Today we’d like to introduce you to Yanett Heredia.
Hi Yanett, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I was born in Monclova, Coahuila, Mexico, and my family immigrated to the U.S. when I was seven. From a young age, I had to learn how to navigate two cultures at once- a skill that has shaped so much of who I am today. Like many immigrant kids, I grew up with a strong sense of responsibility. My parents sacrificed so much to be here, and I felt a constant pressure to make it all “worth it,” so I focused heavily on school and blending in.
In high school, though, I found an unexpected outlet in technical theatre. I designed sets, made soundtracks, and stage-managed plays and dance shows. I really loved quietly creating and making the behind-the-scenes magic happen. One of my favorite shows to stage manage was my school’s spring dance show. I admired the performers from behind the curtain, and secretly yearned to be able to dance like them, but didn’t have the confidence or resources to imagine myself onstage, so I stayed in the wings. Even then, I didn’t realize that those early experiences were planting the seeds for the creative work I do now.
I went on to attend UT Austin, where I double-majored in Neuroscience and Spanish on the pre-med track. For a long time, I assumed my story would end with me becoming a doctor (it felt like the most respectable, and predictable outcome of my immigrant journey. While at UT, I co-founded Texas Fuego, the university’s first Latinx Spirit Group, which is still thriving today. White attending school and after graduation, I worked in the service industry while preparing for the MCAT… until COVID hit. Seeing the chaos in the healthcare system made me pause and consider other possibilities for once. I ended up taking a job in tech working in AI/ML, fell in love with it, and I still work full-time in tech today.
For years, I thought the creative world was something I’d left behind. Then in 2020, a friend invited me to a heels dance class. I had never taken a real dance class before, and I never wore heels because at 6’3” in them – made me feel like a walking spectacle! But something in me said yes, so I went — and that decision changed my life.
I walked into that first class anxious and clumsy, but I was instantly hooked. Dancing in heels was humbling and empowering at the same time. It completely reshaped how I understood femininity. Growing up tall and bigger-bodied, I didn’t see myself reflected in traditional ideas of what “feminine” looked like. But in heels, I felt strong, grounded, expressive, and feminine on my own terms. I fell in love not just with the movement but with the community of women who make up the heels world. The studio became this little universe where everyone was free to take up space and show up exactly as they were, and where everything else in the outside world melts away.
Dance became my lifeline during the pandemic, I was obsessed. I took every heels class I could find and started posting my dance videos on social media. Then, out of pure serendipity, I matched with a photographer on a dating app. Not romantically, but because he was looking for models. I used to hate taking photos of myself, but dance gave me a new sense of confidence, and suddenly the camera felt less like a threat and more like a tool to see myself differently – so I said “sure, let’s shoot.”
We shot a dance-inspired concept together, he told me I was pretty good, and then invited me to a photography meetup, and from there everything snowballed. I networked, kept shooting, booked my first paid job with Austin-based Life of Vice, auditioned for a runway show and booked it, then booked another. I applied to a modeling agency just for fun and ended up getting signed. Modeling became the thing I didn’t know I’d been missing — everything from my past seemed to click into place: the theatre background, the movement training, the storytelling instincts, even my years in the service industry.
One of the best parts of this journey has been the creative community in Austin. I’m genuinely grateful for the photographers, dancers, designers, studio owners, and fellow models who believed in me long before I fully believed in myself. I wouldn’t be where I am without the people who welcomed me in, and I love being able to pay that forward now.
Today, I balance two worlds that I’m equally proud of: the Latina in tech who loves research and problem-solving, and the creative who models, dances, teaches runway workshops, and works behind the scenes. I run “Own Your Strut,” my runway and confidence workshop series, where I teach the intersection of heels dance and modeling. I also work as a movement director, posing coach, mentor, choreographer, and casting assistant. Returning to the backstage side of things feels like such a full-circle moment.
As an immigrant, as a tall curvy woman who once struggled with confidence, and as someone who didn’t always see herself reflected in the spaces she wanted to be in, this journey has been incredibly healing. I finally get to be both: the woman in front of the camera and the one helping run the show behind it.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Yes and no. There have definitely been twists and turns, but once I learned to trust my intuition and quiet that little voice in my head that loved to scream self-doubt, things finally started falling into place. People sometimes see the confidence I have now and assume it’s always been there, but that couldn’t be further from the truth! I spent years feeling too tall, too big, too Latina, not Latina enough… just “too” everything. I shrank myself long before I ever learned how to expand.
Learning to take up space (in the dance studio, on set, and in my own life) has been a lot of unlearning. It meant forgiving younger me for believing she had to change herself to be worthy.
On the practical side, balancing a full-time tech career with a creative career is… chaotic in a very Hannah Montana way. I was laid off last year and got a taste of full-time entrepreneurship before landing the job I have now, and that period taught me so much. The thrill of booking shoots mixed with the uncertainty of when the next one would come was stressful, but it made me resilient.
These days, my schedule looks like clocking out of tech at 5 PM, running to a photoshoot at 6, some days of choreographing until 4 AM, waking up at 8 for work, and sprinkling in “momager” duties because my dog models too. I’m also super grateful for remote work (I’ve definitely analyzed spreadsheets on set between shots or taken Zoom calls on the way to rehearsal). It’s fulfilling, it’s exhausting, and it’s organized chaos living inside a color-coded calendar. But I love it, and I love that my opportunities keep growing.
