๐ ๐ ๐ง๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ถ๐น๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ด๐ต ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ๐ป๐ฒ๐: ๐ข๐๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐, ๐ ๐ ๐ช๐ฎ๐
When TEDxMileHigh first approached me, I thought, โSure, I can share my journey and my work in Public Health!โ No problem.
Julissa Soto
1/30/20252 min read
When TEDxMileHigh first approached me, I thought, โSure, I can share my journey and my work in Public Health!โ No problem.
Iโve spoken at conferences, led community health initiatives, and advocated for marginalized voices in countless spaces. But I had never spoken on a TEDx stage. Still, I figured I would prepare as I always doโspeak from the heart and let my passion for my work shine through.
Then, TEDx reached out again with a new set of requirements. This wasnโt just a speechโit had to be memorized word for word. I had to sign a formal contract, agree to an exact dress code, and follow a structured coaching process. Thatโs when it hit me: Wait, I thought I was the one in control of my story?
An Unexpected Challenge
I knew this was an incredible opportunity, but I also knew that my colleaguesโall native English speakersโhad an advantage. I was the only immigrant in this speaker lineup, and English is my second language.
At home, as I practiced my speech over and over again, I couldnโt help but wonder, โWhat have I gotten myself into?โ Memorizing 2,000 words was already a challenge, but for me, it felt like 4,000, because I naturally think in Spanish first.
I hadnโt even heard of TED Talks before! The gravity of what I had signed up for started to sink in. The pressure was real.

Dressing the Part
Then came the dress code.
TEDx organizers asked me to wear something โformal.โ That seemed straightforwardโexcept, what exactly did formal mean in a TEDx setting? I wanted to make sure that I looked professional, but I also wanted to stay true to myself.
So, I took a different approach. Instead of second-guessing, I brought three of my favorite outfits backstage and said, โYou pick. But just so you know, I donโt do boring colors. Iโm as vibrant as my personality, so letโs keep it loud!โ ๐โจ
They chose my Versace outfit, and I felt like my best self walking onto that stage.
The Mariachi Surprise
Then came the biggest hurdle.
โBy the way,โ I casually told the organizers, โmy Mariachi band is coming with me.โ
The stunned silence in the room was priceless.
"How many people are in your Mariachi band?" someone asked.
"Only eight," I replied with a smile.
They hesitated. There was no room on stage for that many people, they explained. The Mariachi wasnโt in the schedule. I could have backed down. I could have let it slide.
But cultural validation matters.
I stood firm: โWe will make space for the Mariachi band, or Julissa Soto will not speak.โ ๐ค๐ฅ
Because this is the essence of what I teach and advocate forโhonoring who we are without compromise.
Stepping Onto That Stage
The day finally arrived. The lights. The crowd. The energy.
As I stood on that iconic red dot, I felt the weight of my journey. I wasnโt just telling my storyโI was representing every immigrant, every Latina, every underrepresented voice that has ever been told to fit in, to assimilate, to tone it down.
But I donโt do tone it down.
I delivered my speech my way. With my words. In my voice. And with my Mariachi band.
The Takeaway: Own Your Story
Walking off that stage, I felt proud, emotional, and empowered.
TEDxMileHigh was not just a speaking opportunityโit was a reminder that when you stay true to yourself, your story becomes even more powerful.
Now, Iโm beyond excited to share the final result with you all.
๐ฅ Watch my TED Talk here ๐ [Insert Link]
And rememberโnever let anyone dictate who you are. Be unapologetically YOU. โค๏ธ๐












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Denver, CO.
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