‘HelloTefi’ is the Internet’s Big Sister, and She will Talk Chisme with You (It’s Okay We All Do It!)
Tefi Pessoa, AKA @HelloTefi on your preferred social media platform, is a force to be reckoned with. With 1.5 million followers on TikTok, Pessoa has not only created a career for herself on the multi-faceted app but has created a community of pop culture lovers that she certainly does not take for granted. With her natural charm, charisma, and work ethic, Pessoa continues to inspire the Latinx community in everything she does. It’s also a plus that she seems like one of the coolest Cancers you’ll ever meet and will call you out on your bullsh*t if need be. Strike Magazine Boca had the pleasure of catching up with the internet’s new best friend in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month to talk about the people that came before her, the lessons they taught her, and how to succeed while staying authentic to your roots.
Maria Paula Gonzales: Coming from a Latinx household where work ethic is so valued and held to such a high standard, how has being Latinx influenced your work ethic?
Tefi Pessoa: “It’s hard to talk about what’s molded you when you’re already molded. I just didn’t know another way. My Abuelito would watch us, or my mom would get a babysitter because she was working. And we understood why she was working. I don’t think it was ever, like, explained to me why. We knew. But we also got to witness my mother succeed. That’s a whole other kind of upper. We watched our father get down 200 times and get up 201. My grandfather passed away getting dressed to go to work. He was well into his 90’s. My grandmother took pride in caring for us. Please take a moment to imagine what I was like as a child. Yes, exactly. My Abuelita should have been buried with medals of honor, hahaha. But in all honesty, I believe many Latinos and other immigrants from around the world know the loneliness that comes with immigrating. Being a stranger in a community. I believe your work ethic gives you a sense of pride. It’s beyond capitalism or the American Dream. It’s about pride. Every human being on Earth deserves a life of dignity. I believe Latinos like me think your work ethic will ensure you of it.”
MP: You tweeted last year, “You can’t tell me that being Latinx is not the dopest shit ever.” What are some of your favorite characteristic traits or traditions you have attributed the more you’ve come into your own?
“I’d rather die than not talk with my hands. I’d rather perish!!!”
Side note from MP: “I can’t even count the number of times I have been called out for using my hands an excessive amount when I talk and how insecure it’s made me in the past. I’ve only come to terms with it recently, where I just said, “f*ck it; it’s a part of who I am” Bless Tefi’s heart for validating one of my biggest insecurities.”
MP: Staying on topic with all things Latinx, I’ve seen you talk about not feeling ‘Latinx enough,’ and it’s a sentiment I often relate to. It almost seems inevitable in a world with so much information consumption and comparison. What do you do to deal with these insecurities and remind yourself otherwise?
TP: “I block them, and I call my mom so we can gossip in Spanish. That brings me right back, baby. When I look in the mirror, I see my mom; I see my dad; I see my grandparents; I see faces of people I’ve only seen in family albums but in real life. I may not be Latin enough for someone, but I’ll always be Maria Jose’s daughter. And that’s plenty for me.”
Chisme brings people together, especially the Latinx community.
MP: I heard you say on the ‘Pretty Basic’ podcast that a TikTok comment changed how you viewed your job. The TikTok comment said you were a historian for this day and age of pop culture, which I find extremely accurate. Your way of seeing celebrities and the way you choose to tell their stories is something I admire. How has your way of storytelling for pop culture changed the way you approach a new TikTok Celebrity series? How do you feel like the series has evolved?
TP: “I don’t feel it’s changed. I try to be honest. Within the Amy Winehouse series, I remember saying that I felt like an assh*le talking sh*t about her husband, Blake. Because he was 22 or 23 years old, his frontal lobe wasn’t yet developed, and he suffered from addiction. He shared with Amy that, as a child, an adult had betrayed his trust in the most terrible way imaginable. I would like us as a society to accept that the people we look up to are shitty sometimes. But we can absorb their stories without absorbing them as animations or claymation; we have to remember they are just another person. It’s so wild to think about, like when you’re looking face-to-face with an A-list celebrity, and you’re like, “what the f*ck, this is like just some guy,” haha. When I feel myself wanting to be extra critical, I try to imagine the subject as a kid in a classroom, nervous about presenting their report. Not to infantilize them, but that’s the most relatable thing ever in my eyes. I think if we as a society stopped being so critical of other people, we would realize the standards we are building for ourselves. If I judge someone for every little mistake, how would I look at myself in the mirror when I stumble? I’d rather be empathetic than a hypocrite. In short, I am constantly evolving as a person, and I guess naturally, my content will too.”
Storytelling is a big part of Pessoa’s career, so her content evolving with her as a person is an accurate way to put things into perspective. Think about it. The more you upload content on the internet, the more the internet gets to know you. The less you post, the more the community you have created feels distant from your persona. Something that Tefi has handled so smoothly is the open conversation she has with her community. She lets them know, “what you see is what you get.” There’s no smoke and mirrors when it comes to Estefania Pessoa, and for that, we are so grateful.
MP: Looking back at what you have accomplished through TikTok in the last two years, is there a moment that you hold close to your heart that feels like you hit a milestone in your career?
TP: “I think it was recently when I announced I signed with UTA. Someone said, “you inspire me because I dream like you dream.” That’s it for me. Because if it’s not about dreams, if it’s not about making life feel a little magical if it’s not about connection and supporting one another, then what’s the point of all of this?”
Pessoa signing with UTA is no short deal, and she knows it. She comes from a line of hardworking Latina women who have given her the proper tools to be the person she is today. Watching Tefi from the other side of the screen be herself and create a community of people as passionate as she is about pop culture has been nothing but extraordinary. The internet has space for everyone; you just need to find your people.
Strike Out,
Maria Paula Gonzales
Boca Raton
Maria Paula Gonzales is a Content Writer for Strike Magazine Boca. When she’s not writing her way through life, she enjoys thrifting, looking for concerts to attend, and spending as much time in nature as possible. You can reach her at mariapaulag97@gmail.com
