Andrew “Jesandy” Hernandez is undoubtedly one of North America's top King players, winning back-to-back tournaments last week held by both TampaNeverSleeps and ParagonFGC. Aside from his competitive nature, he is a leader and collaborator, always looking for ways to inspire and motivate those around him. Jesandy believes in the power of teamwork and is committed to fostering a positive and inclusive work environment. With his passion, determination, and forward-thinking mindset, he is poised to make a difference in whatever endeavors he pursues.
Team Endure's player's Tone & Jesandy at the TWT Last Chance Qualifiers in New Orleans, LA.
We interviewed Jesandy to learn more about his background, journey, future goals and other aspirations in life -
"I'm currently majoring psychology in school! I originally started in computer engineering, took one coding class and was like “this is cool, but this is not what I want to do for the rest of my life”. I then had a talk with my dad about counseling, which has always been my ideal job. Since then, I’ve been studying psychology to help further understand my knowledge on how the brain functions and how we function through behaviors so that I can help others better.
I got into gaming very young, I was probably around the age of 2. My dad got me into it with Mortal Kombat 2 on the SNES, and since then I’ve always played video games. Competitively, I started with Street Fighter 5, but eventually dropped it for Tekken 7 as it sparked more interest.
The FGC has given me so many new friends and a community where I feel I belong. It’s brought me a place of comfort, another place to call home, and people who I can confide in and rely on. It’s also given me a sponsorship opportunity and a spot in the limelight, which are so hard to come by. I never anticipated ever getting a chance like that.
Being a part of Team Endure takes that level of comfort and makes it tighter knit and intimate. It’s pretty cool having people supporting you as a teammate and cheering them on as well as competing against each other side by side. I think the transparency is what I most enjoy. It doesn’t feel like a corporation, where my individuality wouldn’t be prioritized. In Endure, I can be myself and not be worried about the differences.
I hope that more positivity continues to grow within the community, and that we can learn to better validate feelings and show everyone how we want the FGC to be portrayed, at least in the Tekken scene.
My ultimate dream is to have a family with my girlfriend, own a home, and continue to help others. It’s pretty simple but these are my aspirations in life at the moment. I just want to leave my mark on the scene, and now I want to see how big that mark can become."
Jesandy will be one of the featured Tekken creators on Twitch Rivals this Friday, February 16th @ 5pm EST/2PM PST! He will be streaming his POV here: twitch.tv/jesandy.
Join the fellow JESTANDYS at discord.gg/teamendure!