Avori got engaged!! Big Congrats!! “Dillon and I started this dream of being a full time gaming couple after just three months of dating in college. Three years later we are engaged and he is a professional gamer, I am a professional streamer. If this is any testament to our lives together we are so excited to attack everything TOGETHER!”
Check out our interview with stunning model, professional content creator and video game streamer Avori.
Avori Henderson is making major waves as a female trailblazer in the world of gaming. Not only has she made a name for herself as a professional gamer but she is also a pioneer for women in this male-dominated industry. Avori quickly gained a fan-base as she began to upload her gaming abilities online, leading her to run the first ever all- Female PUBG Tournament that was professionally broadcasted. The tournament brought in 135,806 unique viewers, 166,342 live views, and 7,235 concurrent viewers. The tournament raised over $5,000 to charities including FredHutch and Children’s Miracle Network. As the host, creator, and director of the PUBG tournament, the gaming star has always felt especially passionate about encouraging and empowering women to embrace their love for gaming despite the stereotypes against females in the space.
Her ability to use her platform to give back has always been a priority with charities benefitting children being on the forefront of her efforts. Since the start of this event she has traveled all around the world promoting women in E-sports and competing in tournaments, including Sweden, France, San Diego, Los Angeles, and more. In Mexico City she was the only female to be involved in the tournament, and guess what? Her team won!
Follow Avori at @missavori
Hi Avori, please introduce yourself to Naluda readers
Hello! My name is Avori and I am a full-time professional content creator and video game streamer. Yes, this means I livestream myself playing video games for a living, but honestly it’s so much more than that!
Describe yourself in 3 words.
Whitty, dedicated, crazy.
Best advice ever received?
“A team is only as strong as their weakest member.” I never want to be the one to bring anything down in my life so I always strive to lead the pack no matter if it’s a video game I’m playing or tackling a task in real life.
Who has been the biggest influence on your life?
Myself. I hold myself to a really high standard when it comes to work ethic and personal growth. I work for myself so there is nobody guiding me or telling me what to do other than me. It takes a lot of self-discipline to get stuff done without having a person checking in on you or a boss to make you get stuff done in a timely fashion.
How and when did you start into modeling?
I started modeling at age 16. I really didn’t have a crazy start, I just knew that it is what I wanted to do with my life, so I went for it. I submitted to local agencies, applied online, then went in person and got signed to the top agency in my city. My life took a bit of a turn when I got into gaming, however.
How and when were you introduced to the world of gaming?
I always played games with my family as a child. We played some console games like Xbox and Wii, and I had a PlayStation 2 and Nintendo that I used to play kid friendly games on. I never thought of it as a career until I started uploading some of my gameplay online and all of a sudden I was getting deals and offers from game companies daily. I was/am streaming to hundreds, even thousands of live viewers online every time I go live.
What is the most rewarding part of your job as a gamer?
Being a female in a male dominated space is really difficult, but also the most rewarding. I love that I can represent women in a way that both inspires other women to dive into their passions but also fights stereotypes surrounding women in the gaming industry.
The most important thing when you are streaming is?
I think it’s important to be careful with your words and always be thankful. When people don’t know you, but see you live online, they might hear something you say without getting to really know you and take it the wrong way. It’s really important to be very careful with your words and make sure you don’t offend anyone even on accident. I find this to be fairly easy but sometimes I worry that someone might not understand me and that’s a huge fear of mine!
What’s your advice for the newer models?
GO FOR IT! My entire life I was told that I wouldn’t make it as a model. I had a lot of doubt put in my head from the start and somehow I was able to ignore it and keep going. Not everyone has that type of mindset but I think it’s important to make sure you chase your dreams and ignore the negativity along the way. You will never know until you try, and even if you don’t make it to the goal you had originally set for yourself, I’m sure you experienced some type of personal growth along the way. There is nothing to lose when you are talking about attacking big dreams!
What’s your advice for newer streamers?
Get some seriously thick skin. The internet is a cruel place, especially for women. If you want to get into streaming, practice reminding yourself who you are and why you want to stream. You will need to remember your origins in your journey in order to make it through all of the harsh comments.
Now tell us about leading the first ever all- Female PUBG Tournament that was professionally broadcasted?
In 2018 I remember seeing the launch of a professional tournament for the game that I play (PUBG) and seeing that there were ZERO females competing in it. I then started to research why that is. Is there some type of biological advantage that men have that allows them to be better or quicker when it comes to gaming? Is there just not enough females interested in professional gaming? Why is this tournament registered with hundreds of men and no women. So I started my own tournament, females only, and the turnout was amazing. We have over 7,000 Live viewers, hundreds of women signed up, and instead of offering a prize pool we raised $5,000.00 to the children’s miracle network. Definitely one of my proudest moments as a content creator.
