By: Dennis Richmond, Jr.
Five years ago, when I first interviewed Cienna [Rosalina] Rose with Yonkers Times, she was a 21-year-old trans advocate from Yonkers, determined to use her voice to educate folx and create change. At the time, she told me she wanted to be famous. More importantly, she wanted to be heard. She ended up on Yonkers Voice after her feature.
Today, at 25, the woman many know as Cienna Rose is continuing to build a platform rooted in storytelling, advocacy, faith, and self-discovery.
A Yonkers native and graduate of New Rochelle High School, Rose now lives in Tampa, Florida, where she says she feels most at home. Like many Yonkers residents, she has traveled back and forth between New York and Florida. While her social media presence has continued to grow, she believes some of the most important developments in her life have happened away from the spotlight.
Over the past year, Rose has worked on several projects aimed at challenging misconceptions about trans folx. Among them is an upcoming collaboration with a major recording studio in Atlanta. Although confidentiality agreements prevent her from naming the company or project, she said the content focuses on breaking down stereotypes and sharing authentic stories from members of the trans community.
“It focuses on what real stories from trans people look like,” Rose said.
Her advocacy has also expanded beyond issues directly affecting trans folx.Last year, she partnered with Free & Just and traveled to Atlanta to help cover stories about how abortion laws in certain states have impacted women’s lives. The experience, she said, reinforced the importance of supporting all women.
“It showed me that beyond being trans, I can stand on women’s rights—all women’s rights,” she said. “I don’t have to limit myself to only talking about trans rights.”
Away from advocacy work, Rose says she has deepened her relationship with God. She described learning to trust the process, even when she does not fully understand where life is leading her.
“I’ve become comfortable not always understanding what God is doing in my life,” she said. “I just trust that I’m highly favored and that things will work in my favor.”
That renewed confidence has inspired her to pursue another longtime passion: music. Rose recently began recording in professional studios and hopes to release her first music project later this year.
“I’ve always had a natural talent for music,” she said. “Getting into the studio and developing that talent has been exciting.”
Rose also recently returned to Tampa after spending time elsewhere. She said the city’s vibrant LGBTQ+ community, supportive friendships, and opportunities for content creation made it clear where she belonged.
In recent months, she has expanded her YouTube presence, posting storytime videos that generated more than 300,000 views in just three months.
Still, she says her greatest accomplishment has been learning to love herself more fully. She credits positive affirmations, self-reflection, and personal growth with helping her overcome self-doubt and embrace her potential.
Back in 2021, Rose ended our interview with a prediction: she was going to be famous.
Five years later, her confidence is the same. Only now, it feels like less of a dream and more like a woman steadily becoming exactly who she always believed she could be.
Dennis Richmond, Jr. (@NewYorkStakz) is a journalist, historian, and educator from Yonkers, NY. He writes to uplift unheard voices, honor history, and inspire change.