Dulce Candy, the beauty vlogger, made waves after she challenged the presidential candidates with a question about immigration and entrepreneurship. Her real name is Dulce Candy Tejeda Ruiz. Here are five facts about the lady who made a mark at the #GOPDebate.

1. She used to be a soldier.

Fox News Latino revealed that in 2006, Dulce joined the U.S. Army and later became a certified generator mechanic. She was assigned at Fort Hood in Texas and was also sent to Baghad, Iraq, where she served as a military driver for 15 months. Candy is experienced in combat, having driven VIPs into the “Green Zone” under fire several times. She also earned a combat action badge for her efforts.

2. She has a tough background.

Dulce, born in 1988, was an illegal immigrant from Michoacan, Mexico. In 1994, her mother brought Dulce and her sisters to the United States illegally to be reunited with her father, who was a farm laborer. She spent most of her childhood living in a trailer park. She also was also a depressed high schooler, admitting that she attempted suicide before.

3. She is now an entrepreneur and writer.

Ruiz is currently the CEO of Dulce Candy, Inc., a business dedicated to fashion, beauty and lifestyle. In 2008, she started posting video makeup tutorials on YouTube. She appeared as a “Beauty Smartie” in Seventeen Magazine a year later and became more serious about her work and digital presence. Dulce provides the content on her website DulceCandy.com, and has also authored a book, titled “The Sweet Life.”

4. She is a social media sensation.

Fox News Latino stated that Dulce has 1 million Instagram followers, 2.6 million YouTube subscribers and close to 250,000 Twitter followers. She has also signed contracts to provide content for companies like L’Oreal, Macy’s, Olay, Cover Girl, Kohl’s and Too Faced.

5. She is a mom and wife.

Dulce, who is currently based in Los Angeles, met her husband in Kuwait while they were both serving in the military. They wed in 2011 and currently has a son, Izek, who is three years old.

Bustle notes that the difficult question that Dulce asked the candidates in her video was, “There are many immigrants who contribute positively to the American economy, but some of the comments in the campaign make us question our place in this country. If America does not seem like a welcoming place for immigrant entrepreneurs, will the American economy suffer?”

Her statement garnered the praise of several politicians and social media users.