We had the good fortune of connecting with Gabriel Aghayere and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Gabriel, career-wise, where do you want to be in the end?
I will create my own animation studio! A studio designed around telling creative and new stories from POC creators. The animation and comics industry is filled with stereotyped characters, and stories used over and over again to depict BIPOC characters. My goal is to elevate and promote stories to go against this stream of thought, and make a new standard of storytelling where someone’s race or orientation does not define or typecast their story!

I will make this happen!

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Currently, I work for Dreamworks as a PA, and will soon be in this position for about a year now. It was a struggle getting in, but I am really proud of myself for finding a way into the animation industry.

Before I got the job, I was an Amazon delivery driver. Every morning I would reach out to people on LinkedIn and just send at least 10 DM’s a day to try and connect with professionals. It took me about seven months but eventually, I met a line producer at Dreamworks. Her name was Ashely Laidlaw; an amazing human, we sat down a few nights to video call, and she helped me get my resume and cover letter together. I started as an intern a little while later, and then was brought on full time!

The entire experience taught me the value of patience and people. Not using people to get ahead, which I was guilty of early on in my DM process, but actually trying to meet people and make friends. Animation is a team sport and no one really wants to work with someone whose only goal is to get ahead. We make cartoons, that take time, and having patience with yourself and your team will create an amazing project, and also create an amazing team.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
No lie I’m from Dallas Texas, so I’ll let you guys know some cool spots to hit up when you visit!

Deep Ellum, the bar scene here is amazing. Around every block, there are delicious restaurants and food trucks to give you the world’s finest drunk food! The Punch Bowl is probably the bar I hit the most when I’m on a night out. It’s a good starting bar with good food, drink, and games!

Next to Deep Ellum, there is the Ellum Art District. This is where you will find some of the best art installments in the city, rivaling the art museums in the area. It’s a great place to walk around and take a date, because not only is the art spread out over a large area, but there are some dope mom-and-pop bakery’s in the area.

More of the creative type, I gotchu! The Fabrication Yard is a dope place to meet fellow artists and work on projects. It is mainly a free wall space where will you find the most legendary graffiti artists in Texas! Local rappers also frequent the spot to record music videos, and you will occasionally find an up-and-coming photographer around capturing the magic!

So yea my 3 favorite spots in Dallas to hit up!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My homie Kendall Buchanan. He went to and dropped out of Engineering School at the same time, and then found out we lived in the same neighborhood.

After leaving Engineering school, I kinda lost. I spent my days working retail gigs, partying with the crew, and doodling in my sketchbook. One day he took me to a comic con to get out of the house, and there I met a teacher at an art school in the area. The teacher liked my sketches, so I started taking classes at the community college soon after. Ever since then, Kendall and Me would go to comic con’s in the area to help me meet more artists and make more connections.

Kendall even helped me buy and build my first PC, so I could start using better art gear and create different types of content.

That’s my homie for life practically my brother!

Instagram: @DrawsbyGBA

Linkedin: Gabriel Aghayere

Twitter: @DrawsbyGBA

Image Credits
All images Drawn by Gabriel Aghayere Wolf is created by Rad Sechrist and owned by DreamworksAnimation

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutAtlanta is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.