Today we’d like to introduce you to Robert ‘Slim’.
Hi Robert ‘Slim’, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My story starts in Carrollton–Farmers Branch. My parents immigrated from Mexico and worked hard to give my siblings and me a better life. As the youngest of seven people living in a one-bedroom apartment, I learned early how to make the most of what I had. I grew up glued to sports and music on TV, and when I wasn’t watching, I found creative ways to have fun with whatever was around me.
When we moved to a trailer park, I had more room to explore and without realizing it, I started building community. I’d organize soccer games for all the neighborhood kids, from elementary through high school. Looking back, I wasn’t just creating games; I was bringing people together.
At 12, I joined a dance crew performing at quinceañeras alongside dancers much older than me. I was already choreographing routines, competing, and pushing myself creatively. When that team ended, I found another crew with the same drive, and by 15 I was performing on national TV in Los Angeles. I paid my own way, working at a car wash and taking buses from Lewisville to Garland because I knew this was what I wanted.
People always told me I was a natural leader, and every community I joined, I found myself directing and investing in others. After performing solo, I helped inspire the creation of the NFL’s first co-ed hip-hop dance team with the Dallas Cowboys. I was just 16 when the idea first came together, and after graduating high school in 2013, I helped introduce hip-hop to the Cowboys organization through trial performances. In 2014, that vision officially became reality with the inaugural team.
After leaving the team, I continued growing as a choreographer, working with crews, artists, organizations, and businesses across the country and introducing the Hip Hop culture to the industry. Then in 2016, I founded Community Sunday with a mission to connect creative worlds through sound, movement, and design. Along the way, I realized it was never just about dance, it was always about creating community and bringing people together to be part of something meaningful.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The road was anything but smooth. It felt like I was building a path that didn’t exist. There was no blueprint to follow, and no one around me had done what I was trying to do. It was just me, my vision, and the belief that I could create something bigger than myself.
At one point, I was working three jobs, moving from place to place just trying to find stable housing, going to school, and paying my own way. I earned my associate’s degree in science at Richland and completed three semesters at UTD before I had to step away because I simply couldn’t afford to continue.
At the same time, my family was facing immigration and legal challenges. My dad and brothers were deported to Mexico, and the rest of us were living with constant uncertainty and fear. I was preparing to become an uncle while also watching a relationship I was invested in and deeply cared about fall apart. I had to be the “man of the house” at a young age.
With so much resting on my shoulders, creativity became my refuge. Dance, choreography, and art gave me a place to process everything I couldn’t put into words. Looking back, it’s difficult to admit, but so much of my creativity was shaped by adversity. I never wanted the struggle, but it gave my work a depth, purpose, and honesty that continues to influence everything I create today.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I use my creative gifts to heal, entertain, inspire, and connect with the world.
I specialize in branding and marketing, but what truly defines me is the way I move through life… with intention, authenticity, and my own unmistakable style. I believe creativity is more than a skill; it’s a way of seeing. I use my imagination to solve problems, challenge perspectives, and discover new ways to experience the world around us.
I’m most proud of who I am, not just what I create. My work is simply a vessel for expressing the way my mind sees and shapes ideas. Every project I take on is an opportunity to leave something better than I found it. That’s not just how I work, it’s how I live.
My goal isn’t just to build brands or market products. It’s to create meaningful experiences, elevate every space I enter, and leave a lasting impact through creativity, authenticity, and intention.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
To be completely honest, at this point in my life, money makes me happy.
Not because of what it represents to other people, but because of what it makes possible. My family has always had to navigate financial limitations, so being able to support myself and help the people I love brings me a deep sense of fulfillment.
There’s also something incredibly meaningful about being compensated for my art. It’s hard to describe the feeling. To me, it’s the ultimate validation, not because someone is simply paying me, but because they’re investing in something that came from my authentic self. I’m not selling a fake image or pretending to be someone I’m not. I’m creating value, enhancing someone’s experience, and being rewarded for doing what comes naturally to me.
I’m deeply curious about the many ways this life can be lived. I want to travel, learn, experience new cultures, and continue expanding my perspective. But those opportunities aren’t free.
If money weren’t an obstacle, I’d probably go back to school. I genuinely love learning. Maybe that’s the deeper answer: what really makes me happy is growth, and money gives me the freedom to keep growing while bringing the people I care about along with me.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @_slimhernandez and @communitysunday
