Mindy Visuals: Her Quiet Revolution

Mindy’s Mosaic

INTERVIEW BY: EMILY ARAUZA

MARCH  17th., 2025

Mindy Visuals moves through the creative world with an instinct that can’t be taught—an eye for what’s real and what’s worth capturing. From underground party scenes to curating full-scale magazines, she’s never followed a set path. Instead, she built her own.

“I live my life with a lot of love for everything around me,” she says, and that love is tangible in every issue of Magazines by Mindy Visuals (MMV). What started as a personal work journal has become something bigger—an evolving archive of music, fashion, art, and media, told through the lens of someone who understands that storytelling isn’t just about documentation, it’s about feeling.

Mindy isn’t just highlighting subcultures; she’s creating a space for them to be seen. Whether it’s pushing photographers to move beyond their comfort zones, putting her own money into projects that should’ve been funded long ago, or making sure the voices of women and queer creatives are centered—not just included—she’s actively reshaping the landscape.

At such a young age, she’s navigating a world that rarely hands out opportunities, so she’s taking them instead. “All of your favorite brands spent decades becoming what they are now,” she says, unfazed by the timeline. MMV isn’t a rushed project—it’s a movement with longevity in mind. Right now, she’s focused on the next two issues, but her vision expands far beyond Houston. Documentaries, global editions, a fully-funded creative collective—it’s all on the table.

Mindy: “Hello my name is Mindy Visuals I am the Director of Magazines by Mindy Visuals (MMV) and a freelance photographer. I started in the underground party scene even being a part of some event teams but am now a contributor to off record blog (@offrecordtx) a publication that focuses on live music. Outside of my freelance work I run MMV where my main goal is to inspire people and tell stories through photography and journalism.”

Emily Arauza: “That’s an impressive journey, Mindy. You’ve built a strong foundation in both photography and journalism, starting in the underground party scene and evolving into a contributor for Off Record Blog. It’s clear you have a deep connection to music and storytelling. With Magazines by Mindy Visuals, are you focusing on a particular subculture or artistic style, or do you aim to capture a broader creative landscape?”

M: “I started my magazines very early on in my career and so I view my magazines as a personal work journal as I am continuing to learn new things and grow my own style. With that every issue is going to be based on what I’m interested in or what stories I want to tell at the moment, for example issue 000 was focused on music and nightlife while issue 001 was focused on fashion. This coming issue however will be focused on Art and Media. I’ve selected a few photographers and have pushed them to focus on a concept outside of their usual party work and am providing the funding and support as well as assisting in creative direction. In the future I would like to focus on different subcultures; every issue from fashion, skateboarding, music, etc. I live my life with a lot of love for everything around me so I am constantly intrigued and inspired by all aspects of my life.”

EA: “That’s a really thoughtful and dynamic approach. By treating your magazines as a personal work journal, you’re not only documenting your evolution as an artist but also shaping a platform that adapts with your creative interests. It’s also impressive that you’re actively supporting other photographers, pushing them beyond their usual scope while providing funding and creative direction. That level of curation and investment shows a real commitment to storytelling and artistic growth. With your vision of exploring different subcultures in future issues, MMV has the potential to become a unique archive of creative movements. How do you go about selecting the artists and stories that make it into each issue?”

M: “I am very active online and can be a very social person in real life so I find creatives using a mix of Instagram and just showing up to random club meetings at universities despite not being in school. When just looking at work I am of course drawn to styles and elements I enjoy for example: I love color so I am generally drawn to creatives whose strengths lie in the coloring of their work. However I believe a creative portfolio doesn’t make up their whole story so it isn’t everything I consider. When I first started I didn’t really know of any other female media people let alone any queer female media people and I quickly learned there will be people around me who will never have to go through or understand the same challenges I did. To my girls in the media I want you to know I see it and I understand it and I am so so proud of every single one of you. Representation is important to me and it is something I put into consideration for my magazines. I fully believe that your art is a reflection of yourself like a mosaic made up of the people you surround yourself with, the things you love, the things you hate, the things that inspire you. Everything in your life together. So my hope is that someone will pick up one of my magazines and for a moment feel seen.”

