As I sit on a stool, preparing to dive into Jess Judith’s journey with social media, her laughter fills the speakeasy, instantly setting the tone. The videographer is adjusting her mic, and Jess is smiling ear to ear, effortlessly connecting with the crew around her. It’s clear that her warm, magnetic personality is as much a part of her as her viral presence on social media. But behind that easy confidence lies a much deeper story of self-discovery and cultural identity.
Though her presence on TikTok and Instagram has made her a rising social star, her path to digital stardom wasn’t easy. In fact, it was through her time spent navigating the challenges of fitting in that she eventually found herself—first as a teenager grappling with her identity, then as a creator who would go on to impact millions.
“Social media was what made me realize: ‘This is me. This is Jess. I don’t have to change who I am so I can make friends,’” she tells Remezcla. Her story begins long before TikTok—in the Dominican Republic, where she and her family decided to leave their home in search of better opportunities.
That decision came at the start of her sophomore year in high school, leading to Jess’ life taking a major turn. Her parents sat her and her younger brother, Mathew, down to announce that they were leaving the Dominican Republic. “My parents had a business in the DR, but it wasn’t doing well anymore. So, they decided it was time to move,” she explains.
When I asked Jess about the moment her parents broke the news, she couldn’t help but laugh, eager to share the memory. “They took us to a pizza place, and they thought it was a good idea to just do it in public,” she remembers. “I wish there was a camera to show our reactions because our mom came out with Mickey Mouse ears and she was like, ‘We have a surprise for you.’ She took out an alligator [toy], and I thought, ‘Are we going to Disneyland? What are we doing?’ And she said, ‘We’re moving to Orlando.’”
And just like that, two weeks after the impromptu Mickey ears and pizza dinner, the Ortiz family was on their way to Florida. As she navigated her new life in the U.S. and immersed herself in an entirely different culture, Jess faced intense cultural pressures that made her question her identity. “I didn’t know if I was Dominican anymore—I didn’t know what was going on,” she reveals.
Making friends was even more difficult, even though Orlando is an incredibly diverse city with a large Latine population (35.6% of the city’s residents identify as Hispanic/Latino). Jess knew, though, that Latinidad isn’t a monolith, and simply sharing a cultural identity wouldn’t automatically help her connect with others. “I didn’t adapt quickly,” she reflects. “I remember trying to make friends, but everything felt so different for me. I felt like I had to change who I was just to fit in with people from different countries. Yes, we were all Latinos, but each Latino culture had its own differences. I even started changing my accent—I was talking like a Venezuelan.”
But everything changed in 2020 when she began sharing her life on TikTok during the pandemic. “I never thought I was going to do content creation,” she says softly. “I had one video go viral, and after that, I just kept posting. I was really consistent from the beginning, but I didn’t really have a clear goal, like, ‘I want this to be my life.’”
Now, with over 4 million followers, her content spans lifestyle, fashion, beauty, travel, and especially music. But what matters most to her is the community she’s built. “My community is so comfortable with me, and I feel so comfortable with them. [They’ve] helped me open up. I love sharing everything with them.”
Her love for music and relatable videos of her fangirling over big Latine artists is what resonated with her audience the most. “How is it that I just show my love for music, and now I’m working with my favorite artists in the world? Every time I meet them, I’m like [jaw drops]. I am fangirling inside, but I’m like, this is so cool. This is the moment. This is exactly what I want to do, and I feel so comfortable as well.”
Jess’s passion for music has brought her to record content with Latine superstars like Rauw Alejandro, Alvarito Diaz, and Becky G, and got her an invitation to host a Q&A session with Young Miko in the Dominican Republic. “It was in the DR, which made it even more special. I remember walking into the room—I was so nervous because it was a panel setting. I was so nervous, and I heard all the girls cheering for me, and I was like, ‘What? They love me too?’”
Most recently, she was flown out to Puerto Rico, where Bad Bunny surprised her after the TikTok video of her decoding his DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS album before it was released went viral. “I think I went nonverbal. I don’t think I said anything. If you look at that interview, I was asking him questions, being conversational, and then after that, I just went [quiet].”
Yet, meeting global music stars isn’t what she’s marking as her most significant achievement. It’s purchasing a home for her parents, who’ve rented since moving from the Dominican Republic. “I haven’t processed that I bought a home for my family and that we live here together. This is our house now, and it’s the first house we’ve owned living in the U.S.”
Besides sharing her passion for music, Jess’s bubbly energy and relatable day-to-day videos about her mental health, her messy room, or simply spending time with her family have cultivated a dedicated following, particularly among young women. “I love my girlies,” she happily shares. “I love knowing that I just have that community there. I just love it so much.”
As for what’s next from Jess Judith, the future is wide open. “I’m open to everything and anything,” she says. “If I hadn’t been this open, I don’t think I would’ve done half the things I have—so I’m staying open to it all.”
Special thanks to The Standard Miami for hosting this shoot.
