’m the girl who just ain’t give a damn about anyone else or myself, the one who just lived for that day and not the next. I’m the one who fought ANYONE ’cause it was 90 degrees outside. Then I met James and I started to cool down with the drugs and the different men every other night. And then I got pregnant and that’s all I can tell you. You will have to watch the rest.
Markai gave birth to daughter Za’karia Sanari Worsham (Za-Car-Ree-Ah) on October 12, 2009. Za’karia, which is rastafarian for “God’s chosen Queen”, was 7 pounds even and 20 inches at birth. The troubled teen had just turned 17 when she got pregnant and will turn 19 this December 2.
The young mom credits the birth of her daughter for turning her life around and giving her direction and stability. On Formspring someone asked her where she would be if it weren’t for the birth of Kari (her nickname for Za’karia):
Honest I would be in someone’s prison or in a body bag if it wasn’t for Kari. Everyone hears about girls who have kids and just wished they could all go back because life is just too much with a baby on their hips, but in my case that’s totally not true. My baby made me better and without her I wouldn’t know loyalty, trust and unconditional love.
What do you think your strengths and weaknesses are as a mother? Anything you wish you hadn’t of done in the past?
I don’t regret anything in my past that means I can’t forgive myself. I believe I have a lot of strengths as a mom, especially just being there for my baby .. My weakness is always trying to pull away from James. I’m so used to a woman doing all the parenting I used to not let James do anything as an active father in his daughter’s life.
Just like most of the girls this season Markai was able to graduate high school and she has her sights set on community college. Currently she is working at Micabella in the Brandon Mall selling makeup and James is working for a collection agency.
Here’s a preview clip of the episode from MTV:
UPDATE – Be sure to watch Markai’s 16 and Pregnant follow-up interview with SuChin Pak during which she talks about James, Za’karia, doing drugs, eating soap and more!
If you want to keep up with Markai, James and Za’karia you can follow Markai’s official Facebook fan page, her Myspace page or her Formspring account. She seems very diligent to this point about anwering each and every question, but that may all change after her episode airs.
Here are a few more questions and answers from her Formspring account in which Markai addresses abortion, tattoos, her bisexuality and Jame’s upbringing:
(My apologies for the capital letters at the beginning of each word – Markai regards it as some sort of signature and I just didn’t have the energy to go in and change them any more)
I was just wondering if you ever considered having an abortion and what are your thoughts about it. I don’t mean anything, just curious that’s all. =)
I Am Not Against Abortion At All, I Feel As If You Got To Do What Makes Life Easier. I Would Say Though Abortion Is Not A Birth Control, And You Shouldn’t Take It As One. If You Don’t Have Any Other Options Like You Can’t Have The Baby For Whatever Reason And Adoption Isn’t An Option Either, You Have To Do Whats Right
Do you have any tattoos?
Yes I Have 9 …. one on my stomach that says juicy (which i regret it was my first tattoo) james first and last name on my right and left thigh with a crown over his first name , i have two paw prints each in between my thighs scratching (my second tattoo which i regret) and za’karia’s feet prints on my two feet with her name and the date she was born (i’m gettin stars added to it) … i love tattoo’s ! its the thing that helps me relax so much. we go like once a month to get more.
not being racist at ALL..but since James is white what did his parents say about him bringing a black girl home & havinq a baby with her?
They Weren’t Supportive At All. Never Even Seen Me Pregnant. Didn’t Even Want To Be Around Me. They Also Kicked James Out (You Will See That On My Show) James Was Raised In The West Tampa Projects. He Was The ONLY WHITE THERE!!! From Home To School To Down The Street All He Seen Was Blacks. Loved Blacks Fought Blacks Ate With Blacks That’s All He Knew., Now How Could You Blame Him For Being Raised The Way He Was. They Just Thought He Was Trying To Act Black (I Don’t Know How You Can Act Black) But Just Like They Were Raised To Be Racist And Acted Upon It That’s EXACTKY WHAT HE DID
Did you lose your virginity to James?
No I Didn’t (Sadly To Say) Me && My Friends Had This Pact That By The Time We Left High School We Would All Lose Our Virginity On Te Same Night (Stupid Ass Bet Huh) I Regret It Every Time I Make Love To James Because Iove Him ! I Never Even Thought About Love Back Than
are you bisexual?
Yes I Am
do you like girls? or were you just experimenting?
I Think Girls Are Sexy && Beautiful Me && James Look At Girls And Say How Sexy They Are. But I’m In A Committed Relationship Now
Are You Still Bi; And How Is The Baby Doing?
I Check Out Girls With James Sometimes. But We’re In A Commited Relationship. So I Guess No
