We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jaylin White a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Jaylin , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

I’ve decided it’s time to develop my first comedy special/album. It’s nerve wrecking because I question if I’m ready, but if not now, then when? I realize it’s time to just jump off the cliff and assert myself in a way that will allow me to further my career. So, in the wake of betting on myself, I have secured a deal with Comedy Dynamics and will be releasing an album some time next year.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I am Jaylin White, born and raised in Pasadena, California. I started doing standup comedy December 2017. My first show was at The World Famous Comedy Story on Sunset in Hollywood, and opportunities have continued to come my way as result. I have grown into an unapologetic and unfiltered comic through the few years of hitting the stage. I take pride in the fact that I speak my truth boldly and it resonates with audiences. Coming to one of my shows is like going to a family cookout, you can trust there will be a lot of laughs, slight dysfunction, provocative conversation, and you’ll leave feeling loved, warm, and fuzzy on the inside. Above all, people that support me feel seen through my point of view on stage, I’m saying exactly what we all are thinking but are too shy to say out loud.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

Shaking “imposter syndrome” has been my greatest challenge. As a black and openly gay man, I live in a society that reaffirms the notion that my life, voice, ideas, and beliefs don’t matter. Historically for both POC and LGBT+ individuals, it’s been proven to be that way. However learning about black lgbt folks like Bayard Rustin who have made very impactful contributions to our society during the civil rights movement has inspired me to stand firm in who I am as a person and artist. I realize the qualities that I assumed would hinder me from being of impact are the exact things that qualify me to be able to do something great. It’s because of my unique point of view that I am able to craft material that resonates with people like myself and bridges a gap for those who may not understand. I am not an imposter, I have a right to take up space, exactly as I am.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

Non creatives typically don’t understand the sacrifices us artists have to make to even do half of what we do. Creatives understand that success for us is not a straight line but a journey of many failures. Success doesn’t have just one look. What may seem like a win to me, may not be one to someone who else. I want people to understand that being an artist is NOT EASY but a choice driven by necessity. Pursuing a creative field doesn’t have a quick pay off, when truthfully it takes a lot of; time, practice, patience, self belief, faith, discipline, and resilience. We all struggle so much with our own psyches as creatives, I would encourage non creatives to extend grace to those who they know are pursuing creative paths, and to stop projecting their fears of rejection and failure onto us!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: Jaylinwhitela
• TikTok: @JaylinWhiteLA