Rising Stars: Meet Isabel Martinez of Santa Ana

Today we’d like to introduce you to Isabel Martinez.

Hi Isabel, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Hello, my name is Isabel and I grew up in Santa Ana, California pretty much my whole life. My life has not always been the prettiest but somehow I have managed to make it to 29. I am a child of immigrant parents who are from Morelos and Michoacán, Mexico. We have dealt with immigration issues, alcoholism and even witnesses and survivors of domestic violence. There are cycles yet to be broken in my family but if there is one thing I can call us is resilient chingones. At age five was the first time I felt sad, anxious and alone after coming back from Mexico. My mom couldn’t come back home with us. She had to stay behind because she wasn’t a U.S. citizen like my first brother and I. I am the oldest of us four siblings and the way I been judged is with different societal metrics. My dad was young and instead of picking us up from my aunts, he would work and left my first brother and I there for about a year or so until my mom came back. Later down the road my dad was a victim of racism and even though he wasn’t the driver he got questioned at a traffick stop because the driver had passed a red light. My dad was searched and they discovered he had a pending warrant for his arrest that was supposed to be cleared but because of that they arrested him. Later the case for sent to immigration and he was deported. Things didn’t work out in his favor, yet the driver got to roam free and my dad faced the challenges of being deported while at home my mother and my siblings and I faced becoming prey in our community because the head of our household was gone temporarily. My dad was gone for three years of our lives and my mom, my siblings and I had to change roles in the household. My mom was no longer just a mother but also the dad. I became the second maternal figure to my siblings at age 13. I would cook and make sure to get my siblings dressed, fed, bathed, protected and loved as best as I could offer. My mom would work excessively to help upkeep the bills and bring food at home through cash and receiving food stamps. Throughout that tumultuous journey my mom got scammed, the family lost money and sometimes in the meantime that we waited for food stamps to come in we would all face hunger at times. We had a whole system that worked for us and we all used to clean and help my mom even if we didn’t get rewarded just because we all knew at the time that we were struggling and alone. We became prey in a world who knows when we don’t have the male in our household. But we’ve always been extremely situationally aware and managed to be protected and not let anyone outside of the family know we were alone until my dad reunited with us all. At age 25 I was in a relationship that turned out to be extremely toxic and abusive and I lost my first child through a miscarriage. I became severely wrapped in post partum depression and had to deal with getting harassed by the man I once dated. I cried uncontrollably for maybe 1-2 years but even so I still decided to take control over my own life and started doing the things I loved to do little by little. I had to get a restraining order and still it wasn’t enough. Prior to twenty five I had been dabbling in modeling, going in and out of college but still creating and making ends meet for myself through doing house keeping with my mom, selling tamales to my friends and family, or finding jobs in the food industry. I became re launched into the modeling industry and have met may beautiful women and friendships who believe in me and have given me endless opportunities to grow and re discover my strengths, my inner and outer beauty and that there are still people out here who genuinely want to see me win. I am forever grateful to all.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
My life has been anything but easy. I have never fit in and it has always been one thing after the other. I felt since a young age that because of my troubled childhood people could tell I had problems at home. Or at least that’s what I internalized. I can’t say I’ve never had beautiful moments because I have. There was hanging out with my mother’s sister and my cousins to get food from pantries or churches. My upbringing was very humble and even going to the park to play all day and turning a capri sun into a piñata was super fun for us at home. I used to ride my bike and my siblings used their scooters so we could go across the harbor and edinger to get Chinese food. I miss being young and being as close as I was with my family. Going to trips to the grocery store with my dad used to be the highlights of my days and getting home to cooked meals from my mom always made me happy. Growing up I have faced being babysat by other family members and went through separation anxiety, molestation from male and female cousins, and faced harrassment throughout my female experience. Just because they’re family doesn’t always mean they will treat you like their own. I went from being treated in a loving way in my home to feeling like a stranger at my aunts house who used to take care of us. But really she had to work so my uncle and an older lady would take care of all nine of us. Nine of us meaning my aunts kids and my first brother Alexander and I. They weren’t the friendliest but my first brother and I had no other option than to wait until my mother made it safely again into the U.S. There was a time when my dad was deported as well and it took three years for him to come back. My other three siblings and I were forced to grow up fast and learned to take care of each other to the best of our abilities. My life is an ongoing walking novel. There’s always something going on behind the smiles and laughter I display. Sometimes my light bothers those still sitting with the darkness in their lives or hearts. But they don’t know that I also rose from the dead physically and spiritually especially after my pregnancy loss. I don’t always share my personal stories because I have felt that people who chose to judge me before they know me don’t deserve any explanation from me. Those that care will make judgement of their own about me and will get to see the many forms of my being. I don’t even know where to start but if you need a story time we can get more into details about each phase or cycle of my life.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
What sets me apart is my heart, my soul and my intentions. I love working for my friends and meeting new people whether it’s for modeling, cooking or content creation. I only go for opportunities that feel aligned or morally correct to me. I been through a lot so I tend to make those around me feel welcomed, appreciated and loved. I am a curvy(plus size) model, I am a cook , fashion designer(self taught), my own makeup and hairstylist. I am overall a creator. I have a passion for fashion and food of all cultures. I started cooking at age 7. The magic of my interest in cooking started after my cousins brought us a cake box and frosting. I thought it was the most magical thing we could ever do. My dad has always loved cooking and introduced to us to various traditional dishes and because he enjoyed certain dishes like ceviche, pozole, fried fish, we grew up enjoying it all. For me it all started with flipping a tortilla with a spatula to frying an egg and eventually my palate became more curious and started expanding the more I tried new things.

As a model I am know as Baby face Morena. My weight has always fluctuated between slim thick to super curvaceous. My mom always taught me to love my body no matter what weight. It has taken me a lot to fully accept myself as I am in my current weight. Though there are times I don’t always feel as confident with my belly or extra thickness, I know that my body has kept me alive and deserves as much love as it can. I started modeling for fun before COVID started in 2020. Then I got rocket launched through a fashion show in Long Beach called the Long Beach fashion expo. As socially awkward as I am, I managed to work with a fashion brand called Señora Calzones and walked in a red lingerie set for Laura. From then on she loved how easy I was to work with and followed direction and others heard about me the more I put myself out there and would invite me to be their model and muse.
As a cook I am trying to make myself more known as Chaparrita can Cook on Instagram. I tend to get hired as a cook now for my dear friend Laura who I’ve modeled for as well. Everyone loves my spicy chili oil and I will be making some for an upcoming retreat that encourages femininity, sensuality and more. I am certified and even completed a five month culinary program in garden grove called Brackens kitchen. I’ve always been self taught and what I taste and enjoy at restaurants I recreate at home. But the culinary program definitely helped and I made friends there as well who I still talk to even after the program ended.

As a whole I would say my friends and family know me for my funny and sassy personality and the fact that they love my food. I am the most proud of learning to let go of what does not serve my higher purpose and getting myself out a depressing season in my life. Whether through my own will to succeed, delusion or the power of God, I am happy to be able to grow and surround myself with genuine and encouraging friendships that see in me what I can’t see in myself sometimes.

Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
People can reach out to me via instagram at babyfacemorena_777 and those who know me personally can send me a text message or even email me. Even recommending me to mutuals is highly appreciated, But I am always open to all creative opportunities whether it’s to cook, or be a model for photoshoots or music videos.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/babyfacemorena_777/

Image Credits
@softouxh_portraits Christopher Allen
@j.frvco Jose Franco
@cindy_is_as_cindy_does cindita (please keep lowercase)
@chaparritacancook Isabel Martinez