Meet Tesz Millan

Today we’d like to introduce you to Tesz Millan.

Hi Tesz, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
Growing up in Mesa, AZ, I was raised to be the next Asian Madonna. All I wanted to do was fit in, be normal, and not stand out in the crowd. But my mother’s dream as an immigrant from the Philippines was to see me live the American Dream to the fullest extent. That meant ultimate stardom. And making money. Lots of money.

Since I was in a sea of people who didn’t look anything like I did, I begrudgingly took the music and dance lessons my mother put me in and learned how to be on stage as a singer and performer. This brought me countless incredible opportunities, like singing in major musical productions, traveling the world as a performing artist, and building a marketing business supporting billion-dollar clients.

Even though I hated every moment of feeling different from everyone around me as a young child, I eventually realized that everything I learned and experienced would lead me to what I would ultimately want to do… be in front of people, connecting with them through my stories and my passion for creativity, and help them see that while we all have our different upbringings, we are all the same.

Today, the way that expresses itself is through my YouTube series “Filipina. American. Creative.” where I rediscover my family’s Philippine heritage to inspire others to cultivate a genuine sense of identity with themselves and the world around them.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
It has not been a smooth road. While I have always found a way to take my life to the next level, nothing has been handed to me. Sometimes I feel like Divine Intervention has brought me to where I am today. But I struggled a lot with self-confidence, which took a toll on my personal mental and physical health, making sure I earned enough money to cover things like health insurance and rent/a mortgage considering I’ve never worked a day in an office my entire professional career, and feeling truly connected to my own family and culture.

I’ve also really struggled with systemic racism and opportunities simply being denied to me because of the color of my skin and the fact that I’m female. Whether it was explicit or unintentionally expressed, I’ve always dealt with “you’re brown, you don’t fit in, you aren’t the right this or that to be considered” to some extent. That’s made me have to root in my sense of self and know that I can do it even if the door isn’t automatically open to me. I have to either keep knocking or build my door where one never existed.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a Filipina. American. Creative., just like the title of my YouTube series states. I am currently expressing that as YouTube Creator. Every episode is self-conceptualized, self-produced, self-edited, self-promoted… but it’s not just me that is making this successful. It’s the community of friends and family (whether by blood or through a soul connection) who watch my episodes, leave comments, take part in in-person or online conversations, and share their stories with me that make what I do as a Creator worthwhile and truly fulfilling.

I am most proud of what I’ve experienced and what I’ve learned along the way. Since I started doing the series one year ago, I have met more people, connected more deeply with the Philippine culture, and experienced more unexpected, unplanned surprises than I could have ever dreamed possible.

We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
Yes – whatever you’re passionate about, whatever your dreams are, START NOW. If you haven’t started because you’re afraid of what might happen, what people might think, what you think won’t work out, just do it. Go for it. Because it won’t be anything like you expected.

The Covid-19 pandemic and how it affected our daily lives was something we could never have thought was possible… ever. In a million years. But it happened. So why not make happen what you have always wanted for yourself? If so much negativity and darkness can happen to us without our control or consent, why not do something with our lives that we love and that brings us and those we share it with light?

Contact Info:

• Website: www.FilipinaAmericanCreative.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teszmillan/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/teszmillan/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/teszmillan
• Other: www.FilipinaAmericanCreative.com

Image Credits
Filipina. American. Creative