Today we’d like to introduce you to Angel Zayas.
So, before we jump into specific questions, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I grew up in New York and moved out to California when I was 19 years old to pursue higher education. I spent five years at the University of Southern California cultivating and growing the drag scene from simple shows that consisted of less than 200 hundred people to the Largest Collegiate Drag Show in the Country with an audience of over 1000 people. I led initiatives to be more inclusive of first-year transfer students into our queer community since I was a transfer student myself. I also cooked a Thanksgiving dinner for three years for queer students who didn’t have homes to go back to over Thanksgiving break. We appropriately named it “Gay Azz Thanksgiving!” I also led the initiative to include hygiene products in our campus food pantry. I graduated with a BA in Theatre and I now work for BuzzFeed as a talent where I star in and produce my own videos!
In my job at BuzzFeed, I work for four different channels. BuzzFeed Video which is the main channel, Multiplayer which is the nerdy/gaming channel, PeroLike which is the #1 Latinx channel on the internet, and As/Is which is about body positivity, beauty, fashion, and makeup. I love my job but in my free time, I am a gamer by trade. I am a Twitch Affiliate who makes money streaming on the platform. My gamer name and the name I am currently branding is “AngelBePlayin” and my mission is to create a more inclusive space for BIPOC, Queer people, and women in the gaming industry. We promote chosen family and it’s truly been a really rewarding experience.
I am known for being very charismatic but also very goal-oriented. My dreams are bigger than the moon. I want to do so many things. I want to be a professional gamer, actor, singer, dancer, drag queen, and everything else. I come from nothing and want to create opportunities in all those spaces for people like me and other members of marginalized communities.
I’m working desperately hard to create a social media following for myself at the moment, something I’ve struggled with over the years. I post regularly on TikTok, IG Reels, and I’m launching a YouTube Channel soon!
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
The struggles I’ve encountered are often related to money. I support myself in Los Angeles. I came from truly nothing and even as a scholarship kid in private school, I was always “the poor kid.” That didn’t change when I got to USC. I never could afford the same opportunities as other students. And I grinded and worked for everything I got. I used the system to my advantage in any way I could to scrape by and I continue to do that today. I crave stability more than anything and that comes with making a name and career for myself. I’ve never given up on me and everything I’ve ever worked for, I’ve gotten. My dreams will be no different.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
AngelBePlayin is a charismatic internet personality. I dance, sing, game, lip sync, host, do makeup, do comedy, slay looks, you name it! I am truly the queen of all trades and I’m not afraid to mention it. I am most proud of the fact that I am able to do all of this and inspire others to do the same. Everywhere I’ve been, I feel like I’ve left it a better place than it once was. I hope to continue doing that in the future.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success for me will be when the world knows my name. I am a perfectionist which can sometimes be my biggest weakness. I have an unwavering work ethic like no one else. If you want someone who will put 110% of themselves into everything, I’m your person. I want nothing less than being someone that inspires people around the world. And when I can look back and my family’s poverty cycle is over and I’ve changed the lives of so many people and I look at all the people I’ve opened doors for… Then I know I will look back and see that my life was successful. And until that day, I will never give up and keep grinding until the end!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://discord.gg/sPkxtfCEjt
- Phone: 5859669061
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: Instagram.com/AngelDustZayas
- Twitter: twitter.com/angelbeplayin
- Other: Tiktok.com/@AngelBePlayin
Image Credit:
Nile Jones, Christopher Hernandez, Ren Ye, E Plant, Justin White, Allen Pham
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