by the students of 826LA’s TNT evening tutoring program
This book was written by the students who attended 826LA’s evening tutoring program TNT in Mar Vista and Echo Park.
The views expressed in this book are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of 826LA. We support student publishing and are thrilled you picked up this book.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher.
Este libro fue escrito por los alumnos del programa de tutorías nocturnas de 826LA en la primavera de 2024.
Las opiniones expresadas en este libro son las de los autores y no reflejan necesariamente las de 826LA. Apoyamos la publicación de jóvenes autores y estamos felices que hayan recogido este libro.
Todos los derechos reservados. Prohibida la reproducción total o parcial de este libro sin autorización escrita del editor.
Editor(s):
Mike Dunbar
Pedro Estrada
Emma McCandless
Cover Artwork: Fern Marticorena
Book Design: Fern Marticorena
Echo Park 1714 W. Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90026
Mar Vista 12515 Venice Blvd.
Los Angeles, C 90066
H.
by Emily R.
Monse Lopez
Introduction:
826LA is both a non-profit and a community space. It’s a part of the wider community in Echo Park, Mar Vista, and beyond. In Those Who Changed Us: Interviews with our Community, 826LA students were asked to find someone in their community and share part of their story. They interview them over the phone, in-person, and via email for this book project. In your hands is the result of their work over several months as these students now share with you what they learned.
This book is a time capsule of someone’s earliest memories to their most recent ones. Echo Park student Jeovanny spoke with long-time volunteer Wilson, who he first worked with when he was in 4th grade and now interviews as a high school senior. Another student, Guadualpue, interviewed her friend, Gracie, about preparing for the L. A. Marathon and how she got involved in running. Then there is Miranda who interviewed her grandmother about growing up and living in Mexico. In Written In Nail Polish TNT student Edna interviewed author Angel Luis Colon about his life and what led him to become a writer.
The individuals interviewed saw our students grow up, shaped their lives, and inspired them. You’ll learn about them and as one TNT student, Johnny, put it, see the “invisible line that connects” us as a community.
-Pedro Estrada, March 28th, 2024
Section One: Just The Facts, Please
XJ6
ABRAHAM J.
The story of me releasing the handbrake on my grandfather’s car as a baby.
Interviewee: Mother
Q: How young was I?
A: About 2 ½ ish.
Q: Were my grandparents scared?
A: Yes, your grandmother yelled “the baby!” Your grandpa ran to the car, jumped through the opened window and pulled the hand brake.
Q: Who was the most scared?
A: Your grandmother.
Q: When did this happen?
A: When you were a child.
Q: Where was this?
A: In front of your grandmother’s home.
Q: What was I doing?
A: Grandpa was picking you up, he sat you on the passenger seat for a minute. You crawled your way to the driver seat, began to press buttons and tried messing with the steering wheel.
Q: Were you there?
A: I was not there, I was working.
Q: How did you find out?
A: Both your grandparents told me all about it. My dad, of course, was laughing. He is a big car enthusiast, he said you’re going to love cars when you grow up.
Q: What happened after?
A: Both of your grandparents would laugh about it because of how quick my dad responded, he knew exactly what to do. It was a beautiful 1984 black Jaguar.
ROSALBA: THE JOURNEY
CAMILO
Rosalba grew up in Oaxaca, Mexico. She grew up in a town called Santiago Matatlán nicknamed “La Capital Mundial De Mezcal.” At age 21, she decided to leave her loved ones and start a new life in the United States of America accompanied by my dad Jeronimo.
Interview:
CAMILO: How old were you when you came to America?
ROSALBA: 21.
CAMILO: Did you travel with anymore?
ROSALBA: Yes, with my husband.
CAMILO: How long did it take?
ROSALBA: 10 hours on a plane.
CAMILO: What was it like?
ROSALBA: It was a new experience.
CAMILO: Who did you meet along the way?
ROSALBA: A friend named Teresa.
CAMILO: What were your emotions before and throughout the journey?
ROSALBA: A little bit scared and nervous, but I became more confident.
CAMILO: Where did you originally enter the US? What city?
ROSALBA: San Diego.
CAMILO: Can you describe your first day? Where did you stay?
ROSALBA: My aunt’s house. It was strange.
CAMILO: What was it like not knowing the language?
ROSALBA: Very hard because I couldn’t get help from others and couldn’t do things by myself.
CAMILO: How difficult was it to get a job?
ROSALBA: A little bit difficult, but someone helped me get a job.
CAMILO: How emotionally difficult was it to say goodbye to your family and not know when you were coming back?
ROSALBA: Very difficult because I didn’t know when I would see them again.
CAMILO: Did you have any communication with your family?
ROSALBA: Yes, sometimes.
CAMILO: How did you meet people?
ROSALBA: Through my husband’s family.
CAMILO: How did you make friends?
ROSALBA: At work.
CAMILO: What advice do you have for others who want to make the trip?
ROSALBA: Be patient, not scared.
MY MOTHER’S JOURNEY
BERNIE GARCIA
Rosalba grew up in Santiago Matatlán, Mexico, which is the world capital of mezcal. She moved to Los Angeles at the age of 21. When she is not working or taking care of her three children, she can be found watching telenovelas and making ice cream. She uses techniques passed down from her parents, who also made ice cream. Rosalba has had a huge impact on influencing my life growing up. In an effort to better understand her story, I conducted the following interview. This was the interview I did on the car ride to 826LA.
Interview:
BERNIE: Where are you from?
ROSALBA: Santiago Mátalan, Mexico which is the capital of mezcal.
BERNIE: What was it like? What might be your favorite memory there?
ROSALBA: To go with my parents to sell ice cream. It was fun going to fairs.
BERNIE: How was your life at a young age? How do you think that
impacted how you are today?
ROSALBA: It was hard because their job was to make ice cream and we went to school and they had come back from work late.
BERNIE: What is your culture, and what are your traditions?
ROSALBA: I am Zapotec and I celebrate the Day of the Dead.
BERNIE: Why is it important to you?
ROSALBA: We don’t lose our heritage.
BERNIE: What do you think about the decline of the Zapotec language?
ROSALBA: I feel sad as it is slowly disappearing despite technology. We could revive it, but not many people speak the language.
BERNIE: What was your favorite part of living in Mexico?
ROSALBA: The food, music, parties, friends, and fairs were one of the best parts about living in Mexico.
BERNIE: What food did you like? How were the parties?
ROSALBA: They were huge and fun. I really like higadito (egg dish).
BERNIE: When did you leave Mexico?
ROSALBA: March 2004.
BERNIE: How did it feel when moving to America?
ROSALBA: [I] felt many things at the same time. Nervous and excited.
BERNIE: What has changed when moving to the US?
ROSALBA: I had to learn another language, and I had to change my lifestyle.
BERNIE: What would you say was the biggest change?
ROSALBA: We don’t see these traditions here often.
BERNIE: How does life compare from the US and Mexico?
ROSALBA: It’s a fast climate where things move fast. City [life] is fast-paced and stressful.
BERNIE: How does the food compare from here? What else is different?
ROSALBA: There is a bunch of technology here, and in Mexico it’s solely Mexican food while here there are foods of multiple cultures.
BERNIE: What do you do?
ROSALBA: I make ice cream for clients in my pastime.
BERNIE: Was ice cream a way to connect to your family even though you weren’t there?
ROSALBA: Yes, because it made me remember my family and have them close to me.
BERNIE: What is it like making ice cream? Do you still enjoy it?
ROSALBA: Yes!
BERNIE: What is your favorite part about working with ice cream?
ROSALBA: Going to the fairs and meeting people.
BERNIE: Do you want to pass down this job? Why or why not?
ROSALBA: Yes, because I want my children to learn.
BERNIE: Why would you want them to?
ROSALBA: So they can learn to do something when they are adults and for tradition.
BERNIE: What is your favorite ice cream flavor?
ROSALBA: Leche quemada.
BERNIE: What do you want others to learn from this interview?
ROSALBA: Don’t forget your culture.
I learned that my mom’s parents also made ice cream, which could be the start of a family recipe. This interview has inspired me to continue this recipe whether or not my siblings also want to continue it themselves. I also learned that she was born in
the capital of mezcal, a type of alcohol made from agave, which is actually grown underground. This was a very exciting interview as I got to learn more about my family’s history!
Bernie is currently in middle school. His favorite subject is music.
R: I saw the 826LA store front in Echo Park and was very intrigued by the store and the opportunities it offered. I like volunteering and knew the team needed more math and science volunteers, so I signed up to help and have found it to be very rewarding.
Q: What high school did you go to?
R: I went to Brophy College Preparatory in Phoenix, AZ.
Q: Who is your favorite artist?
R: My favorite artists change from time to time, but right now I would say my favorite artist is Tyler, the Creator.
Q: Where did you grow up?
R: I grew up in Phoenix, AZ and went to college in South Bend, IN.
Q: Why did you move to LA?
R: I moved to LA about 6 months ago.
Q: When did you leave home?
R: I left Phoenix almost six months ago.
Q: Would you rather go back in the past or into the future?
Why or why not?
R: I think I would be intrigued with the idea of going to the very distant future, but I am also someone who likes learning about history a lot, so I would like to see what my hometown looked like in the past.
Q: Do you have a quote that helped you, or changed your life in a meaningful way?
R: I don’t really have a specific quote, but my mom would always say to share my blessings with the world and to never stop dreaming. It has taught me to always keep striving for higher goals and to never be complacent.
MY COUSIN AND I MARELI M.
I will be interviewing Jacqueline or as most people call her, Jackie. She is my nine year old cousin. The reason I chose to interview her is because I think she is interesting and mostly because she’s forced to answer my question. Growing up together, I’ve always seen her as more of a sister, than a cousin.
Mareli: Who is someone you look up to?
Jackie: I look up to my teacher, Ms. Galicia, who is my fourth grade teacher at Betty Plasecencia.
Mareli: Why?
Jackie: She makes learning fun and I can understand her very easily.
Mareli: Can you give an example?
Jackie: Last time she had a table with kids who needed help and she helped them and by the end of the day they knew the assignment.
Mareli: What is your favorite holiday?
Jackie: My favorite holiday is probably Halloween.
Mareli: Why?
Jackie: l really like dressing up and getting candy for Halloween
Mareli: What’s your favorite costume?
Jackie: I think it was the one I did last year, The Catrina.
Mareli: Where do you feel the happiest?
Jackie: At my house.
Mareli: Why?
Jackie: Because I get to see my mom and my family.
Mareli: Why are you always on your iPad?
Jackie: Not really, I just go there because my computer isn’t working. I do watch shows on it like, you know, it could be whatever. Sometimes I search on Youtube for drawing videos.
Mareli: When was a time you overcame a challenge?
Jackie: When I was doing a math test, it was really hard and I managed to get a nine out of ten. Basically got a four out of four.
Mareli: Who is your favorite cousin?
Jackie: Hmm, it’s probably Mareli.
Mareli: Why?
Jackie: Because I feel like we have great moments, like sometimes we play together. I feel really happy when with her.
Mareli: What do you play with Mareli?
Jackie: Sometimes we play outside, get one of her volleyballs and we start playing with that.
Mareli: Would you rather go back in the past or into the future? Why or why not?
Jackie: In the past, I feel like I did a lot of things, like maybe on a test, or moments I regret doing.
Mareli: What would you like to do?
Jackie: I would change my answers on a test or change a moment I didn’t like. Like I chose something else and I got it wrong.
And now Jackie asked Mareli some questions.
Jackie: How are you doing on your sports team?
Mareli: I’m playing good. It’s really fun and I enjoy having moments with my team.
Jackie: Are you worried about your test?
Mareli: Yes, because they are really difficult and really struggle at being a test taker.
Jackie: Who do you like better, your dog or your cat?
Mareli: My cat, probably because it’s the first time I am having a cat and having a dog is not the same because of my first dog, Oreo.
BEFORE THE BIG MARATHON GUADALUPE VASQUEZ
Gracie grew up in Los Angeles in the Culver City area. I decided to interview her because I was supposed to run the LA Marathon with her, but while running with her I twisted my ankle and I had to stop training. This made me feel upset that I couldn’t do the marathon with Gracie, but I was glad that at least one of us would be able to make it past that finish line at the marathon. I interviewed her to see how her progress and training schedule was going.
GUADALUPE: Can you introduce yourself?
GRACIE: Hello my name is Gracie.
GUADALUPE: What grade are you in?
GRACIE: Ninth grade.
GUADALUPE: How did you get into running?
GRACIE: I liked running ever since I was little.
GUADALUPE: What do you love about running?
GRACIE: I like to think when I’m running and I think a lot.
GUADALUPE: What are some things you think about if you don’t mind sharing?
GRACIE: I think about everything and like whenever there’s something going on during a day I’ll just think about that the entire time.
GUADALUPE: Do you love running?
GRACIE: Yes.
GUADALUPE: How many years have you been running for so far?
GRACIE: Technically, I’ve only ran this first year but I do a lot of active activities.
