Welcome
to an exploration of ethics, culture, and the arts
Consider what you are about to encounter as the scaffolding of an evolving life and a sprouting environment of developing projects and collaborations.
My name is Julián—pronounced hoo-lyÁhn—, and I am your guide into the exoskeleton of the internal, eternal extremities of my realities and relationships.
Like myself, this multi-level, multi-media, virtual experience is an active construction zone. Wear a helmet as you go through the exhibits. ⛑️ And please, no flash photography. 🚫📸 I have sensitive eyes.
If you want to learn more about me before going ahead, click here. You can come back and rejoin the tour at any moment.
In short, I’m a multiply neurodivergent artist, polymath, public scholar, and culture architect with over three decades of work in ethics, culture, and the arts. My creations span literature, music, oral storytelling, sound design, visual arts, and more, pushing the boundaries of creative innovation. As the founder of The Nasiona and managing director at Conscious Thrive, I focus on revolutionary curiosity and subaltern, liberatory interpretations. My work bridges academia and the public sphere, amplifying marginalized concerns and fostering transformative initiatives. Through storytelling, creative expression, keynotes, workshops, journalism, courses, critical scholarship, and multi-media platforms and publishing, I help others (re)claim/(re)constitute agency with their imaginations and authenticities, offering frameworks for individual and collective liberation and reimagination.
EL JULI
MUSEUM
ARCHIVE
INSTITUTE
of Liberation
and Imagination
In a world shaped by historical and ongoing imprints of colonialism and the enduring influence of the Western gaze, I delve into the creativity + liberation cycle and spotlight its transformative, interconnected nature. I envision a world where creative expression—at individual and societal levels—becomes a dynamic force for continuous liberation, empowerment, and positive change.
EL JULI is an ethics, culture, and arts center that houses a digital museum, archive, and institute designed and curated by me, Julián Esteban Torres López.
In an attempt to have more influence over my own story while still alive, I’ve created EL JULI as the official virtual location to celebrate, honor, and document my life and work (-in-progress), rooted in the belief that liberating creativity creates liberation, and that creating liberation liberates creativity.
This is the first phase of the construction project. The second phase centers, elevates, and amplifies the lives and works of artist-activists. The third phase will be a virtual community platform to better assist in bringing the creativity-liberation cycle to life.
I’ve planned EL JULI as a maze of interconnected floors, wings, and rooms.
ARTIST
POLYMATH
PUBLIC SCHOLAR
CULTURE ARCHITECT
FYI: We're under construction.
FYI: We're under construction.
“Art isn’t merely a reflection of reality
—it’s an invitation to change it.
Through creativity, we can imagine new worlds
and free ourselves from the confines
of systems designed to control us.
My work is about unlocking and
reclaiming the
revolutionary power
of neurodiversity,
culture, storytelling,
+ creative expression
not just for me,
but for all of us.”
— Julián Esteban Torres López
Why Julián Captures Attention
Julián Esteban Torres López's work transcends boundaries and challenges conventions, offering a unique blend of creativity, intellect, and cultural impact. Here are several reasons why Julián's work is distinct and continues to inspire individuals, communities, and audiences worldwide.
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Julián’s ability to excel across multiple fields—from the arts to academia, cultural consulting to public speaking—positions him as a true polymath. His diverse expertise enables him to bring fresh, interdisciplinary perspectives to every project, blending creative expression with deep intellectual inquiry. Whether through storytelling, visual arts, sound design, or critical scholarship, Julián’s polymathic approach transforms complex ideas into accessible, transformative experiences.
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Storytelling is at the heart of Julián’s work—more than a tool, it is an act of liberation. He reclaims storytelling from colonial and oppressive structures, using it to elevate marginalized voices and challenge dominant narratives. Through his writing, performances, and podcasting, Julián invites his audience into new, decolonial ways of understanding the world, urging us all to rethink how stories shape identity, power, and freedom.
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Drawing from his Colombian heritage and a deep connection to Afro-Indigenous roots, Julián’s work is profoundly grounded in cultural authenticity while speaking to universal themes of justice, creativity, and liberation. His ability to weave together personal, historical, and political threads makes his art and scholarship resonate across cultures, giving voice to those often overlooked and ignored by mainstream narratives.
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Julián is a pioneer in neurodivergent creative expression, integrating his unique cognitive experiences into his work. As someone who navigates multiple neurodivergent experiences—such as ADHD, autism, synesthesia, agnosia, aphantasia, and OCD—Julián offers rare insight into how neurodiversity can enrich artistic practices and scholarship. His approach challenges the normative frameworks of creativity, embracing neurodivergence as a source of innovation and revolutionary potential.
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Julián’s work is not only aesthetically compelling but deeply committed to social justice. He bridges art and activism, creating spaces where critical dialogue on political art, representation, and systemic change can thrive. From his sound art and public speaking engagements to his collaborative mural projects and decolonial workshops, Julián’s art actively confronts societal injustices and offers pathways to collective healing and transformation.
