Actress Dania Ramirez, 30, decided to visit her native Dominican Republic late last year. Ramirez, best known for her role as the powerful, yet teary-eyed, Maya Herrera in NBC’s Heroes, was born in Santo Domingo. But her return trip there was not a vacation, but instead was to help deliver a year’s supply of clean drinking water to villages in need. As the new face for COVERGIRL, Ramirez joined veteran COVERGIRL, Queen Latifah in the brand’s “COVERGIRL Clean Makeup for Clean Water Campaign.”
Walking into a large Four Seasons Hotel room to discuss her recent charity endeavor, Ramirez looks effortlessly beautiful with her long brunette hair falling on well-defined shoulders, wearing minimal makeup. Confident in her white Louboutin stilettos and fitted bodice dress, the former professional model is happy about her new role in a burgeoning career that began when she was fifteen and working in a convenience store in New York City. As has happened so often before, a model scout spied Ramirez and offered her a role in a soda commercial. Since then, she has worked with Spike Lee, Bill Cosby, Hugh Jackman and many other Hollywood greats. But today, CATALINA caught up with the star to talk about clean living, achieving beauty from the inside out, and more.
CATALINA: How do you use your celebrity to benefit your native Dominican Republic?
DR: I try to give back in ways that not only benefit my country, but that helps people in need from parts of my country that are not fortunate to have necessities.
CATALINA: How often do you visit?
DR: I try to get back at least twice a year. Both my grandmothers and a few aunts still live in the village I was raised in, Cotui. And my parents live in Santo Domingo. I was just there over the past holidays.
CATALINA: Can you talk about returning there with the COVERGIRL Clean Water Campaign?
DR: I am grateful and blessed to be affiliated with a brand that helps everyday women look and feel their best, and also a brand that pays attention to things that really matter like clean water enhancement. It’s so funny because water is something that we take for granted and, yet, water is one of the essentials for life. One out of every 6 people worldwide lacks safe drinking water.
I have childhood memories of not having running water. I remember in my small town that it was totally normal to be faced with drinking contaminated water and getting parasites, and not being able to go to school.
Living in a town where we didn’t have the luxury of opening the faucet to be able to drink safe, clean, purified water. So, for me, it was the most heartwarming trip I have ever taken, not just in my career, but in my life!
I still get chills at the mere thought of those children’s smiles. They are so full of life. We got to go to schools and educate the children; we got to go to hospitals and provide them with supplies of PUR ® packets and show them how easy they were to use. But one of the things I remember most from my trip was asking people in the town how many of them have contaminated water and more than half raised their hands. For me, it wasn’t so much that they were drinking this unsafe water, but the fact that they thought it was normal.
CATALINA: When you left home for New York and then Los Angeles, were you apprehensive about making such a drastic move, or were you confident in yourself to become a success?
DR: I was born with this immense drive, but when I decided to drive cross country, I had an unforgettable anxious feeling at the pit of my stomach. I always say “I believe, they believe, the world believes.” It all starts with you. It just felt like the right thing to do, and I am not one to ever look back.
CATALINA: Before your acting took off, you were an accomplished volleyball player, outside hitter and defense specialist. What did the game and team sports teach you that are still important to you today?
DR: As you train to be the best, you can’t win without your team. It taught me to understand other points of view and to figure out what my strengths are and how to accept my weakness. I learned how to celebrate other women and be inspired and learn from them, as well as to share and inspire them.
CATALINA: When was the first time you were comfortable in your own skin?
DR: I had to learn that at a very young age. When I was young, I was awkward looking – long arms, big hands, big eyes, super skinny and then, to top it off, I had the ugliest looking fro because I cut my curly hair. People would refer to me as “the ugly one,” but I always felt beautiful inside. I would look in the mirror and tell myself “I don’t know what they’re talking about – I’m beautiful.” It is about embracing who you are and finding your own beauty, then everyone little by little stopped calling me names.
CATALINA: When you walk out the door of your home, what three makeup products do you always take with you and why?
DR: COVERGIRL Lashblast Length Mascara. I love long, natural looking lashes – it makes me feel confident when I look people in the eye and it makes my eyes look captivating. Simply Ageless cream blush because it’s easy for quick color on my cheeks and makes me look wide awake, especially during long days. An easy lip moisturizer, and I’m ready to take on the world. My lips tend to need a lot of moisture.
CATALINA: I’m going to throw out some words to you – you tell me the first thing that comes to your mind. Romance.
DR: Life is not worth living without it.
CATALINA: Being famous.
DR: Doesn’t mean you stop being a human being.
CATALINA: Health.
DR: We can’t control some things in regards to our health but we can do our part to make sure we are as healthy as we can be.
CATALINA: Aging.
DR: Knowledge. With age comes more knowledge, but what I know for sure now is that I don’t know enough, so I am much more open to learning.
CATALINA: Natural.
DR: The most beautiful makeup is the one that looks most natural.
CATALINA: Being a Latina in entertainment, what do you hope you might be able to accomplish in the coming years?
DR: I have always loved to inspire people, make a difference in the world. I know that sounds so corny, but it is true. I like to share my story of struggle and hard work and hope that it serves as an example. As a Latina, I hope to serve as an example that we are a force to be reckoned with, and to hopefully have a positive affect in our overall outlook so that we can celebrate each other as one people.
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More from this issue:
In My Words : NCLR President Janet Murguia talks about growing up Latina in Kansas, and more. Read more >>
Thoughts: Sonia Manzano: In her opinion piece, CATALINA regular contributor Sonia Manzano (“Maria” from Sesame Street) shares thoughts on Haiti. Read more >>
Travel: My NY: Explore the Big Apple like a VIP, thanks to tips from Fox5 sports anchor Andy Rosa Adler. Read more >>
