Levi Lobo
- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Levi Lobo, born Levi Dylan Martinez on June 23, 1994, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, is the son of Liesa Renee McCarty, now Liesa Renee Reece, an artist, and Gerald Donald Martinez, a pastor. His grandfather, Alfonso "Poncho" Martinez (1927-2018), was a city planner in Albuquerque before his retirement. Levi's great-great-grandfather, Victorio Martinez, is believed to be of Apache descent, and his ancestry is believed to trace back to the renowned Apache leader Victorio (known as "He Who Checks His Horse")
The Apache leader Victorio was a prominent figure during the late 19th century, known for his leadership and resistance to U.S. forces. Victorio Martinez, however, was a different individual who lived in the early 1900s. He was a sheep herder by trade and was assigned the surname Martinez as part of the U.S. government's forced reeducation policies aimed at assimilating Indigenous peoples and stripping them of their cultural identities. Despite this, it is believed that Victorio Martinez was given the name Victorio to honor his ancestral connection to the Apache leader, continuing a legacy of resistance and pride in his Apache heritage.
The Martinez surname, which Levi carries through his father's side, is rooted in Spanish lineage but was imposed on the Apache family through the reeducation systems in an effort to sever their cultural and ancestral ties. These names, given by authorities during forced assimilation, often represented a loss of language, history, traditions, and identities for Indigenous families. It was part of the larger policy to erase Native identities and control the way Indigenous peoples were viewed and treated in society.
Levi's family history is deeply rooted in New Mexico, and his ancestry traces back to both Victorio Martinez, full Apache and Levi's great-grandmother, Victoriana, was of Spanish descent with blue eyes, which contributed to Levi's mestizo heritage. Additionally, his maternal lineage is thought to connect him to Billy the Kid's family through his Irish roots.
Notable events in Levi's life:
When Levi was thirteen, his family moved into what was known as the "war zone" in Albuquerque, where they built a community dedicated to helping the sick, homeless, and broken. Levi lived with over 150 people in this community until he was seventeen. His family spent their time leading worship, providing 3,000 pounds of food weekly, and offering housing to those in need. In 2008, Levi's family was featured on ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition for their service to the Trumbull community.
After his father passed away from liver disease in 2012, when Levi was eighteen, Levi moved into a 1968 VW Bus, living there for nine months before moving to Los Angeles. He began his acting career under the name Levi Dylan in a church play about a young beatboxer in a rendition of The Little Drummer Boy. Levi later appeared in several short films, made his television debut on Longmire, and worked on Graves. After his role on Graves with Nick Nolte, Levi was offered roles in films such as SGT. Will Gardner and Fast Color.
Levi transitioned to performing under the name Levi Lobo, reflecting not only his deep connection to New Mexico but also his belief in the power of rebirth. The name Lobo, meaning wolf in Spanish, symbolizes his personal journey of transformation, freedom, and identity. This name change also serves as a symbolic reclaiming of power and culture-an acknowledgment of the historical reeducation and forced assimilation that stripped his ancestors of their language, traditions, identities, and surnames. The wolf also represented a rebirth and choice of identity. Lobo represents Levi's refusal to accept the erasure of his heritage and his decision to assert his true self, reclaiming not only his Native Apache roots but also his connection to a legacy of resilience.
Levi's journey serves as a reclamation of his Native identity, one that has been both lost and reasserted throughout his family's history. By choosing Lobo, Levi not only honors his Apache heritage but also stands firm against the cultural erasure that sought to strip many families of their language, traditions, and identities. This name, and the story behind it, reflects his commitment to a legacy of survival and defiance in the face of historical injustice.
After leaving Fox Studios in 2019, Levi decided to anchor himself in the history and heritage of New Mexico, where he founded ERA, a production company focused on equal opportunity and storytelling that honors his roots.
Levi's connection to his family's history runs deep, especially through the stories passed down by his great-aunt Lila (1925-). Lila shared vivid recollections of her father, a sheep herder who had an encounter with Billy the Kid. She recounted how her father offered food and shelter to Billy the Kid, who bragged about the white men he had killed. Her father, offering no judgment, simply provided refuge before Billy continued his journey.
Lila also spoke of the struggles she and her siblings faced when they were forced into reeducation schools aimed at stripping away their Apache heritage. These schools sought to erase their native language, Athabaskan, and cultural traditions. By the time Lila was born, her parents had already lost the ability to pass down the language. Lila grew up in and out of boarding schools, where she was forbidden to speak Spanish, and later joined the military. Like many from her generation, she and others grew up disconnected from their heritage, a loss that carried through the years. As part of the reeducation system, the family surname was reassigned to "Martinez," a name given to them by the schools to erase their native identity.
Lila also claimed that she was half Apache and that her mother, Josefita, was full Spanish, meaning her father, Victorio, would have been full Apache. This assertion reinforces the family's deep Indigenous roots and the generational loss of language and identity due to forced assimilation policies.
