Meet Jaćhai DeJesus | Art Director & Culture Curator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jaćhai DeJesus and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jaćhai, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
When thinking about risk, I like to weigh out all the options that I have personal control over; things that could make or break the decision based on my actions or even word choices. I find it easier at times to take a step back and look at my life choices from a 3rd person’s perspective, to be sure I’ve at least looked into the good, bad, and ugly sides of what could come next with as much transparency as possible.

“You can plan a pretty picnic
But you can’t predict the weather, Ms. Jackson”

Oooo, in my freshly renewed 24 years of life, the risks I’ve taken thus far have taught me a multitude of lessons about how to take a hit and how to throw one; respectfully. Especially when I find myself, fighting myself, to grow up or break old habits or just shake things up to be better for tomorrow’s me.

Risk-taking is the reward of free will, and for me, this realization has led to doors opening, checks clearing, and budgets being raised in both my career and life! While there is a distinction that can be made between career risk and life risk, to me, they’re one and the same. Like a ven-diagram, two separate circles that meet in the middle; the middle being me.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My art, for a while, was based on what I thought my professors wanted to see or work that would make the grade and get me to the next class. Although that worked for some time, it wasn’t fulfilling. I didn’t like the work being produced because the work wasn’t me. It didn’t come from my actual thoughts or feelings.

Now, having made this separation of “art for profit” and “art for myself”, it’s been a lot less stressful in the creation process to actually craft work that speaks to where I am, at that moment. The work I create is for me first and foremost. If Jaćhai doesn’t like it, then Jaćhai’s not going to stress about it. Periodt.

I’ve taken a strong stance in creating work that represents me in a place, time, or phase of my existence, that starts a conversation or gives perspective to think about a situation differently. Nothing about creating for and from emotions is easy, because I have to truly sit and feel what I’m going through in the rawest forms of it, to understand the truth of what I’m looking to put on paper or canvas.

Although it’s not easy to do, it actually feels really good to tap in and check in with myself during the creation process, because it’s a consistent reminder that I am human; and at the base of my existence, I need to “feel” in order to thrive. I need to go through sh!#, in order to learn. It’s a double-edged sword that I wield with grace and fury.

For the outside and outsiders looking in, I’d like for you all to know that social media doesn’t define an artist. It’s a communication tool just like a book. And with any new book, good or bad, you must have the intention to read it. To understand what it’s saying and what it’s saying to you, personally. If you want to engage, and do so meaningfully; with me and my work, please come correct.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If my good sis was coming to ATL, we’d map out a few different places to experience, but no expectation that we’re going to hit all because we never know what we’ll get into once we’ve arrived. These places are in no particular order, just spots I’d like to show her and experience together:

1. Creative Mornings ATL Field Trip

(Creative Mornings host virtual and in-person events all over the city, providing insights into the ever-changing creative world. Now, knowing that my sis has a week-long trip; we’re definitely having mimosas during a virtual field trip; it makes the experience 1,000 times better!)

2. Octus Network + Octus Studios

(A Team of “Superstar Creatives” here in Atlanta, who give life to the art and music scene, through dope networking events and cross collaborations with other up-and-coming brands in the city. It’s always a good time with Octus, and something you can only experience in ATL. To go out looking sickening and shake some a$$, it’s a vibe through and through!)

3. For Keeps Books

(Now, I haven’t ventured inside the book shop yet, but I do keep up with their Instagram and they’re always posting about movie nights and in-person talks with writers and authors from all over! Plus I just want to go and expose my people to the genius of the store; we’re rooting for everyone black’ round here!)

4. Cat Eye Creative

(Another one I have yet to visit but I do keep up with their social media to see what’s tea every now and then. Knowing how me and my good sis like to get into our arts, we’d have a cute micro-dose of Golden Teachers; pull a look and peruse through the gallery space. It’s filled with amazing works from people we’d never hear of, if it weren’t for Cat Eye.)

5. SFQP – Southern Fried Queer Pride

(They’re literally going to take over Pride for the south and really make it what it’s supposed to be; an entire good vibe from beginning to end. Never a lame energy in the building whenever the SFQP season is unleashed on Atlanta!)

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
At the time of writing this, my dedication goes to my mother. It’s insane to me that one individual can have so much love for a person they’re continuing to learn, despite what the outside world and religion have to say about her child’s existence.

It took me a while to calm down and give myself perspective about her and who she was, and who she’s becoming. Understanding, that, I am a piece of her that she’s willingly let loose upon the world, in hopes I don’t f*%k it up or burn it down. Yet, even with all her water-sign (#Cancer) worries, she’s always been my biggest fan & my biggest motivation to do more with my life than just what’s being presented to me.

“When you see me smiling when I feel down
Yeah, I get that from my mama
And when you see these hips and thighs that sit nice
Yo, I got that from my mama
And it don’t matter what I make or where I go in this world
Got to get back to my mama
‘Cause love is what love does
Shoutout to my mama”

Word to Ray Blk; On God!

Website: https://jachai.art/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jac.hai/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jachaidejesus/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jac__hai

Image Credits
Artist: D LO G Photographer: Jquan Rodriguez Artists: Kali Cass + Bambi Photographer: Kodak Artist: Big Rah Photographer: Jaćhai Artist: Hai Shawn Martin Photographer: Kodak Brand: Slapwoods Photographer: Jaćhai Model: Koko Briggs Photographer: Kodak Artist: AB Photographer: Travis Model: Nunu Jones Photographer: Kodak