She elevated to fame after making her acting debut in Spike Lee's blockbuster Do the Right Thing. Rosie has had a long-acting career and is also a dancer, novelist, choreographer, and talk show host.

With regard to the Puerto Rican community, Perez is quite active. She was a co-director of the Puerto Rican historical documentary "Yo soy Boricua, pa’que tú lo sepas!" In 2010, Barack Obama appointed Perez to the PACHA, the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS. She has become a spokeswoman for the Latinx community thanks to her transparency, which has helped her connect with her Afro-Latina community. Perez encourages all Latinos to come together and stand up for their rights and representation, regardless of their country of origin or skin color.