GUADALUPE: Is there something in specific you love about running?
GRACIE: Hmmm I like to feel when I’m done with the run I feel accomplished.
GUADALUPE: Is that why you’re passionate about it or is there another reason?
GRACIE: Noooo.
GUADALUPE: Do you listen to music when you run?
GRACIE: All the time.
GUADALUPE: What type of music do you listen to?
GRACIE: Mostly alternative rock.
GUADALUPE: Have you ever had a moment when you said you would quit running?
GRACIE: When I got hurt and I didn’t wanna run anymore.
GUADALUPE: How do you feel about accomplishing or doing the LA marathon this year?
GRACIE: I just wanna get it done.
GUADALUPE: Do you have a training routine?
GRACIE: I run every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.
GUADALUPE: How does running make you feel throughout the
time you’ve been doing it?
GRACIE: In the beginning I always feel dread and at the end I feel happy.
GUADALUPE: Did anyone inspire you to do this running or did you do it by our own decision?
GRACIE: I would say a lot of people told me not to, but I did it despite them.
GUADALUPE: What’s something important that motivates you to run everyday?
GRACIE: Honestly I just wanna make sure I get to the marathon because if I miss any type of practice I would get slower.
GUADALUPE: You said you injured yourself, how was that injury? Like what was the injury?
GRACIE: I hurt my knee a bunch of times because I would strain it too much and not take care of it.
GUADALUPE: Was running something you plan on having for the future like a lot in the future?
GRACIE: Probably not running but maybe for a different type of sports.
GUADALUPE: Have you ever done any races?
GRACIE: Hmmm we’ve done the races that have been in the SRLA but that’s it.
GUADALUPE: What is SRLA?
GRACIE: Students Run LA
GUADALUPE: How do you think you’ll feel after finishing the marathon?
GRACIE: Very accomplished but tired.
GUADALUPE: Right now without knowing how the marathon will go, describe the marathon how you think it’ll go?
GRACIE: I think I’ma get lost before the run then I’ma end up
having my phone almost dying then I’ma freak out, run very last in the beginning get really tired and barely finish.
GUADALUPE: Thank you so much.
One thing that is very similar about Gracie and me is that we both enjoy running and both use running as an escape from things that happen during the day. If it is something bad that happened or something good with too much excitement, we use that energy to get more mileage and a better pace during our runs. Making each other and our friends proud is also another reason Gracie and I keep going. The support we get from our coaches motivates us when we need it. We both have a passion for running and I’ve learned that we both have had a moment where we wanted to quit running for good, but having each other to run with made us feel good about having a good time while also making memories that will stay with us forever.
Growing up in Mar Vista, Guadalupe has always loved running and never thought she would get close to running a marathon. This year, she came together with all of her friends and decided to train for the LA Marathon with Students Run LA, but she couldn’t end up running it due to an injury that prevented her from finishing training for it. Guadalupe sprained her ankle at the beginning of the year and had to stop training for the marathon that she had been looking forward to but was excited to hear about her friend’s experience.
INTERVIEW WITH MY BEST PAL
JADELLYN GARCIA
For my interview, I interviewed Dylan. I chose her because she is my best friend and I wanted to learn more about her. We met last August or the beginning of September in class and we had a strong friendship and connection. We have been friends for 7 months. Dylan is 12 years old and she is from Maryland but she moved when she was little to California. I interviewed Dylan by text because I was in a rush.
JADELLYN: Why did your parents choose your name?
DYLAN: My parents chose my name because my sister was named Deane and they wanted unique names for girls, so my mom named me Dylan.
JADELLYN: Why did you want to try acting?
DYLAN: I wanted to try acting because I thought it would be a fun experience and I’ve learned a lot from that because I used to be super shy. But now I’ve decided that acting is not what I want to do anymore.
JADELLYN: Are you into movies or tv shows? What are your favorite shows and why?
DYLAN: I do like movies and TV shows but right now I don’t have any favorites.
JADELLYN: Have you ever broken any bones and how and what kind of bones?
DYLAN: I’ve broken one bone before, which was on my right wrist. I broke it playing basketball with my class.
JADELLYN: What is your favorite thing to make or bake and why?
DYLAN: My favorite thing to make is Tanghulu (it is a candied fruit snack originated from China) because it’s a really yummy treat and really fun to make with friends.
JADELLYN: What is your favorite subject and why?
DYLAN: My favorite subject right now would be math or farm. The reason for this would be because farm teaches me how to take care of plants, and I’ve always wanted a garden. Math teaches me for the future and is really important.
JADELLYN: What do you want to be when you grow up and is there a reason?
DYLAN: I want to be a doctor or a surgeon. For my reason would be because doctors and surgeons help people and I think it’s really cool.
JADELLYN: Who is your favorite artist and why?
DYLAN: For me, I have artists that have caught my interest, which are the Weeknd and Drake.
JADELLYN: Would you rather live here or Europe?
DYLAN: I’d rather live in the US because my family is everywhere around me and that’s where I wanna be.
JADELLYN: Would you rather be a dolphin or a shark?
DYLAN: I rather be a dolphin because dolphins are very friendly mammals and very unique.
JADELLYN: What is your dream place to travel?
DYLAN: My dream place to travel is Bora Bora because it’s a great place for vacation.
JADELLYN: Would you rather go to the bottom of the ocean or outer space?
DYLAN: I’d rather go to outer space because outer space is a big experience and a once in a lifetime opportunity.
JADELLYN: If you were stuck on a island and what will you bring (only three things)
DYLAN: If I were stuck on an island, I would bring a fishing net, an inflatable raft, and bug spray.
JADELLYN: What is your favorite memory as a kid?
DYLAN: My favorite memory as a kid was when my mom first brought my dog home, and it was a very happy moment.
JADELLYN: Why do you like dogs more than cats?
DYLAN: I like dogs more than cats, because a dog can give you lots of comfort when you need it and cats are kind of lazy and I am a bit allergic to them too.
I decided to do the interview on Dylan because she is my best friend. It is important because now I am happy that I know more about her. I learned that she wants to be a doctor or a surgeon, which I didn’t know. I also found out that Dylan is a bit allergic to cats, so now I know not to be close to cats all the time with her.
Jadellyn, or Jade to her friends, was raised in Mar Vista. She is 12 years old. Her birthday is in December and she is a Sagittarius. Jade’s favorite color is pink and her favorite sport is swimming. She has two sisters and a dog. The subject that she is good at is history. Jade would like to travel to Bora Bora.
MY FRIENDSHIP WITH FATIMA NATHALIE CARPIO
Fatima grew up in California and went to Saturn Elementary. She likes drawing because it’s a very enjoyable hobby for her. Her favorite thing to draw is flowers. She works at a familyowned business named Saby’s Cafe and likes to sleep in her free time. She has three pets: one cat named Evee and two dogs named Milo and Duke. She likes playing hockey during P.E. because it’s a fun sport. Additionally, her favorite colors are pink and wine red. She enjoys eating pasta, watching Rio, Speedy Gonzalez, and Sweet Home.
NATHALIE: Why do you like drawing bro?
FATIMA: I like drawing because it’s very enjoyable for me and I consider it a very enjoyable hobby.
NATHALIE: How do you work at your cafe?
FATIMA: Because it is a family-owned business named Saby’s Cafe. I help my family by working as a cashier to fill in for open positions.
NATHALIE: How long has the cafe been open?
FATIMA: I honestly don’t know. I forgot.
NATHALIE: What is your favorite thing to draw?
FATIMA: Flowers. I like drawing flowers and other items that come to mind.
NATHALIE: Other hobbies?
FATIMA: Sleeping.
NATHALIE: Cat and dog names?
FATIMA: My cat is named Evee. On the other hand, my dog is named Milo and Duke.
NATHALIE: How did you get the cat and dogs?
FATIMA: The cat was originally homeless and was taken to a shelter. However, feeling down, I went with my mother to adopt another cat.
NATHALIE: Do you like hockey?
FATIMA: I do like it because I’m decent at it.
NATHALIE: Favorite color?
FATIMA: Pink and wine red.
NATHALIE: Favorite cartoon character?
FATIMA: Speedy Gonzalez. I like him because he’s silly.
NATHALIE: Favorite movie?
FATIMA: My favorite movie is Rio.
NATHALIE: Favorite TV show?
FATIMA: Alice in Borderland. I liked the storyline and attention to detail. I was stuck to the screen during every episode. I also liked Sweet Home.
NATHALIE: Favorite food?
FATIMA: Pasta. Specifically Hello kitty pasta.
NATHALIE: How did it feel making pasta?
FATIMA: I was on a call with a friend while making pasta. It was fun overcoming the challenge.
NATHALIE: What school did you go to?
FATIMA: I went to Saturn Elementary School. The reason why I interviewed Fatima is because she’s my friend and we have been friends for three years. This interview made me realize how much she likes art and her responsibilities at her cafe. This made me notice how much I appreciate our friendship.
Nathalie is in 7th grade. She goes to Marina del Rey Middle School. She likes to style her sister and make her outfits.
UNCOVERING THE BOND
RUBI GARCIA
It was a Saturday after we finished our competition for ACA DECA. We were on the bus with two of our other friends. It was a hot day and we were having a blast playing around in the bus and waving out to people in their cars while they passed. I decided to interview my best friend named Inaya while we stopped because of traffic. I remembered that I had an interview to do 826LA. Inaya has been one of my best friends since the sixth grade. We love to talk about random stuff and some Youtubers I love. She has a little sister. Whenever I go to Inaya’s house we like to play games with her like kitchen and shopping.
RUBI: How did you grow up? Where?
INAYA: My mom wasn’t home as much because she was at nursing school as a single mom. I would stay at my grandparents’ house most of the day and see my mom only at night.
RUBI: How did you like where you live?
INAYA: I love the Bay Area. I liked the subs and lived in a home where you could run around outside and play.
RUBI: What moment have you laughed the hardest ever?
INAYA: In the summer of 2022, my cousin and I were practicing a dance for a wedding, and I kept messing up.
RUBI: Would you rather live in the past or the future?
INAYA: Future, because of the technology.
RUBI: Where do you want to live when you grow up?
INAYA: New York, London, or LA.
RUBI: What are your favorite hobbies?
INAYA: Swimming and playing volleyball.
RUBI: What is your favorite store?
INAYA: Sephora and The Spoon.
RUBI: Would you rather travel to the bottom of the ocean or outer space?
INAYA Outer space, because I want to see the Milky Way.
RUBI: How would you spend your ideal day?
INAYA: Sleeping.
RUBI: Is there any talent you would wish to have? What would it be?
INAYA: Dancing.
RUBI: What is your favorite place to travel to and why?
INAYA: London, because the food is very good and the architecture is really nice.
RUBI: If you would have all the money in the world, where would you travel to?
INAYA: Dubai, because of the shopping and they have private beaches for women.
RUBI: Who is your favorite famous person and why?
INAYA: The Weeknd, because he is a really good singer.
RUBI: How would you describe yourself as a fictional character?
INAYA: Jasmine [from Aladin], because she is brown, and is the only Disney princess who is like me.
When I was interviewing Inaya, at first it was a little awkward, but it was fun to hear about her childhood. We started to talk to the other kids on the bus, asking them questions and pretending to interview them. I learned how her childhood wasn’t here in LA. I learned that I like to hear how everyone’s life is different from mine.
Rubi was born and raised in Mar Vista. She is 13 years old. She is also a daughter and a sister. Rubi has a dog named Simba she loves very much. Something she would love to do in the future is go to London. It has been her dream place to visit since she was 11 years old.
I Rock with Her Rosaisela Lopez
My editor was getting on my case, so I grabbed my assistant and I called my best friend LJ, asking him if he could please help me with this project. I came to LJ because he is like the big brother to me that I never had. I knew I could count on him because he has been with me through everything without letting me down since day one. Upstairs at the 826LA writing lab, facetiming my best friend LJ, we conducted the following interview:
ROSIE: First off I want to let him introduce himself and our project.
LJ: Hi guys! This is LJ. The person who is writing this interview, her name is Rosie. She is my best friend. She means so much to me. She’s so cool. She’s white chocolate and I’m dark chocolate. Rosie is the coolest 7th grader I know and the funniest person. Every time we’re in class we like to laugh.
ROSIE: Where is your family from?
LJ: Jamaica. Along the coast of Montego Bay.
ROISE: How did you learn to bike? What was the most difficult thing about it?
LJ: One day, I was going to the store on a scooter and I met this person with a nice bike. I tried his bike and he showed me a biker’s Instagram. I was interested and went on my first ride on my brother’s bike and my dad followed me around for
safety. Most difficult thing about it: My bike kept breaking down, so I needed a new bike when I was first learning.
ROISE: Why do you enjoy biking?
LJ: I get time to reflect on myself, I get to think, and be free when I’m biking. It is a relaxing time for me.
ROISE: Do you have any other hobbies?
LJ: Yeah. Football, track, lacrosse, soccer, tennis a little bit, and surfing. I also recently started doing a military thing called ROP.
