[1] From an early age, Cortez experienced racism and discrimination because of his parents' political beliefs and because his father was a dark-skinned Mexican.
[4] In the late 1970s, Cortez was at a ceremony at Casa Aztlan and met with a Spanish and Nahuatl-speaking Indian who had given him the spirit nickname of Koyokuikatl which meant "singing Coyote".
[4][3] To support his artistic talent, he took on normal jobs working as a teacher, factory worker, salesman, writer, Illustrator editor, and construction.
Another part of Cortez's life that made him happy was his wife, Mariana Drogitis, whom he met in 1957 when she visited Milwaukee.
His choice of literary weapons were his prolific poetry, corridos, hymns, and haikus complimented by his notable wood arts, engravings, and political cartoons.
During World War II Cortez was sent to prison at the Federal Correctional Institution, Sandstone, Minnesota for 2 years for refusing to be drafted because it went against his pacifist/socialist views.
[1] In his artistic career, he used his printing press, Gato Negro, to spread themes of justice, activism, and solidarity.
[3] Cortez frequently used his poems to bring attention to, elicit discussion from, and motivate action on matters of oppression and inequality.
[8][1] His art expressed his activism of labor and civil rights as well as the support of hard working men and women from miners to farm workers.
[4][1][6] Carlos's art helped to bring focus on the struggles of the Mexican and Native people and to fight tyranny.
[10] His works as a poet, muralist, and graphic designer were depictions of issues facing the average person and are displayed in local galleries and the Smithsonian Institution.