Rocío Villalva has been inspired to create her own social media content by YouTubers who travel the world. She hoped to live that life herself one day. But she was hesitant to build her online presence and create a brand as an influencer because she is undocumented.
“I always felt like I wanted to create something…so I was like, ‘You know what? “That shouldn't stop me. I can do it in my neighborhood, in my city, or even travel to different states,” said Villava, who is protected from deportation and has a work permit under DACA, the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. .
This prompted Villalva to create her own brand, Chido Chicago, and become a “Latina DACA influencer,” she said. She now has over 30,000 followers on Facebook, over 21,000 followers on Instagram and over 13,000 followers on TikTok.
Her content consists mostly of walking around the city of Chicago and highlighting events or restaurants that she finds interesting. While Villalva promotes major events in the city, it also makes an effort to highlight small Latino-owned businesses.
When she first started growing her following, Villalva visited Dulce de Leche Cafecito in Irving Park. She asked the store owner, Omar Contreras, to film a promotional video to share the restaurant with her followers.
Contreras first opened his business in 2020 amid the pandemic. He said Villalva helped him expand his customer base by following her on social media during difficult financial times for small businesses.
Contreras said Villalva's video was a “lucky kick.” People from all over the city came to his café and told him they saw his food on Chido Chicago's Instagram page.
“The growth of my business and our exposure has had a really big impact,” Contreras said. “During the pandemic, I didn't have the opportunity to do marketing for people to come to my restaurant to try the food until she shot the video. So people started coming in and then going out and telling others how good it was.
Contreras' success inspired Villalva to promote other small businesses around the city.
“When I saw what I was able to do for his company, it was amazing,” Villalva said. “It helps the community too, and other businesses help the community a lot…that kept me going.”
Promoting Latino-owned small businesses and helping them grow their customers is “her form of activism,” Villalva said.
She said she no longer fears exposure on social media because of her situation. But this is unusual for most unregistered people.
DACA recipients — or those applying for DACA status — often refrain from engaging in social media activity because it could have a negative impact on their their lives. issue.
“Immigration law is very complex, and things posted online, even privately, can haunt people,” Ortega said. “Anyone who engages in calls to action, advocates for systemic change or online activism should have an immigration attorney or DOJ-certified representative evaluate and advise their case any time they apply.”
Although engaging in social media activity may only have a negative impact if it is linked to anything that could be considered criminal activity, Ortega said.
But those who promote Latino-owned businesses through social media, like Villalva, play an important role in the community because they can talk about “the difficulties of setting up an entrepreneurship” given all the obstacles many Latino immigrants face, Ortega said.
“DACA individuals — and undocumented people in general — should be able to take up space and be visible on social media to support their community,” she said. “It makes a big difference for people to see someone like them doing something positive for the community.”
Villalva says she sees her brand as an inclusive platform through which she can support and inspire Chicago's Latino community, while also helping them feel accepted.
“I tell people that sometimes, you don't have to wait to be accepted by others, you have to accept yourself… and that you belong here,” Villalva said. “You deserve to feel at home because this is where you are and this is where you are now.”
She makes an effort to promote a variety of businesses throughout Chicago, beyond those in the Latino communities. She said she wanted to make exploring the city easier for her Latino followers and Chicagoans.
“Being an immigrant or a visitor in another country, sometimes you feel left out. If you see that everything is in English, you feel like it's not for you,” Villalva said. “If (her followers) see it in Spanish, and they also see me going to those events, “It makes them feel like they can go there. It's an invitation.”
Villalva's close friend, Javier Ocampo, who died in 2018, encouraged her to create her brand. She honors his memory by encouraging her followers to not be afraid to try things that interest them and create their own content.
“Just start creating content. It doesn't matter if you have an idea. You just start creating content because you don't know who's watching it. You don't know who actually likes what you're doing or who's getting benefit,” Villalva said.
