An L.A. girl from her piercing blue eyes and colorful two-toned hairstyles to the tips of her high-tops, Delaray has acquired a fan base of thousands with her messages of individuality and positivity under her @yungdelaray handle on TikTok and Instagram. She’s punk, she’s pouty, she’s funny, she’s out there. Her followers laugh when she attempts skateboard tricks -- often with disastrous results -- and cry when she shares with them her universal but very real feelings of isolation, anxiety and not fitting in.

What they like about her most of all is her compassion. She has experienced too many of life’s hardships for a teenager, but rather than wasting time on negativity and self-pity, she has become a timely and relevant advocate for teen mental health awareness. “Stay true to yourself and keep hope, no matter what’s going on in your life,” she tells the teens who are devoted to her. They message her, they attend her livestreams, they make fan pages in her honor, they love her.

Delaray often recruits friends, family and teachers to take part in her videos.  She does her own artwork and writes her own music. She also designs the hip repurposed and upcycled creations she wears to express the dueling senses of freedom, creativity and angst her admirers understand.

Now she has developed a line of Yungdelaray merchandise to further connect with her fans. With the proceeds she plans to upgrade her recording equipment and invest in making more music and media to reach a wider audience with her positive vibe.