What is your favorite part about competing in tournaments all over the world?
I love traveling! I was really sheltered as a kid and I didn’t really get to experience much culture outside of my own small hometown. I just think the world is beautiful and I love seeing and meeting people who have walked a different walk than I have. I love learning about the world and seeing monumental places that I’ve seen in pictures for years, with my own eyes. I remember getting invited to compete in Paris and thinking to myself, “There’s no way I am actually getting paid to eat the best bread in the world and see the Eiffel Tower with my own eyes.” It was a dream come true.
What part of your job do you find the most challenging?
Right now, I am really struggling with not being able to go to events. I know this pandemic is only temporary and we are all struggling with it, but going to events and meeting my fans in real life was such a huge part of my career and honestly, the most fun. I really miss being able to see the faces of my fans, shake their hands, take photos, and meet them. Sometimes they give me little gifts and it warms my heart so much.
What’s next for Avori Henderson in 2020?
After this virus settles down, I am hoping to do some live events where I can showcase my gameplay and represent women at live gaming events. I hope to speak out against hate towards women in the space by doing panels and speaking out to encourage women to enter whichever career they love and not be pushed out by opinions and biases.
Which magazine or project is still on your bucket list?
I would love to be on the cover of a women’s magazine as gaming and Esports gain a more prominent name in the world. I have never seen a female gamer on the cover of any magazine actually, so that would be amazing to be a part of.
In five years from now, where do you see yourself and your career?
I hope propel my career in the aspect of organizing and running multiple tournaments for multiple types of games and helping women be more a part of that industry by guiding and teaching them how to be successful in this career.
Where can everyone find and follow you?
I stream primarily on Facebook: Facebook.com/missavori
Instagram: @avoriliz
Twitter: @avoriliz
TikTok: @missavori
What is your workout routine these days?
I try to do as much as I can while being quarantined at home. To be honest, I’m naturally very tiny so I don’t have to do much. Mostly pushups, squats, and sit-ups just a few reps daily. Then when I get out of quarantine, I take yoga classes!
What does fashion mean to you?
I think fashion is a combination of following trends and being unique. I absolutely love being a trendsetter so I always try to put my own spin on the latest trends to make it my own while also coming up with unique trends that turn heads ;).
Who are some of your favorite models and designers, and why?
I’ve always followed Tyra banks. I feel like she is not only a beautiful person on the outside but also on the inside as she has always prominently supported others through her platforms. As for designers, I’ve always been a huge fan of Betsy Johnson as I grew up wearing her bows, giant necklaces, and puffy dresses. Now that I am 23, I have grown to be a huge fan of Calvin Klein. (One time I was competing in Mexico and I showed up in a full Calvin Klein outfit and the producers made me turn my entire outfit inside out because they didn’t have rights to the logo for live television! I thought that was hilarious.)
How would you explain your fashion style and what items in your closet can you not be without?
I think every tight fitting piece of clothing has to be paired with something baggy. For example one of my favorite pairings is a tight skirt with a baggy sweater or a pair of skinny jeans with a baggy shirt. I cannot live without my white sneakers, crop tops, or my oversized sweaters!
What would be the dream holiday, and who would you go with?
I want to go to so many places! The Philippines, London, Thailand, just to name a few! Of course I would take my two beautiful dogs with me if I could but I don’t think they allow dogs to travel internationally!
Which charities do you support?
I support FredHutch who studies to find a cure for cancer and children’s miracle network who provides medical care to children who’s parents cannot afford it. I got started in supporting CMN when I was competing in the Miss America Organization. I won three titles in the system and was able to go visit some local hospitals and meet some of the kids, that really helped me to see how important supporting the hospitals is.
3 things you can’t leave home without?
My family, my dogs, and my computer. My family is incredible and very supportive of my career. I’m so lucky to have them. My dogs are the loves of my life. I have one Pomsky and one Alaskan Klee Kai. And of course, I couldn’t live without my video games! I just love learning and perfecting my strategy in game.
Favorite game and why?
PUBG would have to be my favorite. I fell in love with it and played it religiously for 2 years. I have over 7,000 hours in the game and I really feel like the difficulty level of the game is unmatched.
Favorite Quote: “Confidence is not, ‘I know I will win’ confidence is, ‘I’ll be okay if I don’t’.”