Levi's Ancestry and Lineage:
Great-great-grandfather: Victorio Martinez (Apache descent)
Great-Great-grandmother: Victoriana Martinez (Spanish descent)
Great-Grand-Father: Victor Martinez (Mestizo) Great-Grand-mother: Josefita Martinez (Mestizo)
Grandfather: Alfonso "Poncho" Martinez (Mestizo)
Grandmother: Maggie Martinez ((Mestizo)
Mother: Liesa Renee McCarty (now Liesa Renee Reece)
Father: Gerald Donald Martinez
The Apache leader Victorio was a prominent figure during the late 19th century, known for his leadership and resistance to U.S. forces. Victorio Martinez, however, was a different individual who lived in the early 1900s. He was a sheep herder by trade and was assigned the surname Martinez as part of the U.S. government's forced reeducation policies aimed at assimilating Indigenous peoples and stripping them of their cultural identities. Despite this, it is believed that Victorio Martinez was given the name Victorio to honor his ancestral connection to the Apache leader, continuing a legacy of resistance and pride in his Apache heritage.
The Martinez surname, which Levi carries through his father's side, is rooted in Spanish lineage but was imposed on the Apache family through the reeducation systems in an effort to sever their cultural and ancestral ties. These names, given by authorities during forced assimilation, often represented a loss of language, history, traditions, and identities for Indigenous families. It was part of the larger policy to erase Native identities and control the way Indigenous peoples were viewed and treated in society.
Levi's family history is deeply rooted in New Mexico, and his ancestry traces back to both Victorio Martinez, full Apache and Levi's great-grandmother, Victoriana, was of Spanish descent with blue eyes, which contributed to Levi's mestizo heritage. Additionally, his maternal lineage is thought to connect him to Billy the Kid's family through his Irish roots.
Notable events in Levi's life:
When Levi was thirteen, his family moved into what was known as the "war zone" in Albuquerque, where they built a community dedicated to helping the sick, homeless, and broken. Levi lived with over 150 people in this community until he was seventeen. His family spent their time leading worship, providing 3,000 pounds of food weekly, and offering housing to those in need. In 2008, Levi's family was featured on ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition for their service to the Trumbull community.
After his father passed away from liver disease in 2012, when Levi was eighteen, Levi moved into a 1968 VW Bus, living there for nine months before moving to Los Angeles. He began his acting career under the name Levi Dylan in a church play about a young beatboxer in a rendition of The Little Drummer Boy. Levi later appeared in several short films, made his television debut on Longmire, and worked on Graves. After his role on Graves with Nick Nolte, Levi was offered roles in films such as SGT. Will Gardner and Fast Color.
Levi transitioned to performing under the name Levi Lobo, reflecting not only his deep connection to New Mexico but also his belief in the power of rebirth. The name Lobo, meaning wolf in Spanish, symbolizes his personal journey of transformation, freedom, and identity. This name change also serves as a symbolic reclaiming of power and culture-an acknowledgment of the historical reeducation and forced assimilation that stripped his ancestors of their language, traditions, identities, and surnames. The wolf also represented a rebirth and choice of identity. Lobo represents Levi's refusal to accept the erasure of his heritage and his decision to assert his true self, reclaiming not only his Native Apache roots but also his connection to a legacy of resilience.
Levi's journey serves as a reclamation of his Native identity, one that has been both lost and reasserted throughout his family's history. By choosing Lobo, Levi not only honors his Apache heritage but also stands firm against the cultural erasure that sought to strip many families of their language, traditions, and identities. This name, and the story behind it, reflects his commitment to a legacy of survival and defiance in the face of historical injustice.
After leaving Fox Studios in 2019, Levi decided to anchor himself in the history and heritage of New Mexico, where he founded ERA, a production company focused on equal opportunity and storytelling that honors his roots.
Levi's connection to his family's history runs deep, especially through the stories passed down by his great-aunt Lila (1925-). Lila shared vivid recollections of her father, a sheep herder who had an encounter with Billy the Kid. She recounted how her father offered food and shelter to Billy the Kid, who bragged about the white men he had killed. Her father, offering no judgment, simply provided refuge before Billy continued his journey.
Lila also spoke of the struggles she and her siblings faced when they were forced into reeducation schools aimed at stripping away their Apache heritage. These schools sought to erase their native language, Athabaskan, and cultural traditions. By the time Lila was born, her parents had already lost the ability to pass down the language. Lila grew up in and out of boarding schools, where she was forbidden to speak Spanish, and later joined the military. Like many from her generation, she and others grew up disconnected from their heritage, a loss that carried through the years. As part of the reeducation system, the family surname was reassigned to "Martinez," a name given to them by the schools to erase their native identity.
Lila also claimed that she was half Apache and that her mother, Josefita, was full Spanish, meaning her father, Victorio, would have been full Apache. This assertion reinforces the family's deep Indigenous roots and the generational loss of language and identity due to forced assimilation policies.
Levi's Ancestry and Lineage:
Great-great-grandfather: Victorio Martinez (Apache descent)
Great-Great-grandmother: Victoriana Martinez (Spanish descent)
Great-Grand-Father: Victor Martinez (Mestizo) Great-Grand-mother: Josefita Martinez (Mestizo)
Grandfather: Alfonso "Poncho" Martinez (Mestizo)
Grandmother: Maggie Martinez ((Mestizo)
Mother: Liesa Renee McCarty (now Liesa Renee Reece)
Father: Gerald Donald Martinez
