[1] Barrera was born in Englewood, New Jersey, to Nicaraguan-American parents and attended the Bergen County Academies.
[2] Barrera earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts at Rutgers University, where she studied dance.
[2] In 2018, Barrera was added to the cast of the television series GLOW.
[3] Her character, Yolanda, is a former stripper who joins the cast when an original wrestler leaves.
[1][4][5][6] Barrera makes monthly donations to, and has organized fund-raising events for, a charity that helps disabled people in Nicaragua.