EA: “I completely get that. Women are still underrepresented in media, maybe not in covers but bts and navigating this space often means working primarily with men. Even in journalism, there’s always a bit of a risk—whether it’s being taken seriously, finding spaces that truly welcome you, or just knowing that your experiences aren’t always mirrored in the people around you. The fact that you’re actively creating a platform where representation isn’t just a talking point but a real consideration is powerful. I’m curious—how old were you when you first started this journey? What pushed you to take that first step into photography and journalism? Was there a specific moment when you realized this was what you wanted to do?”

M: “For as long as I can remember I loved to create. My uncle was a painter. My aunt owns a nail salon so I’ve always been surrounded by art and have  always had a special love for it. I used to paint, scrapbook, I did digital art and so much more. however I was never good at art. It was to the extent I wrote a piece that has never been seen before called “I am not a good artist”. I failed at painting, drawing, etc. but I loved it. I loved it so much I drew and drew till I developed carpal tunnel syndrome. To 15 year old me that was the end of the world but shortly after I joined the yearbook and picked up a camera for the first time ever. When I joined, my teacher looked at the first photos I ever took and posted it on Twitter and told me I was a natural and for the first time I felt like someone was able to see the world through my eyes. The magazine idea started as a fake magazine for my senior portrait business which is where “mindy.visuals” came from. It was the name of my fake magazine. My time in yearbook started my love for journalism. I was accepted to a university in London, England however when things fell apart I fell into a slump of going on pointless late night adventures which in turn led me to my first ever party. I didn’t go back to another party until March of 2024 when I was asked to photograph a birthday party where I made a fake magazine post and got the attention of a few DJs, one being RedJacket who was the first person to give me a real chance. Red Jacket funded my first 2 magazines which the first one completely sold out and made me realize I can do this and the second one did not sell out but helped me realize I was out growing the scene not in numbers but in life and despite no longer being apart of Amped I have a lot of appreciation for Red-—for helping me see the potential if it weren’t for him I wouldn’t have the confidence to now launch this on my own without a sponsorship or any backing at only 19 years old.”

EA: “The fact that you pushed yourself so hard, literally to the point of injury, just speaks to how much you needed to create. I love that moment, your teacher seeing something in you and validating what you didn’t even know you were searching for. Do you ever think back on that 15-year-old version of yourself, the one who thought she had lost her creative outlet, and reflect on how far you’ve come? What do you think she would say if she saw you now, running your own magazine, building a platform for others who might have felt the same way you did back then?”

M: “If 15 year old me knew this would be our future she would be proud I’ve always been ambitious and have always fully believed I could do big things.”

EA: “It says a lot about your resilience that even when the second magazine didn’t sell out, you took it as a lesson rather than a failure. Outgrowing a scene isn’t about numbers—it’s about knowing when you’re ready for more. And at just 19, launching this without sponsorship or backing? That’s bold. That’s real independence. Do you ever think about what your journey would have looked like if things hadn’t fallen apart with London? Or do you feel like all of this—every setback, every 

pivot—was exactly what was meant to happen?”

M: “I think about it often. I visited London, summer of 2023 when I was supposed to go to school that fall. I had a very calm life of drinking tea and walking around the city. I imagined my life would’ve been just that very calm. I was supposed to major in digital media and journalism and planned on interning at BBC but I don’t think I would’ve ever made the jump to my own magazine. I would’ve been happy with my life but not completely fulfilled. When we found out there was a complication and I wouldn’t be able to attend that school year they extended my acceptance till Sept 2024 I had all the time I needed to get things sorted save up and go to school in London instead in September of 2024 I sold out of my magazines and bought a ticket to New York for fashion week and stayed with 1of1Skittles who I had only known for about a week. There I met some people who changed my life, my perspective and continue to inspire me. I believe I am exactly where I need to be. All my failures I aim to redirect and keep going. You can’t keep doing the same thing expecting different results. You gotta adapt and evolve with the challenges.”

EA: “It’s clear you’re exactly where you need to be, but I have to ask—what else do you want to do? You’ve already built something so real at 19, launching a magazine, making connections in music, fashion, and media. Do you see yourself expanding MMV into something bigger, maybe a full publication or creative agency? Or do you ever think about circling back to journalism in a different way, like writing or filmmaking? What’s the dream beyond this moment?”

