Hey cowpokes!
Puro Tío Times
I’m writing to you from Texas, unfortunately home to some of the worst anti-LGBTQIA+ BS! But I am a tío after all, and a tío never lets his nieces, nephews, or nibblin’s feel alone!
That’s why I’m starting “Your Tío Tex” now. I hope my first hand experience advocating at the Texas Capitol during the 2023 Texas Legislature for QT youth and the larger community here can help guide your own advocacy journey.
What you can expect
I’ll be writing you weekly about issues around policies affecting queer and trans cowpokes. I apply my own research and point of view on anti-racism work and decolonial practices. I may have ideas and strategies around advocacy, too! Don’t let me sleep on anything you hear of, too.
I know you’re nosy, and so am I, so let’s chismear:
FAQs:
Are you like…from Texas?
Yes, I do live in Texas. No, Tex isn’t my real name (sorry to disappoint). But Tío Tex is fun to say, right?
Why do you go by a pen name?
I’m not sharing my real name or personal identifiers because work as an advocate can be dangerous, especially for a trans person.
What’s your background?
One side of my family is from Northern Mexico. I’m proud of my grandpa who was a migrant worker until he managed a cotton farm in West Texas. And I overflow with pride that my parent and my tíos and tías picked cotton alongside their parents. They are all so different, too, but we have as a family been focused on community: they are now doctors, nurses, service men, teachers, principals, counselors. I might be the first artist-teacher.
I grew up away from them for the most part, in the midwest, until I received my Master’s in Fine Arts in Central Texas.
I am Puerto-Rican on my other side, but as life goes sometimes, I didn’t get to know that parent, so I am eager to be more connected to my Puerto-Rican roots.
I’m a danzante who practices a Mexica spirituality from Central Mexico that is thousands of years old. It’s one of the best parts of my life and has helped me heal immensely. Because I’m debtribalized, I can’t tell you exactly where my indigenous roots lie.
What is my work?
I was raised by a single-mother who always worked for the people in her community, so advocacy has always made sense to me. Teaching and copywriting pay the bills.
Thanks for being here! Hasta pronto, cowpokes!
