We were lucky to catch up with Auri Streets recently and have shared our conversation below.

Auri, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Do you have an agent or someone (or a team) that helps you secure opportunities and compensation for your creative work? How did you meet you, why did you decide to work with them, why do you think they decided to work with you?

Yes, in Los Angeles and San Francisco, CA. Both agencies are both for commercial (on-camera and print) and modeling. I’m married to an active duty service member in the military. I connected with my LA agenct when I came to California after my partner received military orders to deploy outside the country. I moved from the Bay to Los Angeles to be with family for support. A friend referred me to my Los Angeles agency itModel Management and Talent Agency. Whom I’ve been with for over a year. When my partner returned, I moved back to Northern California, where I found my second agency–MDT Agency. Whom I recently signed. I decided itModel Management and Talent and MDT Agency were a great partnership because not only were they welcoming, but also, we share the same values regarding a functioning partnership. Likewise, I believe they decided to sign me because they saw someone who values authenticity, communication, is tenacious, and possesses a strong work ethic. I’m grateful for us to have connected.

Auri, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

How I got into my industries in fitness and in acting is a journey that spans across the country from coast-to-coast. I’m originally from a small town in New Jersey and ended up marrying someone from the military. We moved away across the country to North Texas. It was hard adjusting and much of the time I searched for community. I found that in fitness and in acting. For fitness, after I had my son and the move, it was hard to adjust. I had already gained a lot of weight from the pregnancy, then the move happened. It felt isolating and I fell into a dark place until, I found a local Barre and yoga studio (and shortly after Gold’s Gym was built) in my neighborhood. I became very involved with group fitness. So much as to the point where I became a group fitness instructor and then a personal trainer. While I live in California, I managed to take my clients with me via online where I train my Texas clients. While I work with a diverse range of clients. My clients from Texas are what gave me a niche in pre-and post-natal care.

Regarding acting, towards the end of our Texas tour, in 2018, is when I became heavily involved film and TV acting. I drove 2 1/2 hours to and from Dallas, TX every week for acting classes. California became a bonus regarding the craft. In 2020, shortly after we arrived in Northern California, my partner received orders to Africa. I decided that would be a good time to experience Los Angeles, while receiving support from friends and family that lived there. My son, two dogs, and I moved by ourselves to in a little apartment, to the heart of TV and Film entertainment in Hollywood. During my time there, I befriended other individuals in the industry who introduced me to one of my two talent agencies–itModel Management and Talent Agency. Then, when I returned back to Northern California, I was signed with MDT Agency spanning the Bay Area.

I spend a lot of time on both industries, but prioritize time with my family. They keep me grounded. Even so, I spend roughly close to 8 hours a day working on both. If I am not acting, I’m reading books about it, watching interviews, attending classes, networking with colleagues, practicing self-tapes. You name it. I also work as a full time personal trainer and work mainly with individuals who need specialized care in balance, flexibility, stabilization, and postural alignment.

I’m most proud of recently is that I’ve officially registered and filed for an LLC for my lifestyle company! There are some new things coming that I hope will fill some gaps in both of my industries, and create a space for products and services that marries the two.

: Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

If there is one overarching goal or mission driving my creative journey would be that I’d want to become a resource for others. Not just for creatives, but non-creatives as well. I have tons ideas in my head about how I can be of service to bridge societal gaps. Some of which are a critical aspect within our lives involving financial, educational, well-being and inspirational. So for instance while I am an entertainer, one of the big things for me is why I got into acting. I always felt that the stories told on screen (or even off-screen) answered a question for me or helped me see another perspective on some sort of decision I couldn’t make. I loved that and wanted to be that person for somebody else.

Or, using my creativity for a seemingly non-creative role as a personal trainer, and using things like my background in graphic arts (and now skills developed from being an on-camera actor) and piecing that to create an online platform. My next project, that will address a couple of things I noticed to be barriers for individuals on their fitness journeys; that being time, money, and image/privacy concerns.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

I strongly believe in society showing up for creatives in whatever capacity that may look like. More so, especially if the artist or creative in your life is self-employed. While there are resources out there, personally, I found they can be difficult to come by–especially if it involves finances.

If a creative is operating solo–time, resources, and societal support can be scarce. Support the events established by these individuals; the plays, independently produced films, galleries, concerts-even open mic. Or even, donating supplies (equipment for the artist/creative), investing in the project, sharing information about an even, re-sharing or reposting something promoting the creative in your life.

In addition, for society to understand being a creative hosts many barriers but one of the most controllable barriers (in my opinion–outside of financial support) is social support. Likewise, as a collective society can stand to abandon preexisting views as artists/creatives being seen as “starving” or that “it’s too hard.” We know that it’s hard.

But, in shifting that kind of mindset and facilitating a new culture in where what (especially independent) creatives do is just as a respectable profession as something an individual being employed in with a steady income with benefits would promote a thriving ecosystem.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.auristreets.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/auristreets
• Other: IMDB: imdb.me/auristreets