SALINA MORENO

Feature Fridays aren’t just about highlighting a beautiful woman who’s crushing her career goals They’re also about women who have used their struggles to change the momentum in their lives and the lives around them They’re committed to empowering the next generation. They’ve seen dark days and have hoped for brighter tomorrows, but continue to show up every single day. This week, we bring you, Salina Moreno!

I had the pleasure of meeting Salina through a church event years ago and we would later work together with She Stories, but it’s her humor that had me from the beginning

If you’ve happened to catch her on TikTok or IG, her reels are funny and relatable She’s a boy mom, a photographer, a preacher’s kid, and did I mention her sense of humor?

However, when Salina was a baby, she lost her eye to cancer. Like many young girls struggling to identify their beauty, she felt unworthy of acceptance and insecure in her skin She always wanted to be an actress, but struggled with the idea that there was any space for “a girl with one eye” For years, she wore her hair over her eye to hide the imperfection that would later catapult her to a platform where she no longer had to hide.

.

It was right before her 30th birthday when Salina had a “wake up” moment. She had been laid off from her job, given a 30-day notice to move out, and ended a 10-year toxic relationship “I felt like I lost it all” She knew she was ready for a change, but also knew this was going to require work on her part. The baggage had become too heavy.

Salina pulled her hair up out of her face and was finally ready for the world to see her authentic self. She was ready to love herself fully and embrace what she once tried to hide Soon, she started sharing her story on her social media and TikTok loves her! She’s gone viral with her skits which are a perfect combination of humor and healthy inspiration

Her following has continued to grow and with over 326k followers, she gets flooded with messages from people letting her know that their life has changed because she told her story. Before long, Salina realized that so many other people are struggling with the same things she was Women were sharing their struggles and insecurities with her in hopes that she could inspire confidence to seek out their beauty She put a funny spin on things that we often find hard to smile at She’s out here changing lives, and raising one at the same time!

People were drawn to her confidence and her willingness to be transparent helped her break into public speaking “I still get nervous, I still stutter, my voice still rattles but I always say yes!” This is how Salina gives back to her community She knows there’s a woman out there struggling with her confidence who needs to know “they are beautiful, they are not alone and that there is beauty in their imperfections.”

Ironically, a woman with one eye has such an amazing eye for photography She’s able to capture the beauty in everything around her She speaks to women who have felt unloved, unheard, and unwanted. Salina shows them that there’s beauty in the things we find unpretty. She empowers the younger women in her life to know that they are enough and that even on your darkest days, you still have a light that can’t be dimmed

We love you, Salina!

You can check Salina's out on IG: @eye am sal official

Learn more about Cancer Awareness, you can check out the American Cancer Society: HERE!

If you or someone you know would like to be a feature, let us know!