SARASOTA – For Cliseria Padilla Flores, coming out as bisexual was actually the least of her worries compared to figuring out way to further her career as a young Mexican with a lot of ambition on the Suncoast.
“My parents moved me here, they told me we were going to Disney but we didn’t go to Disney until 8 years after,” said Bar Manager at Sage & Bijou Garden Cafe, Cliseria Padilla Flores.
Cliseria Padilla Flores serves as bar manager at Sage and Bijou Garden Café, where she creates cocktails for seasonal menus, keeps up to date with spirits and trains bartenders all while helping them create their own signature drinks.
“Traditional craft cocktails, yeah we like to make good drinks,” said Flores.
Flores, a native of Aguascalientes, Mexico moved to Sarasota with her parents and two siblings at the age of 7.
“Right in Sarasota, I don’t know how they picked Sarasota, maybe the beaches by that point,” said Flores.
Flores worked hard in school, with hopes to one day further her career and make it into the college of her dreams. Like any other kid her age in High School, there came the day when she asked her parents to take her to get a driver’s license.
“My mom was like you can’t really get your license because we don’t have the documents for that or we have a social security number but it’s not for employment, you can’t get a Florida ID, because it’s not for citizens, and I was like that’s cool to know at the age of 15, 16.”
Not having many possibilities to get scholarships, Flores came to the realization college would be more expensive than she originally thought it would be.
“It was really frustrating just working so hard and then not being able to do what you wanted to do, or having the choice of a couple things to be able to do,” said Flores.
While figuring out what she wanted to do to further her career, Cliseria also learned something else about herself.
“Oh I have to deal with this, but that girl is really pretty, but that guy is really hot too, but it’s like wait it’s both of them,” said Flores.
“Even though your parents are super chill, your still hesitant to say anything to them, your sister, your brother, but then I did and they were like ‘okay’ and my sister was like, I knew it.”
Flores credits her loving family for making everything feel normal. Fast forward a couple years, Flores is now a DACA recipient with hopes those who come out find support in family or friends all while staying true to themselves.
“Just having fun with it, lots of glitter,” said Flores.
SNN will continue to bring you stories of Pride on the Suncoast throughout the week, stay tuned!
