Jeimy Osorio, a 29-year-old Puerto Rican actress became the first Afro-Latina lead in a Spanish-language prime time Telemundo biopic Celia, inspired by the life of late salsa singer Celia Cruz. Like the iconic Cruz, Osorio is fearless in breaking the mold and celebrating her Afro-Latina beauty and roots. This is her story, as told to PEOPLE CHICA:

Since I was a little girl, I always felt proud of my Afro-Latina heritage. When I started out doing theater and commercials, I always accepted myself with my curly hair, with my Afro. I never saw it as something that would hold me back, to the contrary. The fact that I carried myself so naturally perhaps helped. No producer ever told me I had to straighten my hair….I said: ‘This is who I am and on top of that, I have curly hair and I’m black.’

I am a fan of natural and homeopathic medicines and I’ve learned a lot of tricks from my mom and my aunts about how to take care of my skin. My mom has gorgeous skin. I always try to use remedies with simple and natural ingredients. I am a fan of olive oil. I love to do olive oil hair masks, which stimulate growth. I love aloe vera and avocado. For my skin, I love to use witch hazel, coconut and almond oils. Coconut oil is also great for the hair. I learned that from my dad who had an Afro like me and helped me untangle my hair as a little girl.

Right now, I’m very focused on my professional and spiritual growth. I’m discovering more about meditation and learning about the laws of attraction, seeing how I can attract the things I want into my life. My wishes and thoughts are of prosperity, joy, happiness, beautiful moments and characters that motivate people. I’m in a relationship with myself, and I’m trying to find the best way to bring out truth in every character I play.

I’m ready for more characters like Celia who help to inspire people and make them believe in their dreams and feel proud of who they are. This is a great time because Hollywood is opening its doors to diversity and is embracing more stories written by women. I want to work with people who want to elevate the vibrational frequency for all of humanity, who want to build, help and create a new consciousness. I’m experiencing  a flow of good vibes and good emotions. This is what playing Celia’s character left me. My heart is now open.