Today we’d like to introduce you to Riz Sanchez-Salazar.
Hi Riz, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My modeling backstory started back when I was two years old. A photographer approached my parents for a modeling competition. I ended up winning as the Semi-Finalist. My parents were asked if they want to continue me as a Child Model. Although, I did not continue with my career at that point in my life. My parents wanted it to be my decision. When I was asked, I told them I wanted people to remember me for who I am not because of what I look like. I didn’t remember that happening until my parents reminded me much later in my life when I was approached and signed by a starting out agency in Atlanta when I turned 16, jump-starting my career today. Looking back, I love that from a young age. I wanted this to be way more than just a pretty face behind a screen.
I went to a few classes with that agency throughout age 16-17. However, nothing was taking off until I made a decision that changed my life forever. I grew up in a dysfunctional & struggling family so, the moment I turned 18 years old, I ran away. I was homeless, couch hopping & sleeping in people’s cars for months on end. My regular job wasn’t enough for what all comes with living on your own. Thankfully though, a miracle happened. Through networking, connections & the power of social media, collaborations came flooding in. Those collaborations turned into Paid Gigs. At 20 years old, I am now a Freelance Model with experience in Beauty, Runway, Commercial, Print, Swimwear, and Music Videos. This industry has hundreds of aspiring models/talent who only need someone to help pave the path to success. I now have a group of talented men and women I brought together, helping each other through the beauty and the ugly of this industry. My dream/goal is to open a studio and agency welcoming all the powerful creatives we have in our city. Day by day, I see this dream slowly becoming a reality for me and I couldn’t love where my life is heading any more than I already do.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
No one’s story has had a smooth road. Each and every one of us gets thrown rocks at us, trying to tear us down. All of this depends on your decisions when you do get those rocks thrown at you. When my career began to take off, I went through losing connection with all of my biological family, losing my husband at the time to deportation, being homeless, struggling with mental health, trying to figure out how I was going to graduate high school, getting hate and blackmailed from others in the industry, men trying to take advantage of me, etc.
The Entertainment Industry can turn dark very quickly. For me, seeing the ugly and the beauty of this industry motivates me to go harder every day to be better. Motivating me to be able to say one day I do what I love full time and is happy/healthy doing it. I honestly would not be able to say I made it where I am today on my own. I’ve only been able to stay afloat because I surrounded myself with people who drive off the same independent ambition as me. Surrounding yourself with a team who are in this with you all for a similar goal helps tremendously to continue learning, advising, protecting and going up together. These are the people I proudly call my family.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’ve always been a natural leader, whether it be in school or at any job I’ve had. I’ve also always been known for how patient, understanding, and how easy I am to talk to. So managing comes easy to me. Modeling is one of my main passions, although it’s not all I want to do. I want to help as many people as I can in this world. That’s why I created Diamondz Modelz. A group of young, diverse, talented people from all over Atlanta, Georgia.
I created the group in late December of 2020 and within six months, we have started to become known around our city. Finding paid gigs for every person on our team every day. Professionalism and good energy is extremely important to me and the clients I get. I make sure that every talent that becomes a part of my group is supportive of everyone, no matter what differences we may have. For just starting out, I am beyond proud of the hardworking, loving family I have brought together so far. Booking with us, you are guaranteed with your shoot that you’ll have a good time creating art with us while making sure we get our job done professionally. My intent is to be known as a Professional Model & Agent.
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
Through the power of social media, I see freelance models becoming more powerful than the never-ending number of scamming agencies there are in Atlanta. I’ve witnessed too many beautiful, talented women get scammed out of their hand-worked for money to never get the guidance they were promised to achieve their dreams. I see our generation standing up to us getting taken advantage of and ending the unfair unpaid “exposure” we get played into. I dearly hope as well we become more supportive in this industry due to the attention we’ve started to pay towards mental health for men and women. Hopefully, we start to be more accepting of things we can’t change about ourselves, like our body, for example. Seeing the beauty in everyone.
Contact Info:
- Email: rizbusiness04@gmail.com
- Website: http://www.Instagram.com/official._riz/
http://www.instagram.com/thediamondzmodelz/
Image Credits:
Afif Cherif, William Teel, 11enm, Lorenzo Smith
