Mon Histoire

My Story

was born and raised in Santa Rosa, California, to immigrant Mexican parents. My earliest memories are shaped by a home where resourcefulness was second nature—watching my mother turn limited groceries into full meals for a family of six, and learning the quiet language of cooking by observing everything happening in the kitchen.

At nine, my family moved to Michoacán, Mexico, where I was immersed in a culture rich with tradition, color, and pride. We spent time at mercados and ranchos surrounded by fresh produce and sensory abundance. Yet even in that deeply familiar environment, I often felt suspended between worlds—never fully “Mexican enough” or “American enough,” but something in between.

That sense of in-betweenness followed me when we moved again, this time across the country to rural North Carolina. I spent much of my youth navigating bullying and isolation, but also developing an early resilience and drive to create a life beyond my circumstances.

At 17, I made a commitment to my health and transformed my lifestyle, losing weight and gaining a new sense of confidence and self-possession. Shortly after, I left for North Carolina State University, where I experienced a kind of personal liberation—stepping fully into my identity, my creativity, and my voice.

It was there I first explored performance through drag, creating my persona, Alexandra, and discovering the joy of transformation, storytelling, and character work. What began as experimentation quickly became a foundational outlet for my artistry.

My time in college was also marked by personal hardship, including my mother’s deportation in 2011. That experience deeply shaped my emotional world, but it also led me back to the kitchen—where cooking became both grounding and restorative, a place where I could regain a sense of control and care.

I also met my longtime partner during this time, and together we built a life centered around travel, shared curiosity, and, most importantly, food. We have since parted ways but remain the closest of friends.

In 2013, I studied abroad in Paris, where I was inspired by the culture, cafés, and culinary traditions that continue to influence my creative sensibility. I returned to the U.S. with a deeper appreciation for storytelling through food and experience.

In 2018, I was cast on Season 9 of MasterChef, an experience that unexpectedly opened the door to the entertainment industry in a very real way. Being immersed in the world of cameras, storytelling, and performance for the first time confirmed what I had always gravitated toward—the intersection of food, emotion, and visual storytelling. What began as a culinary competition quickly became an introduction to set life, production rhythm, and the energy of performing under pressure.

Since then, I have continued to build within the culinary and entertainment space through a range of television and branded projects. I have appeared on Roku’s Batalla en Abuela’s Kitchen, Discovery+’s Tiny Food Fight, and Umami Match, a culinary series created in collaboration with a Japanese food brand. Each project has expanded my experience in front of the camera while deepening my understanding of food as storytelling—how culture, personality, and creativity translate across formats and audiences. These opportunities have strengthened my passion for both performance and production, and continue to shape my work as a storyteller across mediums.

Since then, I’ve continued to expand my creative work—launching my food blog, La Femme A Faim, and training in acting through in-Studio Drama School. My work now lives at the intersection of food, performance, and storytelling, where I continue to explore identity, emotion, and transformation in all its forms.

This is only the beginning.