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As a culture architect, Julián’s leadership style is grounded in inclusivity, compassion, and the amplification of diverse perspectives. He fosters environments where creativity, collaboration, and innovation flourish. Whether consulting with organizations or leading cultural projects, Julián empowers others to explore their own potential while fostering collective growth. His ability to design inclusive spaces for collaboration allows him to navigate complex cultural issues with sensitivity and effectiveness.
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Julián approaches the mysteries of life—such as infinity, identity, and existence—with both intellectual rigor and artistic curiosity. His work invites us to explore the infinite complexities of human experience while remaining humble about the impossibility of ever fully capturing totality. This perspective of humility, alongside a relentless drive for exploration, makes Julián’s work deeply philosophical yet accessible, urging us all to question and rethink the frameworks that shape our worldviews.
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Julián’s impact spans the globe, yet he remains deeply connected to his cultural roots and local communities. His work is taught at universities and archived by prestigious cultural institutions, including the Library of Congress and the Smithsonian. Despite these accolades, his commitment to community building, grassroots initiatives, and cultural preservation remains unwavering. Julián seamlessly navigates between local and global contexts, ensuring his work resonates on multiple levels—from intimate personal connections to sweeping societal change.
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At the core of Julián’s philosophy is a belief in the radical power of imagination. He envisions creativity not only as a personal act but as a collective force capable of transforming societies. His work serves as a call to action—an invitation to imagine new ways of being, new possibilities for liberation, and new structures of power grounded in justice, equity, and compassion.
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Julián’s art isn’t just a reflection of the world as it is—it’s a vision of the world as it could be. He pushes the boundaries of artistic expression, experimenting with multimedia formats, avant-garde soundscapes, and layered visual arts that blend the abstract and conceptual. His work invites audiences to engage with the future of art, culture, and humanity, encouraging a deep exploration of what it means to be human in an ever-changing world.
“Julián is the kind of person a creator needs to be in this modern era.”
Filmmaker | Editor | Host of The Mixed Creator Podcast | Founder of The Blended Future Project
“Daring and risky, [Julián Esteban Torres López] challenge[s] readers to think beyond the norms of language and cultural history, as each is broken down and reinvented. Think of Derrida working toward a written Picasso”
— Carl Boon
Author of PLACES & NAMES: Poems | Professor of Literature @ Dokuz Eylül University
“As you’ll be able to tell when you listen to him speak, this is truly a person of all kinds of talent, and a brain to match this talent. And it is mind-blowing. Truly genius!”
Writer | Writing specialist | Performance + Visual Artist | Arts Teacher
Be gentle, now.
Try not to cut your fingers
on the shards of some
of my creations below.
MY COMMUNITY
MY PEOPLE
in harmony
we flourish
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Partners
Sample of mission-driven organizations Julián has partnered with to ensure he is always striving forward in collaboration and solidarity.
National Women’s Book Association, Women of Color Writers, Tamarindo Podcast, Blended Future Project, Corporación Otraparte, Story Corps, Teatro Luna West, Adira Foundation, HipLATINA, Tono Latino, The Nasiona, Chinese Historical Society of America, Multiracial Americans of Southern California, Okanagan Athletics Club, Knee Brace Press, Haas-Lilienthal House, Haku Collective’s MeleCraft Bootcamp, Hawaii State Public Library System, Panamanian International Film Festival, and more.
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Clients
Julián has provided his skills, experience, and expertise to companies, institutions, and organizations, such as:
Thumbtack, The Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, Sofar Sounds, Coursera, Conscious Thrive, Klaviyo, Shutterstock, Yardstick Management, youB, Upward Bound, The Aji Network, Colorado Department of Education, Wells Fargo, The University of British Columbia, Tandem Diabetes Care, Colombia Reports, among others.
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Speaking Engagements
Sample of institutions, organizations, and media that have invited Julián to speak and share his insights on a wide array of topics.
International Congress of the Latin American Studies Association, Texas A&M University-San Antonio, Al Jazeera, California State University-Chico, Simon Fraser University, Academy of Art University-San Francisco, University of British Columbia Okanagan, Seacoast African American Culture Center, New Hampshire Public Radio, Mechanics’ Institute Library, Women’s National Book Association, Code Switch, The Mixed Creator Podcast, The Scapegoat Guild Podcast, Smooth Podcast, Rivier University, The Pear Remote Democratic High School, Reimagining Unconference, and more.
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Mentorship / Sponsorship
Significantly, Julián has collaborated with and uplifted thousands of artists, writers, musicians, filmmakers, philosophers, storytellers, and change-makers through consulting, coaching, and transformative initiatives such as workshops, multimedia journals, publishing houses, conferences, art exhibitions, and virtual events. He has created opportunities and served as a powerful catalyst, supporting creative visionaries and guiding them to author and embrace authenticity in their expression.