Meet Joley Paige Hamilton of Tempe

Today we’d like to introduce you to Joley Paige Hamilton.

Hi Joley, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for sharing your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers.
My story began in a small mining camp town named Morenci, AZ. I spent 18 years there before attending Arizona State University to study business and theatre. As you can imagine, it was quite a culture shock to go from a town of 2,000 people to a university with 37 times that population. I was in lecture halls with 300 students, 3 times the size of my graduating class. Nevertheless, I went on to graduate Top 4 of my business class. While at ASU, I was fortunate enough to be involved in many productions. I planned storytelling events, ran tech for theatrical productions, and wrote/performed for and was on the leadership team for a variety show. I also wrote and performed two different one-woman shows. After graduating in 2019, I worked with PepsiCo at their beverage headquarters in New York State. It had always been a dream of mine to live in New York, so this felt like my golden ticket. Unfortunately, due to COVID and a few other complications – life brought me back to Arizona. It was in 2022 that I decided to try my hand at stand-up comedy. I had missed performing and writing and the community that comes with both. That means by day, I am a national materials planner for a cannabis company, and by night, I practice and work on my craft. It has already been quite the ride, now having been at it for a year and a handful of months. My first show was actually on my 25th birthday last year. I’ve been on over 10 shows since. This year, I plan to start competing at local competitions to further improve my abilities.

You wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been fairly smooth?
It hasn’t been the smoothest road; I’m glad you asked. As I mentioned, I grew up in a small (isolated) mining camp. And while I wouldn’t trade that experience and perspective for anything, it did come with its challenges. I grew up in a single-mother household. My mom was a teacher. Teachers aren’t paid enough anywhere, let alone in a rural mining camp. I knew from a young age that if I wanted to go to college, I would have to go on a scholarship. I don’t think I’ve ever worked harder than I did in high school and college. In high school, it was all about having the perfect college application. In college, it was about ensuring I’d have enough money for rent and enough experience to get a full-time job. After a few semesters, I worked 3-4 jobs at once. I’ve struggled with my mental health and self-doubt through it all. Today, I know that I have depression and ADHD. Through much of it, though, I carried the weight of thinking something was wrong with me, not just my brain chemistry.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am just writing and practicing new material at open mics throughout the valley. I have a few shows coming up in the next couple of months. I’ve been told my humor is dry yet silly, and I’ve been working on finding the funniest interaction between those two. They both have things that are funny about them, and I’m enjoying trying to learn how to take that to the stage. What sets me apart from others is my unique background. I’ve spent much time living in both rural and urban areas.

What makes you happy?
It’s cliche, but I find most of my joy in small everyday things: my cats waking me up every morning, cooking with my boyfriend, and laughing with friends and family. I spent many of my younger years thinking that I wouldn’t make it this far or experience the world. The life I’ve built for myself makes me happy.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.accountablearizona.org/
• Instagram: @JoleyTheStrange
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joleyhamilton/
• Twitter: @JoleyTheStrange