Juan Miret’s vision of a better Tulsa

Miret is a lot of things: journalist, writer, and storyteller, and now the development director of San Miguel school. But above all, he is a man who escaped from Venezuela and came to this little place in the world trying to build a new nation that treasures his roots and those of the others.

He came to America 20 years ago Hugo Chavez took control of the Venezuelan government. Knowing his country would never be the same, he used the power of education to open ground in the US.

“Back then, you could see how they started limiting freedom of expression. Chavez wanted a controlled press, a perfect suit made only for him, but journalism doesn’t have to fit perfectly, it should be uncomfortable,” he remembered about his early exile days.

For years now Miret has been working tirelessly to amplify the voices of those unrepresented, denouncing injustices and asking for accountability. But not everyone is a fan of his, and right wingers and left wingers constantly attack him.

“When it comes to migration issues those in the far right accuse me of being a liberal, and those in the left of being of the extreme right. I am just a man trying to reach my American dream and will always raise my voice to defend our rights,” he stated, remembering his old battles against the 287(g) program and HB 1804.

His convictions are so strong they have on occasion given him the noble title of ‘controversial journalist.’

“Sometimes when you defend the most vulnerable, some people are made uncomfortable, especially in a small place like Tulsa,” he acknowledged, highlighting his most firm conviction is his love for minorities.

“Politicians only care for minorities when they need to win an election and in that process they end up being used and neglected,” Miret claimed, adding he will never follow a script that goes against the Hispanic community.

Today Miret works hard to make a difference by sowing the seeds of the young to change the future face of Tulsa, especially with his work for equal education at San Miguel school, and the writing of bilingual stories that can foster integration. “Education is the hammer you have to break all barriers, and it’s something that nobody can take away from you,” he said.

Recently he published “Culture for All,” a bilingual book of short stories that narrates the lives of interesting immigrants in Tulsa, while describing specific corners of the city. With this compilation, Miret wants us to cherish the development of the Hispanic community in Tulsa and show that our city can really be called ‘home.’

Miret knows that what he does is not enough, and although he believes in the power of new generations to lead change, he is worried about the lack of unity among Hispanics.

“There is a kind of selfishness when some people see others winning, as if triumphs actually bothered the rest,” he said. This is why he suggests that one way of improving the representation of Hispanics in Tulsa is magnifying their visibility and creating dynamics that could put value on what others do.

“We have to support those who are making fundamental changes and celebrate the triumphs of the ones who are having positive impacts in the community, even if they might think differently,” Mioret suggested. “This could help us gain more power of decision and create a united front that could influence culture, economics and even education”, he added. “If there is an athlete that won a competition, the whole community must back him up. If a church organizes a food give away, we have to celebrate and cooperate. If a Hispanic writes a book, we must congratulate him,” Miret emphasized, hoping to hear the sounds of Spanish in every corner of the city.

“The problem that we have here is the ‘why you and not me.’ At the end of the day, we must remember we are all immigrants in the same boat, even if the storms hit us differently.”

Miret dreams big, and from his thinking chair he tries to empower the vulnerable to change history. Maybe time can help him make an even bigger difference, but for us, he has already made it. (La Semana)