There have been seasons where I questioned myself or I compared myself to people who seemed miles ahead. But those moments taught me to stay in my own lane and trust my timing. What’s meant for me won’t miss me.
After my first Own Your Strut workshop, the feedback and energy in the room showed me how powerful this work really is. It taught me that anxiety and doubt need to be channeled into action. And I learned that modeling isn’t as competitive as people assume. Everyone has their niche; it’s just about finding yours.
The internal work has been just as real: unlearning years of body shame, navigating an industry that treats women’s bodies like trends, and carving out spaces where someone who looks like me doesn’t just participate — she leads. Not every room is designed with me in mind, but I’ve learned I can build my own rooms or trust that I’ll be guided to the right ones.
There’s no blueprint for navigating the creative world as a curvy or plus-size model, dancer, or entrepreneur. But even with all the challenges, I wouldn’t trade any of it. Every setback pushed me closer to who I am. Every insecurity became part of my story. And every fear I faced- from my first heels class to that first photoshoot with my Hinge photographer, to runway castings – opened doors I didn’t even know existed.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I always joke that I live a double life. By day, I’m an AI Analyst for Microsoft (my inner neuroscience brain loves research, structure, and problem-solving). But once I close my laptop, I shift into my creative world, which is where my soul thrives.
I’m a curve model, and I work with brands to bring their products to life. My favorite categories are swimwear, lingerie, and skincare. I’m naturally very commercial – bubbly, expressive shoots are where I thrive – and I love incorporating dance into my posing to keep everything dynamic. I’ve worked with amazing Austin-based brands like Kitty & Vibe, 93 Playstreet, Sugardoh, Rosen, and Underclub Co., White Elm, along with household names like Clorox and Tree Hut.
Runway is my true love. I walk in shows throughout Austin and Texas, and I’ve also assisted with casting for Austin Fashion Week for the past few seasons. It’s been such an honor and a full-circle experience to help uplift new talent and advocate for more inclusive representation in our local fashion scene.
Another big part of my work is creative collaboration. I regularly partner with photographers, designers, and artists around Austin to create conceptual shoots that stretch my creativity and diversify my portfolio. Those shoots are where I get to experiment, direct, and bring ideas to life with people I admire.
I also do movement direction on set, especially with newer models who might feel nervous. Helping someone find their angles, loosen up, and see themselves differently is so much fun and one of my favorite parts of being on set, because so many people did that for me when I was starting out.
That’s why I began offering Model Intro Packages: 1:1 sessions for aspiring models where I share everything I wish I’d known when I was navigating the industry from scratch. I walk them through getting started, building a portfolio, understanding agencies, marketing themselves, and I shoot their digitals. Watching someone go from unsure to confident is so incredibly rewarding.
But the project I’m most proud of is my workshop series, Own Your Strut.
It merges everything I love — dance, fashion, confidence, and community. I teach the intersection of heels dance and modeling: how movement influences posing, how runway technique shifts your posture and presence, and how embodiment can change the way you move through your daily life. It’s not just about walking or posing; it’s about learning to take up space. Seeing people enter quietly and leave glowing will always be the highlight of my work.
What sets me apart is the blend of worlds I move between: I’m a Latina in tech by day and a dancer, model, and creative producer by night. My work is rooted in movement, representation, and inclusivity. I put intention into everything I do, and my goal is always the same: to make people feel seen, celebrated, and confident in whatever space they step into. A big part of my work as a curve model is advocating for inclusivity and representation in fashion – especially for plus-size and curvy women. I speak on panels and in community discussions about size inclusivity, media representation, and breaking stereotypes in the fashion and creative industries. It’s important for me to not just be in the room, but to help open the door for others.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
Growing up, I was definitely the shy, observant, nerdy kid. I took school really seriously and put a lot of pressure on myself to get good grades, not because my parents demanded it, but because I wanted to make their sacrifices feel “worth it.” They just wanted me to be happy, but I was definitely my own toughest critic.
At the same time, I had this quiet creative streak I didn’t fully know how to express yet. I loved crafting, experimenting with outfits in the privacy of my room, and organizing little “productions” with my little sister in our living room (we even charged my parents a $5 entry fee). I think that was my first taste of being a creative, even though I didn’t realize it then.
In high school, I found technical theatre, which became my safe zone. I loved being close to the magic without being onstage. I was the girl calling cues, stage-managing dance shows, making everything run smoothly while secretly wishing I had the confidence to be on the other side of the curtain.
Personality-wise, I was soft, sensitive, and goofy once I opened up. I dreamed big but kept those dreams to myself because I didn’t feel ready to take up that kind of space yet.
Looking back, I can see the early versions of who I am now: the tech girl, the creative, the dancer and performer I didn’t yet have the confidence to be. I just needed time to finally step into all of it.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yanettypoo
Image Credits
Kevin Deal
Nina Cammarata
Jasi Fotos
Aarti Photography
Gerson Diaz
Madison Dee
Patrick McWilliams
Chie Endo
Mary G.
