Today we’d like to introduce you to Jaysin Decora.
Hi Jaysin, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
Well to start, I am a lot older than most people think I am. I was born in 1977. A seventies baby! My parents were hippies, no lie, I turned 44 years old last October. It’s crazy to think about actually, what a different day and age it was back then. Nobody would ever believe that I was in high school during the Rodney King riots, or that my first music purchase was the Beastie Boys Licensed to III albums on cassette hahaha. I was born in Connecticut, not far from New York City. I have two younger sisters. My parents eventually divorced and I spent some of my early high school years in Georgia, just south of Atlanta. A turning point in my life, unfortunately for the worst. My mother did her best, working and going to school full time to take care of me and my two younger sisters, but now I had to be the man of the house. Looking after my sisters while my mom was at school or work, I also got my first job at 14 as a dishwasher to help out. Things got worse when I shot my best friend by accident. This was extremely traumatic for me as a young teen. Eventually, my mother met her new husband, 3 kids were too many for him, (we had 2 bedrooms) and I was forced into the streets at just 16 years old.
Gangs became my attraction. It felt like family, and I was good at it. Too good at it. I was ready to spread my wings. I really disliked living in the south and eventually left Atlanta to begin a new life in Philadelphia where I had some family and connections waiting for me. The year was roughly 1998. It was an interesting time, one I’m glad I didn’t miss, something you would see out of a gangster movie. I moved to the Italian market, 9th and Christian streets in south Philadelphia. I met some memorable people and formed some amazing relationships. Had my daughter. 9/11 happened. Lived a fast life for over 15 years I was exhausted. Both the best and worst times of my life. It seemed like a lifetime in itself, I won’t elaborate much more on that. Fast forward to the year 2013. I had visited a childhood friend in the twin cities area a couple of times previously years back and always enjoyed it there. I was in Saint Paul visiting for a friend’s wedding, met an amazing girl, and decided to move here myself finally. I became close to her and her daughter, and we had a baby girl together soon thereafter. Life was good, or so I thought. I soon began to realize the monster I had become over the years from the life I had been living.
The traumas of my life compounding upon one another, self-medicating for years with drugs and alcohol, undiagnosed mental health issues, I had no real-life skills. I was a monster who hit rock bottom. I needed help. I wanted to change but didn’t know how or where to start. I keep hearing about treatment centers here, for chemical and behavioral health, which I had never heard of before. I was eventually referred to the ER department here at the U of M Fairview-riverside in Minneapolis, went in, and my life changed completely. It took time, believe me, years of work, but they saved my life 100%. I started with 3 months as an inpatient resident of their program, completed that, and went on to complete a 9-month intensive outpatient program they had! I was on a roll! or so I thought. I decided to take a small break from programming before starting the 2-year DBT (dialectical behavioral therapy) program, which I was extremely interested in. Well, that small break turned into a long one, and with so did old habits. I fell back into some old ways and was shot twice in an attempted murder/robbery in a deal gone bad in south Minneapolis on October 20, 2018. I was set up to be murdered by three individuals in a small south Minneapolis apartment. as I entered the apartment two individuals began attacking me with hammers as the third one put the gun in my face, I was able to make my way out of the apartment into the hallway only to be shot twice, once through my leg, one graze to the head. Fortunately, I was able to make my way out of the apartment building, bleeding profusely, to a gas station across the street, where a nurse pumping gas was able to help me until the ambulance came. I was extremely lucky to have survived, all three individuals were caught and I began therapy immediately.
Physically I was on a cane for 6 months, and once the court case was over, I enrolled in the DBT program which I proudly graduated in the fall of 2020, changing my life forever, and allowing me to be the person I am today. Along the way, I lost a 5-year relationship, lost a career I thought I was destined for but found MY REAL SELF. I’ve always loved fashion and photography, biking/exploring, and music, so one day, after losing my job to Covid, I figured what the hell, let’s do something completely different. Something I WANT TO DO. I had been working extremely hard on myself both physically and mentally and I felt I was ready for a big change! I’m going to be a model. I’m going to be a DJ. And when I can’t do that, I will door dash on my bike. It’s going to happen and I don’t care what anyone thinks. And I believed it 100%. That was almost 2 years ago and my determination and progress have been so incredible I myself cannot believe it at times! Everything I learned in DBT has been essential to my success, as well as learning the power of thought. Think it, see it, believe it, it will happen. 100%. The important things like maintaining relationships, clear communication, and emotion regulation, are all extremely important in growing/furthering a career, all things I was able to do effectively thanks to my wanting to change and therapy. It wasn’t easy and I am just getting started but my journey has been amazing thus far. Starting out modeling I would just shoot myself. I watched every YouTube video out there. I was the model, location scout, makeup artist, stylist, photographer, and editor. I would prepare like it was a real photo shoot and do it myself. Start to finish. I would record myself and learn what works for my look. Learning every side of the camera. Then I reached out to local photographers for TFP (trade for print) shoots.
I traveled. I asked questions. The first three I think all said the same thing after a couple of shots they would look at their camera and say, “wow you got a look” every time. EVERY TIME. At first, I was like oh, they’re just being nice, but it kept happening. So now I’m thinking, I may be on to something here, and it was easy because that “look” they keep mentioning was my “tough guy/jail face” I used to use back in the day so it was easy for me to duplicate hahaha. Since then I’ve done numerous paid shoots for clothing designers both locally and nationally, fashion shows, I’ve posed for paintings, and traveled to three different states I’ve never been to, for modeling alone. I even acted for the first time recently, which was really fun.
It’s been a dream come true and I’m just getting started. I love seeing my face pop up in advertisements, it’s a trip. I paid all my bills for the first time doing what I love for the first time back in October, and it was one of the best feelings EVER. I’m super excited for what’s to come in 2022, a trip to Los Angeles so far, possibly signing with an agency, and hopefully overseas to Asia or the UK for more modeling/DJ opportunities.! I am a survivor. The potential for my success is limitless, and I believe that without a doubt, 100%. I’ve seen it in my head already.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It most certainly was not a smooth ride. But that’s ok. All of the bumps, dings, knocks, and dents along the way made me the model/person that I am today.
I have my look because of my struggles. My look, IS my struggles. My biggest struggles I guess would be growing up, being abused physically by my father, not having a father figure, and not knowing how to be a father. Mental health, trauma, and addiction. Poverty and lack of resources.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a professional model and DJ! I have been modeling professionally for almost a year, catalog work primarily thus far, both local and national, published on multiple websites. I’ve done runway, and fit modeling, and most recently posed as an artist’s model (live painting).
I have always loved music, and have been djing professionally for almost 2 years (minus quarantine). I am currently the resident DJ for Profile Event Center, located in Saint Paul, where I DJ various events, weddings, quinceaneras, and sorority parties primarily. My biggest accomplishment/what I am most proud of thus far would be modeling exclusively for WORNSTAR.COM. I think my look and personality are what really sets me apart from others, nothing is fake, it’s as real as my story is, which also makes me an extremely compassionate individual.
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
instagram.com/jaysin__decora.
Contact Info:
- Website: jayasindecora.com | DJDECO.info
- Instagram: instagram.com/jaysin__decora
Image Credits
F3studios.com and casssiendee.com
