I was born August 12, 1981, in Santa Clara, Villa Clara, Cuba, one of the most beautiful islands in the universe - a country run buy the communist leader Fidel Castro. As a young boy I always dreamed of becoming a beautiful girl - something I couldn't talk about or say to anyone but myself.

As a youngster I had girl friends who I did tell, and they loved the idea, but always with the question: Could I one day I really do it?

I would put a long towel on my head to pretend it was long hair, and put on my friends' clothes to feel feminine. The funny part was when we played house. I dressed them in my clothes, and made them into boys, so they could be the Father and I could be the Mother.

I always felt left out, and wondered why was I born as something I didn't feel was part of me. I had dreams of always becoming my true self, but in a country like Cuba it would have never been possible.

My father always wanted me to play manly sports and be with the boys. But that wasn't a good idea, because the manly sports drove me nuts - meaning I hated them. And the boys… well, I usually wanted to make out with them. And that's what really happened. I ended up kissing with them! Hahahah - crazy, huh, but true.

I was always good in school and loved learning new things. That's why I loved going to English class to learn how to speak "American". That's what I called it as a young child.

I always loved dancing and entertaining my friends and family. I loved going to the Cuban Carnivals and dancing all day long. Dancing was a way for me to express myself and feel free. I loved it so much that at age 9 I became one of their dancers. And boy, I loved going to practice after school. It became my new hobby.

But then came the 7th grade, and I had to leave my primary school and go to the secondary school with new and older kids. I really didn't want to, because it was very nerve-racking for me. But the day came, and it wasn't that bad. I met new friends and almost all the kids from 6th grade were there, so it wasn't so bad after all.

In 7th grade new things also came along. Volleyball and badminton were huge in my school. Those were two sports that I really didn't mind getting into, because you didn't have to get dirty. So I joined the volleyball team and the badminton team, and I got good at both. I was so good that the coach named me captain of the team, but I really felt like the queen of all them boys. Ha ha ha ha! Our team in volleyball came in first that year, and in badminton the team came in second. But in singles I came in first. Not bad for my first year.

Then summer came along, and we all went to have our vacations. That summer I met my first boyfriend, Giovani. He was cute, tall, and the star of Water Polo team - another big sport in my country. He was the first person I could really open myself too. And yes, I did tell him about my dream of becoming a girl.

He loved me even more for been so honest. I told this boy everything - I mean my whole life story. And for the first time I felt wanted and understood.

But summer does end and he went to a different school, so we only got to see each other at water polo practice. Yes, I joined the water polo team, just to see him. Forget the volleyball and bring on the boys in wet speedos! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!

All I have to say is that I was in heaven - Ha ha ha ha ha!

By the end of the 8th grade my life really took a weird turn. For the first time I found out that my family was hiding a big secret from me, and that all I had learned was fake. My Grandpa called me into our living room and said stuff that in a million years I would have never imagined.

Here we go…

He went to jail for 10 years for trying to kill our president.

What?!

Yes, it happened when I wasn't even yet born - in 1967, a year when a group of men who hated Fidel Castro's ideas got together and planned to kill him. My crazy Grandpa was in that group. My head started spinning and I felt like everything I knew was a big fat lie.

The story doesn't end there.

He said that he has been working on leaving the country and going to the USA as a political refugee, and it wasn't going to be in a boat. He said that he was waiting for a letter to confirm the trip to the USA - something I was terrified of doing - going to a strange country and leave behind all I knew...

And yes, because they raised me, I had to leave with them, because my mother left me when I was a year old with my Grandma, and my Dad wasn't really a Dad to me.

Well, the day came and the letter arrived saying yes, we could leave. All I could think or say was, wow!!!!!!!!

So I had to say goodbye to my sister, brother and my Dad, because he didn't want to come. And yes, good-bye to Giovani. He got really sad, and I cried like a baby. I told him I really didn't want to leave Cuba. I loved my country with all my heart and soul, and to leave behind everything I knew wasn't good.

We went to the airport, and the plane was waiting to take off, and all I could think of was "Can someone help me, please".

Well, no one did help me.

Welcome to the USA

We got to Miami and all the Cuban refugees were taken to a room where we had to watch videos about the USA and do a bunch of paperwork. It was not fun, because inside I was still screaming.

Then came the big surprise. They choose where you are going to live. And guess where they had decided to take us?

Bismarck, North Dakota.

My grandparents and I said, "Where is that?"

They showed us a map, and all I could say was "Hell no!!!!!!!!"

North Dakota was the coldest state in the USA, and I wasn't ready to see snow or be in the cold. Leaving my country was hard, and now I have to live in North Dakota.

I felt like they were trying to kill us.

Anyway, we went to Bismarck, North Dakota, and yes, it was cold. Very cold.

I wanted to get back in the plane and go back to Cuba.

The other thing that sucked - we were the only Spanish-speaking people in the airport. Not fun. But when we came out of the plane some people were waiting to receive us. Their Spanish was funny, but there were three other Cuban families waiting to make us feel better, so that was sweet.

