Meet Leslie Campos Cristobal | Problem Solving Specialist // Community Storyteller // Founder & Executive Director of Soy Hood

We had the good fortune of connecting with Leslie Campos Cristobal and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Leslie, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
I was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA, but more specifically I am from Mid City LA.

My family migrated from Mitla, Oaxaca, Mexico in the late 1980’s and now reside between Mid City and South Central LA. Growing up in a Oaxacan household, culture and community were incredibly important. Our main for of communication was and continues to be Zapoteco.
I was raised by a single mother who cleaned houses for a living and devoted her life providing a better life for my brother and I. Her first job in the U.S. was working in factories for fashion industry in DTLA, but moved into housekeeping. Growing up in LA with a single mother who was undocumented wasn’t easy, but taught me a lot about resiliency and adaptability. There was a point in my childhood where we lost everything and experienced homelessness for a solid year. These are times I reflect on and think about as I grow.

I also grew up with my grandma, who was one of best cooks in her pueblo. I remember always helping out with making tamales de mole. She also happened to be a curandera who used plants, herbs, and ancestral knowledge to heal/cleanse folks. As a kid, I remember being excited to watch her burn copal and hear her pray in Zapoteco. Now that I look back, these experiences shaped the person I am today.

My background and upbringing play a large role in who I am today. My Oaxacan and LA culture are why I started a streetwear brand called Soy Hood. Soy Hood is a social enterprise and streetwear brand that focuses on reclaiming what it looks like to grow up in our hoods and our daily struggles. We are dedicated to providing our Black and Brown youth with tools to understand the importance of their individual stories and the impact they have in this world. We focus on storytelling, youth development, holistic wellness, and any creative opportunities that will benefit and preserve our community.

I also currently work at Covenant House California as a Problem Solving Specialist where I work with youth ages 18-24 with housing. More specifically, I help youth get reunified with family, help with security deposits, and assist with youth who are about to get evicted.
Working with young adults is a blessing and grateful for this experience.

As I continue to grow as a creative, my goal is continue creating safe spaces for up and coming young adults/creatives. I wholeheartedly believe in reinvesting our dollars back into our youth and communities.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Soy Hood is a social enterprise and streetwear brand that focuses on reclaiming what it looks like to grow up in our hoods and our daily struggles. We are dedicated to providing our Black and Brown youth with tools to understand the importance of their individual stories and the impact they have in this world. We focus on storytelling, youth development, holistic wellness, and any creative opportunities that will benefit and preserve our community.

We launched our first streetwear drop called Planting the Seeds. This drop is dedicated to Black and Brown youth growing up in LA. Each shirt symbolizes a seed, and when you make a purchase, not only are you supporting our vision but you are extending your love by reinvesting your dollars into our youth programming, community events, & workshops.

Soy Hood originally started as a project and received our first grant in 2021 by the amazing team at BizStoop. BizStoop is an educational consulting, lifestyle curation, and youth development social enterprise. They focus on reinvesting their dollars into Black, Brown, and Indigenous youth. Thanks to them, I currently sit on the Young Funder Committee where I currently review grants for young entrepreneurs and cultural workers. Being an entrepreneur means building relationships and community.

Since then, we got our second grant in 2023 with Cultivate (via Inclusive Action). We learned about financial literacy and how to run a business. This is incredibly important for Black, Brown, and Indigenous entrepreneurs/creatives. We aren’t taught about this, but being able to be in these spaces is incredibly important.

This year I was able to join Creative Futures Collective Program and this opened doors up for myself in the creative field. I appreciate all the opportunities they have provided us.

I think one of the most challenging parts of this journey is having a full time job and being an entrepreneur. I also understand right now I need the stability to get where I want to be. I know that once I’m ready, I’ll be doing Soy Hood full time. As of now, I’m learning a lot about balance and self care.

I think one of the greatest lesson I’ve learned is to try. I often found myself holding back because I needed to perfect everything.

Nipsey Hussle said “See, the greatest teacher in life is our own experience. None of us know who we are, until we fail”. I’m learning to embrace in trying and not letting fear ties me down.

Being an entrepreneur means to be a creative thinker. This journey has been a roller coaster, but I wouldn’t have got here without my community.

My main goal is to bring creative opportunities to Black, Brown, and Indigenous youth growing up in the hood. More specifically, I want to uplift young girls who want to pursue creative fields. I want to share resources, networks, and shift away from gatekeeping. We all have something to contribute to this world. And there is enough space for all of us to win. I hope when people wear Soy Hood, they feel empowered, authentic, and connected.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I would say some of my comfort foods are Baba’s Vegan Cafe, and some good Oaxacan restaurant/pop up in family’s friend backyard. Those are legit.

Show them real LA; Crenshaw & Slauson; Jazz

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I wouldn’t be where I am today without my community.

I want to give a huge shout out to the BizStoop family who were the first ones to provide Soy Hood our first grant. Desire is doing amazing work by reinvesting money to Black, Brown and indigenous youth/creatives.

Another shout out to the Cultivate family that is a program created by Inclusive Action. Sharon has been an amazing support to young creatives & entrepreneurs. She truly is a light in all of our lives. They were our second grant For Soy Hood.

And another shout out to the Creative Futures Collective program who invested in us and believed in my vision for Soy Hood. Riji is a huge support to myself and has inspired me to be my best version of myself.

I also want to shout out my mentor Antoinette Williams, who has invested love, support, and guidance as an entrepreneur.

Another shout out goes to my boss & mentor, Anthony Conley who has inspired me since day one and has opened up doors to opportunities/rooms I never thought I’d be in.

A huge shout out to my all my close friends and family. They have been my number one supporters.

And my last shout out goes to my mother who has given me the world. I would not be who I am without her.

Website: https://soyhood.org/

Instagram: SoyHood

Image Credits
Planting the Seeds Drop: @flo_photographs 💙 Amazing photographer, Fabiola Lopez, did our photo shoot.