Jeannie Mai Teaches Us to Own Our Truths, Our Faults and How to Face It Till We Make ItĀ
Vivacious, outspoken, bold and relatable are just a few words to describe Jeannie Mai, a Vietnamese-American television personality, style expert and an executive producer and Emmy-award winning co-host of āThe Real.ā Maiās unique zest for life is contagious and one of the many components that have her stand out, even in a room full of people whose job is to do just that. Throughout the years, as she climbed the professional ranks of the entertainment industryāstarting off as a makeup artist at MAC CosmeticsāMaiās purpose has always remained the same: to inspire and encourage women to own their truths and know their worth.
āOwn you before they do,ā the San Jose native frequently says to her fans, whom she calls āMai fam.ā
āOwn whatever it is that you donāt like about yourself before someone thinks they own it for youā¦then they think they have the right to shame you, to embarrass you, to hold it over your head or remind you about it.ā
Mai doesnāt let anyone have that kind of power over her. What she once saw as insecurities are now her greatest assets. āWhen you just own that about yourself, not only does it become a unique trait of yours, but you [also] might realize that itās one of your powers,ā shares Mai. Her story and success are written on her termsāand by her terms only.
But like all powerful people who go down in history, this wasnāt always the case. Learning to own (and speak) her truth was no easy task. This past May, the 40-year-old opened up about a traumatic childhood experience in her recently launched YouTube series āHello Hunnayāāa web series where Mai candidly shares her thought process and opinions on life, fashion, family, social issues, beauty, dating and much more.
In this vulnerable episode, she revealed why she had a major falling out with her mother, Olivia TuTram Mai, who is widely known as āMama Mai.ā
Mai was sexually abused by a close family member when she was nine and it went on for four years. At the time, when she tried to confide in her mother about the abuse, Mama Mai didnāt believe her. Hurt and betrayed, she left home at the age of 16 and didnāt speak to her mother for eight years. The unfiltered episode documented the first time the mother-daughter duo addressed the heart-rending incident. Mai hopes that by sharing the rawness of her story, it will help others in similar situations find the strength to speak up and heal from the inside. Your story is your power.
Using the years of hard lessons and heartbreaking experiences as a tool to help others, Mai was awarded the 2019 Pioneer Woman of the Year at Los Angeles City Hall for her fight against sex trafficking. She also serves as a board member for several nonprofit organizations, to name a few, Dress for Success and Same Sky. Through her platform, the star hopes to empower women everywhere to find their voice and own their truth.
Despite the grievances of their past, Mai and her mother have mended their relationship. The celebrity credits her mother for her success and ebullient personality. āAlthough everyone enjoys Mama Mai, sheās not for everybody,ā Mai says.
āThe way she mothered me, I took that and created my personalityā¦the way I handle things now is because of the way she raised me.ā
Specifically, from a Vietnamese-Chinese background, she knew that her motherās āoverly strict, overly controlling, absolutely nosyā and tough demeanor comes from a place of love. To reassure Mama Mai, she learned to over-communicate, covering all her bases and thinking five steps ahead: where she was going, how sheād get home and how she was guaranteeing her safety.
āItās the way I reacted to [Mama Maiās strictness] that made me mature faster and learn a lot of the lessons that I needed to learn in that time,ā shares Mai. āLife is 10 percent of what happens to you. How you react is 90 percent of who you become.ā Fast forward to todayāher playful banter and interactions with Mama Mai often steal the limelight in any setting.
Mama Mai is a star in her daughterās life, adding humor and heartfelt sass to āHello Hunnay.ā Many topics from āThe Realā appear in Maiās series, but she wanted more space to express herself. She believes the hour-long talk show format doesnāt allow time to share everything she needs to say.
āI have so much shit to say so it helps to have a digital series like āHello Hunnay.ā There I can run it and say as much as I damn well want,ā laughs Mai.
āBecause I donāt ever want to shortchange people when I have opinions or something that really helped me. And I never want to give you a version that may not hit you as hard as it did for me.ā
Mai co-hosts āThe Real,ā produces āHello Hunnay,ā and appears as a fashion correspondent on āE!ās Live From The Red Carpet.ā Sheās also the sideline correspondent on āHoley Moley,ā an extreme mini-golf series executive produced by NBA star Stephen Curry. Mai loves that the show appeals to viewers of all ages and backgrounds, which drew her to the project.
āThereās a moment where I actually tee off with Anthony Anderson from āblack-ish.ā Let me tell you the most unexpected outcome came out of that,ā she says.
āYou should absolutely watch because we have celebrities coming every week and I golf with themā¦ I kinda kill it just so you know.ā
With all the diverse directions that Mai is constantly being pushed and pulled in, both personally and professionally, the celebrity doesnāt strive for perfection. Instead, she focuses her mental energy on recognizing what she wants to improve on, then cultivates her thoughts into action.
āOwn whatever it is youāre not great at,ā explains Mai. āThe number one thing for confidence in general is to own the process of becoming what it is you desire.ā
However, donāt mistake what Mai entails as confidence for faking it. āOne fucked up piece of advice that people used to tell, especially to women in the industry, is to āfake it till you make it,āā she says. āThe fuck are we learning if we fake who weāre supposed to beā¦ I say āface it until you make it, donāt fake it.āā Mai urges women to trust and listen to their intuition because thatās where your power liesāwithin you.
Another message that she constantly reminds her fans is to ākill it with confidence, hunnayyyy.ā Maiās fervor for fashion and unique sense of style have been a constant heartbeat in her career. She has confidence daily, finding power in a bold outfit or a pop of colorāeven on tough mornings.
When sheās feeling low, her go-to look includes baggy pants, an oversized hoodie and a baseball cap to hide her bare face.Ā āInstead, Iām going to put on a wrap dress thatās a gorgeous fuchsia. Paired with great heels that make me look cute wherever I sit, stand or walk,ā she describes.
āWhen I run into a friend and sheās like, āOh my god, I love this color,ā that reaction that Iām receiving because of my energy [thatās generated from the outfit] is being reciprocated works wonders on what I didnāt have by myself.ā
At a young age, the fashion expert found solace in the colors, cuts and fabrics nestled in her closet where she bore the concept of āWearapy.ā Though fashion, Mai believes that her philosophy behind the practice of āWearapyā offers healing effects on womenās confidence and mood, which can aspire a more purposeful and fulfilling life. āThe outside immediately starts to penetrate the inside when you have an outfit that makes you feel good,ā she states. The key is: donāt let your feelings pick out your outfit and donāt let ignorant people dictate your feelings.
The direction of Maiās professional career wasnāt always clear. However she always knew she wanted to be āin the business of making women feel good about themselves.ā The goal was never to be famous, to achieve consistent screen time or to be celebrated for her personality. Maiās goal is to empower āall the sisters (and brothers) out there.ā She wants to them find confidence and discover their unique power from within through various life ports. She shares her story in the hopes of celebrating you and the power within your truth.
Jeannie Mai
@thejeanniemai
Hello Hunnay with Jeannie Mai
@hellohunnayshow
Written By: Annie Kim
Styled By: Sarah Nearis
Makeup By: Motoko Honjo Clayton
Hair By: Traci Garrett Jeannie Mai
