You can catch @heyshadylady streaming cute video games on Twitch, reading tarot cards for her community, and/or working on art and graphics. The BroadcastHER Grant winner also happens to be a stream coach; she loves inspiring others and sharing her knowledge!

What is your dream as a digital broadcaster?

My dream is to teach fledgling creatives how to tune into their intuition, see the bigger picture, dump the doubt, and feel confident enough in their personal style to become leaders of their unique niches.

How will the BroadcastHER Grant from the 1,000 Dreams Fund help you reach your goals?

It will provide me with a necessary technical upgrade that is very far out of reach for me currently. This technical upgrade — specifically upgrading my audio quality through a professional mic set up — will greatly improve the quality of my YouTube videos and live-streamed content.

What does being the recipient of the BroadcastHER Grant mean to you?

I’m so honored and humbled. I’ve applied for many things throughout my streaming career and have received many rejections. Getting accepted for this was a major validation that I’m on the right path. It was this ah-ha moment — that someone else sees the value in what I’m doing and my worth as a creator. So thank you very much!

Women are underrepresented in gaming, broadcasting, and e-sports. What can we do to change this?

More visibility!! The more we push forward and step up on the stage, the more normalized women in these fields will become. We’re all pioneers in this — and hopefully that will make the process and journey much easier for the women who come after us!

What are some of the challenges you have faced along the way?

Most of my challenges have circled around self-sabotage and lack of confidence. I was beaten down a lot as a teenager by unsupportive teachers, and I’ve had to re-teach myself to be confident. I’ve definitely learned that confidence comes from being brave and putting myself out there in the first place.

What advice do you have for women who want to start broadcasting?

The best advice I could give is stop procrastinating and just START. Even if you can only commit to one day a week, get started! Don’t overthink it; don’t overdo it. There are SO many people waiting to find you and support you, but you have to make yourself available! Be brave and enforce your boundaries.

How do you stay motivated and focused on your goals?

My motivation stems entirely from others’ feedback. I focus as much as I can on helping others pursue their own creative interests, and by seeing that I actually make an impact on others, it makes me feel like I have no choice but to keep pushing forward. On the technical side, though, I also wouldn’t be anywhere without my obsessive planners and to-do lists.