Mike was born in New York to a blue collar family, with parents who were following the American dream. His grandparents came to America for a better life, to work hard and set their children up for a better life and move to a “better” place. Most of Mike’s parents generation moved out of Brooklyn to Queens, then Queens to either Long Island or New Jersey. Mike liked the sense of self reliance he had in New York much more then needing a ride every where in the steep hills and long distances of North Jersey. Graduating high school with a .7 GPA due to a school policy stating home work was equally important as all else. Mike took Algebra 2 three times all with an A average on tests and quizzes and therefore felt homework was waist of time. After three times failing the course the high school eventually graduated Mike without the school changing policy or holding him to another year of more of the same.
After school Mike joined the theatre union and began working. This was to be “temporary” until music, then art, then sculpture, and finally writing paid the bills. Twenty years later, he’s still working in the union, Mike has found many ways to find it gratifying as well as make many opportunities for himself.
Traveling to 48 countries on six continents, Mike has seen and taken part in many cultures around the world. Successfully being accepted in two native cultures through initiation rights, biking thousands of miles, and going around the world three times and counting.
You can read some of his stories, creative writing, thoughts and ideas of the world here. Mike hopes this brings joy and understanding to all.
Latest posts by MikeDiazTheFirst (see all)
- Pandemic - April 15, 2020
- A farewell to EJ - March 27, 2019
- The three children - February 13, 2019