A Self-Taught Silversmith Forging Success Against the Odds
Story by Melissa Cortes Santiago
Edited by Abigail Vela
Along the Gulf of Mexico, surrounded by serene waves and sun-soaked shores, lies the Art Business Incubator—a gallery and collaborative workspace for various resident artists. Birds glide over the bay, the salty air seems to linger in your hair, and tourists come and go, drawn to the hustle and bustle of South Padre Island. Inside, the incubator comes to life with the glow of torches and the rhythmic tapping of hammers against silver.
With expert hands, Joel Garza melts silver beneath the heat of his torch, transforming the metal into something lasting and meaningful. He shapes each ring and pendant, knowing that once finished, they will become cherished symbols of love, commitment and identity.
Garza, silversmith and founder of Seaside Gems, began his journey with little formal training. After learning the basics from a local silversmith, his deep curiosity for the craft led him to continue teaching himself. By watching online tutorials, experimenting with different techniques, and through trial and error, Garza has become exceptionally skilled at his craft.
“Jewelry helps people express who they are and portray it without saying a word. It helps people be seen and helps them get out of the shadow or discomfort,” Garza said.
Garza was just six-years-old when his family brought him to the United States from Matamoros. The Rio Grande Valley has been his home ever since. He is a business owner, an artist, and a mentor to aspiring jewelers. But under the U.S. immigration system, he exists in a constant state of uncertainty. As a DACA recipient, he has legal protections, but the fear of them being stripped away at any moment persists.
With increasing political attacks on undocumented communities, Dreamers like him are caught between a country that embraces their contributions and a system that refuses to fully accept them. However, like the jewelry he crafts, Garza’s resolve is unshakable. He continues his craft, refusing to let policy define him.
What It Means to Be a Dreamer
For years, Garza kept part of his identity hidden. Without legal status, his future felt uncertain.
“I was really always haunted by what I had to see from my family of having to find a way to get a job when you’re not legal,” he said. “I felt like I couldn’t go to college, I couldn’t get a job outside of a restaurant, so it was very limiting.”
That changed his sophomore year of high school when he was able to apply for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), opening the door to opportunities he once thought impossible.
“It gave me hope that I could do a bit more. It opened up the door for that greatness that I was looking for,” said Garza.
For over a decade, DACA has given thousands of Dreamers, undocumented immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children, hope and the opportunity to build stable lives. It was established in 2012 under the Obama administration and granted Dreamers temporary relief from deportation and permission to work.
Since then, Dreamers have gone on to become doctors, teachers, and entrepreneurs, building careers and businesses that fuel the economy and help their communities. In Texas, DACA recipients contributed about $783 million in federal taxes and $437 million in state and local taxes each year.
As beneficial as DACA has been to both Dreamers and their communities, it was never meant to be permanent and does not offer a pathway to citizenship. The Trump administration has been actively trying to dismantle the program since his first term in office, leaving the futures of 537,730 Dreamers uncertain.
Forging Ahead
Despite the uncertainty swirling around him, Garza is focused on what he can control—his craft and growing business. His work has been part of multiple exhibitions at galleries such as The Art Lounge in South Padre Island. As a current resident at the Art Business Incubator, he has the opportunity to mentor and teach others who are interested in making jewelry. The residency has also helped him continue growing as an artist and really find his signature style.
“I’m learning new things, and I’m still kind of learning my own flavor of jewelry because there’s so many different paths to take,” he said.
Even with the obstacles in his path, Garza refuses to allow legal uncertainty to define his journey. He remains hopeful that Dreamers will prevail in their fight for a pathway to citizenship. In the meantime, he continues to build something that is entirely his own as he carves out a place for himself in the only country he has ever known.
“As long as you know it’s what you want, go for it! But don’t be afraid to reroute a little bit,” Garza said. “Changes are going to happen, but don’t let them completely destroy all your dreams. They might end up taking you to a better destination than you first thought.”