ROISE: If you could learn to do one new thing what would it be?
LJ: Learn how to ride an electric bike.
ROISE: What’s your favorite sport to play/watch?
LJ: Football and football. My favorite team would be the Cowboys.
ROISE: What did you like to do for fun growing up?
LJ: Liked to hang out with friends, biking.
ROISE: What’s your favorite artist?
LJ: Lil Baby and Llyod. My favorite song by Lloyd is “You.” For Lil Baby, it is “Drip Too Hard.”
ROISE: What do you think makes you unique from everyone else?
LJ: I feel like I bring out good energy in everyone. A lot of people get along with me.
ROISE: What is one thing you want to accomplish in life and why?
LJ: I want to be rich so I can help my grandma with a nice house, and help my mom and my dad—take care of my family in general.
ROISE: Where do you see yourself in five years?
LJ: I see myself making biking content, and with my girlfriend Brianna. <3333
Deeper questions:
ROISE: What was your first impression of me?
LJ: When I first met you I thought, “Oh, I rock with her.” You looked like you were always mad and looked like you had an attitude.
ROISE: Do I still always look mad?
LJ: Yes. Always mad.
ROISE: What do you value most about our friendship?
LJ: How we are just funny together. Nobody’s on our level. We get through everything.
ROISE: How do you think our friendship has impacted your life?
LJ: When we weren’t friends, I didn’t have a best friend. I was moving from Culver City. You are the reason I come to school. You have made me a lot happier.
ROISE: What is your favorite memory from our friendship?
LJ: My first favorite memory was when you brought me tamales. I was messing them up.
INTERVIEW WITH MY OLDER SISTER TERESA GARCIA
My older sister Deisy is a student at UCLA.
TERESA: What was it like transitioning into college?
DEISY: I liked moving into the dorm because it was a little bit more space than what I had at home, but I did miss my family. I think it taught me to be more independent and build my own schedule. I didn’t really have a social life at first, but I made a few friends my freshman year and stuck with them the whole year. My second year I got more involved in clubs, so I met some really cool people. I go home every weekend so I am still able to see my family often and spend time with them.
TERESA: Why did you choose UCLA? What was your thought process when you got accepted?
DEISY: I chose UCLA because it was the best school I got into. I got the most financial aid, it was really close to home, and it has great academic opportunities! I couldn’t believe I got accepted because I wasn’t the best student at my high school
or anything. I was just a regular student in high school and I still got into this school. I couldn’t believe I was actually a student at UCLA until like halfway through my freshman year. I did for sure struggle with imposter syndrome—and still do—but I guess I got accepted for a reason.
TERESA: What’s the community like at UCLA?
DEISY: I think UCLA is definitely a PWI ( predominantly white institution), so sometimes it’s difficult to see people with the same ethnic background as me or people who grew up lowincome like me. A lot of people here grew up rich and had a lot of opportunities that I didn’t have. Sometimes it’s discouraging because UCLA academics are extremely competitive. I’m competing with kids with amazing academic resources and backgrounds to set the curve.
TERESA: Did financial aid make it more economically appealing?
DEISY: YES! I got really good financial aid to come here.
TERESA: Why did you switch from neuroscience to public health?
DEISY: I took an intro to neuroscience class my fall quarter of my freshman year and it really showed me that the neuroscience major here is really directed towards people who want to pursue neurosurgery in medical school or research. Although I am fascinated by the brain, I realized I wasn’t really interested in either of those fields. I decided maybe another health field would be a better match for me. I really like public health because it is very interdisciplinary and it can be applied to all fields: environmental science, law, government, public policy, etc. I can honestly work wherever I’d like with a public health degree and I think that’s what made it more appealing and more fitting for the kind of career I was looking for.
INTERVIEW WITH RYANN RACHEL M.
Interviewee: Ryann, 826LA TNT tutor, Echo Park
Rachel: When is your birthday?
Ryann: March 1
Rachel: Why did you decide to be a lawyer?
Ryann: I liked reading and writing in school growing up, and I was interested in helping fight for equal rights for women.
Rachel: How did you find out about this job?
Ryann: I studied political science in college, and one of my favorite professors was a lawyer.
Rachel: What was an important moment in your life?
Ryann: The most important moment of my life was the first time I traveled outside of the United States. I discovered I loved to travel. Since then I have lived in Ireland, Spain, and Thailand and traveled to 40 countries.
Rachel: Who’s your favorite superhero?
Ryann: My favorite superhero is Wonder Woman because I like that she represents girl power.
LIZ IN A STORY LUIS. J.
Interviewee: Liz T., UCLA College Corps Fellow
This is a small part of Liz’s life that means so much to her. I met Liz through Pedro when he asked me to work with her during evening tutoring.
Q: What are some challenges you’ve faced as a college student?
A: I’ve had to deal with imposter syndrome, home sickness, feelings of loneliness and isolation, and mental health problems such as depression and anxiety. I also had less than ideal roommates for two years in a row.
Q: How are you balancing college with work and other involvements?
A: I put everything I need to do in google calendar and make sure I don’t commit to more than I can handle.
Q: What’s your music taste?
A: I love Latino pop music, canciones de señora dolida, mostly old school reggaeton, tamborazo, mariachi music, 2010’s pop music, EDM, soft rock, and soundtracks from some musical plays, shows, and movies.
Q: Why was your sister’s birth a special moment in your life?
A: She made me a big sister and we grew up to become really close. We’re basically besties now. She’s one of my favorite people.
Q: What would be your advice for incoming college students?
A: Have faith in yourself. Don’t let anyone demean you. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Take advantage of all the resources available to you. If you’re going through a rough patch, remember that it will pass. Lastly, allow yourself to have fun and enjoy the moment because you’ll only be a college student once.
Q: Who influenced you the most growing up?
A: My parents for sure. They had high expectations for me and I didn’t want to let them down.
Q: What’s your dream job?
A: I don’t dream of labor, but either a recruitment officer or an academic advisor at a four year university.
Q: Would you rather go back in the past or into the future? Why or why not?
A: I’d rather go back in time and get the chance to be a kid and teenager again. Plus, Youtube was way better back then.
JAREK INTERVIEWS PEDRO JAREK S.
Interviewee: Pedro, 826LA staff, Echo Park
Jarek: What was your childhood like?
Pedro: Different, Los Angeles wasn’t going through a building boom and looked different. However, my enjoyment of video games and comic books started during my childhood.
Jarek: What was your childhood like in school?
Pedro: Okay, took me a while to get serious about studying and felt that I squandered some opportunities like learning to speak Spanish during middle and high school. Got bused to the valley for middle and high school so got used to waking very early to get picked up by the bus at 6AM to get to school by 7AM.
Jarek: What has led you to your current position? What experiences do you think have led you to be where you are at?
Pedro: I always enjoyed writing, but never had access to something like 826LA growing up. After college I did Peace Corps and taught English in the Republic of Moldova. I enjoyed it, but didn’t expect to stay in education until I learned about 826LA and was able to apply what I learned in the Peace Corps.
And here we are.
Jarek: Was school challenging for you? Can you further explain why yes, or no. How did you overcome such challenges?
Pedro: Yes, and no, and depends on what you mean by school. High school was challenging because I tried to float to graduation. College started challenging me, until I adapted and learned to do well in my courses.
Jarek: If you could choose a different job, what would it be?
Pedro: Great question, Jarek! I don’t know anymore, maybe I would have gotten my PhD and taught at college or worked in government.
Jarek: Would you rather go back in the past or into the future? Why or why not?
Pedro: Another great question, Jarek! The future, I’m an optimist and hope to see a better future. I’d go two hundred years into the future and see how the world was and if we managed to explore more of the Solar System by that point.
Jarek: Do you have any regrets in life? If there’s any, why do you regret it?
Pedro: Yes, but don’t we all? Many reasons to have regret, too many to list here.
Jarek: What’s something meaningful that happened to you that changed your life?
Pedro: Finding out about 826LA when I did. I hadn’t considered going back into education until then.
Jarek: Do you have a quote that helped you, or changed your life in a meaningful way?
Pedro: Nope, I have a alot of quotes I like from books, TV shows, and movies, but nothing life changing, Jarek!
Section TWO: TALES OF MEMORY
THE IMPORTANCE OF WORK ETHIC JIMENA M.
Miguel Mendez is a 35-year old cousin of mine. He works in food production and came to the United States in his early 20s. He has known me since I was a newborn baby, saw me grow up and I see him as an older brother. Miguel is a hardworking, caring, and funny person. I wanted to share his story and why he decided to come to the United States.
*This interview was originally done in Spanish but is translated to English.*
Jimena Mendez: Why did you choose to move to the U.S instead of staying in Mexico with our family?
Miguel Mendez: To have a better future and to create his house, and help his family.
JM: What are your motivations to continue to stay in the U.S? What is your purpose?
MM: Because, we have a better life here, even if we want to go back, we still have a better opportunity to help our family here.
JM: What do you want to do with your life?
MM: Don’t know, maybe go back to Mexico and enjoy my family life.
JM: What are your life goals?
MM: I want to continue to save more money, I want to also have a family one day in Mexico. Just overall, I want to enjoy what I have already built and accomplished.
JM: What is your work ethic?
MM: I think I am responsible, I never miss a day of work. Everytime I am at my job I try to do my work as perfectly as possible.
JM: Why did you stop your education after middle school?
MM: Where I came from there were almost no resources to go to school and I just preferred to work to help my family out.
JM: Do you want to pursue your education at any point of your life?
MM: No, because my goals aren’t the same as back then.
JM: How has Miguel from today changed from the Miguel that arrived in 2007?
MM: I see life in a different way and I take my life with more responsibility.
Miguel has made me appreciate what I have even more, including school. I have the opportunity to go to school everyday and dream big, my cousin didn’t. But his work ethic inspires me to work hard in whatever I do today and be responsible with my future jobs.
MY LITTLE ABUELITA SOPHIA M.
My abuelita is kind, and strong because she always takes care of me. She was born in Nicaragua and came to the U.S. to give her family better opportunities. She taught me to be polite and to respect others. More people could use a grandma like my abuelita. I chose to interview my abuelita because I was curious about her and how she grew up.
Me: What was school like?
Abuelita: School was a fun place to be, we would go to learn, make friends. It would start early in the morning but looking back it was all worth it.
Me: What were some house rules you had to follow?
Abuelita: Some rules in my house that I had to follow were to get up early, getting my homework and chores done, and not playing until the weekend.
Me: What made you cut your hair short?
Abuelita: I wanted to cut my hair short because I had very curly hair and it was too hard to maintain, and very hard to brush. So I cut it short to not be in pain anymore.
Me: What is a memory that you will remember forever?
Abuelita: I’ll never forget the time my sister and I embarrassed
my grandma at a buffet, where we served ourselves more than we could eat. I remember she got so mad at us that day!
Me: What was it like living in Nicaragua?
Abuelita: It’s a beautiful country with humid and warm temperatures, fresh fruit, and many beaches.
Me: What was your sister like?
Abuelita: My sister was younger than me and she always talked about all the stuff I did. I also remember that she was an A+ student.
Me: What was your favorite game to play?
Abuelita: I loved to ride bikes and jump rope with friends. Me: What was your favorite thing in Nicaragua?
Abuelita: My favorite thing in Nicaragua was going with my sister to movies on Saturdays.
Me: What would you wear?
Abuelita: I always wanted to wear pants and shorts because I loved to climb trees all the time.
Me: What do you miss the most about Nicaragua?
Abuelita: I mostly miss the good food and the beaches with beautiful scenery.
Me: When you first came to the U.S. what did it feel like?
Abuelita: I cried because I missed my country, but eventually got used to it. And now here I am 38 years later.
I learned a lot about my abuelita that I didn’t know about before. We grew up very different and it was really fun and interesting to hear my abuelita’s memories. This interview inspired me to ask more about her. It also inspired me to learn more about Nicaragua, the country she is from. I can’t wait to go visit Nicaragua with all my abuelita’s fun stories and adventures.
THE ONE AND ONLY AUGUSTINA!
MIRANDA
ALVARADO
Augustina is my grandmother. She is the sweetest person with her warm smile and bright lively eyes. She always has her favorite gray sweater on, which keeps her warm during cold days. She was originally from El Districto Federal, then moved to Hidalgo, where she had her three daughters. Originally five, but two of them died. Ten years after her daughter’s birth, she moved to Oaxaca, Diaz Ordaz, where she lives to this day. Every summer when we can, we go over there and visit her in Mexico, where she receives us in her same gray sweater, greeting her granddaughters in her native tongue, which is Spanish. This time our conversation was over the phone, and she was wearing her same usual gray sweater.
MIRANDA: How was life growing up?
AUGUSTINA: It was hard, I never knew my father, he left when I was born, and my mother took care of us and soon got with my stepfather he was a wonderful father figure.
MIRANDA: What were the hardest moments you had when you were young?
AUGUSTINA: Watching my mom try to find food for us, and
watching other kids talk about their dad while I didn’t have one for 10 years.
