ABOUT ME

Hey there! My name is Vanessa Gonzalez, and I'm a visual artist and storyteller, who is moved by people, stories, and human connections.

I was born and raised in Los Angeles and grew up in the working-class neighborhood of Echo Park (pre-gentrification). My background is as diverse as my identity. My father is black, born in Alabama, and an aspiring filmmaker. My mother, on the other hand, traveled to the United States from Guatemala at the age of seventeen to help support her family. She found work as a domestic worker and raised me with all the ferocity in her being. Through her, I learned strength, determination, and grit.

My upbringing is rooted in the first-generation Latinx experience. Growing up as a young mixed-ish girl in a Latinx community in L.A. had its complexities (and that's a story for another day!). I'm a product of Catholic school education (uniform and penny loafers), the 90s L.A. club scene, and I'm part of the infamous MTV generation, raised on Janet Jackson and cumbias.

In my late 20's, I was in search of a creative outlet, and it came by way of photography. I started out photographing friends and family and discovered I felt the most relaxed shooting women. Being a photographer breathed new life in me and set forth a path that would lead me to where I am now.

In June 2013, I became a mother, and soon after, laid off (while on maternity leave) from my position as a marketing project manager. As a new mom to a six-week-old, the grit and determination I learned from my mother set in, and I quickly found a new position. The impact of that occurrence inspired me to take action and pave the way onto a journey of self-discovery. In 2016, I was part of the early start of Shop Latinx, which not only uncovered new passions, but also connected me with some amazing women, and forged new friendships. The experience reminded me that my interests are related to community, storytelling, visual artistry, and content creation.

And recently, I received a Master of Communication Management degree from USC, a long-time dream for this L.A. girl. Throughout my career, I have worked in the entertainment and advertising industries and for marketing, and public relations firms; for a short period, I co-founded a music P.R. company. This time around, I want to add my spin and share the stories of talented, creative entrepreneurs and artists that make up our community. QNDM is a platform that will benefit women like myself; women that are on a journey to live a life of passion and purpose. Women who aspire to define their own story. 

QNDM, is my life, education, work, and career coming full circle. The journey is never-ending, and I am still growing daily, but I hope you will follow along on my journey to discover the astonishing Queens that elevate our communities.