JAYCINA | Episode 7

Written By Bradley Wete

Jaycina Almond | all photos of Jaycina shot by Mia André
STYLE CREDITS: Jaycina wears an Entire Studios blazer, The Row pants (her own), a Clean Origin necklace, her own earrings, and a Girard-Perregaux watch

Episode 7 of THROUGH IT is filled with tender moments, and a few tears. 
Watch the Full Episode Here

Activist and model Jaycina Almond and I begin with ceramics at Los Angeles’ Clay CA. Studio founder Gabriela Forgo guides my hands through the craft our guest is absolutely obsessed with. After things take shape there, Jaycina and I reconnect at a quiet Echo Park lake house where she opens up.

STYLE CREDITS: Jaycina wears an Alexander McQueen dress (her own) with Adidas sneakers, and a mix of Clean Origin rings and her own jewelry

As you'll learn, Almond lives a full life as a mom, but is not limited by the role. She shows up daily for her daughter Syx, as Tender foundation boss supporting Atlanta's single mothers, and as an oddly reluctant "artist." About that last one… When I first invited the Kentucky native to be a guest on the show, my intention was to delve a bit deeper into what I already knew about her–getting pregnant at 20, raising a child as single women, and starting her career in fashion. 

STYLE CREDITS: Jaycina wears a Stolen Studios Jacket, a W!LDCH!LD embossed leather fringe skirt, and Gianvito Rossi heels

We get into all that, but during our two days hanging in Los Angeles a subtle storyline started bubbling: Jaycina, the shy creative. I learned she’d written an at-times deeply personal poetry book nearly 10 years ago and read a particularly poignant excerpt to her. Her reaction? “Fuck,” she yelped, cringing and laughing at the thought of calling herself a “real” poet. To that end, she also frequents ceramics studios and has produced events centered around craft work, but doesn’t consider herself an artist. There’s a palpable friction between who I notice she is–Duh, a creative!–and her knowing, which apparently needs more physical evidence to merit the title.

“Like, bitch, what have you done that’s creative?”
— Jaycina, questioning herself

A studious creative immersed in the works of the greats. | Books provided by The Last Bookstore | STYLE CREDITS: Jaycina wears a Skims tank top and her own jewelry

My argument and belief is that You are who you say you are. All that’s left is for her to own it. Almond turned 30 last fall. As she enters what no doubt will be an eventful new decade and era, it’ll be fun following as she shakes the modesty and claims the spirit she has within by finally calling herself an artist. 

Back at Clay, noticing the parallels between molding something into a desired shape and the human experience was eye-opening. 

“Clay is such an ancient medium. It’s also very humbling. It has a mind of its own. It’s soil. It’s organic. There’s so many outside factors that come into it. It’s strong. It can withstand fire. But then, it’s so fragile. It can break so easily. [But] it’s also resilient. So regardless of your skill level, just have fun with it.”
— Artist and CLAY CA founder Gabriela Forgo

CLAY CA founder Gabriela Forgo | photos at CLAY CA by Brad Weté

“Another one of my goals is, yeah, falling in love…”

- Jaycina

As this episode dips from CLAY’s intimacy to living room sofa exchanges, Jaycina peels back the layers on her childhood in a troubled home, experiencing a miscarriage, and how her ability to pick up the rubble informs the incredible person she’s become and the causes she’s fighting for now. With all she’s endured, the comparison to the material we used to eventually make bowls, cups, and vases became unavoidable. So much so that I joked that she should consider adding a new descriptor to her social media bios: Claylike. She laughed that off, too. “Maybe.” It turns out I wasn’t far off at all. 

This is a raw conversation about what it means to continually shape your life through every challenge. Yes, just like clay.

Many hats, many roles. | All hats provided by Worth & Worth

When life lifes, ebbing, flowing, and flaming as it does, it sometimes doesn’t feel the best. But in mixing time with tender love and care, going through it leads to something beautiful.

EPISODE 7 CREDITS

EPISODE 7 SPECIAL THANKS

EPISODE 7 PHOTO CREDITS

SPECIAL THANKS

Bradley Wete
Next

Chriss Rogers | Episode 6