MIRANDA: Who was or were your role models when growing up?
AUGUSTINA: My mother of course! She was always there for me no matter what. God is also amazing and he most definitely never left me.
MIRANDA: Was there any specific career you wanted to pursue when you were young?
AUGUSTINA: Not really, jobs for women weren’t a wide selection to choose from.
MIRANDA: What were the ways that you overcame difficult obstacles throughout life?
AUGUSTINA: My children. I had to survive and live just for them. They needed me, and I needed them.
MIRANDA: What made you come up with the names of your kids?
AUGUSTINA: After my grandma, from a novela, and from cousins.
MIRANDA: Do you enjoy the memories you made when you were in the U.S.? If so, what are they?
AUGUSTINA: Yes. Visiting Mitsuwa was always one of my favorite places to be in, but also being near my daughter and my newborn granddaughter whom I love with all my heart.
MIRANDA: Do you enjoy exploring new types of food?
AUGUSTINA: Of course! I enjoy trying all types of food!
MIRANDA: What is your favorite food? (I love my grandmother’s quesadilla with squash blossom and mole with rice).
AUGUSTINA: I don’t have one, every type of food is amazing.
MIRANDA: What are some places you enjoy going to? Are there places you want to get to know?
AUGUSTINA: The stores nearby here in Mexico.
MIRANDA: What is one piece of advice that has stuck with you?
AUGUSTINA: Never give up. Family is always there for you, but if
not, then defend yourself with everything you have. You are special.
Miranda is a student at Venice High School who enjoys meeting up with her friends. She enjoys baking treats and goods for her friends and family.
ECHO PARK ANAYZE M.
Lillian Gonzalez grew up in Echo Park. In the neighborhood she grew up in there were many moments where she felt unsafe, she would witness many things like seeing people get into street fights and more. Growing up she saw many new things evolve such as Echo Park being more “white washed,” more buildings and less of a Mexican community. The first time she ever saw the Latinx community together was during the Echo Park parades, church get togethers, food drives.
AM: What are your thoughts on the community?
LG: Community, there’s more things to do than before and restaurants. And back then they didn’t have things like 826la to learn.
AM: Who do you know in your community? Katy, Letty, Belinda, Karla.
AM: When was the first time you felt a sense of community?
LG: When I started going to 826la to help out my kids that’s when I got a sense of community. When the community gets together and makes small events and the church. Parades.
AM: How can you help the community?
LG: Be kinder, be respectful, donate. What are some ways you can help the community? Give food out to the homeless and help out the elderly.
AM: What have you noticed in your community?
LG: There’s a lot of robbery and tagging.
AM: How did community have the biggest impact in your life?
LG: More buildings, more white people.
AM: Who influenced you the most in the Echo Park community?
LG: All kinds of people.
AM: What are some issues you’ve seen in the E.P. community?
LG: The tagging, the writing, the gangs.
AM: What is your advice for future generations in EP?
LG: STAY IN SCHOOL. Get away from drugs, make good choices.
What I learned about my mom is how special it is to her when people get together. And I learned about my mom’s point of view on things before Echo Park became so whitewashed.
Not a Decision, a Lifestyle Oscar
At the last minute I asked my father for his story. As he shared it, I got lost in the visuals of my mind as he painted vivid pictures which helped me comprehend this part of his history, and mine. This is my father’s story:
Interview:
The last people I said goodbye to were my brothers and my aunts. To leave the place I was most comfortable in, you can imagine how hard it was to adjust. As much as it was hard to let go.
Let me take you back to 1986. At the time everybody was leaving around 18-19, and I was balancing work with school. At the time, I was young and I felt like I could do anything. Anything to live a better life. How could I prepare myself for the terror I would succumb to. I was managing to get by with no mother and a father I couldn’t love, but also couldn’t help, but to
respect. I was so eager to leave and the only thing on my mind was a better future for myself.
And on my journey I went. And I’ll tell you right now, it wasn’t just climbing and running like you see in films. No this was real life. Days went by where I had to stay quiet in the trunk of a truck and ride into the deserted terrain of an unknown, empty, and dry land. Risky moves done by the boldest man. Always on the move.
The tyranny began once the sun died and the wind was ominous. If the ground was as sure as my concrete mind, well then how should I prepare for the terror I would succumb to. Courage outweighed reason. I was to brace myself right then and there. On a bus, the magnitude of a new life’s gravity. This wasn’t just a decision, but a lifestyle. I was always waiting for the right move, and at first I was fortunate enough to successfully cross and live near the LAX Airport. Then, in Inglewood, I was caught and ended up waiting in a hotel. It was hell, but I was still committed. Do you think our citizenship should be earned? Well in this stolen land it’d be pretty contradictory to say what is right and wrong. In deciding to leave my country, I hadn’t considered the possibility of no return. So son, please, within any path you seek make it a goal to be close but not too close, lest you lose your vision. I wasn’t fond of shortcuts, but if there’s a better alternative, go for it no matter how much more effort and time comes with that. Take that route instead. I’m still illegal in this country. I can’t just go back. I still have an underage son, and I’ve decided to look after him a bit until I am prepared to turn myself in and live the rest of my life in Mexico.
If you have parents from out of this country then I hope this message gets across to you and you should know how hard it was to get to this country. Just to show how much sacrifice was put into your future. They have risked their lives, their reputations, and their freedom coming to the United States.
Such a simple interview of my father paints a vivid picture of why you should count your blessings and show gratitude to your parents. Always remember that they made such brave changes and to look up to those hardships.
Oscar is 17. He likes to write and make music.
INTERVIEW WITH MUM MARLENE
Carina grew up in Tlaxcala, Mexico. She’s very Catholic. She and her sister are close and have lived together for almost all their lives. In 2017 they moved into different houses, but remain in contact and visit each other often. She is a person that I am close to and know there are interesting things about her, but even though she’s my mom, I don’t know much about the details of her history and would like to know more. Like how she immigrated to California, how her mother influenced her religion onto her, and how she and her sibling married another pair of siblings that helped them get into the country. Also, I needed someone to interview and because I know some things about her, I choose her. :3
MARLENE: Why did you decide to emigrate?
CARINA: To have better opportunities.
MARLENE: How was your life before emigrating?
CARINA: I think it was fine, but it was difficult because the salary was very little.
MARLENE: What became easier after you emigrated? Was it worth it?
CARINA: Well it was not so easy because it was a big change and it was worth it because I have you and your siblings that I love very much.
MARLENE: Was there anyone who you had to leave behind?
CARINA: Yes, I had to leave my family, my parents, siblings, and grandparents. Well, technically everything. Thanks to God, I managed to see my father. But it was very hard because he called me to tell me my mother had died and I never got to see her again. The memory that’s most valuable to me was the last time I saw my mom when we came here and I left her crying. That memory is very valuable to me.
MARLENE: Have you ever considered going back?
CARINA: Yes, but, unfortunately we cannot exit the country.
MARLENE: Why did you choose to live in California?
CARINA: Because there were family members here and we arrived with them and we liked the weather and found work.
MARLENE: What adjusted you to living in California?
CARINA: Everything: The weather and the schools… Well, everything!
MARLENE: How did living in California change you?
CARINA: I was changed in many ways. Work and having very big responsibilities.
MARLENE: What are the main differences between life in your home country and life in your new country?
CARINA: Well, the life in Mexico is pretty, but you work and they pay you little and you cannot afford rent. And, California is also pretty, but here they do pay you enough for rent. They pay more and you can afford to live a little better than in Mexico.
MARLENE: Would you want to move again?
CARINA: Yes, I really like Merced, California and I would like to move there eventually.
MARLENE: How did you finance your travels? How did you have the resources to live in the first couple of months in California?
CARINA: Working and saving little-by-little and the rest with credit cards. When we arrived, the first week I got to work to pay
what we loaned, to eat and to pay rent.
MARLENE: Were you able to make new friends in your new country?
CARINA: It wasn’t easy because it was all hard work and I had to take care of my young baby, Cesar. So little-by-little.
MARLENE: How did you find a community?
CARINA: Because of school I was able to meet my community.
MARLENE: Did you have problems with language barriers in your new country?
CARINA: Yes and no. Yes, because in school they were speaking English and I did not know any English. But at work they spoke more Spanish.
So now you know the reasons why my mom decided to immigrate to California. To simply have a better life not only for herself but for her kids as well. I’ve learned some more things about my mom’s reasoning for immigration and I’m glad things have gotten easier for her ever since she came here, but she remains fond of home and those who build it, regardless of location. Family is what motivates her to keep going.
Marlene is a person who draws, but is in a constant state of art block. They like cartoons and video games such as Mario Kart. They are also a big fan of Ogilvie Maurice the Hedgehog (Sonic the Hedgehog).
EVERY “SHIFT” THAT LED TO THIS MOMENT
KEVIN
Because Antonio was raised in a poor area of Mexico, he essentially forced himself to mature at a faster pace than the “American lifestyle.” He obviously had a mother and a father, but that’s a whole other story. I won’t delve into specifics, but he will during this interview:
KEVIN: What was your life like in Mexico?
DAD: My life in Mexico was beautiful because I was with my family.
KEVIN: What was your relationship with your father like?
DAD: My relationship with my father was bad. He was an alcoholic and was never home.
KEVIN: What led to you coming here and trying to make a better life for yourself?
DAD: I decided to come to the US because I wanted to take a chance to change my life. From poor to rich.
KEVIN: When you first arrived, how did he survive?
DAD: When I first arrived, I stayed in a garage and slept on the floor.
KEVIN: What did you have to do to be able to pay bills?
DAD: I stood outside Home Depot every morning hoping someone would give me work so I could eat.
KEVIN: What was your living situation?
DAD: I was tired of doing the same thing day in and day out.
KEVIN: What moment led you to this moment?
DAD: I needed to find some type of job that would challenge me and allow me to grow as a person. I was lucky to meet a friend who offered to take me under his wing and taught me auto mechanics. I enjoyed the change and felt as if I’d found my calling.
KEVIN: Were there any negative fears when first coming here?
DAD: I really didn’t have any major fears when I arrived. I figured the worst case scenario would be them sending me back to Mexico.
KEVIN: When first arriving, did you have a community?
DAD: I was fortunate to have some family here, so I wasn’t alone.
KEVIN: Do you have any major memorable moments?
DAD: The most life changing memorable moments was when I became your father.
KEVIN: What made you stay here? Why didn’t you go anywhere else? Why didn’t you go back?
DAD: Because there were a lot more opportunities here in the US. And I also had a beautiful son. What more reason do I need? I knew that being here would be better for us overall. I wanted
you to see the difference, and acknowledge how blessed you are to be from here.
Although my father isn’t the best person in the world, nobody is. He has changed a lot and adapted to circumstances that I would never want for anyone. Growing up with my father fueled my growth and stoked my enthusiasm for cars. I have no idea where I would be in life if it weren’t for him. My father has done so much for me, and I only need to say thank you. Without him, I would not be in this situation.
In short, Kevin is a 17 year old boy with big goals and dreams of “getting out of the matrix” and making his family proud, especially his mother.
THE CHILDHOOD OF JOSH AARON M.
Josh is a cool, enthusiastic, energetic person and Josh’s friend Hannah was an intern of 826LA and recommended the job to Josh. When Josh was in high school he used to play video games, play the bass, and make movies. When Josh was a kid he read a lot of comic books, which made him love to make stories.
Aaron: How would you describe your personality?
Josh: Enthusiastic, chill, energetic, and cool.
Aaron: How did you find out about 826LA?
Josh: One of my friends, Hannah, used to intern here in another program and recommended me.
Aaron: What made you become the person you are today?
Josh: My life, my actions, and my choices all combined.
Aaron: What sports do you like to play?
Josh: Bowling.
Aaron: What hobbies/interests did you have when you were in high school?
Josh: Played a lot of video games, played the bass in orchestra, and made movies.
Aaron: How did your childhood define you?
Josh: I think that it fostered my love of storytelling at a young age. I read a lot of comic books and fell in love with the art of telling stories.
His Culture And His Family
Aaron: How does your family celebrate festivals?
Josh: They went out and got dinner at my Grandma’s house. We do that every year.
Aaron: Does your family support your decisions?
Josh: I hope so. Yeah, they do, unless I make a bad decision.
Aaron: What is your dream job? What inspired you to make that decision?
Josh: I want to be a screenwriter. What inspired me was that I love making movies and telling stories.
Aaron: What’s your dream home? Where would you like to live?
Josh: I want a nice little waterfront property in Manhattan Beach. That would be nice.
Josh is a chill, relaxed guy who l like spending time with at 826LA. When I don’t have work to do, I like hanging out with him at 826LA. As the writer of Josh’s interview, Josh is a chill guy that likes to play video games and I have a good time with Josh at 826LA. As a writer, Josh inspires me to create stories and have an imagination.
