Navy veteran Jason Mills honours aunt in Lillie: A Chosen One

Before Jason Mills became a United States Navy veteran and published author, he was, in the eyes of many, simply a boy from Tivoli Gardens.

The name alone, he said, carried weight -- one that followed him across borders and into adulthood, shaping how others saw him and, at times, how he saw himself.

"Once they see my birth certificate and they see Tivoli Gardens, people assume that I am the worst of the worst," Mills said. "I always struggled with being a nobody."

Through his latest book, Lillie: A Chosen One, Mills is telling a deeply personal story while challenging long-held ideas about identity, worth, and the role of women in society -- themes shaped by his own experiences.

At its core, Mills said, the book is about recognising the strength and significance of women, particularly in spaces where they are often overlooked.

"The deeper story here is what a woman can be when she rises to the occasion," he said. "Usually, society don't embrace the value of a woman and how a woman can stand up, even against all odds."

The story is inspired by his aunt, Lillie, whom he describes as a fierce defender of family and legacy, a woman who, he said, stood firm regardless of the cost.

"My Aunt Lillie ... no matter what opposition she had to face, who she had to lose in the process, she stood up for what was most important to her, honouring her parents' legacy and defending me," he told THE STAR.

For Mills, her example is not just personal, but a reflection of a wider societal gap in how women are recognised.

"Women should be valued and affirmed. We should lift them up, not tear them down," he said.

That conviction, he explained, is deeply rooted in his own upbringing, shaped as much by absence as it was by influence.

Born in Tivoli Gardens, Mills was sent to Clarendon as an infant after his young mother endured a traumatic separation from her children. "I didn't get the chance to be raised by my mother because of what she experienced," he said.

"I think that is why lifting up women is so important to me." His grandmother became his foundation, teaching him that "love, humility and sacrifice matters", lessons that anchored him through life's defining moments.

Yet, the stigma attached to his birthplace persisted. "There was always a stigma attached to me ... even from my own family," he said. "When people think you're from the ghetto, they see you as having no value, no dignity, no worth."

That perception left a lasting imprint. "It really, really rocks me. Even after accomplishing many things, I still struggle with that."

Migrating to New York at 14 brought new challenges. "There was someone close to me trying to introduce me to that life," he said. "They told me the school thing nah go work and I need to make money now."

"I told them that is not my thing ... they jeered at me and said it was foolish, but I stood my ground." Years later, Mills sees resilience as a deliberate choice.

"Resilience is pushing ahead no matter what is pushing against you, like going against the wind," he said.