She’s Riss — and she’s a professional artist/designer and owner of Tasty Peach Studios. But, she’s also a variety streamer — @Tastypeachstudios — with a passion for art, games, and community. This BroadcastHER Grant winner believes everyone can be an artist, and she believes in building each other up as a community. She loves to talk about what it takes to pursue art as both a hobby and career!

Other fun facts? Her favorite food is mac & cheese; her favorite color is pink; she likes adorable characters, dragons, and naps; and she dislikes pickles, rude people, and feeling rushed!

What is your dream as a digital broadcaster?

I want to connect with those who love my brand on a more personal level, while also teaching others what I know about art and manufacturing. I want to create a tight-knit community of like-minded individuals who love art and games and who appreciate each other.

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

This grant will help me purchase equipment and upgrade my stream while also providing funds to help build my brand for YouTube videos. I plan to create tutorials and more for artists there while also teaching on my stream. I also will be getting a new art program to further my work and explore other ways to create.

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

Receiving this grant is extremely humbling — out of all the amazing women who are selected, I was too! I will be mindful and do my best to uphold the integrity of the grant. It really means so much, especially in an industry where women do not have as many opportunities like this! I hope to also fundraise to help the next set of grant winners!

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

Encouraging women as a whole may be helpful. We are capable of great success on streaming and gaming platforms. While gaming and broadcasting in general gives quite a range of things to do for women, e-sports is a bit limited in my opinion. Perhaps if games were created to inspire other forms of competitive game-play (like world building or collection-based) — ones that also were enjoyed by women more — it might balance it a bit.

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

I have dealt with some self-confidence issues as well as overworking and dealing with individuals causing problems in stream chat. I have learned over the years that I am capable, hard-working, and I can turn any troll on their head and fire back with compassion ajd humor (or sass, depending on the comments ).

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

You don’t have to have everything perfect to start, but also some planning is key! Really take some time to think about a few things you want to do. You don’t need a huge setup, fancy scenes, or even to spend a lot to get going. Start with the basics and don’t overwork yourself. Don’t let anyone tell you what to do. Streaming should be fun — for YOU and the community you will build!

How do you stay motivated and focused on your goals?

For me, streaming is like visiting my best friends every week. It’s something I look forward to — and even though I still get butterflies before each stream, I know it’s going to be amazing! My community is a huge focus and reason that I stream. I am motivated to keep creating and to keep making things fun for all of us — myself included. It’s also a wonderful way to have some focus time on my brand and show others what I am creating!