Julia Ramos
For a living, I make airport signs as a graphic designer, although the more exciting stuff that I get to do happens outside of work. I’m a beatboxer that goes by Track IX and I get to do music in some of the most exciting circumstances. I grew up doing local hip hop shows in the Bay Area, have battled in New York, and have been given niche opportunities in the industry in Los Angeles.
There’s plenty of discouragement and backhanded compliments circling around my identity especially in the beatbox community, but I’ve learned to not make those the focus of my drive when I’m doing my art. I make what I like and know that there will be other queer women of color who might relate to my work. We don’t need to twist our narrative to fit what everyone else expects of us, we just need to make what really represents us and we’ll find each other.
Narrative Plenitude is a global discussion that aims to project more authentic depictions of underrepresented communities in order to break past the one-size fits all story cycle told by mainstream media. What’s your narrative? Please email tanya.raukko@intertrend.com, if you would like to have your story featured.
