We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jaymee Wins. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jaymee below.

Jaymee, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. 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 believe in the saying, “Greater risk, higher rewards”. But along the path of being risky, you always get discouraged and wonder if all that you’ve been doing is worth it. I’ve always taken calculated risks even as at a young age. Although I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in my home country, the Philippines, my heart was never into the traditional path of landing a safe and secured job.

I was pursuing commercial modeling and acting on the side while earning a degree even if the competition was so tough and it was hard to maintain the balance. But because of sheer persistence and passion, if paid off eventually and I made a great career as a TV and movie personality in Manila during my late 20s. But once I secured my spot in the Manila media scene, I wanted to do and see more. So once again, I took the risk and did the nomad lifestyle of living in first world countries. I lived in Australia and Spain for a few years then eventually moved to the US. Each time I moved, I would explore whatever possibilities there is so that I could learn about life and evolve as a person.

Now that I’m in my 40s, I’m still risking on the side while I work part time at the public library. I still audition for commercial modeling and acting here in California, wrote my first self-published book and finishing a documentary I shot with a crew in the Philippines that advocates for breast cancer care. The journey hasn’t been easy as a risk-taker. But it’s fulfilling to know that I am going for what truly makes me feel alive and doing whatever I can in my power to keep my eyes on the prize.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Jaymee. I’m a Filipina author, advocate, producer, commercial talent and actor in progress based in San Diego, California for 7 years continously exploring my highest potential and creative ventures.

I’ve been living with metastatic breast cancer for nearly 5 years now and that prompted me to write my self-published book called “That Sh*t Called Cancer” that shares my survival story as a Filipina immigrant especially during the peak of the pandemic when I had to deal with it mostly on my own. I am also in the process of producing a documentary that shares the harsh realities of the current breast cancer landscape in the Philippines along with the raw stories of survivors from all walks of life in the country. And on the side, I’m pursuing work as a commercial talent and actor since being on camera has always been my first love.

People follow my life journey and the content I create because they find inspiration, strength and hope with what I share. It’s not an easy life to live with a life threatening diagnosis, all the more as an immigrant far away from the comfort of my hometown. And it’s very challenging to pursue your dream at a later age while being new in a progressive country like the US. Hence, putting out my story is something I’m proud about because I know that I inspire people to appreciate being alive and well.

: Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

I have two goals that push me to keep going in my creative journey. One is to give a voice to breast cancer patients in the Philippines who are underprivileged. And second is to make the resilient stories of a Filipina woman be heard.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

What people outside the creative world don’t understand is that all the creative work we do is food for our soul and what gives us a reason to keep living. I realized this upon my diagnosis… that without making art and/or content, I would’ve spiraled down and never recovered. Creative ventures may, sometimes, not make any financial returns but that’s not why I do it. I create out of sheer love and passion and the bi-product of it, which is recognition or monetary, is just a happy bonus. So it would be great to get support for what we do as artists and creators instead of constant criticism.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.jaymeewins.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaymee_wins/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JaymeeWins/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/JaymeeWins/

Image Credits
Taken by Robert Dahey (Photo in the dock).