Today we’d like to introduce you to Ally Dominguez.
Ally, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I have always been into video games and music since I can remember. I dedicated myself to games like The Legend of Zelda, Mario Bros, and Double Dragon. I quickly developed a love for video games, upgrading to newer consoles and falling in love with the thrill they provided.
During my teen years, my house served as a place for my friends to come over to battle it out on Goldeneye 64, Super Smash Bros, or an intense game of Mario Cart 64. I soon found myself becoming a competitive PC Counterstrike player, visiting different LAN centers in the Houston area and competing in local tournaments. As I grew up, I began to focus more on my career as a Nurse, but I did not let adulting get in the way of what I enjoyed to do. I continued to play video games and music and even found the love of my life who shared this same passion with me.
As technology advanced, so did the idea of turning my passion into a business. I decided to begin streaming my gameplay through Mixer, a streaming platform owned by Microsoft. I began streaming games such as Fortnite, Call of Duty, and Apex Legends. I also began DJing on the platform weekly to showcase more variety on my channel. I became an official Mixer Partner in February 2019. I had slowly developed an organic, positive gaming/music community which has now grown to over 10,000 followers.
Has it been a smooth road?
Not everyone is made to be a streamer. People do not realize that there is more to streaming than hitting the “Go Live” button. You have to prepare yourself mentally before every stream and be engaging with your audience online and offline. One of the hardest challenges is dealing with the negativity of being in the public eye. As an Asian female gamer, I constantly receive anti-female and racial remarks during my streams. I am a mature woman who does not tolerate this type of behavior in my channel, but sometimes, it gets under your skin and I know there are other women who game who have to deal with this as well, so I stay strong for them. I take a stand and make it known that behaviors like that are not tolerated.
Other struggles are equipment malfunction. To run a good, quality stream, you have to be technologically savvy. I am constantly upgrading my equipment to keep up with technological advances and to keep my content engaging. I am always learning through trial and error and will sometimes feel defeated when something as simple as audio cannot be figured out.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I am a partnered content creator for Mixer. I stream live gameplay and music on my channel four days a week for entertainment purposes with the help of my wonderful moderators. My channel is known for great gameplay, comedy, nostalgic discussions, and my live DJ sets. I am proud of the community that my Mods and I have built because it focuses on positivity and acceptance. During the live DJ streams, it is a place that unifies everyone through music.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Houston is very diverse. You don’t have to travel the world to explore different cultures, because it is all here in the city. Being raised in Alief has shaped me to be the person I am today. My love for the arts and music is strongly rooted in this city. Houston has expanded my knowledge of different cultures and backgrounds. For anyone just starting out in Houston, I recommend exploring all the different cultural foods that this beautiful city has to offer. There are so many different communities that have yet to be explored. Who knows? You might make a new friend.
Contact Info:
- Website: mixer.com/iLLL_kat
- Email: illlkatonmixer@gmail.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/illlkat
- Facebook: facebook.com/illlkat
- Twitter: twitter.com/mskreationkat
Image Credit:
Joel Dominguez
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