I am Camila Mishki (former Carlos A. Quiroz), an undocumented immigrant born in Peru, currently living in Washington, D.C. I’m a Two-Spirit transgender person, my heritage is mostly Native American (Quechua, Muchik) and Italian. I’m a new-media activist, writer and artist painter who studied architecture but didn’t graduate. I was a visiting scholar at the Smithsonian Institution, and I have written and created videos for social media since 2006. My blogs are: Carlos in DC, Peruanista, and Two Spirit – Dos Espíritus. I’ve been invited to five social media conferences in the U.S. and I’ve spoken twice to staff members of the U.S. Congress. Currently I’m focused on my gender transition, writing a book, planning social media projects and painting art.
My story in this book is about my journey as a homosexual immigrant coming to the U.S. where I found more freedom, safety and respect for my rights but also class and racial discrimination, and how my life was filled with fear and despair when I became undocumented, but also courage, hope and positivism later on when I took charge of my personal health and came out as a transgender person. I share my story to inspire other LGBT immigrants to overcome their personal challenges being queer and undocumented, to appreciate better the advantages we enjoy being in the U.S. even if we are undocumented, and to never give up in our most important dreams and goals while we continue our struggle to regularize our immigration status.
Camila, I think we’re going to be going on similar paths. As far as the art, and writing. That’s how i’m spending more of my days right now; being reflective, and trying to channel my emotions with out censoring them. I cannot wait for your book.