Yasmín Porrata Morán, GPJ Puerto Rico Teacher Rosa Mercedes Rivera watches Glausmires Reyes, center, walk in runway class with her son, Omar Yahir Méndez Reyes, 10, at D Models by Divas, a modeling agency. UTUADO, PUERTO RICO — When Glausmires Reyes, 43, lines up to walk the runway, she feels powerful, like she rules her own life. To her, modeling is constantly remembering that she can face any adversity.
But five years ago, when she entered the world of modeling, her story was different. After having a miscarriage, she was diagnosed with cancer, which she had to treat with chemotherapy. The side effects included fatigue, nausea and the loss of her hair.
In addition, she says, her partner at the time was using psychological violence against her. “I was a woman abused psychologically and emotionally through domestic violence,” Reyes says. “I felt devalued, inferior, like a failure, because that’s what they got me to believe.
” After separating, she decided to rebuild her life. So when a friend invited her to audition for a fashion show, she accepted. At the event, Reyes captured the attention of Puerto Rican designer Rosa Mercedes Rivera, who invited her to train professionally at her modeling school and agency, D Models by Divas, which specializes in models of diverse sizes and ages.
Yasmín Porrata Morán, GPJ Puerto Rico Glausmires Reyes prepares for the runway with her modeling teacher, Rosa Mercedes Rivera, at D Models by Divas, a modeling agency. Reyes.
