Life, Values & Legacy: Our Chat with Jayé Da’Vaughn of New York

We’re looking forward to introducing you to Jayé Da’Vaughn. Check out our conversation below.

Hi Jayé, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: What are you most proud of building — that nobody sees?
What I’m most proud of building that nobody sees is the infrastructure — and for me, that starts with myself. Over the last 11 months, I’ve been laser-focused on discipline. I’m up at 4 a.m. every day, in the gym before the emails even start, and just as committed to consistent prayer and journaling. I’ve limited my screen time and pulled back from social media so I can protect my focus. I challenge myself in ways that stretch me — physically, mentally, and spiritually — and I make choices that line up with the bigger vision. People might notice the surface-level results, but what they don’t see is the structure, the daily practices, and the foundation I’ve been building within.

I bring that same mindset into production. People see the shows, the events, the highlight reels — but they don’t see the scaffolding it takes to make them real: the systems, the relationships, the run-of-show maps, the backup plans… all the unglamorous stuff that holds everything together. I believe you can’t pour from an empty cup, and that applies to both people and production. When you neglect the foundation just to meet external demands, things eventually fall apart. So I take pride in the invisible architecture, both in myself and in my work, because that’s what actually makes the visible moments possible.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My path has given me a chance to contribute from a lot of different angles, but the through-line in all my work is building platforms that create space, amplify voices, and make an impact. Alongside my executive role in legacy media — where I’ve had a front-row seat to both the strengths and the limitations of traditional systems — I’ve been intentional about charting what comes next. That’s meant leaning into ventures that are creative, sustainable, and built on ownership. I lead Jayé Da’Vaughn Entertainment (est. 2009), which has expanded its footprint across production and strategy, delivering results that resonate with both audiences and communities.

We soft-launched a subsidiary, Da’Vaughn Designs (@DaVaughnDesigns), a digital creative studio where vision meets vibe. Over the past year, we’ve been curating for both micro and macro brands behind the scenes — companies people interact with every day. The full rollout comes in 2026, but the seeds are already shifting culture in quiet ways — and seeing that early vision take form has been incredible.

Beyond my companies, I serve on several boards at both the local and national level, because leadership for me always circles back to community. One example is my role on the Board of Directors for Well Cloth’d (wellclothd.com), a nonprofit providing clothing and essentials to families in need. Their model is rooted in dignity and access, and I’m proud to support their mission of meeting people where they are.

In April, I joined the National Team at State of the People — a grassroots ecosystem designed to amplify marginalized voices and build both political and cultural power. My work focused on Partnerships and Production during the State of the People Power Tour, which spanned 12 cities across the country. We held gatherings in places like Newark, Atlanta, Detroit, Houston, Oakland, and Philadelphia, creating spaces where organizers, artists, and everyday people could come together to share strategies and reimagine what people-powered democracy looks like.

That momentum built into two historic milestones this summer. On Juneteenth, we hosted the State of the People National Assembly in Baltimore, Maryland, bringing thousands together for a day of cultural celebration, policy discussions, and collective healing. It was a convening that honored history while carving out a vision for our future. Just weeks later, we launched the People’s Marathon — four consecutive days of live programming that featured voices from across the nation responding to pressing political, cultural, and social issues. It was an unprecedented experiment in 24/7 grassroots media, and I was proud to stand with the team that carried the weight of those moments — making sure the vision matched the urgency, and that the energy of the people translated into something lasting and true.

Those experiences weren’t just events — they were living proof of what collective organizing can achieve when people have the tools and platforms to tell their own stories. It has been the honor of a lifetime to contribute to that work, and it has reshaped the way I think about my role in media and production.

Out of that chapter, I stepped into my current role as Senior Producer of The Signal Live — the flagship weekly program of State of the People TV (SOTP-TV), a new Black-owned network dedicated to centering truth, culture, and community. The Signal Live premiered on Thursday, October 2, 2025, at 9:00 p.m. EST on stateoftheppl.com and YouTube @stateoftheppl, featuring dynamic voices like Angela Rye, Brittany Packnett Cunningham, Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett, Raeshanda Lias, Karen Attiah, and more.

