Simon Sotelo

I'm Simon Sotelo III. I come from a family with deep roots in Southern New Mexico. The Mimbres Valley has been home to my family for several generations. We were here long before New Mexico was even a state. I was asked to write a "bio" for SMD about myself. But, I can't do that without acknowledging my home, family, and the people and place I come from. 

When I think of "outdoor" spaces. I don't think of myself as anything other than someone who is a part of the landscape. The place my family comes from. People and places are the same for me. I use terms to describe myself like "an Artist, short, brown, gay, at or below poverty". Terms that describe how I fit into the world. It is where I come from that actually defines me. That place is New Mexico. The Mimbres Valley, Silver City, The Gila, and The Aldo. The landscape of this place and its communities and people are what create my desire to explore, educate, and advocate for "outdoor" spaces. 

IG: Simon Sotelo