From a young age, Gabriella was always a dreamer and storyteller. What started as a love for dance, evolved into media production, and after graduating from Hofstra University in May of 2023, she found a way to combine them. In November 2023, Gabriella was crowned Miss Richmond County, a local title within the Miss America Organization, where she advocates for her community service initiative: Mindful Media: promoting media literacy education. Within her journey to become a TV producer, her purpose fuels her passion of creating a more educational, safer media landscape for all creators and consumers. When she checks off one box, she is already halfway through checking off the next.

What inspired you to pursue your dream, and how did it all begin?

The first answer that came to mind: the fear of being average??!! The jobs people had around me or jobs people were pursuing didn't seem to appeal to me. I wanted something new every day, a reason to wake up excited. Well, that's show biz. But also, I wanted to be connected. I think there is a special relationship to media production and giving back to the community in different forms of entertainment or information. I knew I wanted to work in TV the moment I watched "Dance Moms." Setting the scene: fourth grade me finds out what this app called Instagram is, creates an account to join a Dance Moms fandom, self-taught herself the ways of photo editing and video editing, and grew to have over 10,000 followers. Then, I was a founder of the news program at my high school, and despite popular belief, I knew I could make a career out of it.

Can you share a defining moment in your journey that shaped your perspective and fueled your passion?

College 100000%. High school was rough. I struggled, not with my grades, but I had no interest in the courses, one teacher really hated me and made every day miserable, my social relationships really struggled, and my mental health plummeted. I needed to get out of my small town and be independent, Hofstra gave me that opportunity. I was able to focus on things I loved, being dance and TV production. Where your focus goes, your energy flows and it shows. I was sitting at tables with like-minded people and I felt more empowered than ever to shoot for the stars. Although I graduated college in three years, they were the most important years of my life because I got myself back, I truly felt like my purpose meant something.

How do you handle setbacks and keep pushing forward in the pursuit of your dreams?

I think there is a certain peace that comes with taking accountability for yourself, your mistakes, your successes. I think the least you can do is owe it to yourself to say you put yourself out there or tried even if you failed. The lessons that you learn from that will only help what's to come in the future. Also listening to Pitbull's "I Believe That We Will Win," seriously so many good quotes in there. My favorite is "When it comes to FEAR, you can either forget everything and run, or face everything and rise." These reminders just help with the way I talk to myself. Negative self-talk makes a huge impact on your mood and work ethic, and it is so important to be kind and gentle to yourself. We are all evolving and growing, and being comfortable with being uncomfortable is key to it all.

Are there specific individuals who have inspired you along the journey?

My younger self. I really struggled a lot mentally and seeing how I got myself out of that and persevered is inspiring to myself. I think a lot of people supported me here and there, but I had my own back the full way through.

How do you maintain a balance between pursuing your dreams and handling everyday responsibilities?

I made my dreams part of my everyday responsibility. Of course, never let your job consume you, but take the time to connect with someone in the field you want to pursue. It can be a coffee chat, a DM, a LinkedIn invite. People love to talk about themselves and their journey, so hear them out and see how you can learn from it. Making time in your schedule for yourself is important. Sign up for that workout class in advance, set aside time to read a book, put on the face mask, watch the show. It is hard for me to balance this because I feel like I have no time in my day after my long commute from work and then being tired at home but create those habits because they are so much better for your mental health.

How do you overcome self-doubt and stay confident in your abilities?

Once you come to terms with the fact that celebrating other people's successes won't diminish your own, you just stay in your own lane. Treat others how you want to be treated, clap for others, send them the positive affirmation, show up for them. With that, you can learn to be happy for yourself. Make reasons to celebrate, cross off those daily goals and get 1% better every day. One mistake does not define you, the world fortunately does not revolve around you, and you just keep moving on. It is normal to get tripped up, but I think it's important to remind yourself that social media is often a highlight reel, and everyone has their own goals and timeline. Everything happens for a reason, all in His timing.

Can you share a memorable success story or achievement that resulted from your determination?

Senior year of college tested me. A lot of determination and grit were necessary, but seriously paid off. My life was hectic: approaching my final year, balancing being on the dance team, producing a lot, trying to keep my social life going. I was busy. But I was appointed to be the Line Producer of Hofstra Votes Live 2022: Charting the Midterm Elections. From August-November, it was extremely time consuming. I was leading a group of over 200 students to put together a 4-hour simulcast. It came time for rehearsal weekend, and it truly could not have gone any worse! It felt like nothing got done, by the end of the day people were crying, upset, and discouraged. As a leader, I felt like I was failing. I took the time to hear people out and listen to their concerns. I got home and got to work, created an "HVL for Dummies" document outline where everyone should be at each block of the show doing what and send them a positive message along with it. It completely changed the game. People felt most confident and excited. I got such great feedback. The show went smoothly the next day, and it ended up winning an Edward R. Murrow Award and I won a Gracie Award for producing it. I was not going to let my peers down and refused to do so.

In what ways do you stay motivated during challenging times?

Thinking of the outcome and being able to be proud of the work I put in. I put a lot of pressure on myself, but I think I will always hold myself to a high standard because I know what I am capable of, and no one is going to hold my hand through it.

What dream are you living right now?

I am competing for Miss New York in July!!! Super pumped to share my story and experiences and advocate for media literacy! As I close out my internship with ABC's GMA3 this week, I am starting a new position with Good Morning America on Monday which feels like a dream! 22 and working at GMA was not on my bingo card, but I am so excited that I have this opportunity! Check me out on Instagram @gab_marinelli!

What advice would you give to someone with a dream?

You owe it to yourself to keep going. Make your younger self proud. People are holding their breath waiting for you to fail - make them suffocate and follow your dreams fearlessly.

Photography credit

Pageant photo is Kelly Amber Photography
Headshot is Anna Lee Photography

Connect

Website: http://www.gabriellamarinelli.com

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/gab_marinelli

Facebook.com: http://www.facebook.com/GabriellaMarinelli

TikTok: http://www.tiktok.com/gabturingthemoment