We had the good fortune of connecting with Sandra Velasquez and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sandra, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
I was born and raised in North Park, San Diego, before it was cool! My parents are Mexican and I have extended family in San Diego. I grew up bilingual and bicultural and that experience shaped my identity. To this day I identify as Chicana. It wasn’t until I moved to New York to pursue my music career that I realized just how Chicana I was!
I really took for granted growing up with strong Mexican and Chicano cultural influences. Mexican-Americans who grew up near the border listening to cumbia at home and Led Zeppelin at school can relate. I am so grateful for my bicultural experience. It gives me a unique perspective on the world and the complexity of identity.

What should our readers know about your business?
Nopalera is a Modern Mexican Beauty & Lifestyle brand. We harness the power of the nopal (prickly pear cactus) in our body care line. I created Nopalera because I believe we deserve premium Latino options in the beauty space. Our bold aesthetic and core values make us stand out in an industry that has been largely dominated by Euro-centric brands. Nothing about starting a business was easy. For starters, I had no money or experience in the beauty industry. But I was so passionate about the mission of building an aspirational Latina brand that I was willing to do whatever it took to make it happen. I enrolled in formulation school and learned how to make the products myself and did so for the first year. I’ve learned so many lessons along the way and am still learning. One of them is to stay true to your mission. I see how our brand has impacted our customers lives and its what fuels me to get through the hard days. Nopalera’s mission is to build a Latina legacy brand that makes Latinos feel proud of who they are while inviting everyone into a rich cultural experience.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
My favorite spots in San Diego that I immediately go back to every time I’m home are: The Prado, Sunset Cliffs, El Comal in North Park, The ceviche truck in the Target parking lot in Golden Hills, Las Cuatro Milpas in Barrio Logan, Northgate for grocery shopping, Pancho Villa for tortillas. Del Mar’s sea grove park and anything around Torrey Pines. It’s really food and nature driven!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I was very fortunate to be raised by proud Mexican parents. They infused cultural pride in me which I have celebrated in all of my endeavors. Bold action, self belief, and social justice are part of my DNA. My mother is a local celebrity in San Diego, frequently interviewed on Television as an immigration expert. Her name is Lilia Velasquez, but people call her La Flama de La Justicia (the Flame of Justice). Before launching Nopalera I was the leader of Latin Alternative band called Pistolera. I used music as my platform to elevate our culture and bring people together through powerful lyrics and danceable music. Now, with Nopalera, it is a continuation of my mission to write our own narrative, and inspire people to be proud of who they are.

Website: https://www.nopalera.co

Instagram: @nopalera.co

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@nopalera_co

Image Credits
Amanda Lopez

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