Haskiri Velazquez

Born and raised in Washington Heights, New York City, Haskiri Velazquez navigated diverse environments between her parents’ homes while pursuing an early interest in acting. Despite limited resources and a demanding schedule that involved daily two-hour subway commutes to theater classes and auditions, she maintained a steadfast commitment to her aspirations. Her early training included extensive involvement with the Urban Arts Partnership’s Lifestories Theater program, where she engaged in numerous black-box productions at venues such as Theater Row in Times Square and the Lucille Lortel Theater. During this period, Velazquez was directed by figures including Gina Rodríguez, Jesse Williams, and Victor Maog, honing her craft and developing a strong theatrical foundation. Her dedication to acting was evident in her commitment to balancing school, auditions, and intensive weekend theater studies.

Velazquez successfully transitioned her theatrical background into film and television. Her on-screen debut was as Tatiana García in ‘NYC 22’. A significant career milestone came with her casting as Daisy in the ‘Saved by the Bell’ reboot (2020–2021). This role gained particular recognition as it coincided with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, during which production was temporarily halted. Other notable roles include Shyvon Stevens in ‘Law & Order SVU’ (2016), Charlotte in ‘The Birch’ (2019), Melissa Rodríguez in ‘Blue Bloods’ (2020), Rosa in the feature film ‘The Forty-Year-Old Version’ (2020), which premiered at Sundance and later debuted on Netflix, and Ava in the 2021 Lifetime movie ‘You’re Not Safe Here’. Velazquez also received her first producer credit for the short film ‘Development’ (2023), which featured in several festivals including LALIFF, NYLFF, and Seattle Latino Film Festival.

Beyond her acting and producing achievements, Velazquez is committed to empowering young women and advocating for authentic Latinx representation in media. She founded Self Visionary, a community and movement aimed at enabling girls to realize their full potential, incorporating personal growth and life lessons through her YouTube content. Velazquez also expresses a desire to host talk or game shows, drawing on her competitive upbringing and seeking to create platforms that inspire and connect diverse audiences. Her career progression demonstrates a continuous effort to break stereotypes and challenge perceptions, fostering a narrative of resilience and purpose in both her professional and personal endeavors.