FROM HERE TO THERE ROSARIO
Childhood: When looking back at it, what do you feel? What do you think? For many of us it is a time when things seemed simpler and happier. For my brother it was a complicated time. He and I shared a similar experience. I was younger and the time of my childhood in Mexico did seem simpler and happier but for him it was a completely different story, and I want to share that story.
At a young age my brother was taken away from his everyday surroundings with no clear explanation. The explanation was that my mother’s father had a chronic illness and he was days away from dying. My mother was put in a complicated situation. She had no idea what to do. Her father was dying and she wanted to go visit him but there was a problem. My mother was an undocumented resident of the United States. In this difficult decision of visiting him or not, visiting meant not knowing when she would return, and not visiting meant not seeing her father for the last time. She took the risky decision of visiting him and left with me and my brother.
Interview:
Being born in the US and knowing English better than Spanish:
ROSARIO: Which language did you like more?
IVAN: I liked Spanish more since writing is so much easier
[in Spanish] than English and I liked how it sounds.
ROARIO: Which language did you speak more before going to Mexico?
IVAN: I spoke more in English since that was the language more commonly used and the one I used in school.
ROSARIO: Which language did you feel more comfortable speaking before going to Mexico?
IVAN: I felt more comfortable speaking in English since my inner monologue was also mostly in English.
On going back to Mexico for three years when Grandpa died:
ROSARIO: How did it feel leaving what you thought about as home?
IVAN: It was crazy because there was so much family, there were buildings, and it felt more rural since it was more of a small town instead of the city that I was used to.
ROSARIO: Did you know what was going on?
IVAN: No I did not. They told me we were going, but not for how long. I also thought it was for a short time since I had traveled with Dad before to Mexico.
On enrolling in a private school because of his language:
ROSARIO: Did you feel comfortable there?
IVAN: No, I did not like it and did not feel comfortable.
ROSARIO: Could you feel the difference in private school of upper class and lower class?
IVAN: Yes. Private school [was full of] rich snobby kids of mostly of whiter and pale complexion and they were a bit discriminatory against darker completions. And the other school was [more] inclusive.
ROSARIO: Did you feel out of place because of your background?
IVAN: Yes, because I couldn’t speak Spanish to the same level they could speak it and I felt out of place in a language barrier kind of way.
ROSARIO: How did it feel going to school so far away from where you lived? Since before you lived close to the school?
IVAN: It was honestly annoying since I had to wake up at 4 AM to get there at 7:30 AM. I liked that I could sleep in more.
On returning to the US, and being comfortable speaking Spanish:
ROSARIO: How did it feel coming back? Was it like being home again or was it like returning to a place you knew before?
IVAN: No, it felt like I didn’t know this place. I knew it but it felt surreal when I went away. I was oblivious, so when I came back it was like seeing with a new perspective. On returning to school in the US in 3rd grade:
ROSARIO: In terms of education, do you feel that your education was better in Mexico or in the US?
IVAN: Oh yeah, in Mexico the math was more advanced and when I returned I was considered gifted by American standards and was like three years ahead in math.
ROSARIO: Was it hard making friends?
IVAN: Yes, it was, because they were racist to foreigners. I did not have a friend till two years after being in school. During my first year, I was bullied and falsely accused of things not only by my classmates, but also teachers.
ROSARIO: Did you miss your friends?
IVAN: It wasn’t till I changed schools that I got actual friends and yes I did miss them.
ROSARIO: How does it affect your life now?
IVAN: The effect it has on me now is that there is more to life than what I know and it expanded my horizons and opened my possibilities. It makes me take into consideration my goals and future life choices.
The story I have told is one that I myself knew vaguely when I started writing this. I thought I knew most of the story I was telling, but my brother’s reality of that time was much different than I thought. It was harsher and it was different. My reality at that time was simpler and less stressful than his. Looking back, I think of very happy times, but now I can see that he does not.
THE TALES OF LULU ADAN H.
Recently I had a chance to interview Lourdes Carrasco. Lourdes is my mom. Her nickname is Lulu. Lourdes Carrasco was born in Mexico, but she came to America and “grew up” in Echo Park. She came while she was in middle school and she attended Virgil Middle School. After middle school she attended Belmont High School. When she graduated from Belmont she attended LACC for college.
Adan: How was it like at Belmont High School in the 90’s?
Lourdes: It was fun, I kept myself busy, joined many activities: Travel and tourism academy, ROTC, yearbook, so I just kept myself busy, out of trouble. I worked part time so I went to work 4-8 after school.
Adan: What was it like living in Mexico?
Lourdes: Mexico is home. It was fun. Because I’m from the big city, we could go to the zoo, amusement parks, museums, movie theaters. It was hard times, but my family was together.
Adan: Who were your closest friends?
Lourdes: In Mexico I had 3 really good friends: Monica, Gaby and Roxana. And in LA it was Tia Jackie, friends since 7th grade.
Adan: What were some challenges you faced when you came to America?
Lourdes: Mainly it was the language, culture, being away from my dad and brother, being in a country without family.
Adan: Would you rather go back in the past or into the future? Why or why not?
Lourdes: I would rather keep going into the future and enjoy the present as we go. The past has been nice and there is not much I would change, but I am now most excited about my future and my kid’s future.
Adan: Do you have a quote that helped you, or changed your life in a meaningful way?
Lourdes: I always like Frida Kahlo’s “Pies para que los quiero, si tengo alas para volar.”
MY DAD
MILES G.
I wanted to interview my dad because he grew up in a different place than me. I was born in Los Angeles, and my dad was born in Connecticut. I was interested in learning more about his childhood and upbringing, so I asked him about things like siblings, pets, and activities. Below is our conversation on this topic.
Miles: What was it like growing in Connecticut?
Dad: Nice place, divers, good schooling. I got to play outside and enjoy nature and hiking and oceans. I got to go on a boat and hike a lot. A bit different from LA though.
Miles: When you moved, how’d you get used to life in California?
Dad: I went to college here to study music, and I was playing in bands all the time. I adapted very nicely. I met mom in Venice Beach, and started a career in music, so I think I adapted nicely.
Miles: Out of all places you’ve worked, which do you like the most?
Dad: I like my current job a lot. I liked building guitar pedals in my home and got to work around my own schedule, but my current job is great. I would say my current job is the best job.
Miles: What’s it like having siblings?
Dad: It was hard having an older brother close in age. He was a bully when I was younger. We had rivalries, but we shared the same room and went to functions together. It was hard, but as you grow older you have a greater appreciation for siblings.
My brother was more into auto mechanic stuff, and we were different types of people, but in the end it’s cool because you have siblings and it’s positive overall.
Miles: What was it like growing up with dogs?
Dad: It was a special experience because we ended up breeding them and had puppies which was cool. We only had one dog at a time, and we had a cat, but it was cool. Animals are cool. Having dogs was fun because we were at a place where we could play ball outside and play fetch. Mom wasn’t the biggest dog fan, but she ended up liking them. In conclusion, I learned that my dad and I have some similar interests, like music and animals, as well as some differences, like hiking. I am happy to have learned more about his childhood in Connecticut, and that he is happy with his life here in Los Angeles.
My Father Alejandra
I think every Mexican has seen the movie “No Se Aceptan Devoluciones” by Eugenio Derbez. Valentin, a Hollywood stuntman, raises his daughter Maggie for six years while also establishing himself as a top stuntman. However, their unique family is threatened by Maggie’s birth mother’s unexpected arrival. Towards the end of the movie the daughter dies and everyone cries.
But that is not my case. I can relate to the movie in the way that the dad is always there for his daughter. Ever since I was young, my dad has always been there for me. Even though I am 16 years old now, I still run to my dad every time he comes back from work. I am always excited to see him after a long day at school.
My dad is always there for me. In my opinion, he is the best dad—even if he takes care of his mustache more than his daughters. I can still remember all of the times my dad would attend my school or sports events. Even if he had to rush from work, he would be there for me. I would see him in the crowd from afar, but he would be there.
Even if he has a serious face, I know that deep down he is proud and he is smiling with joy. My dad is from Oaxaca, Mexico and came to Los Angeles at the age of 15 to look for a better life for himself and his family in Mexico. My dad has always told me that immigrating to the United States wasn’t easy. It took many days of walking through the mountains with the harsh sun beaming down on them. With the few resources they had, they were able to successfully arrive.
My dad has accomplished many things—from working in the restaurant industry to now working in construction and studying to get his Contractors State License. This is something that makes me proud, that my dad is an overachiever. Knowing how he has been able to achieve his goals and dreams inspires me to work harder every day. Not just for a better future, but also to repay him for the sacrifices that he has made for me.
Who is my dad? What does my dad do? Does he have a purpose in life?
My dad is a very serious person, and very straightforward to the outside world, but to my family he is very nice, sweet, and kind. Many of my friends are scared of my dad, probably because of his serious face and mustache. He takes more care of that mustache than his own daughters! He loves to talk to me and my sister and makes us laugh a lot. His dad jokes are always funny. My dad is a construction worker. He is always on the move from one job to another. He sometimes comes home late and tired, but he is always there for me and my sister.
What does my dad enjoy doing in his free time? Does he have any side hobbies?
Usually when my dad has free time, he takes us all out to eat breakfast or dinner. For breakfast we usually go to Metro Cafe or Urth Cafe. And for dinner we go to Sushi Roku, Din Tai Fung, Maggianos, and Etta. And he pays of course! Or sometimes we are out and his soccer game is on, so he quickly rushes home to watch it. He also loves to party, such as going to rodeos or family parties.
Where is my dad from?
My dad is from Oaxaca, Mexico. He is from a small town. From the stories that my dad has told me, his town is very humble, and they don’t have many resources.
When did he come to LA?
My dad came to LA when he was 15 years old. He had to leave his family behind to find a better future for himself and for his family that was left behind.
Why did my dad move from Mexico to LA? Did he do it for himself or for others?
My dad came to LA to make more money and to find himself a better life and future. He had to try many times to come to the US. He came with a group of people who were all looking for a better future.
How did my dad come to LA?
He came to LA through the mountains, through the rain and sun. He did get caught a lot of times, but that didn’t stop him from being able to pursue his dream of coming here to LA. I may not tell my dad this all the time, but I am really proud of him, for coming this far and for all of his sacrifices he has done, not just for me, but also for him. Leaving his family behind is not something easy, not being able to go back to where he was from is something very hard, and I hope one day he will be able to go back to the place where he was born and relieve all those moments that he missed. While being stuck here without being able to see his family.
My dad is someone I admire a lot. He is my best friend, and I love him. I am very thankful for everything he has done for me, all of the sacrifices he has done for me.
Alejandra is currently a junior in high school. She loves going out to coffee shops, listening to music, and hanging out with her family and friends.
FROM ORDINARY TO EXTRAORDINARY VICTORIA
With a fairly ordinary job and a fairly uneventful life, Vilma was born in Piura, Peru, and was one of ten siblings. Although she lived in the province, her parents encouraged her to study for a better education and lifestyle. She graduated from a university in Peru with a Bachelor’s in Computer Science. With that degree, she worked at the Central Morgue of Lima for the Public Ministry as a logistics administrator. Despite her title, she traveled to the US to start anew, which is why I’m interviewing her today.
Interview:
VICTORIA : All right, starting recording for the interrogation. We don’t have a lamp post, but we’ll go ahead. So, my mom Vilma is going to answer some questions about immigration. So the first question: What made you decide to come to the United States? What pushed you to do that?
VILMA: Well, I was bored in Peru. I was single at 36 years old to be exact. And people are sometimes… They asked very uncomfortable questions. For example, in my case, I was single. [They would ask] why are you not married? Why are you 36 years old? And if I like men or what kind of sexuality I have. Yeah. I have to say no. This is my choice. I choose not to be married. Now I want
to enjoy life. I want to go out of the country for example. And then, in another place, they ask the same questions. I was either tired or bored. I just got bored and say, you know, I want to go explore other countries to see what’s going on. I want to explore something new. Different language, different culture. And yeah, you’re just there.
VICTORIA: Interesting. All right. How did you view the United States? Do you think it’s a place of opportunity, a place of peace?
VILMA: Yes. Compared to my country, it’s a place of more opportunities. The law is more strict. Glendale was a clean area. People were very respectful. And of course opportunities. To study. I studied English for free.
VICTORIA: I see. So you were also learning to write and speak English. Was it difficult to learn English? Did you struggle at first to communicate with people?
VILMA: Yeah. When I was in Peru I was studying, but I didn’t practice how to speak. Didn’t practice with somebody like really speaking and listening for me to learn, even verbalize and also pronounce exactly how it is. But I knew how to write, I knew how to read. I understood but to develop a conversation with somebody was kind of difficult for me.
VICTORIA: I see. Even when you arrived here it was hard, right?
VILMA: It is not my language, of course it was kind of difficult. Yeah, I went to the movies many times. And I couldn’t get the whole message. But just repeating listening, listening, listening every time when I went to the movies. Or listen to the radio or conversation. And back at school; I went to school to learn grammar especially. It was hard. Most of it was practice and then I was beginning to do a little better. And then I stopped practicing and went back to the Spanish community and I kind of forgot.
