Ambassador Spotlight: Meet Andrew Santiago

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Meet Andrew Santiago, a Puerto Rican comedian from Brooklyn, New York. We recently partnered with him to raise awareness about the deadly Takata airbag and how it affects Latino communities everywhere. According to the Takata Monitor, only 52% of affected vehicles in the Hispanic community have been repaired. We were excited to not only partner with him on this initiative, but also to pick his brain on what raising awareness means to him.


First off, can you tell us about who you are, where you’re from and what you do?

My name is Andrew Santiago. I’m a Puerto Rican comedian, actor, and writer from Brooklyn, New York. I’m currently a UCB Maude team actor on the house team “Moon Goon” and host of the upcoming Fuse Media digital series “Chew It Up.”


How does your desire to help others influence the videos you create?

Laughter is the best medicine, so I make videos to entertain and heal the soul, but also to inspire young Latinos who, like me, didn’t and don’t see themselves represented in media.


Why is raising awareness about the Takata airbag recall important to you?

The Takata airbag disproportionately affects Latinos, and raising awareness can save the lives of millions of people, especially the ones I know and love.


How would you tell your friends and family about the recall?

With a fun video that appeals to them and the things they already know and enjoy.


What are your favorite ways to raise awareness about issues that are important to you?

Finding the human element, finding the funny, and then combining that with that special glue - the heartwarming knowledge that we’re all living this life together, sharing the same planet, and have much more in common than we think.


What are some projects you’re currently working on at the moment?

I just did a commercial for the Census, another episode of “The Bright Side,” my series with mitú is releasing soon, and I’m the host of an upcoming digital series for Fuse Media. I’ll be in attendance at the Nosotros Gala and will be moderating two panels at Hispanicize this year.


Where else can we find you?

My website www.AndrewSantiago.com is a good place to start and @andrewsantiago1 is my handle across all social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, etc.

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