Today we’d like to introduce you to Rebecca Reyes.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
It started when I was younger. I switched to different schools and different cities, even out of the country that inspired me to get in tune with my desire to do stuff that introduced me into self-love and self-care and self-worth like modeling, beauty, and doing nails. I was born in Melrose Park, IL and ended up moving to Miami, FL near MIA where my mom bought a duplex. We are a family of six, my other two brothers stayed in IL with their families and my other siblings and I moved along with my mother to Miami when I was six years old. In Miami, I attended Elementary where in that elementary they invited different middle school with programs for kids who wanted to do what they desired. I picked a school of music and graphic designing and was approved to attend Riviera Middle School in their MIX program. From there, we resided for about six years and moved back to IL where I attended the rest of my 7th grade school year. In the summer of that year, my mom decided to treat my fraternal twin sister and I to a trip to Dominican Republic where she then noticed we enjoyed our stay and asked if we wanted to attend school there, and we said yes and she did what she had to, to make arrangements for us where we attended for 8th grade and a semester of 9th grade. Where we then got tired and wanted to move back to IL where we finished our high school years in Maywood, IL, Proviso East High School. While I attended this school, I met a great friend which I’m still friends with til this day, jahmal.
Like any other high school kids we would ditch but not to do anything bad but to take the train downtown and discover things like luncheons at the Art Institute of Chicago. Where one of those luncheons he decided to ask the chef if they had anything for high schoolers, which she then told us they did have college bound for high school students to be able to achieve college credits. Going through this experience made me realize I can do anything. It boosted up my confidence and also my popularity in high school where I also was crowned homecoming princess my junior year, made me take my pictures more seriously and when I graduated high school, I began modeling and doing fashion shows. Sadly life happened and I discontinued my modeling dream for about two years and now got back into modeling and pursuing my business with nails. Now it wasn’t just all the moving that made me pursue my dreams it was also my mother who gave me great lectures about life and seeing how she carried herself as a woman that made think about self-worth, care and love. She was always consistent with things to make herself happy within. She would do her pedicure every second Sunday. She was organized with her plans everyday by noting it down on her calendar or making reminders. Every morning she would have a routine which was, getting up to shower and do her hygiene care. She always fixed herself up no matter if it was to the corner store which I then made it a habit for myself and I never ate breakfast before getting ready for my day, just like her. She would always be up at 5 AM, earlier than we would be up unless we were going to school. All in all, you get the point, she was another reason to why I self-motivate myself to do anything I desire and love and that’s why I am where I am today.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
My challenges growing up was having a one parent home which I’m pretty sure there’s many of us out here like this. The only issue is my father passed away when I was only six months old because of pneumonia. I never got to meet my dad which I still wish I was able to meet him and experience having a father but my mother was there to keep that father image for my twin and I and the rest of my siblings that we’re able to meet him. I can also say another challenge I had to face was growing up too fast, when I say this I’m saying getting pregnant at 18 and having a child at 19. I definitely adore my son so much I’m not saying I regret having my child but having a child at a young age, where I was just figuring life out pushed me to think harder and smarter. Like anyone else we aren’t perfect so that’s why having a child at that age was challenging for me but I overcame it by myself. I experienced bad PPD because of what happened while giving birth to him. I actually had eclampsia, not pre eclampsia. I experienced blood pressure of over 220 and then having three seizures where they then had to perform emergency c section and when they took my baby out of me, I had two right after. I was also unconscious for two days after that. When I woke up, I woke up to being intubated and not knowing why I was in the hospital and my mother sitting next to me. My son was born at almost 34 weeks where he had to be hospitalized for a month. I went through a hard labor and that’s what caused my PPD where I was diagnosed with mild depression where my doctor called me just a couple of times to talk but I’m the person that never seeks help with issues involving my mental health because I went through so much I believed I can overcome it by myself, which I did and I’m so happy I’m at a place where I need to be today.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I do nails and I also model and do makeup not professionally but as a hobby. When it comes to nails, I specialize in designs more than anything which I’m more known for. I’m proud that I can be able to master drawing designs on nails but I’m still learning everyday because I’m not too perfect at it where I can be able to draw portraits just yet. When it comes to my modeling I specialize on giving face. I’m mainly known for my beauty in all my pictures. My face is beautiful but different from other beauty. I’m proud that with my looks people randomly message me to collaborate with them without me having to pay out of my own pocket.
How do you think about happiness?
My son makes me the happiest. He’s the reason I get up and motivate myself the most to not give up because if I don’t love myself and do what I need to as a mother then I would be overall failing him.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mulattacubana_/
Image Credits
I applied baby pictures of my twin and I my partial old family picture of my two eldest brothers and parent and modeling pictures of me and my nail work and a picture of my best friend jahmal and I.
