Jesusa Cruz Avilés was born in Las Marías, Puerto Rico. Nicknamed "Susa", she jokingly claims to be a distant relative of Tom Cruise, whose last name is a homophone of "Cruz" (and who has no relation with Puerto Rico at all). She is well known for being the best "fritolera" (fritter cook) in Puerto Rico, having a reputation for having invented the "alcapurrias bisexuales" (bisexual alcapurrias), named as such by Epifanio due to their ambiguous shape. As many cooks in rural Puerto Rican eateries do, Susa constantly wears a hair mesh.