So I go enrolled in school, and yes, I was the only Hispanic person in the whole school, and the shortest. Everyone was blonde with blue eyes and tall.

I wont say anything else because I really don't want to talk about the 4 coldest years of my life. But I will say that I did graduate and had some jobs there, working at KFC, at the Radisson Hotel, and at Target.

Well, you all wondering -- When does she come out and say it?!

I wanna be a girl!!!!!!!!!!!

Well it all happened at Halloween.

My best friend Shenae dressed me as a girl with her sisters' clothes for my costume, and for the first time I felt so comfortable that I forgot to take it off when I went home.

My grandparents were like "What are you doing?"

I said "It's Holloween."

Well, Halloween became an a everyday thing, and my grandparents said, "How long is this Halloween?"

They went and asked their friends, and guess what? After work they were waiting to have a talk. They said "Halloween has been over -- Why are you still doing this?"

Well, I tell them that this was what I wanted to become, and all they said was

"Hey, as long as you're happy",

and

"You should have told us!"

What a relief!!!!!!!! Yeahhhhhh

I couldn't really be myself in Bismarck North Dakota, so I moved to Florida, where I started to dress full time and become who I was deep inside.

Well, I loved Florida, but there was something missing. I learned about Los Angeles having a big transsexual community. So one day I went back home and I got in my old Mercury Sable and drove towards my dream of becoming a woman.

I drove to Los Angeles, California.

I was homeless for a while, because I didn't know anyone. I went and stayed at Covenant House, a shelter for the homeless kids. It was a place where I started to realize discrimination toward me. They had other transsexual girls there, but they were not really friendly, so I always stayed by myself. They wanted to put me with the males, and I wasn't going to let that happen, so I stayed downstairs on a mat until they figured something out. They couldn't help me, but they did transfer me to the Gay and Lesbian Center, where they had a shelter for gays and lesbians and the transgendered.

So, I lived there for a year and half. I finally started hormones, and my dream of becoming a beautiful Queen had started.

I had been working at the Van Ness Prevention Division, where I learned to fight for our rights. The right to being ourselves, stopping hate crimes, and helping my community stay safe from HIV and STDs.

Well I really started to become and live as my self, so I was the happiest girl in the world. I got to enter a few beauty pageants, where I won almost all of them. it felt like God was really washing over me.

Everything was good and happy but deep down inside I wanted to be loved by someone, to care for me, and love me for me.

But dreams do come true. My dream was granted, too, and on April 16 of 2001 I met this wonderful young man who became my one and only, my love and soul mate.

I had some money saved, so it was time to get my place and start my life. My boyfriend and I moved in together, and started to live our lives as a couple.

But of course not everything is perfect. We had our fights and arguments. After 7 months we broke up, and like my Grandma says, "Let it go, and if it comes back, then it really is love."

And yes, we got back and had our offs and ons for almost five years, but I really loved him and cared for him. And wish him nothing but happiness, so whatever happens, I will always love him.

On November 6 of 2005 I entered my 5th Pageant in my life, run by Miss Karina. It was called Queen Universe.

So I decided to give it a try. I went with the attitude of having fun and meeting new girls from around the world. There I got to meet the beautiful Miss Hawaii. She was my favorite because she was so sweet, and Miss Ruby Kay - I liked her too because she had that attitude that she didn't care what anyone said, and that she was going to be herself..

The pageant started, and everyone was nervous, but I just was having fun and ready to walk that runway.

I got the award for Miss Popularity and the award for Audience Favorite. That was just a blessing even if I didn't win anything else. I had won two awards.

And then I heard my name called for the Top 12. That was an other blessing from God.

And when the announcement came for Top 5 Finalists, I heard my name.

I was really really happy, but I never got nervous. I got exited, and to have my family and boyfriend there to support me and see it, there wasn't a better place to be.

The story doesn't end there, beause I wouldn't be writing this long Bio just for fun or because I was dreaming.

Yes ladies and gentleman, I was crowned your new...

Queen of the Universe

My name is Yuni Herrera, and I'm very proud to represent transsexuals everywhere as their new Queen.

This has been a very exiting and cool experience, and I promise will do my best as your new Queen Universe. Thanks to all my friends and family for supporting me, and yes, even though we don't know where life would take us...

I wanna thank my boyfriend for loving me and believing in me. Thanks babe.

And thank u to all of u.

For putting together such a wonderful event for us transgender women to be able to show the world that we are beautiful, smart, talented, and no matter what happens we will stand for our beliefs, and will be ourselves to the end.

And my story hopefuly won't end there, as long as God allows me to continue my journey.

Thank u from the bottom of my heart.

Love

Queen Universe 2005 Miss Yuni.

PS: And if u all are wondering what I'm doing these days, I'm just living life day by day, and saving to one day have my SRS. Thanks,

Good luck, and see you all next year, cause I cant wait to crown another beautiful queen ;-)

love u all,

muah...