Federico: One Man’s Remarkable Journey from Tututepec to L.A.

by Federico Jimaenez Caballero, Shelby Jo-Anne Tisdale (Contributor)

From the day he was born, Federico Jiménez Caballero was predicted to be a successful man. So, how exactly did a young boy from Tututepec, Oaxaca, become a famous Indigenous jewelry artist and philanthropist in Los Angeles? Federico tells the remarkable story of willpower, curiosity, hard work, and passion coming together to change one man’s life forever. As a child growing up in a small rural town in southern Mexico, Federico Jiménez Caballero faced challenges that most of us cannot imagine, let alone overcome. From a young age, Federico worked tirelessly to contribute to his large family, yet his restless spirit often got him into trouble. Finding himself in the middle of a village-wide catastrophe, he was exiled to a boarding school in Oaxaca City where he was forced to become independent, resilient, and razor-sharp in order to stay afloat. Through his incredible people skills, bravery, and a few nudges from his bold mother, Federico found himself excelling in his studies and climbing the ranks in Oaxaca City. He always held a deep love and respect for his Mixtec Indigenous roots and began to collect Indigenous jewelry and textiles. Through a series of well-timed connections, Federico met his wife Ellen, and, shortly afterward, he came to the United States as a researcher at the University of California, Los Angeles, in the late 1960s. Carrying his passion for Indigenous jewelry with him from Oaxaca, Federico owned a series of shops in Los Angeles and sold jewelry at flea markets to well-known Hollywood stars. Over the years, he cultivated relationships and became a philanthropist as well as the owner of a museum in Oaxaca City. This book is the inspiring first-person account of eighty years in the life of a man who moved from humble beginnings to the bright lights of Hollywood, following his passion and creating long-lasting relationships as he climbed the ladder of success.

264 pages, Paperback

Published April 6, 2021

Reviews

[Geraldine (geraldinereads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Federico Jiménez Caballero is deeply connected with his Mixtec Indigenous roots and grew up in Tututepec, Oaxaca. Growing up as a kid, a lot of people around him gave him a hard time for being Mixtec Indigenous. It was honestly heartbreaking and hard to read at times (almost brought to tears at times).

Federico has definitely been through soooo much in his life, but continued to have the determination to succeed. It was a long journey especially to the U.S. where he became a famous Indigenous jewelry artist and philanthropist in Los Angeles. His pieces are beautiful, and I'm going to make it my mission to buy a jewelry piece by Federico sometime in the future.

This book is a mix between a memoir and some history/culture which gives the reader a very unique experience that I loved. Not only do you get to learn about Federico's life, but you get to know the history of Oaxaca and Mixtec Indigenous people in detail.

WOW! I really loved this book! This is a story that will stick with me for a very long time, it's definitely one of my favorite books of the year!!! I HIGHLY recommend reading this, so go get yourself a copy ASAP!

Thank you University of Arizona Press for the review copy!