VICTORIA: Yeah, that makes sense. It is the same with me when I forget Spanish. All right, next question: What was something you enjoyed about living in the United States?
VILMA: Working in different places, and having the opportunities to get to pick wherever I want to be. For example, I explored real estate, explored insurance, explored massage therapies. I started babysitting and nannying, and did sales too. I also had weekends to go to many places. It’s safe. You can just park your car wherever you want. You pay the parking meter, but it’s safe. You can leave everything there. And people, nobody, asks you uncomfortable questions. They respect you.
And also I enjoy going to the stores. There are a lot of sales. You can also pick stores. Some stores are cheaper than the other ones. For example, some foods you can find for 99 cents and the same thing could be like 30 dollars at another store.
It was easy for me to get a car and drive around here. It is more organized to drive here compared to my country. People don’t respect you, especially if you’re a girl. They don’t give you a chance. Here, people respect pedestrians. Most of the people—I’m not saying like everyone, but most of the drivers—respect tradition. I think it’s because the law enforces it. They’re very strict. And in Peru, they don’t. People have to let the car pass first and then the pedestrians can pass after the car.
VICTORIA: Wow. So you find America a lot more free.
VILMA: I think it’s more organized. It’s a little safer. And fair. Very fair. Yeah.
VICTORIA: I see. Okay. Next question: Are you satisfied with the different people you’ve met here?
VILMA: Very, yeah. I have friends from different religions, different ethnicities, and from different countries. But for me, all of them are, you know, are equal. We share our food from different countries. We share sometimes when we have a potluck, especially at the church. We have a date once a year when we bring up our culture. For example, like customary foods. Now, I met people from different countries, from Europe, from Asia, from South America, Central America. Canadians. Even in the Middle East. They’re good
people. Good people are always being good people to me.
VICTORIA: Interesting. All right.
VILMA: No! I know my language is not really perfect right now. But someday.
VICTORIA: No, it’s great. You’re doing great, Mama. Don’t worry about it. You’re doing perfectly great. The important thing is that you’re answering the questions.
VILMA: All right.
VICTORIA: Yeah. All right. So have you found that with different immigrants there are things you guys share in common?
VILMA: Of course. When I went to school to learn English—it was like after a week after I arrived in the United States for the first time—I went to school and I met people from Armenia and from India. People from Iran, from Libya, from Mexico, from Italy, and also French people, people from Spain, from Asia, a lot of Japanese people, and Chinese, Korean people. And we shared. We shared our knowledge.
My teacher told me if you want to learn English, don’t go with people you don’t learn with. You have to go to people that don’t speak your language. So you force yourself. You don’t get any embarrassment because they don’t know English either. So you start sharing some phrases and you force yourself to understand other people’s.
VICTORIA: So you guys helped each other? Ah, okay.
VILMA: That is why at the beginning it was faster to learn how to understand English.. And of course, the accent, especially Chinese, was very hard to understand.
VICTORIA: I see. So here’s the last question, and I don’t know about this question, but I think you can answer it well: Did you find it difficult to adjust to the norms of American society and culture?
VILMA: No, I didn’t have any difficulty. It was for me to follow laws and regulations. I respect the laws and regulations. It was better than Peru because in Peru, you try to follow the rules, but most people break the rules or they break the law. So here people are getting more respect and it was easy for me to love it. I like it. I like the United States.
I feel more comfortable here. Even if it’s expensive. But it’s the same as working. Working is smart. Don’t work for no reason. I know some things that don’t work for money. Make your money work for you.
VICTORIA: Oh, interesting phrase. You always get around with phrases.
VILMA: Time. Time is very important. Definitely. Time is very important. Yeah. So in the beginning, I didn’t know how to save money, but after being more financial, now I know how to save money by making the money work for me. While I’m sleeping, I’m still making money.
VICTORIA: I’m glad Mom, thank you. Thank you so much for answering these questions. I hope the readers will find this interview interesting. Because you brought in a lot of perspectives and ideas.
VILMA: I found many people from different countries, especially people from Iran, China, and Korea. Also the Philippines. They’re very hungry to learn and to succeed in whatever they pursue. That’s what we have in common. In my case, I want to achieve something bigger, but for me more important is the family. Definitely. That is why I want to have independent, dependable jobs or businesses for me to give it in time to you. After you go to your university.
VICTORIA: Mommy, thank you for this interview. I’m glad you brought in a lot of different perspectives and a lot of different ideas and shared how you came to live in the United States.
And that is the story of how Vilma chose to break her barriers.
She faced many adversities but persisted through them. Meeting new people increased her confidence, she felt accepted for who she was and no one judged her. Looking back, I saw how similar my mom and I are. Many times I have found myself as the black sheep among many. It wasn’t until I left that barrier that I found myself within a community that accepts me. It was a difficult process to leave that barrier, fearing rejection and judgment. Yet that is what makes your journey special. You experience great avenues that make you, you!
With a background different from everyone else, Victoria decided to ask her mom how she managed to fit in with a mixture of different cultures and how that made her who she is today.
Section Three: The invisible line that connects us
EL DIA ESPERDO ESME GARCIA
I opened the door and took my first step onto the street my mom grew up on. I stepped out of the taxi and stepped onto the paved road, immersed in the music coming from the novena procession a couple of streets down. I began to hear the voice of my tia Martha, “¿Donde están las niñas? Gracias a Dios que ya llegaron,” which was no longer distant, but so close.
And then I heard his walking stick. As I walked past the blue gates and walked into the big patio I saw him standing straight up alongside my aunt. A man standing as if he was in his 20s, with a tejana on, ready to embrace his two granddaughters—mi abuelo.
As the head of the family, he is the base for all my uncles, aunts, and mom. No matter how far away they are, he always manages to keep them together and grounded, ensuring they never forgot about their roots. All their effort and hard work were for him. All their values and morals were shaped by him. Now I get to meet him, su viejito de mi mama.
A man with brown skin, brown eyes, and wrinkly face was filled with emotion. His face expressed much more than excitement, love, and joy. There were emotions of accomplishment and relief, as if saying, “I’m glad I made it to see them.” I was embraced by his arms, and tears filled all our eyes. As we all received our blessing and formal welcome into his home, we were led into the kitchen
and served our first dinner in Oaxaca, Mexico.
The span of our trip was filled with family visits and visiting the attractions Oaxaca has to offer. We also had lots of opportunities to try authentic Oaxacan food created by indigenous hands. The trip began to slow its pace once my departure was coming near. Those days seemed so long, but also full of peace. Days such as those allowed everyone to enjoy the day-to-day and live every second of it. Something oftentimes overlooked where we live here in LA.
After dinner was the time we had to share, and often, I was able to sit down and have long talks with my grandpa and learn who Rosendo was.
Interview: This time, my grandpa spoke about how life was when all his children were home. As we began to talk, I realized all that he had done was for his family. He often said he was away from home because he was working and when his children left the nest it was also due to work. Work was something they had to partake in because they needed to survive. Before my grandpa hit the age of 10, he was already working. The majority of his life he had dedicated to working, but never did I hear him say he was tired of it or that he never wanted to go to work. Instead, he did his work with grace—to him, he didn’t have to go to work, but he got to go to work. Even now, he continues to work by making baskets of reed. To him, it’s a sense of purpose.
As he shared his stories of the people he met throughout Oaxaca and in LA, there was one story that stuck out to me: La historia de las canastas. He once knew a man—a tourist from LA— who ordered 100 baskets of reed. Knowing that he had limited time, and taking into account it was a big job, he took it. He recalled that the night before, he still didn’t have all the baskets done. To him, there was no option of telling his client he wasn’t going to have them, so instead he didn’t sleep until all 100 baskets were complete. This brought me to understand he operated a lot like me. When I do a job, no matter how much of a time crunch I’m on, I’ll manage to get it done and get it done right.
We continued to talk and began to share how we pride
ourselves in the value of our work and in the respect other people have toward it. The biggest thing I learned was that we both don’t like to boast, but keep our accomplishments to ourselves.
Even though I had never met him, and had been 2,142 miles away for the last 17 years, I learned that our antepasados live within us every day. We’re all connected in the way we look, the way we speak, and the way we act. At the end of the day, I learned I always knew him because I was always a part of him, as he was a part of me.
Esmeralda was born and raised in Venice. She is currently 17 and will be heading off to college. She is the first daughter in her Mexican-American family, and behind her follow her sisters who share their interviews in this book too—Rubi and Jadellyn Garcia. In this interview, she interviews her grandfather - Rosendo - as she meets him for the first time alongside her cousin Arianna.
BENDIZZAH LEONORA GARCIA
Language is a part of culture, and it connects people to place. Language reinforces identity and strengthens the bond that people have with their environment and each other. Santiago Matatlan, capital mundial de mezcal, land of flourishing magueys, is where my family’s ancestry originates. It rests in the central valleys of Oaxaca, Mexico where the original form of communication predating Spanish conquest is Zapoteco, the native tongue of the Zapotec people. It is one of the many endangered languages in the world—at risk of being lost through each passing generation.
An immersion into the realm of Zapoteco began in my infancy, intently listening to the mesmerizing conversations between my relatives and community members—phrases and comments bouncing off one another with vernacular that completely opposed Spanish and English. Most notably was witnessing the connection my Uncle Eloy Garcia Lopez has with the language—as he acknowledges its endangered status and the need to preserve such an intimate aspect of our identity.
Sark shin Nara lahn Eloy Garcia, binh xbash Nara, binh Dizah Nara. To my Tio Eloy, Zapoteco is his native language and his identity is Zapoteco.
ELOY: My name is Eloy Garcia Lopez, I am from Oaxaca, Mexico and I am 40 years old.
LEONORA: Could you please describe what Zapoteco is?
ELOY: Zapoteco is a language, an indigenous language that certain ethnic groups speak in the state of Oaxaca.
LEONORA: What does Zapoteco mean to you?
ELOY: It’s my language, my native language, and with that, it’s my identity. I am Zapoteco.
LEONORA: What can you say about the current state of the language?
ELOY: Currently, it’s in danger of extinction, because no one wants to speak it. It’s being lost since many have lost interest. In much of the youth it’s being lost. Some want it to be saved, but there is little interest in saving it. They speak Spanish instead since that’s what is taught in school. Many people do not do their part. Many don’t have an interest in learning it or teaching it to their children both in the US or Mexico. And now in current times, with the modernity of cell phones, children and adults are stuck in that and they don’t practice it.
LEONORA: Was Zapoteco encouraged or discouraged in Mexico?
ELOY: No one wants to speak it anymore. They give excuses to not continue speaking it, to stop speaking it, and they lose interest in it. In schools, it’s not being encouraged that much since people have lost interest and students mainly speak Zapoteco at home, if at all. Not really at school. There was a time when teachers didn’t want students to speak Zapoteco.
LEONORA: Is there discrimination against indigenous communities?
ELOY: For some, yes, even though one is free to speak the language.
LEONORA:What are you doing to preserve the language?
ELOY: I try teaching others, my nieces and nephews. I speak, teach it, and continue practicing it.
LEONORA: Why?
ELOY: Because I enjoy it. I want to preserve it and ensure it’s not
lost. When I was younger I realized that many of my classmates, a majority of them spoke Spanish more and not many were speaking Zapoteco. That’s also when I realized that Spanish is not our language. Our original language is Zapoteco. That’s when I told myself that only Spanish has a dictionary, and we could make our own dictionary too. That’s why I began writing a dictionary for Zapoteco from Matatlan. There’s different dialects of Zapoteco. Every town and region has their own way of speaking it, but it’s the main language in Oaxaca.
LEONORA: How did you begin your dictionary?
ELOY: I began with the words. I tried referencing the structure of Spanish dictionaries, and I translated the words I knew [how to translate] from Spanish to Zapoteco if such a word existed. Anything that I didn’t know, I investigated and looked to people who still knew authentic words.
LEONORA: What did you hope to accomplish?
ELOY: To try to create a dictionary from the dialect in Matatlan. Just so, when written, future generations that are interested—even if they don’t know how to speak it—can know more or less how it’s written or how we try to write it because current Zapoteco is now more Spanishized. There’s more Spanish. It’s not authentic like it was in the past. It’s changed because there’s Zapoteco that’s older, as they say, more legitimate. It didn’t contain many words in Spanish. What I tried to do was rescue the original words, how it was before. I think coming together to write, or make a recording of how [the words are] pronounced—well once it is written and spoken—it would be easier to show it to whoever, it doesn’t matter where they’re from, if they will learn and have interest.
LEONORA: How do you think we as a community can preserve it?
ELOY: Well, by speaking it. Teaching the youth, using it more in school, giving our kids names in Zapoteco, changing the names of our streets, are just a few ways that can help us maintain it. Parents teaching their children. Learning two words daily, in one year they would learn at least something. Talking to them, calling them in Zapotec. Everything they do, from what they are going to eat to
what they are going to drink. Everything can be learned. It’s part of learning, part of wanting to learn, part of wanting to familiarize yourself, it’s part of education too—learning new things, like learning any other language.
