User:Mariponcho

Julio Soriano, also known as Xulio or Mishteko, changed his name as a symbol of his search for identity and the clashing and blending of cultures that his ancestors experienced during the Spanish Conquest. He is a mestizo, artist, and social-activist currently residing in the Napa Valley who advocates for immigrant rights, ethnic studies and activism through art.

Personal History

Julio was born (July 1990) and raised in Santo Domingo Tonala, in the Mixtec region of Oaxaca , Mexico in a Spanish speaking household. While living in Santo Domingo Tonala, Julio was raised by his mother and siblings while his father worked in the wine industry in the Napa Valley, mainly picking grapes, grafting, planting and other related labor.

Julio moved to the United States--the Wine Country--when he was ten years old and entered the second semester of fourth grade at Shearer Elementary School only speaking Spanish. However, he was put in the wrong class for his first day of school, where English became the primary language. After transferring to Bel Aire Elementary School, there were few English immersion or English Development (ESL) programs so much of his early life was influenced by the English language.

By early high school, Julio became fluent in English. However, the adapting process became difficult as he had trouble adjusting to many preservatives found in milk, tortillas, and cafeteria food. Julio graduated from Vintage High School and became involved in various clubs and social organizations such as Amnesty International and the Advanced Placement Spanish Literature Club. He is a first generation college student at Napa Valley College pursuing a B.A. in Chicano or Latin American Studies and participates in different social justice oriented organizations.

Social Activism

In terms of his involvement in social activism, Julio identifies himself as a person who lives in the nexus of arts, education, and human rights. He is a strong believer in thinking globally and acting locally, and about acknowledging members of society who are marginalized or segregated. Some of his participation in his community includes: tutoring high school students from different high schools enrolled in programs dedicated to help low-income students such as A.V.I.D (Advancement Via Individual Determination), Talent Search and Upward Bound; empowering the youth through the system of education; and focusing on immigrant rights and art activism. Currently, Julio is focused on providing a venue for artistic expression for all ages of people and also works on bridging the Spanish-speaking community with the English-speaking community.

Ethnic Studies

On April 18th 2011, national “Day of Action to defend Ethnic Studies” Soriano and several other student organizers joined in protest against budget cuts in Napa Valley College. As he states, Ethnic Studies should not be perceived as expendable but rather as crucial in retaining a diverse student body.

Soriano is passionate about ethnic studies because he can’t see a reflection of himself in the textbooks. He fights to inform on the importance on learning about one’s roots as well as having diversity within education. Soriano wants the textbooks and classrooms to include role models that reflect marginalized communities. Ethnic Studies is a way of not only diversifying the student body, but retaining marginalized communities in college.

Art

Julio Soriano is a self proclaimed DIY (Do It Yourself) artist who uses his freestyle performance art to create positive images of marginalized youth and immigrants. While performing he is commonly known through his artist name, Mishteko, inspired by his ancestors.

Julio Soriano is famously known around Napa Valley for his spoken word and poetry writing. His performances are known for including indigenous chants, singing, and experimental music that bring cultural and identity elements. Recently, through his art he has been experimenting with hip hop as a literary and musical medium. His poems and spoken word pieces have been performed in venues such as the Napa Valley Opera House for the Pangaea Festival, the Napa Valley Young Writers Conference, as well as other art exhibitions and fundraisers throughout Napa Valley. Julio’s spoken performances have also been incorporated in marches and protests around the San Francisco Bay Area as well as high school and middle school assemblies.

As well as performing his poetry in the downtown streets of Napa, Soriano is also known for playing the ocarina. Ocarina is a flute-like instrument that produces pure tones with no overtones.

Role Models

Soriano’s role models include local and international actors that are committed towards social change. He admires institutions, grassroots organizations, artists, and leaders that are creating socio-economic and cultural transformations for humanity.

Specifically, he admires the contemporary literature and activism of Alice Walker and Isabel Allende.

Awards and Accomplishments

In 2008 Julio received the Bank of America World Language Award for studying and speaking fluent Spanish, English, and French. Also in 2008, Julio won the Jessamyn West Creative Writing Contest for first and second place in poetry with the poems “ He visto muchas manos” and “1,000 Tiny Cranes, Especially for my Father”.

From 2009 to 2011 Julio was a board member of Wandering Rose which is a grassroots community organization that focuses on creating a hub for emerging and alternative artists where they are encouraged, supported, and advocated for.

In 2012 Julio was involved in the movement to Occupy Napa which followed the wave of the occupy movement. Also in 2012, Julio received a certificate from the organization Reina de Napa for being the “Latino Youth Role Model of the Year”.

Today

Today he tutors teens in math, English, and science through Napa Valley College’s Upward Bound program and Vintage’s A.V.I.D. (Advancement Via Individual Determination). These programs help financially struggling teens excel in academics and push them into higher education.

Since 2012 Soriano is the coordinator of the Black and White Arts and Culture Center at Slack Collective. Slack Collective is a collective of local artists, digital artists, illustrators, designers, musicians, and more that showcase art, host community event and exhibitions as well as provide spaces to support artists. That year he was also elected secretary of the transnational organization Tonaltecos Unidos, formed to cater interests from immigrants of Santo Domingo Tonala, Oaxaca, Mexico that live in Napa Valley.

As of 2013 he joined the organization Oaxaca Tierra del Sol an organization that serves to celebrate and maintain cultures and traditions of Oaxaca’s indigenous communities. Oaxaca Tierra del Sol, based in Sonoma County, celebrates Guelaguetza each year in an effort to maintain indigenous traditions alive.

He is also part of and volunteers in organizations such as Arts Council Napa Valley, the Napa Valley Dream Act Coalition, Latinos Unidos del Valle de Napa y Solano, Occupy Napa, and the Napa Valley LGBTQ Pride organization.

Future Projects

Julio Soriano wants to self-publish bilingual books that document the struggles of immigrant youth. His goal is to share the stories of a marginalized community whose stories aren’t often heard.

He plans to work as a binational activist both in Oaxaca and Napa Valley to improve the lives of the people living in Oaxaca and Oaxacan immigrants. He would like to bridge a connection between Oaxacan immigrants and their heritage.

References

<ref>http://www.timesheraldonline.com/ci_17878929< /ref> <ref>http://napavalleyregister.com/lifestyles/julio-soriano-an-artist-finds-and-shares-his-roots/article_29c46d04-1981-11e1-9a42-001cc4c002e0.html< /ref> <ref>"Ocarina." Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6Th Edition (2013): 1. Academic Search Complete. Web. 1 June 2013.< /ref>