Shakira Barrera is an actress, dancer, and performer who was raised in Englewood, New Jersey. The daughter of Nicaraguan immigrants, she developed her passion for dance at an early age and trained extensively in ballet, jazz, tap, flamenco, and hip-hop. After graduating from Rutgers University, she moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in entertainment, working as a professional dancer before transitioning into acting.

Barrera gained national recognition for her role as Yolanda “Yo-Yo” Rivas in the Netflix wrestling comedy-drama GLOW. Her portrayal of the energetic and outspoken wrestler earned praise for bringing depth and visibility to Latina and LGBTQ characters. In addition to her work on GLOW, Barrera has appeared in television and film projects including Faking It, High & Mighty, and The Manor.

Throughout her career, Barrera has spoken about the importance of representation in the entertainment industry and has credited her New Jersey upbringing and dance training as key influences on her success. She is regarded as one of the notable performers with roots in Englewood who has gone on to achieve national recognition in television and film.