Daily Inspiration: Meet Mir Cortez-Cáceres

Today we’d like to introduce you to Mir Cortez-Cáceres

Hi Mir, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers.
I was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA. My mother was a refugee from the Civil War in El Salvador, and my father was an immigrant from Mexico. Both of my parents were undocumented, which cast a silent but palpable fear over my childhood. Most of the people I grew up with had undocumented parents, so I didn’t fully register this until later on. 

Despite the underlying apprehension, my early years were enchanting and creative. My father’s love for storytelling infused our lives with joy and wonder, filled with art projects, stories, and shared laughter. While my mother lacked his nurturing flair, her intellect, responsibility, and strength shaped our household. 

However, beneath the surface of magic, there was immense turmoil. My parents didn’t have the appropriate tools to raise me in a safe manner. They exposed me to substance abuse, domestic violence, child abuse, and trauma stemming from their own struggles. These challenges led my siblings and me into the foster care system. 

My time in foster care left an indelible mark on my life. I continued to experience physical and verbal abuse in my foster homes from my caregivers while also living apart from my siblings and parents. I missed my bedroom, my friends, my teacher, the life I had before foster care. The only time I truly felt connected and safe was when my art therapist, Tony, came to visit me. 

I was in the system for less than a year, and reunification with my mother didn’t quell the abuse, leaving me tethered to a life of violence. Despite losing my father’s parental rights, I used art to maintain a close, spiritual connection to him. My education was also important to me. With the help of teachers from Johnnie Cochran Middle School, I was able to earn a full-ride scholarship to Crossroads School in Santa Monica, where overt racism introduced new challenges in my life. 

Navigating adolescence amid discrimination, economic hardship, and cultural identity struggles tested my resilience. Art emerged as my sanctuary when I was alienated from classmates and burdened by familial responsibilities. While at Crossroads, I spent a lot of time in the art studios, teaching myself how to paint amidst the turmoil at home. I befriended the studio art teachers, and they gifted me the supplies I needed to continue making art. Storytelling through art became the only safe channel for me to express what I was enduring in life and at home without risking incarceration and deportation for my mother or foster care for my siblings and me. 

My mother strongly opposed my pursuit of artistry, frequently destroying my paintings in front of me. Despite my mother’s resistance, there were people who believed in my artistic potential: my art therapist, teachers, friends, and sisters. They became my pillars of support, guiding me through the darkest moments of my life and fueling my determination to pursue my passion for art and storytelling. 

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Growing up with undocumented immigrants primed me for an inherently unjust life, though the full weight of this injustice didn’t resonate for me when I was a child. My parents grappled with their own unresolved traumas from childhood, compounded by navigating an unfair system that paid them significantly less due to their undocumented status. Their resulting financial struggles fueled frequent and intense conflicts, often involving my siblings and me. 

Substance abuse further complicated our family structure, adding layers of fear and confusion to our upbringing. As a child, I took on the role of mediator, attempting to help my father overcome his struggles with addiction and to mitigate the conflicts between my parents, all while striving to prove myself as a “good enough” child. 

I became adept at deception, doing whatever it took to shield my parents from consequences, even lying about serious injuries and pretending that everything was normal. I excelled academically, behaved precociously, and assumed adult responsibilities at a young age. As a child, I believed my life was completely normal and believed I was immensely loved and cherished. 

However, the harsh reality of my circumstances became undeniable when I entered the foster care system. Suddenly, the hardships I endured felt painfully real. I faced starvation, abuse, neglect, and mistreatment, with no frame of reference for understanding or coping with my experiences. Being forcibly separated from my parents and placed in the back of a police car shattered my illusion of being a “good” child, leaving me with the belief that only “bad” children ended up in foster care. 

In my teenage years, I learned the challenges of navigating the world as a young woman of color. Being one of the few students of color at my high school intensified these struggles. As I grew older, I became acutely aware that my body didn’t always feel like a safe place. I faced constant objectification, sexualization, and discrimination. 

I also encountered individuals who initially seemed supportive, offering help to my family, only to exploit my experiences later on to enhance their own image of heroism among their peers. These betrayals left me feeling deeply violated and cultivated a profound sense of distrust in others, shaping my outlook on life and relationships during my formative years. 

My upbringing was complicated, and these experiences shaped the person I wanted to grow up to become. I’m so grateful for the child version of myself who persevered and had the courage to face those circumstances and triumph. 

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Over the last 9 years, I’ve been working with a nonprofit organization called Peace4Kids. Based in South LA, we offer programs for youth in foster care ages 4-25, along with caregiver and family support. Our programs are informed directly by the youth we serve, allowing us to adapt and evolve as people and an organization. 

In 2021, I co-founded ROCMove (Revolution of Care Movement), a movement led by individuals with foster care experience, aiming to change the traditional media portrayals of youth in foster care by demystifying the experience. Over the last decade, we’ve conducted nationwide research that highlights the link between media representation and public perception, underscoring the need to shift attitudes to improve outcomes for youth in care. 

We recognize that stories can offer context and help children understand their world, cultivating empathy and resilience. Through ROCMove, we launched children’s books written and illustrated by individuals with foster care experience, showcasing real-life success stories to normalize the foster care experience and inspire hope. 

In collaboration with Peace4Kids and ROCMove, we launched “Nani,” marking my debut as an author and second foray into illustrating children’s books. “Nani” is a semi-autobiographical story recounting my journey through foster care from the perspective of a shooting star. Through symbolic storytelling, I address themes of abuse, neglect, and societal misconceptions. Some characters symbolize unsupportive adults, highlighting the harsh realities faced by children seeking refuge in an unwelcoming world. When Nani meets another shooting star, she discovers her potential, highlighting the transformative impact of self-discovery. 

I’ve been working full-time at Peace4Kids for almost 7 years. On Saturdays, I facilitate art classes for the children, incorporating elements from our core program concepts into my class. For example, this week, I’m facilitating an art activity for 7-9-year-olds around our core concept of “Effective Communication.” We’ll walk through a list of positive adjectives that they feel best describe them. Some examples include “brilliant,” “phenomenal,” and “talented.” We’ll then write and decorate our affirmation to place in an amulet representing our spirit. After that, they will decorate a wooden box by painting it, representing their body as the vessel that guards their spirit. I love the idea of utilizing art as a tool to assist youth in finding their voice. 

I’m also a freelance artist. For the past decade, I’ve collaborated with renowned musicians, crafting stop-motion animation music videos, designing album covers, and producing show posters. I love painting, drawing, and sculpting clay figures. My art often reflects themes from my childhood, intertwining narratives of intergenerational trauma with motifs of hope, healing, femininity, and resilience. 

We love surprises, fun facts, and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
I love writing! Because I seldom share my work, many of my friends were surprised to discover that I authored a children’s book—and they found it quite good! For over a decade, I’ve been crafting a collection of surrealist short stories titled “Matchboxes,” which offer glimpses into my childhood and early adulthood. In a way, it’s as if the essence of my illustrations has been translated into words. 

In addition to writing, I’ve developed a love for film photography in recent years. My subjects often include my friends, vibrant locations, intimate moments, and the tenderness of human connection. 

Another lesser-known fact about me is that I’m a classically trained pianist! While I may be a bit rusty these days, I can still sit down and play all three movements of Fur Elise. 

Contact Info:

• Website: https://peace4kids.org
• Instagram: mircortezc
• Other: https://mircortez.com

Image Credits
Bella Porter
Hannah Arista
Laura Cortez
Samantha Urbani