A “Soraya truth:” I was born to create.

I was a kid who loved music and opera music, art, media, cooking and food.

I picked up the awareness pretty early that I was gender expansive.

The confusion and awkwardness of that for a Puerto Rican kid in the 1960’s was intense. Art, TV and food was a good distraction.  I subconsciously put off and delayed exploring anything pertaining to my preferred gender identity.

I was cooking at a very young age, and was inspired by many women in my family. They were beautiful and great cooks.

The passion expressed in the preparation of delicious Puerto Rican cuisine was very apparent for me.

Many years went by with the focus on creating art, music and recipes.

Obesity formed early in childhood. As I matured other unhealthy habits surfaced.

In my late 20’s to early 30’s, I discovered new ways to cope with living Latinx and gender queer.

I learned to stand tall and cut my ties with very abusive relationships formed in my early teens.

Those relationships were with fast food icons; Colonel Sanders, The Burger King and Ronald McDonald.

Slowly I learned to self-accept, eat healthier and engage in portion control.

Jean Nidetch, the founder of Weight Watchers really was a role model for me. Instrumental in many life affirming changes to how I prepared and implemented food and meals.

The more I accepted myself and my gender identity, the more mindful I became.

I started to lose weight by adhering to a weighed and measured lifestyle of people, places and things.

I lost eight pounds of excess weight and but remained Puerto Rican.

Self-love of my ethnic features and embracing my body with its feminine attributes allowed for a true, healthier self-identity.

Voila!

A new form of creativity emerged.

A cooking show chef with a mix of Mrs. Doubtfire and Sofia Vergara persona revealed my true identity.

Years later as a transgender Latina woman, I am surviving and thriving in many ways I never thought possible. My mission is to help others by sharing my process, my stories and passion for healthy Latin cooking. As well as van life tricks and tips to help any human, reach their potential and develop a new relationship with themselves and with the society around us. This can be done in any environment and global condition.

Let’s get fit, fabulous, healthy and prosperous, together!