Pride Stories: Dom Velez 🏳️‍🌈

We’re celebrating June with some seriously incredible interviews as part of our Pride Stories Campaign. Pride is about celebrating but equally demanding better representation, support, opportunity and equality for our LGBQT+ community in the creative world and further (all year long).

Without further delay, meet the truly inspirational Dom. Dom is a CGC creator from New York who joined Vidsy in 2022. This is her story…

Hey Dom! Tell us a bit about yourself, and how you got to where you are today.

Hi! My name is Dom, I’m located in New York, and I specialize in Creator Generated Content (or CGC as you Vidsy folk say).

I’ve always loved recording myself. Before making content publicly, I would record myself all day and send it to my friends. After coming out, I realized that there were so many parts of myself that I was suppressing and keeping hidden, and one of them was making content.

I got into CGC because of TikTok, where I discovered the world of user-generated content. It felt like a dream job for me because it allowed me to utilize my creativity, marketing skills, and natural ability to connect with others.

Embracing my authentic self meant taking the leap into content creation, and I haven't regretted it since.

What is the importance of representation to you in the industry and in the world at large?

When I was younger, it would have been amazing to see someone on TV or in movies who resembled me, had a similar upbringing, and identified as queer. If this had been the case, I believe I would have discovered my true self much earlier. This highlights the significance of queer representation in social media and other forms of media.

The idea of coming out was so scary because of the lack of representation. Many children, like me, might always feel like something is wrong with them because of who they love.

Through Vidsy, I am able to create content, share my story, and collaborate with major brands. This allows me to inspire younger generations that being queer does not limit our potential for love, happiness, and successful careers in fields like content creation.

If you could send your younger self a message, what would it be?

If I could go back in time and talk to my younger self, I would say that it's okay to feel like you don't belong, to worry about being judged by others, to be attracted to women, and to fear rejection from those around you. You should never feel ashamed of who you are. Learn to love yourself unconditionally, as it can help not only yourself but also those around you 💕

What is one of the most joyful things about being part of the LGBQT+ community?

100% the people in the community.

I attended my first Pride parade last year and honestly I have never felt more welcomed by a community. The LGBTQIA+ can be the most accepting community, literally when the world rejects you, the community accepts you and makes you feel loved. I recommend anyone who is queer to get involved in the community anyway that you can.

What are the most urgent changes that need to be made for the world to be safer and more welcoming for LGBQT+ community?

The most urgent changes that must be made are ensuring safety, healthcare and acceptance for our Trans brothers and sisters. They face the highest levels of violence, oppression, and hate in our community. Until we can create a safe world and environment for the Trans community, then there is no safe world for the LGBTQIA+ community.