M: “For now I am only focused on the next 2 magazines and rebuilding and shaping a community I have a lot of time.  All of your favorite brands have spent decades becoming the empires they are now. For right now my goal is to be able to pay my team/people working for me and staying true to the vision. I have some volunteer positions but my official team right now I would like to be able to pay everyone to the best of my abilities. We are also putting out more content of the process bts videos, interviews and more. I have so much I want to do with just this magazine let alone the future of the magazine. I do plan on becoming a full publication with more permanent team members and eventually expanding to other states and leaving the country has always been a dream. I want to expand into documentaries. There's just so much I want to do and I have my whole life ahead of me so I am not in any rush.”

EA: “Expanding into documentaries makes so much sense for you. Your whole journey has been about storytelling—whether through photography, writing, or the way you curate each magazine issue. I can already picture MMV evolving into something even bigger, covering subcultures across the world, capturing raw, unfiltered moments in ways mainstream media often overlooks. When you think about leaving the country, do you have a specific place in mind? Somewhere you’d want to launch MMV internationally or just a city that you feel drawn to?”

M: “I’ve always loved traveling. It started with road trips but now I want to see the whole world. There was a point in my career where I was in another city every month despite it being very exhausting. I love traveling and with my magazines being a sort of work journal I would like to use it to document my journeys. Specific cities/countries I want to see are of course Tokyo, Amsterdam, Saigon, and even visiting London and Paris again. There is so much talent just in Houston imagine how many creatives there are in the world.”

EA: “It’s crazy how your journey has unfolded—starting with road trips, then bouncing between cities every month, and now dreaming of documenting the world through MMV. You have such a raw, immersive approach to storytelling, and it makes me wonder—who inspires you? Not just in terms of photography or media, but in life. Who are the people that made you feel like this kind of path was possible? Whether it’s an artist, a mentor, or even just someone whose work ethic or vision you admire, I’d love to know who’s shaped the way you see the world.”

M: “Before Johnny Dang became the household name he is today he immigrated to America and I won’t go into details about the story but my mom used to work for him and our family’s were good friends and despite not being close anymore his story has always inspired me. My mom is also a very big inspiration. She can be very critical of me but only because she has high expectations for me.”

EA: “Having that kind of connection to Johnny Dang and seeing firsthand how he built himself up must’ve made the idea of chasing something big feel so real. His story is the definition of resilience and vision, and it makes sense why that would resonate with you, especially with how you’re building MMV from the ground up. And your mom—I get that, the high expectations, it comes from wanting to see you succeed beyond what she probably ever imagined for herself. Even when it’s frustrating, it’s kind of a reminder that she sees something in you, maybe even more than you see in yourself sometimes. I’d love to ask—if you weren’t doing this, if MMV wasn’t your path right now, what else do you think you’d be doing? Do you think you’d still be in London, maybe working towards something more traditional in journalism, or do you feel like you would’ve found another creative lane entirely?”

M: “I was going to intern for BBC publications in London because I wanted to eventually do concert photography which now that I work for off record I understand more that concert photography and journalism are connected and I believe with all my interests and everything I’ve tried and even new things I try it all leads back to journalism. I’ve always loved storytelling and I’ve always been fond of zine culture. I do believe that if I had stayed in London I would’ve probably ended up working for a publication and being content with that enough to never strive to do it on my own. The struggles I’ve faced and my accomplishments now have been one of my biggest motivators for why I do what I do.”

EA: “It’s crazy how everything has come full circle for you—how your love for storytelling, journalism, and zine culture has always been at the core, no matter what path you were on. It sounds like staying in London might have given you stability, but it wouldn’t have pushed you to build something of your own the way you have now. The challenges you’ve faced and the successes you’ve earned have shaped MMV into something deeply personal, and that’s what makes it so powerful. For anyone looking to carve out their own space in media or start something from the ground up like you did, what advice would you give?”

M: “Always aim to learn something new every day. People often see that I’m not in school and ask me if they should drop out, but the truth is I have a strong belief in education and think everyone needs to stay educated. I’m where I am because of circumstances and despite not being in school I try my best to learn something new every day not just in my craft but in life. School is a great place to meet people who become a sort of community for you but if you feel like there’s no space for you for what you’re trying to achieve make the space. In a saturated field like media it can be difficult to stand out but the most you can do is do you. So live your life passionately, like what you like, and don’t aim to blend in.”