It’s not just like you learn Spanish and you lose it. No. Learning is investigating more and trying to write and teach it.
LEONORA: How and where do you see Zapoteco 10 years from now?
ELOY: In one word—lost. If people don’t focus their attention now, it’s very likely it will disappear years from now.
The revitalization of Zapoteco and the indigenous languages of Oaxaca comes from the activity and work of the community, though studies can be done to keep its history intact, only by collectively socializing and disseminating the language will it prevail.
Leonora Mayahuel Garcia is a 17-year-old artist and Zapoteca born and raised in Los Angeles, California. Her ancestry stems from a pueblo in Oaxaca, Mexico called Santiago Matatlan which is known as the world capital of mezcal. Being of Zapotec descent, she is very passionate about the Indigenous community and strives to preserve her traditions and culture, mainly through art.
She hopes to bring attention not only to the societal challenges faced by her community, but the beauty of their identity. She is enamored by the ability to record the elements of her identity in her creations and preserve the factors of her culture and community that are continuously becoming extinct.
WE CAN SET A BETTER EXAMPLE SANTIAGO O.
Trevor Worthy moved to Los Angeles, California nine years ago from Maryland. He moved here because he wanted to live somewhere that was warmer year round. He specifically chose Los Angeles because he felt it has more benefits than other places with similar weather conditions. He now tutors for 826LA, works from home, and acts in stage plays.
Here is an excerpt from the interview:
Me: So do you feel like acting is like, since you’re bringing up emotions? And do you think it’s like an outlet for you kind of in the sense?
Trevor: In a sense, yes, I think it is an outlet. And it has also taught me a lot, not just directly in terms of becoming a better actor, but as a person as well. But it has taught me to be more empathetic. And it has also taught me to realize that there is a bit of me, in every person that I meet, whether positive or negative. Because if I ever have to act in a role, I can’t judge my character, I have to become my character. So if my character might have maybe flowed, I can’t deny their flaws, I
have to accept their flaws. And through doing that, and the acting medium, I realized that, hey, the same goes for real life. Someone might be mean, or someone might be selfish, or they might only care about themselves. So being human, that lets me know that, “hey, there’s something in me that can do that, too.” I might not be that way. But there’s something that is there, that I can tap into. So it helps me not to be judgmental on my own, which is work. It’s work. It’s not easy. But it helps me in that way as well.
Me: Do you think acting has helped you like, talk with kids?
Trevor: I don’t think acting has helped me work with children more efficiently. I think simply being an open person has helped me work with children more efficiently. But what I will say: Having worked previously as a kindergarten teacher and now being a TNT for so many years and TNT, we get to see them as volunteers, we get to see the seventh grade, you go into 12th grade? Yeah, I’ll be, I’ll be honest. I don’t like seeing young people. As they grow, more often than not, they tend to become closed off emotionally. Whereas there are certain young people that I can speak to, instead of the eighth grade, once they get older, it’s not that way anymore. And that’s what I don’t like to see. But to kind of flip the onus on adults. I think that’s also I think that’s a negative reflection on adults, if, as young people grow, they feel they’re being closed off emotionally. They feel that that’s what being an adult is. I feel that as adults, we can set a better example. So that’s what I tried to do.
In my Interview with Trevor, we discussed the topics of growing up and becoming an adult. He talked about how acting has taught him to be more empathetic and less judgemental as a person. He’s also been able to grow as a person from teaching younger people. From his teaching, he noticed that kids tend to close off as they grow up because younger people believe that’s what adult life is like. He believes that adults should be more open with their emotions, so kids can reflect that as they grow up.
Trevor has been an amazing tutor for me. He’s given me confidence and encouragement to keep going with my future in film making and writing. I’m honored that I was able to sit and talk with him for this interview.
DON’T DOUBT IT DULCE REYES
We gotta make a change
It’s time for us as a people to start makin’ some changes
Let’s change the way we eat
Let’s change the way we live
And let’s change the way we treat each other
You see, the old way wasn’t workin’
So it’s on us to do what we gotta do to survive
-“Changes” by 2pac, coming out of Room 232 at Venice High School
That’s when I knew I was close to Mr. Arroyo’s classroom. Who is Mr. Arroyo, you may be asking yourself? Well, Mr. Arroyo was my second period teacher during my junior year of high school. He teaches Social Studies. One thing I can tell you about Mr. Arroyo is that he opened my eyes. Each day, I left his classroom feeling a certain type of emotion. It could be anger, confusion, or many more. I would feel these types of emotions because he taught me the secrets of history that America tries to get rid of so nobody will know how cruel this world really can be. But each day, I left knowing where I stand and where I want to stand. He taught me to take pride in my identity, culture, knowledge, and skin. I am blessed to be part of the students that he has taught during his second year of teaching.
DULCE: Tell me a little bit about yourself and what you do.
MR. ARROYO: I’m Mr. Arroyo. I teach Social Studies at Venice High School. This is my third year teaching.
DULCE: Where did you grow up? Can you describe it?
MR. ARROYO: I grew up in Culver City. I guess I can say I grew up at Mar Vista Gardens. My grandmother lived there for 45 years. It wasn’t bad. I mean we weren’t poor, we weren’t too bad. We had the basics. Yeah, I had a big family. We were always at my grandma’s house. I grew up with a lot of friends. It’s kinda a normal working class background, like we went to Universal Studios, but we didn’t have the money to buy new cars, new stuff like that. I had a nice childhood.
DULCE: What high school did you go to? What was your high school experience like?
MR. ARROYO: Venice High School. It was terrible. I only had two teachers who I felt really cared about me. So I never went to class. I was always doing something else—what I wasn’t supposed to be doing—and I just felt like I wasn’t going to be successful. School is not for me. I’m not going to be anything that big.
DULCE: What was your mindset like during that time? At what moment did you realize you needed to change or turn your life around?
MR. ARROYO: It was senior year. And my cousins sat me down and had a conversation with me about how if I didn’t kinda strap in, I was going to be a failure. So then I didn’t want to fail my family. I didn’t want to fail the people who cared about me. It took me a while to realize I didn’t want to fail myself. And around that time too, I had a history teacher who taught me a lot of certain topics, so I got interested in that. I just started to realize education was pretty important.
DULCE: Was the pathway you were on influenced by the people around you?
MR. ARROYO: Yes, I would say one of my cousins and the people I was studying with inspired me. My family was my main inspiration.
DULCE: Was there a teacher that helped you to turn your life around?
MR. ARROYO: Yes, two teachers. One of them, Mr. Lode, who taught history. This is his classroom actually. He taught me things that I felt were very important and that I could relate to, that I could see myself in. So he really helped. Also Mrs. Willox, who is still teaching here. She was one of the only teachers who I felt really cared for her students. She made it feel like a family, so I really felt she put in an effort to make her students feel welcome.
DULCE: Why did you decide to become a teacher?
MR. ARROYO: I feel like kids a lot of the time are kinda not cared for or forgotten by their teachers and other adults. And I feel like there’s a special kind of student too that I can relate to. If I don’t come in and help them, they will probably fall through the cracks. I don’t want them to have the same experience I did in high school. By college, I think it’s too late. If you don’t finish high school, you can’t go to college. So I wanted to come to high school and let them know that they can be successful. Even if it’s not college, you can be successful if you really want to be.
DULCE: What is it like teaching at the school that you went to?
MR. ARROYO: It’s powerful. I feel a lot of my students are from the same background as me, from the same neighborhood as me. I know how to address them better than other people can because I know what they’re going through. I don’t think I would be as effective as a teacher if I didn’t come back here to teach.
DULCE: How has your ethnicity played a role in these experiences?
MR. ARROYO: I think it has. When I was in high school I was at the MAGNET program. Being working class, I didn’t fit in with the rest of the MAGNET kids. They would be talking about their vacations and their experiences and I’d be over here like I don’t do any of that. So I think that really made me realize a lot of students of color of working class backgrounds feel left out a
lot. And I wanted to make my classroom more inclusive for them.
DULCE: What did it feel like to get into UCLA? What was your experience like there?
MR. ARROYO: It was very important for two reasons. Personally, it was my dream school since I was 9 years old. I always wanted to go to UCLA. There was no other option for me. So to finally do it, it was like a dream come true. Also, to get into a school like that coming from where I come from, I was just really proud to say I went to UCLA. I did it. Despite the obstacles, I did it.
DULCE: What was your experience like there?
MR. ARROYO: I loved it. UCLA is a very popular school. It’s a very wealthy school. It’s a very white school. But, if you find the right people that you can connect with on campus, it can be a very cool experience. I was with a bunch of chicanos who were radical, who were working with prisons, and who had lowriders that they would bring to campus. It was very cool to experience that kind of community in the face of people who thought we couldn’t be there.
DULCE: From where you are right now, what would you want to tell your younger self?
MR. ARROYO: This is going to make me tear up. Don’t listen to other people. You know what you want to do. Follow what you want to do. What you want to experience and what you know has a lot of value. Don’t doubt it.
GETTING WOKEN UP BY THE TRAIN AT
3:00AM
JOHNNY L.
Interviewee: Himself
For my interview I picked the best person to interview, me. I live in Los Angeles, in Chinatown. I have two parents from El Salvador here. I was born and raised in my neighborhood. Now it’s time to answer the biggest question: Why am I interviewing myself? It’s really because my neighborhood is unique and I feel like I need to leave my story here, because I grew up here.
Why is where you live important?
It’s important to me because I feel like I wouldn’t have reached myself if it wasn’t for my environment. The dangerous area and normally disgraced places leave an impact on me that I feel like other places haven’t, my ego. I can’t brag that I have a new
million dollar console, I can’t brag about my trips around the world, I just live here, with the trains and the abandoned buildings. So I feel at ease anywhere I live.
Why do I live similar lives with others?
Because even though I live in an area that no one else has experienced, there’s this invisible line that connects me to others. I experienced the same issues as them, and they have fun the same way as me.
Would I move away from where I live?
Yes, 100%, my community isn’t good and moving out to a place where I can succeed feels necessary. But that doesn’t mean I regret my childhood because I didn’t have an easier life, I liked the challenge living where I am brought along.
What would you change about your location? I would really change the parking. I don’t care about the challenges brought along with it. I would like to have the chance to park.
Do I feel jealous of how other people live their lives?
Yes, I hate to admit it, but as a kid I was jealous of how other people had PS4s and were able to go on vacations. But as I grew older I felt like other people’s “nice” living style just isn’t as important anymore, because I am happy living in my neighborhood.
How do you feel about graduating and moving from 826LA?
I feel happy but also a sense of sadness as well. I know that this day was coming for a while, but 2020 changed the entire world, mostly for the worst for me. I honestly didn’t know that life will get so much harder, with more and more struggles coming out and I have to face them all. I can’t just ignore them anymore, so I have to grow up and just do my best to survive out there. Moving away from 826LA is what hurts the most, because I gained a surprising amount of life skills and life goals, and now is the time to put that into use. It gave me a center of focus, a happier lifestyle, and now it’s time to grow up and
focus on my future. While coming to 826LA I wanted to give the next generation life skills as well, hopefully they learn how Ocarina of Time is the best Zelda game.
One thing I want people to take away from this is how appearances aren’t everything. I got to go to a posh school that has more wealthy students. But I live a life that others might not know. Hopefully, this self-interview explains how my life is.
WRITTEN IN NAIL POLISH EDNA GARCIA CRUZ
Once upon a time, I saw green nail polish. It was a very pretty nail polish. It was like a dark green, sorta like the cover of this book I read called Infested by Angel Luis Colon. Too bad I couldn’t get the nail polish because I was broke. But luckily, I did get the book.
Little did I know that a few months later I would get to interview the author. As I was sitting down getting ready for the interview, I was so nervous. I was looking at my nails feeling disappointed that I didn’t have that green nail polish to match the book. But once we started talking, I was feeling so interested in the fact that there’s an actual author in front of me on Zoom that I forgot all about the nail polish. And that’s sort of rare because I love nail polish and I’m semi-obsessed with it. I am, in fact, thinking about it right now. I’m thinking about going and getting that green nail polish that I loved so much.
And now here is the interview—before I get distracted by nail polish again:
EDNA: So what was your childhood like?
ANGEL: Oh boy, that’s a big question. I didn’t know we were gonna start that heavy. My childhood. So I grew up in the South Bronx in the 80s. My childhood was a little weird. So some history about the Bronx: The Bronx has always been a
traditionally marginalized area in New York City. I think it has the highest population of Latinos in New York City. I don’t know if that might have changed. I might be aging myself.
