Deovani Jean on Life, Lessons & Legacy

We’re looking forward to introducing you to Deovani Jean. Check out our conversation below.

Good morning Deovani, we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: What are you most proud of building — that nobody sees?
My confidence. I still have work to do, but I’ve come a long way from where I started. I built it by changing how I speak about myself and intentionally reshaping my perspective. I created vision boards filled with childhood photos and present-day images paired with affirmations, which helped me see myself through a new lens. I became conscious of thoughts like “I’m ugly” or “I’m dumb” and corrected my language in real time.

I still have moments of insecurity, because I’m human. On days when I can’t find it within myself, I pretend, like Rihanna says to do. The surface-level stuff is a waste of tears.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Born in Fort Hood, Texas, my veteran Haitian immigrant mother instilled a sense of hustle in me. That drive has powered me through the fashion and media industry with laser focus. My intentions have always been clear, though they do occasionally pivot. I entered the industry seeking to be a fashion designer but fell more in love with styling. Through community and lived experience, I’ve become more than just a stylist, more than just a fashion person. I am an artist. A creative at heart.

Beyond that, I’m a businessman focused on building deep connections that extend beyond financial gain. I want to create change. I want to be a pillar in my community, a figure young queer Black men can aspire to. That’s what I’m doing with 11:11 Collective, or 11:11 Co. for short, a holding company housing several creative-focused businesses built for longevity with my business partner, Curtis Babers.

Okay, so here’s a deep one: What was your earliest memory of feeling powerful?
One of my earliest memories of feeling powerful was during my pre-teen and teenage years, between 2014 and 2020, when I played Roblox religiously. I was a developer and group owner, creating clothing for the community, mainly within the superhero role-play space. I noticed a major gap in the market for women’s superhero suits. Male characters had endless great designs, but women were severely underrepresented.

I taught myself a free program called Paint.NET and, over time, built a loyal audience. Before my account was banned, I had around 3,000 followers, and my group had about 1,000 members. When Roblox introduced custom mesh uploads, I learned how to import Sims 3 hair models into the game and gained an even larger following. Some of those hair models, and outfits I created, are still worn in games today.

As a kid, that made me feel powerful. In real life, I didn’t feel very powerful or important, so being able to experience that online forever altered my brain chemistry. That experience gave me faith that I could build something meaningful and successful in the real world.

Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Shocking to most, I was diagnosed with severe depression at 16 and remained unmedicated for various reasons. Over time, my demons caught up to me, and I began abusing substances. My family powered me through and helped ground me. I got sober and slowly started figuring my life out around 18 or 19. When I reflect, it feels like a completely different life.

I remember being taunted by my own mind. Thoughts of taking my life were common, and I felt deeply alone despite having friends all around me, some suffering in the same misery. I’m still friends with some of those people today. Without community and doing the real work, I wouldn’t even be having this moment: being featured in my fifth article in a year.

I’ll forever be grateful for how the universe and my angels have held me down. I choose happiness. I will never return to that place. Life comes in waves, and sometimes the bigger ones are harder to stay on your board. But you always get back up and ride the next wave if you fall. There’s so much out there, and it would be a shame to let it all pass by because we couldn’t choose.

Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. Is the public version of you the real you?
It’s very important to me that my online personas reflect aspects of my inner self. I would say, yes, they are the real me. Over the years, I’ve been very intentional about that. But it’s also important for people to understand that they don’t truly know me just because they see my social media. There is plenty in my life I don’t post and plenty I don’t communicate to everyone.

It’s important that we all do our best not to let parasocial relationships distort our perception of what a real relationship between two individuals actually is.

Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. What will you regret not doing? 
Something I think we’ll all regret not doing is taking the chance. Talking to that boy at the coffee shop because you thought he was cute. Starting your New Year’s resolution of going to the gym. Setting up the business you’ve been talking about for years. Allowing yourself to be a beginner and learn.

Ego gets the best of a lot of us, and we shrink ourselves when we aren’t like the professionals we see on social media. Many of these people have resources and years of experience that you may lack. Raw talent does exist, but more often than not, that talent is refined through years of practice and commitment to something you care about.

I’ve been doing my best to live with little regret. One thing I always wanted to do was sing. In 2025, I took vocal lessons for most of the year. I still practice and occasionally post the journey. I have a long way to go, but I’m so much better than when I first started.

We all need to be self-starters in 2026 and the years moving forward. It’s possible to have cheerleaders, but it’s true when people say no one is coming to save you but yourself. You have to be the change you want to see. And in order to change, you simply must change.

Start with your mind if that’s where your pain point is, and build the pattern. The same way your brain has created a habit of checking your phone, you can create a habit of going to the gym. Start small. Momentum is built.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deovni?igsh=dm0ya2plMTJ1ZXN6&utm_source=qr
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deovanijean?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app

Image Credits
IMAGES SHOT BY WISDOM WARNER
@wisdom.tiff