Today we’d like to introduce you to Dazelle Yvette.
Dazelle, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
My journey into entertainment started with a modeling. Growing up seeing my mother and her friends who were models made that was my first step. I started modeling professionally at the age of 14 in Chicago, where I moved to with my mom from Tennessee. I have always felt it was a natural progression for me to cross over into acting. I worked on and off and during the breaks I would take acting class. None of it was without bumps and bruises but that’s how you learn, right? One thing I did learn is that I needed to have other streams of revenue so, in 2006 I started what has evolved into Pretty Girl Certified® in 2018.
I started Pretty Girl Certified® (PGC) in Chicago. Although I love acting and nothing can replace that, my heart has always been in helping empower and motivate other women. I think if comes from experiences in childhood and dealing with other women in the industry. Oh but that’s another story (LOL). My goal was to start a business that combined girl’s night out with female empowerment and knickknacks. I did this because I wanted to make sure I didn’t become a starving artist statistic. Now, it is an online boutique.
I wanted the whole actor dream and I had my eyes set on Hollywood. After my last trip to Europe to model I decided to plan to move to Los Angeles but I had to put it on hold for a while having become a single parent. I began auditioning and working on projects around Chicago. That did for a while and of course, I still wanted more but being a single a parent, I didn’t want to move to LA without a support system so I waited until my son was in high school and then I made the move. It took me seventeen years to move but I’m here now. I have started acting classes again and finally landed with Choice Skinner at the Breakin Through Actors Workshop which had made a huge difference in my confidence and growth.
The struggle is real because I am literarily fighting for myself. You have to have an agent or manger to get into the big rooms but finding one without credits is like pulling teeth from a whale. The person I am and was raised to be won’t stop and honestly can’t stop. It’s in my blood and this is what I was born to do. I have learned that it’s not enough to be an actor, I have to know the business so that I don’t have to wait for roles but I can start to create. That is exactly what I have done.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Honestly, this is a two-fold answer. I’m still new to this process along with the bumps in the road and learning curves. I will say it was all worth it. With my acting, the auditioning process (for the rooms I was able to get in) was terrifying to me at first then something clicked and now I enjoy it. The hard part is finding a reader to help with self-tapes and running lines. With the recent shut down, now the game is keeping momentum. Can’t stop…won’t stop!
When it comes to Pretty Girl Certified ®, we are still striving to finding the perfect marketing team. Building the dream team takes time just like building a business and things are coming together.
Can you give our readers some background you and Pretty Girl Certified ®.
Proudly, since moving here to Los Angeles, I have been cast in three award winning films and have the privilege of working on another soon to be released.
Balance of Power (People’s Telly Award – Silver & Los Angeles Movie Awards -Best Experimental), Mino A Disporic Myth ( New Orleans Jury – Short Film), Right Where You Need To Be ( Festigious- Best Drama) and Shield and Ten which I am beyond excited to be a part of. In this film I get to actually use my stunt training and kick a little butt. It’s an amazing story about balancing the scales of justice. I can’t wait for the world to see it. Until then, people can find it Instagram @ShieldandTen.
Pretty Girl Certified® at its foundation is rooted in girl power. Our mission of bring women together has not changed since 2006. We are an online boutique that provides clothing for a cause. Partial proceeds go make sure that happens. Every time one of our signature t-shirts with the Pretty Girl Certified™ seal is purchased, It helps with homelessness and young women as they begin their journey into college.
This year, we started a scholarship fund for high school graduates. Our first scholarship was given to Angelina Cofer in Chicago. Next year we will be giving two more and we are beyond proud to be a company that gives back.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
My favorite memory from childhood…ok. There are a couple that comes to mind. One was visiting my Aunt Margaret in the summers with my big brother and cousins. I can’t remember anytime being more of a kid than that. The other is doing my first professional fashion show with my mom. I’ll never forget how they bent the rules for me to do the show because I was only 14 but I held my own against some pretty amazing women.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://PrettyGirlCertified.com
http://IAmDazelle.com - Instagram: http://instagram.com/PrettyGirlCertified
http://instagram.com/dazelleyvette - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IAmDazelleYvette
Image Credit:
Maseo Photography (Pretty Girl Certified™️ photos), Zachariah Photos (personal picture)
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