Airing every Thursday at 9 p.m., the show brings together movement leaders, cultural innovators, and everyday people to unpack the week’s headlines, challenge narratives, and spotlight real solutions. It’s not just commentary — it’s conversation. We believe in breaking the fourth wall, shaking the norms of broadcast media, and creating space for collaborative dialogue with our audience. We understand the urgency of this moment — and that intention is reflected even in our logo. I took the team’s notes and built the words around the pulse — a visual heartbeat that mirrors our mission: to stay tapped into the people, the culture, and the truth.

I hope your readers will check us out — subscribe to the channel, join the conversation, and sound off in the comments. In an era where media often speaks at us, we’re building a platform that speaks with us. I’ve watched this team lead a 12-city national tour, produce two marathon-style live broadcasts, host a three-day convening, and launch a digital network in six months. The SOTP squad are some of the finest in the business — across sectors, across disciplines — with our people at the center and joy as our anchor.

For me, this work represents more than a new role — it’s the natural evolution of my career: moving beyond legacy media into ownership, purpose-driven storytelling, and collective liberation through creative production.

What excites me most about this season is the alignment — every project, every partnership, every role ties back to community, wellness, and ownership. I’ve learned that when you protect your foundation and move with intention, the impact reaches far beyond you. That’s where my energy is right now: investing in people, in culture, and in stories that will outlive the moment.

Okay, so here’s a deep one: What part of you has served its purpose and must now be released?
The part of me that has served its purpose is the hero — the version of myself with a huge heart that felt responsible for rescuing everyone. All it ever left me was depleted. It served its purpose because it taught me compassion, patience, and the limits of what one person can carry. I released that version of me in November 2024, and it was the most freeing decision I’ve ever made. We’re often guilted into believing that self-preservation is selfish, but it’s not. It’s survival. And letting go of that burden has given me the clarity and energy to truly live.

You don’t have to set yourself on fire to keep other people warm.

What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Suffering taught me things success never could. It taught me patience when nothing was moving, resilience when everything felt uncertain, and faith when outcomes were beyond my control. Success can validate you, but suffering humbles you. It strips away the illusions, shows you who you really are, and forces you to build from the inside out. For me, it revealed that strength isn’t about what you accomplish — it’s about what you endure and how you rise.

Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. Where are smart people getting it totally wrong today?
I am an intellectual and a scholar, and I’ve seen firsthand how smart people can get it wrong when they mistake intellect for impact. Science, professionals, and expertise are absolutely necessary — their work saves lives and pushes society forward — but intelligence alone isn’t enough. Too often, the smartest people in the room, whether in academia, politics, or boardrooms, get trapped in theory, titles, or data, and forget to stay grounded in lived experience.

The result is policy that looks good on paper but fails in practice, strategies that serve power more than people, and solutions that miss the human cost. Smart people across all sectors — from scholars to CEOs — can fall into this trap. The real measure of intelligence isn’t how much you know, it’s how well you can listen, translate that knowledge into action, and stay accountable to community. Without empathy and humility, even the sharpest minds can do more harm than good.

Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: Could you give everything your best, even if no one ever praised you for it?
Let me say this louder for the people in the back: if you’re doing what you do for praise, you’ll be disappointed every time. Praise is fleeting — it becomes like a drug you end up chasing, and the high never lasts. I’ve always been wired to give my everything, to the point my therapist once told me that my 100% is the average person’s 10%. People who know me know I go hard, but my anchor has never been applause. It’s been about the success of the work itself, the impact, the integrity of the thing — that’s what keeps me going. Praise is not the litmus test for greatness, and if more people leaned into giving their best without needing recognition, the work itself would be so much stronger.

Contact Info:

• Website: New site launching in 2026 — stay tuned for the official release.
• Email: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jayedavaughn/
• Threads: https://www.threads.com/@jayedavaughn

Image Credits
Jayé Da’Vaughn Entertainment, LLC
Old Dominion University
Columbia University
State of the People