Musical Career

Growing up Xochi was influenced by the music of her parents and her family. There was always music playing in her house. Her grandparents would play Mexican music, such as rancheras and boleros. Her parents would play music such as Motown such as Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye and other artists like Tower of Power, Sly and the Family Stone, and Los Lobos. Xochi developed her love for music early on, always able to recall what music she was listening to at any given time in her memory. Music has always been an integral part of her life. 

In 2001, Xochi traveled to Veracruz with a group of musicians and cultural community workers.  This was the first time she experienced the fandango. Xochi was moved by this ceremony of music, dance, food, being together and listening. This is when she fell in love with Son Jarocho and the Fandango and decided she wanted to practice music and change her relationship with music from an observer and writer to full participant. Throughout her adult life, Xochi has been involved in various collectives and learning groups. As a member of the all-female Son Jarocho group Candela, she began to learn Son Jarocho with a group of women friends. The group performed often and was a fun and inspiring experience, and it was good for being the company of all women. Xochi has been involved in learning and playing Son Jarocho since 2001 as she was one of the very first women to become involved in the space and travel to Veracruz Mexico to learn from Son Jarocho musicians there, using this model of Fandango as a tool for organizing and community building.

Xochi later got involved with Las No Que No, another all-female group based out of Highland Park. The group was more informal and whoever could get together would. Music performance and pretty much all genres of music are very male-dominated spaces, this includes Son Jarocho. The spaces could be very patriarchal, and the learning environment very intense. While not the best way for her to learn, Xochi allowed them to teach her in that way. This highlighted the need for alternative spaces that are women-centered as well as the importance of different methods of learning and teaching is available. This collective gave her a women-centered space where she was able to get together with other female artists, recover and enjoy the presence of each other, and then go out and continue fighting.

Since 2009 Xochi has been involved in the Son Jarocho band Cambalache. The band is entirely male aside from Xochi. Through her experience in the other collectives, Xochi grew a thicker skin and has been able to fend for herself against the occasional patriarchal intensity, toxic masculinity that occurs in her group. In the band, Xochi dances, plays, and occasionally sings.

In 2010, Xochi participated in the Entre Mujeres project. At the time, she was still a rookie and didn't record too much. The spaces were still new to her, and she was both excited and really nervous about recording, as she wanted to do well and get justice to the project. Participating in the project was really fun and the group still gets together occasionally to play. Compared to her experiences in the other working groups, Xochi felt a lot more pressure to push herself to a level where she wouldn't embarrass herself, as she felt a bit intimidated by the group of badass and often highly experienced and skilled women involved in the project. Most of the women involved in the project were extremely supportive, loving, and kind.