Life & Work with Edwin of Atlanta

Today we’d like to introduce you to Edwin.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I was born and raised in the South Bronx, the child of Honduran immigrants who came to New York City in the 1980s to give my siblings and me a better life. Growing up, I faced my share of challenges—being left back in the 2nd and 6th grade while attending Catholic school, where I was bullied daily for being gay and having a soft voice. Eventually, I transferred to public school, found my rhythm, and graduated in the top five of my class.

In 2016, I moved to Atlanta to attend Morehouse College and earned my Bachelor’s in Psychology. I wanted to create a new chapter for myself and prove that where you start doesn’t define where you’ll end up. While working retail, a simple interaction changed my life—a woman I helped at the boutique offered me a new opportunity, and by October 2018, I signed my first television contract with NBCUniversal. By 2020, I was featured on She’s the Boss on USA Network.

That experience taught me that success means more when it’s built on your own terms. Today, I’m a content creator sharing motivational and entertaining stories on Instagram that remind people to laugh through the lessons. I even coined “Kaboodlessss,” the word I use when something gives premium and exciting, and “Kadoomsss,” for when something just isn’t giving. My goal is to motivate, entertain, and inspire others to keep pushing—because if I can turn my pain into purpose, so can they.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Life has never been easy for members of the LGBTQIA+ community. The road has never been easy, but I think that’s what built my strength. Being the child of immigrants who came to New York City in the 1980s, I saw firsthand what resilience looked like. My parents sacrificed so much to give my siblings and me an improved quality of life, and that taught me early that pressure creates diamonds.

Growing up in the South Bronx as a gay boy in the early 2000s wasn’t easy. I stood out—tall, soft-spoken, with a little flair—in a neighborhood that didn’t always welcome difference. I still remember taking the back streets from 157th to 156th and Forest Ave, roughly 700 feet, just to avoid getting harassed. Those walks home taught me how to stay grounded and keep moving forward even when it wasn’t easy.

Later in life, when my first TV project wasn’t renewed, I invested $5,000 of my own money to film a pilot. By then, the industry had shifted—it wasn’t just about talent anymore, it was about social media numbers. From 2021 to 2025, it took me four years to grow a real following of 5,000 supporters and build my brand from the ground up.

Along the way, I also had to let go of relationships that dimmed my light. Walking away was tough, but necessary. Now, I use those experiences to remind others that no matter where you come from or what you’ve been through, your story still matters. You can fall, rebuild, and still shine—Kaboodlessss style.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Let me introduce myself—my name is Edwin Bernardez. I earned my B.A. in Psychology from Morehouse College, focusing on Industrial-Organizational Psychology. Since 2014, I’ve worked across Corporate Consulting, Higher Education, and Nonprofits, holding several administrative and operational roles. I also have over five years of sales experience in the luxury retail sector, which helped me support myself through college before stepping into my role as an Executive Personal Assistant.

Today, I work at a sexual health clinic as a bilingual Prevention Navigator, where I test individuals daily for HIV and help connect them to care—either through PrEP or treatment that allows them to reach and maintain an undetectable viral load. My work is rooted in compassion and accessibility, especially for underserved and marginalized communities.

What sets me apart isn’t just my professional experience—it’s the life I’ve lived. My father was diagnosed with Multiple Systems Atrophy, a rare neurological disease, and passed away at the tender age of 54 in 2015. My mother’s strength shaped much of who I am. She was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005 when I was nine years old, and as her youngest child, I became her caretaker—cooking, cleaning, and nursing her back to health when others couldn’t.

In 2021, while I was living in Atlanta, my mother suffered a fall that revealed her cancer had returned and spread to her bones. I spent the next few years balancing my career while flying back and forth to New York to care for her. In late 2024, we learned the cancer had become metastatic, and despite her incredible fight, she transitioned to hospice and passed away on January 17, 2025.

Through everything, I’ve stayed grounded by purpose—serving, healing, and helping others. I’m most proud of my perseverance despite life-altering experiences. In 2017, I began prioritizing my mental health by working with a team of therapists and psychiatrists, eventually beginning medication that stabilized me after years of emotional, mental, and sexual abuse. Taking that step saved my life, and today, I speak about it openly to remind others that healing isn’t weakness—it’s courage.

What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
I’ve learned that, as stated in A Course in Miracles – Lesson 193, “All things are lessons that God would have me learn.” That truth has completely shifted how I view life. Every challenge, heartbreak, and success has been a divine lesson meant to shape me, not break me.

I’ve learned that everything is exactly as it should be, even when it doesn’t feel like it. That what we allow is what will continue, and that real growth begins when we choose to stop repeating old patterns and start honoring our worth.

Most importantly, I’ve learned that success is contingent on how badly you say you want it—and the price you’re willing to pay to achieve what your heart desires. Nothing worthwhile comes without sacrifice, but every step toward purpose is worth it.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whomeeddie?igsh=MTZpcjBvYnFlaTBmcw%3D%3D&utm_source=qr