We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Justyce Maylon a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Justyce, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Do you think your parents have had a meaningful impact on you and your journey?
I’ve always had a passion for storytelling. My journey began in a household with two progressive parents who decided to break free and follow God’s will for our family. As entrepreneurs, we moved to South Central LA and my parents opened our family’s barbershop. My parents chose to homeschool me, providing me with a holistic education that included true Black History, a deeper understanding of the Bible as well as Spiritual concepts. I became a Bible scholar by the age of 7, and being homeschooled gave me plenty of extra time to explore my creativity. Whether watching soap operas or running errands with my mom, I soaked up all the adult tea and used it as inspiration for my dolls. I grew up surrounded by creatives, from spending time in the studio with my dad to hanging out with my aunties. It’s safe to say that from an early age, I knew I wanted to use my creativity to add more color to the canvas of life. My parents invested everything they had into shaping me into the woman I am today. They sowed countless seeds of love, guidance, and wisdom, nurturing my growth every step of the way. I want to express my deep appreciation, honor, and respect for my parents. They instilled in me the importance of questioning my reality. They encouraged me to show up with excellence in all aspects of my life. They also taught me how to carry myself with regality, and for that, I am truly grateful.
Justyce, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I attended Pasadena High School, where I discovered my passion for fashion, music, and storytelling. On the weekends, I would escape to work at Philthy Ragz, the leading clothing boutique at the time. Before the rise of Fashionnova and Boohoo girls, there were the Philthy Ragz girls. It was an exciting time, with social media platforms like Instagram just starting to gain popularity and “insta baddies” becoming a trend. Philthy Ragz fashion shows were the talk of the town, styling celebrities like Karrueche Tran and Basketball Wives. Under the guidance of the talented designer Gaynelle White and creative marketing genius Trissa Rene, I was exposed to marketing, fashion show production, modeling, e-commerce, and styling experiences with Bryon Javar and GooGoo Atkins.
When it was time for me to select a college and major, I knew that Howard University’s School of Communications would be the perfect place for me to break into the entertainment industry. While at Howard, I met lifelong friends and made valuable connections. However, as I grew in my spiritual journey and began to understand myself better, I struggled to find the space to tell the stories that I felt were important. I turned to Twitter, where I became a fiery voice for the culture (and sometimes got myself in trouble). During my time at Howard, I collaborated on various media productions and projects.
Upon completing my studies at Howard, I returned to Los Angeles and quickly immersed myself in all things creative. I began pursuing a career in modeling, walking for various designers and modeling for makeup and clothing brands. I was able to make brand partnerships with OWNTV, MAC cosmetics, Redbullmusic, and Norwegian Airlines, among others. There was a time when I held down three jobs simultaneously. I worked as a marketing manager for a theater production, as well as on various TV production sets in Los Angeles. Additionally, I worked as a menswear visual merchandiser at Banana Republic. I would be ripping and running in my Honda CRV that occasionally would stall out in the middle of the street until it finally broke all together and I was left no choice but to take the bus liteterally everywhere. Although my life was often hectic, fun, and spontaneous, it wasn’t always glitz and glam.
I believe that as much as we celebrate our successes, the journey that leads us there is equally important and significant to our personal stories. In 2019, I found myself working in a penthouse office at a record company. The office was made of glass and offered breathtaking views of the pacific ocean. I had a new job, new car I was traveling, everything seemed to be going my way…Then boom COVID. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, it completely shifted the narrative that we had all envisioned for ourselves. Little did I know I would be entering a season of soul searching with various trials and tribulations.
I was in a major car wreck in 2020 which gave me an understanding of patience I never experienced before. All my plans were put on pause. During my recovery from a neck injury, I was called to enroll in Ministry School at More Sure Word of Faith.
I took a month sabbatical in Ghana and began filming a documentary about the spiritual dynamics and life lessons that I learned on my incredible journey. I chose not to release it right away as it wasn’t the right time immediately after its completion. As a more centered and focused storyteller, I’m excited about the adventures and opportunities that it will bring, which I hope to share with others soon.
Although I had traveled internationally before, my trip to Ghana completely shifted my perspective on life. It was after this trip that I, like many creatives, went through a season of questioning my purpose in creating. Am I creating to express just myself or am I called to more? I went through a sort of depression to figure out that the sole reason why I want to create is to express the beauty of GOD’s awesome complexities. HE is the ultimate Storyteller. I am simply a vessel.
After graduating from Ministry School, I moved to Atlanta where I started teaching modeling courses for young girls at Bella Modeling School. I also worked as a freelance project manager and brand marketing for various projects, including a recent Lincoln car commercial that just wrapped up.
I am stepping into a refined version of myself where I feel like I am truly walking into a blooming season. After undergoing so much in my personal life over the past 3 years, I am excited for the newness of this time – the new projects, collaborations, brands, and students I get to work with. I especially love teaching now and am looking forward to the opportunities to impact and inspire others in this new chapter of my life.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
Interestingly enough, I have a tattoo on my arm that says resilience. I do know a thing or two about bouncing back, Resilience is defined as the capacity to withstand or to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness. Deciding to answer the call of ministry was the most trying experience I ever had to undergo quite honestly. You would think just the opposite, but I say it was the worst time because it was the only time I truly faced all the trauma I experienced from my life, head on. It’s easy to bury things in the back of your brain and distract yourself by working hard or smoking or whatever vice of choice. But it’s another to completely get low and to allow GOD into the low parts. I had to face numerous changes that refined me into a more polished individual. Letting go of people whom I never thought I would have to let go of, mourning the death of various loved ones, and releasing unhealthy vices. All in all, that very pressure is what makes the difference from simple carbon coal, and beautiful diamonds. I had to stop looking at the refining process as a punishment. It’s a time of maturing, a time of growing more deeply rooted in rich soil as areas that are non beneficial to healing and growth are pruned to bear much fruit. In that very pruning and refining process, the Lord actually delivers us from the very things that hold us back, all the while strengthening our spiritual muscles and character.Even if you feel you’re walking in a season of holiness, you will still go through a season of God’s refinement because He desires to shine His glory in and through our lives. He wants pure vessels that He can pour His anointing into for His great purposes. Finding joy in even the smallest of things is what really brought me to the heart posture I hold today. Only by grace am I able to show up looking nothing like my last season.
Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?
It’s truly remarkable how many incredible resources are now available for creatives. I’m amazed at how the current climate encourages individuals to monetize their art and think outside the box. The existence of organizations like Tec Leimert, Black Girls in Tech, and Black Girls in Media is particularly noteworthy, as they provide invaluable support to young people in these fields. Looking back, had I been exposed to a wider range of career paths beyond traditional broadcasting during my high school or college years, I could have found my direction earlier and started building my brand and sharing my unique perspective on the world much sooner. I love that creativity is so limitless right now. My top priority now is to inspire the younger generation and empower them to pursue their goals with confidence, armed with all the resources available to them. As I continue to develop and succeed, it’s important to me to pave the way for those who come after me, leaving the door open for future generations to pursue their GOD given purposes.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/Justycemaylon?utm_source=linktree_profile_share<sid=2619a11e-41e3-4d49-90d1-a57535865276
- Instagram: Justyce.m
- Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/justycereliford
- Twitter: Justycemaylon