Today’s Top Indigenous Model: Yissel Lopez
Yissel Lopez, 29, is a Wixarika woman who currently lives in Portland, Oregon, although she was originally born in the state’s capital city, Salem. Wixaritari is the original indigenous people who have lived for centuries, before Spanish colonization, in areas we now know as Mexico and certain parts of the United States.
Yissel is well-known on social media for her creative content, makeup, fashion, singing, and dancing. You can find her across all platforms including Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Youtube, Spotify, Apple Music, and Google Music. Yissel started doing traditional Mariachi music in 2019 and has grown quickly since. Yissel is proud of her achievements and the hard work she put in to make her dreams a reality.
Read More: Today’s Top Calgary Model: Jaidyn Jensen
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Most notably, Yissel’s TikTok (@yissellopez_) has 27.6k followers and displays content such as common trends, cultural education, and comedy videos. Additionally, Yissel uses her platform to share her story of reconnecting with her Indigenous roots as well as motivational messages for others facing similar challenges in cultural revitalization. She would like others to know that representation matters, and that each person has a place in representing their identity and culture.
Yissel shares, “My mother would remind me from time to time about our roots…but I never fully understood what her ‘Huichol’ side was. It was my fascination with history that led me down this path on researching and learning about Mexico’s history and colonization that I started learning about my roots and finally understood what my mother was trying to tell me all this time.
After putting myself out there, I was touched by the amount of messages flooding in by people who could relate to me. I just wanted to get my story out there to be heard and in return I found myself inspiring people to create and reconnect. I do my best to lead, not as a leader, but as a sister. I hope my music inspires others and teaches that Mexico is full of history, culture, and language. And that above all, we are all one and we are one love”
In addition to her recent Youtube music video called “Entre Tus Maletas”, Yissel is currently working on the production of her second music video. She hopes to have it available on Youtube by late summer or early fall of 2022. Yissel’s upcoming music video is for one of her favorite songs from her latest album, “Me Dicen la Malandrina,” which is currently available to listen to on Spotify. Keep an eye out for her upcoming projects coming soon!
