Buzzfeed regular Quinta Brunson stars in new YouTube series 'Broke'

Philadelphia's own Quinta Brunson launched a new series, Broke, that premiered Wednesday on YouTube Red, YouTube's subscription service (which also features the work of Holland, Bucks County, native Jenn McAllister, who stars in the show Foursome).

Brunson, 26, a former Temple student, created, cowrote, produced, and stars in Broke. "I remember going to college and feeling like what I wanted to do didn't exist yet," she said.

Brunson plays Miloh, who, with roommates and best friends Mo (Maurice Williams) and Paul (Paul Dupree), moves from Philly to L.A. The trio juggle priorities, bills, homesickness, and their ambitions.

Broke is Brunson's story, one she hadn't seen anywhere else. She gained acclaim appearing in videos for BuzzFeed, where she starred in "When You're Broke and Still Killing the Game." The reaction was so great, she started to shop that video around as a pilot.

For Brunson, Broke adds another layer to stories about black people not often reflected in traditional media. "There are other options for how we can be viewed," she said, especially for black men. If a video featured black leads, she said, there would be 300,000 views, more than if the video featured white characters.

The series also highlights the specific kind of broke that millennials face. Studies show that, although millennials are the most educated cohort, they're also the worst paid. "We get the degree and now what?" Brunson said.

She's working on two more shows slated to come out before the new year. - Sofiya Ballin

Where to stream it?: YouTube Red.

Like this? Binge these: Atlanta (the first four episodes of FX's new show are available on Xfinity OnDemand); the pilot for HBO's Insecure, starring former YouTube star Issa Rae, streaming on HBOGo before the show's Oct. 9 premiere.