TAMUK biology professor presented book, art at Tejano Civil Rights Museum – Alice Echo News-Journal

CORPUS CHRISTI - Manuel Andres Soto is proud of his heritage.

The Texas A&M University-Kingsville associate professor of biology will spoke openly about the care and loving he received from his parents and extended family and bragged about his upbringing as a tool that helped shape his destiny.

Soto, called Andy, is also not afraid to brag about his humble beginnings in a South Texas Colonia in the farming community of Edroy, Texas, about 40 miles from Corpus Christi heading north on I-37. A Colonia is a community that lacks some of the most basic living necessities such as potable water and sewer systems, electricity, paved roads and safe and sanitary housing, Soto explains.

But, he wasnt poor. The riches he received in that Colonia allowed him to earn bachelors and masters degrees in biology from Texas A&M University-Kingsville and later a doctorate from Gulf Coast Research Laboratory at the University of Southern Mississippi.

Now, Soto tells all about his experiences in a new book titled simply, Life in a South Texas Colonia. The book also features Sotos original art depicting his experiences in the Colonia.

Soto explained his book and art work at a reading and book-signing event at the Tejano Civil Rights Museum and Resource Center in the Heritage Park area of Corpus Christi on Saturday, April 8. He also make an appearance at the John E. Conner Museum on the campus of Texas A&M University-Kingsville as part of the Mi Familia-Mi Comiunidad NEH Common Heritage Project on Tuesday, April 18 at 5 p.m.

The book opens with a genealogical review of Sotos family and their experiences leading to settling in the Odem-Edroy area. Using his art work to illustrate his words, Soto takes the reader through a kaleidoscope of adventures befitting of a Tom Sawyer character at first and transforming into a All-America type character playing Friday night football and making plans to attend college, something that was not common in his familys history.

The chapters in the book are as descriptive as his art work and, in reality, cover many of the aspects of South Texas ranching and agricultural life in the 20th century; some are still applicable today.

Some are:

La Pizca de Algodon- Cotton Picking

Working en el pipeline

El Tortillero The Tortilla Maker

Sandia Barata - Cheap Watermelon

Rosario The Rosary

Oorah the Marines yell

La Toronga y El Marano The Grapefruit and the Sow

La Matanza The slaughter of the fatted sow

El Queso Government cheese.

The book concludes with a political perspective on the lives of Tejanos in the Lone Star State. Once the proud owners of land, livestock and the open range in Texas, they were displaced economically and educationally after the fall of the Alamo, he writes. He emphatically notes that Tejanos were at the Alamo and helped forge just about every thing that became Texas.

For centuries have lived, raised their families and died in Texas. They were the first vaqueros and they worked clearing the land (desenraizera) for farming. Tejanos worked in the pipeline and oil industry. Tejanos have historically been under appreciated for their role in shaping Texas.

He finishes by saying The dust will not settle over Texas until we Remember the Alamo with a more accurate and responsible understanding of the significant contributions of Tejanos in history.

Families throughout Texas, especially Tejanos, will find the art and words of Soto familiar. Sotos experiences resonate well with uncles (tios), cousins (primos), and children of all ages.

This is anecdotal history at its best.

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TAMUK biology professor presented book, art at Tejano Civil Rights Museum - Alice Echo News-Journal