Yangsin Lau Vazquez, Marketing & Social Media Manager at Andbox
In Career Spotlight, we profile women, nonbinary, and marginalized gender professionals in the gaming and gaming-adjacent industries. We hope to show the vast array of jobs that exist and how gameHERs can incorporate the world of gaming into their work.
This week we profile Yangsin Lau Vazquez, Marketing & Social Media Manager at Andbox. Andbox is the New York Tri-state area’s flagship esports organization; it owns and operates several prominent New York esports teams, manages leading content creators in the world of gaming and esports, and has created new platforms for amateur players to compete and showcase their skills. Yangsin spoke about what her job entails, the skills she uses, her advice for young women getting into esports, and more.
Yangsin Lau Vazquez, photo courtesy of the subject
What does your job aS Marketing and Social media manager at Andbox entail? What are your main responsibilities?
I like to say that I do everything under the sun—from implementing content strategy and social voice to creating memes and Twitter banter, my job here at Andbox has me wearing many hats. My main responsibilities are managing our social channels, developing content ideas, and mapping the social presences of our brands.
What skills do you use most in your job?
I flex my organizational skills and also copywriting skills in my work! There are so many exciting and new opportunities and activations that come up on any given day. Half the battle is knowing what’s going on. In order for me to properly execute these projects so that they are polished and delivered on their purpose, I need to make sure I’m looped in and seeing them come to life.
Since social channels are the mouthpiece to establishing brand identity, I need to find the words to express that. I never really took myself for a writer, but I do a lot of sponsorship and social writing—two types of writing that need very distinct sounds.
Andbox is based in New York. How would you describe the New York gaming scene?
Just like New York, it’s vibrant, colorful, and passionate. I don’t think you can come across any gamer in New York without them having some strong opinions on their game of choice. We just come with that fire and that flavor that cannot be replicated or imitated.
How did you find your way to working in esports?
Funny enough, a LinkedIn search. I knew I always wanted to work in gaming or media, and at the time, I was looking for a new challenge in my career. On a whim, I looked up “esports jobs” on LinkedIn, and here I am today.
What do you think is the relationship between the local and the global when it comes to gaming and esports?
Local is your direct plug into the scene. Whether it’s tournaments, events, or even just your local LAN center, local provides a way for you to feel a part of a community and participate. It’s how you can meet people near you and all cheer for one team. You can definitely have that on a global scale too. Global provides this greater sense of belonging and community where you can walk down the street, see someone with a different team jersey on, and appreciate that connection. It’s almost like an unspoken language. There may be times where you can’t participate in global events as closely as you could the local, but to me, it’s all a part of the fabric of gaming.
What advice do you have for young women who may want to forge careers in esports?
Do it. If you’re passionate about games, there is a place for you here. It may not be the easiest road to travel down, but you have a place in esports. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
Build up the skills, pursue your passions, and do it unapologetically.
Do you game personally? If so, what are your favorite games?
I do! While I’m currently vibing out with Valorant and Call of Duty, I’m actually really big into rhythm games. My really random talent is being a little too good at Dance Dance Revolution. If there is ever a LAN event and I see a machine… well, I’ll be there. Otherwise, I like games like Tetris to zone out.
What can we as fans and consumers of esports and the gaming industry do to support women in esports?
Create space. Make space. Include. Engage. Just like any other gamer, you want to play the game. There are more ways to make whatever activation, program, event, tournament, etc. more accessible to women. Just make sure there’s a woman in the room helping make those decisions too. Women don’t just do women-only things. We do that and more. Let’s make sure we as organizations and leaders in the space reflect that belief.
What do you wish for the future of women in esports?
I wish for more. More opportunities. More success. More visibility. I want esports to be a reflection of the people who love it and it’s so much more than what you’d imagine. Let’s tap into who our audiences are made of and elevate them and their experiences, so someone else can say “hey, I see myself here.”
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