I’m of Puerto Rican descent. My family is not from the Bronx, but we were in the Bronx. That said, I was in the Bronx during a time of transition from a very impoverished and difficult place to a little less difficult when I was a kid. So it wasn’t super terrible. But it was interesting. I had a very interesting childhood. I did have a lot of diverse friends. I think that was one thing that I always think back on that I was very lucky to have. It was an interesting time to be in New York City. It was still a little bit dangerous, you know, a little bit wild. It’s not as nice as it is now. Now when I go down there, it’s a completely different world. It was a good childhood. I don’t have many complaints. I didn’t have a lot. I grew up in a house with almost all of my cousins. On my mother’s side, I have 11 altogether, but when I was a kid, there were about six of us. So it was a pretty loud house, and I was a quiet kid. It was always difficult to get my time and reading. I was the nerd of the family. It was a good childhood and I can’t complain.
EDNA: What did you want to be when you grew up?
ANGEL: I made up my mind very early. I really really wanted to be an archaeologist because of Indiana Jones. That was like the dream. And then I started learning about it for real and it was a lot more boring than the movies. So I had to change my mind real fast. And I ended up falling in love with writing.
I had a teacher who was my third grade and sixth grade English teacher. His name was Mr. Grown. And he was the person who really changed my life by being an advocate for my writing. He really pushed me and he really boosted me which was something I never really got much of when it came to writing at the time. He really nurtured my imagination. Because, you know, I had a lot of out-there ideas. I really fell in love with writing. And after that, after Mr. Grown really pushed me, I couldn’t think of anything else I wanted to be. I wanted to write. That was the only thing I was really super into. And the only
thing that made me happy. I would continue—I’m in my 40s now—and I still love writing.
EDNA: What did you like to read as a kid?
ANGEL: I read everything. Whatever I could get my hands on. I don’t remember learning to read. I just always did as far as I know. But I used to read. I mentioned we didn’t have a lot of money. So when we used to have to go to school—I don’t know if you guys still get the Scholastic book fairs, I think they still do it—when we used to get those, the only thing we could afford were the 70s Penguin Classics books that were maybe $2 or $3. It would be like Swiss Family Robinson, Pinocchio, or The Call of the Wild, Black Beauty. All these old books. And I would get those and just devour them. I read everything that I could get my hands on.
The library in my neighborhood became like a second home. I would go there every Friday and Saturday, and get whatever I could get. I would read everything well-above my grade level. Probably things I shouldn’t have read. I used to read a lot of Stephen King when I was a kid. But yeah, I was obsessed. My mom used to get annoyed at the amount of books on my desk.
EDNA: I find that very relatable as I also read everything and also read some books that are probably not entirely age-appropriate.
ANGEL: You know, it’s a good thing, because I think it opens you up to a lot of cool stuff. I think when I was around your age, I got really into a horror writer named Clive Barker, who I probably should not have been reading at the time. But I’m a huge Clive Barker fan to this day, he’s my all-timer.
EDNA: Where do you get ideas for your books?
ANGEL: I wish I knew where I got them. Then I could always get them. It’s really a lot of times just dumb questions that come into my head. I’ll be sitting down and just say, “What about this?” And if it makes me laugh a little, I’ll write it down. For Infested, when I started the work on that, I was having a conversation with my agent who helps me talk to editors and
everybody to get published. I think that one was just talking about our childhoods. We were talking about roaches, and it just popped into my head, like, “Why have I never thought about how gross those little guys are?” It kind of snowballed from there, how we came up with the idea. Or at other times, I’ll keep a document and I’ll just write down my random thoughts. And maybe, maybe they’ll turn into something. Sometimes they do and sometimes they don’t.
EDNA: What’s your writing routine like?
ANGEL: My writing routine is terrible. I write whenever I can. I have a kind of adult ADHD, so it’s difficult for me to focus sometimes for long periods. I try to keep myself locked in. I try to go on writing sprints. I’ll go for maybe 20 minutes, and then stop and let myself go on social media or do something else. And then go back. It’s a challenge sometimes, but there are times where I get hyper-focused, and I’ll write for four or five hours. But those days are unique.
EDNA: How do you come up with such vivid descriptions for your books?
ANGEL: I think that came from a lot of practice. All the reading. Especially the older books, those guys wrote forever and ever about the same thing. You pick up on ways to kind of extend this stuff. And a lot of it, it depends on what I’m writing. Sometimes I’ll draw it. I’m a terrible artist, you know, but it’ll just give me an idea of what’s in my brain. I’ll describe it to somebody in the house to kind of walk through it with them and say, “Does this sound like it makes sense?” Just talking to friends. A lot of it is just trying to figure out what makes the most sense to tell people.
You know, for horror, sometimes you don’t want to go too far, because you want people to use their imagination for some things. But you also kind of help the imagination keep running. So I use a lot of the books I’ve read. I like to use a lot of older movies that I used to watch just as a reference point. How did they do this? Should I do it that way? Or should I go a little further or be a little less gross? You know, it takes time. It takes a lot of revisions. A lot of times, I’ll write a scene very different from the scene that gets published.
EDNA: What inspired you to explore identity in Infested?
ANGEL: A lot of that came from my own lived experiences. As I mentioned, I’m Puerto Rican, but I’m also light-skinned. So when I decided I wanted to write about my identity, one thing that I was very concerned about was the colorism in Latino communities. I didn’t want to misrepresent myself, you know, to avoid taking anybody’s space away, because there’s a lot of Afro Latino writers and brown Latino writers who don’t get the same opportunities a lighter skinned Latino writer would get. So that was really important to me. And I felt the best way to approach that would be to write about that perspective, and what it is to be a blanquito, and also explore the dangers of that within a Latino community because there is a lot of privilege and sort of systemic bias that pops up.
I wanted to explore the dangers of being a teenager with that kind of privilege, and the decisions you have to make, from my own perspective, knowing that a lot of times, folks who can pass when they’re young might want to take that opportunity and avoid issues and then kind of not be a proper ally to their own people and try to work towards being accepted in a way that they don’t need to be accepted. It was something that I’ve been wanting to write about for a long time and Infested gave me the opportunity to talk about something that I don’t think gets talked about very often.
EDNA: Is Infested autobiographical or inspired by your experiences?
ANGEL: Heavily inspired. Alfonso in the book exists. He was my stepdad for a little while. Not permanently, but he was around. There’s a lot in there that came from my own life and my own experiences growing up in the Bronx. I wasn’t from San Antonio, but I was born in San Antonio. I was only there till I was 3, so I don’t remember much of it. But it’s a little thing I picked and chose from different parts of my life to use. Mandy’s really into her grandparents. That gets brought up a lot. That’s something that’s very deep to me. I was raised by my grandparents. So little things. I took little things and then kind of grabbed some things from friends and family as well.
EDNA: What’s your favorite book of all time?
ANGEL: Oh, wow. That’s a tough one. That’s really hard. Every time I read something that I really love. I think I would have to say—it is different because I had my favorite books when I was younger and now I have favorite books—but one that I always reread is a book called The House of Leaves by an author named Mark Z. Danielewski. And it’s horror, I guess. It’s a spooky book.
[Danielewski] is a very interesting guy because he plays around with how we read in the book. It’s very weird. It’s about mazes and labyrinths, and it’s about a young man who finds a book in the apartment of a neighbor who just passed away. The book is about a documentary that a photographer made about moving to a house in Virginia, but the only problem is that the documentary never existed. But the book is like 700 pages and very detailed, and the writer happens to be a blind man. It’s hard to explain, but it’s a fascinating book. And [Danielewski] does a lot of interesting things. I mean, there’s parts towards the end of the book where you literally have to move the book to read it, and you have to hold it up to a mirror. He plays around with you. It’s such an interesting book because it does more than just make you read a story. You almost kind of experience it.
EDNA: Anything else you’d like to share?
ANGEL: It makes me very happy to talk to you. It sounds like you’re doing something really cool. I guess I could ask you a question. Flip it. When you read Infested. What was about it that appealed to you?
EDNA: The main character. I liked the way he was funny.
ANGEL: That’s good. I’m glad at least the jokes work and that I’m not just an old man making jokes. That’s really cool.
Before I started this interview, I was scared because authors are intimidating. But then I realized authors are actually just people who have a great talent for writing amazing stories. Now I don’t feel as intimidated talking to new people.
Then I went home, and felt grateful that my house wasn’t infested with cockroaches.
Edna was born and raised in Los Angeles. She adores the color purple, her phone, pop music, as well as strawberries (the best fruit in the world). She believes in trying to add significance to the little things she loves, such as nail polish, by connecting them to her work.
I AM MY OWN BOSS
MARYJANE J.
Rafael Joya is a 48 year old father and business owner. In 2019 Rafael successfully opened his first business, CNC Driving School. His motivation included being able to create his own schedule and be a business owner instead of an employee. Rafeal’s business, CNC Driving School, includes 8 employees. CNC has three receptionists whose duties include answering calls, scheduling appointments, sending reminders, answering questions and completing paperwork. Additionally, CNC has five driving instructors whose duties include teaching people how to drive in a detailed and informative way. Rafael shares his experience of being an owner in an interview with Maryjane Joya.
The interview opens with Rafael’s perspective of what it means to be a boss. According to Rafeal, “It means that I don’t have a boss, I am my own boss, I get to tell myself what to do which sounds like a nice perk, but it’s not, you actually have to put yourself in a position where you have to do it even if you don’t want to, I work hard to find solution opposed to asking someone to fix the problem.” At CNC Driving school his duties include running a driving course which includes, hiring employees, training the employees, requiring vehicles and supplying them, discussing routes, teaching people how to drive in a safe way. Rafael admits he opened his own business because he had experience working in the driving school industry and he saw them as dishonest by fishing for money. Rafeal sees this
as an opportunity to create a new and better change by properly training people to keep the roads a safer place.
Rafael discusses his main challenge of getting the word out. He felt at the beginning no one trusted him to teach them how to drive. He overcame this challenge by word of mouth, handed out flyers, made himself knowledgeable and went above and beyond with new customers. Once he taught a couple students he felt people trusted his abilities which allowed him to receive more customers. Rafeal states he maintains a good relationship with his employees by keeping an iron fist. What he means by this is he keeps his personal and work relationship separate. He never lets his employees take advantage of his kindness by not allowing disobedience and creating a sense of personal responsibility.
Rafeal speaks out about how he balances his work and personal life. He explains that everyday he is thinking about work, day and night, however he does make time for his children and wife. He does this by closing himself off to spend a whole day with his kids and fits in time to have lunch with his wife. Rafeal also always takes into consideration their instructors’ lives by offering flexible schedules. Rafael aspires his business to be the number one driving school, however he is self aware this is not true. In the future he wishes to update his equipment such as the cars and his office space. He states, “With faith and determination I will be able to get my business how I envision it.”
Coming from a poor background and being an immigrant, Rafeal felt he struggled a lot with knowing how to run a business, get permits and license, and choose the right office location. Rafeal shares he has had managing experiences and has always been able to manage a work setting, but running a business seemed to be harder than he thought. Rafael has owned his own business for five years, although facing rough challengings, Rafael has overcome these challenges through hard work, determination, leadership, and his morals.
NIKI’S STORY
FATIMA GARCIA
I decided to pick Niki because she works in the animation industry, which is a career I want to pursue if possible.
FATIMA: Describe your career path in animation.
NIKI: My journey into the world of animation began with an internship at Nickelodeon in June 2010. From there, I worked my way up, eventually getting the role of a production assistant on Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness. This position allowed me to help out in all departments and gain a deeper understanding of the industry. After two years serving as a PA, I moved into a color designer role for shows like The Fairly Odd Parents, Harvey Beaks, and Glitch Techs. During this time, I also had the opportunity to interact with Network executives from Nick JR. This exposure paved the way for me to pitch multiple ideas, one of which eventually became Santiago of the Seas. The rest, as they say, is (pirate) history.
FATIMA: Did you need a college degree to pursue animation?
NIKI: With the wealth of online resources available nowadays, a college degree isn’t necessarily required to break into the industry. However, when I was starting out and looking to secure an internship in animation, having a college degree was a prerequisite.
FATIMA: What challenges did you face?
NIKI: There’s always a period of adjustment as one transitions from one role to another. Different productions have different expectations, so it’s very important to be patient with oneself,
communicate with your leads and team, and keep an open mind towards new ways of tackling tasks!
FATIMA: Were you discouraged?
NIKI: There were many times when I felt discouraged, like I didn’t belong in the room or that I had the makings of a great leader.
FATIMA: If so, how did you cope with that?
NIKI: I was lucky to have trusted friends and work colleagues, on whom I could rely during my times of self-doubt. They reminded me that I deserved that “seat at the table,” that my voice was essential, and that they supported me every step of the way.
FATIMA: Are there any downsides to being an animator?
NIKI: It is a competitive craft and work may not always be consistent, so planning financially for gaps between jobs is crucial.
FATIMA: On average, how much do animators make per year? Can they live comfortably?
NIKI: It can vary from role to role. Living comfortably depends on where they are residing, if they have a family to support, if they have roommates to split living costs, etc.
FATIMA: Do you take commissions?
NIKI: No.
FATIMA: If not, are there other animators that do?
NIKI: Yes.
FATIMA: Is it something you recommend artists to do?
NIKI: It’s all dependent on that artist’s needs and bandwidth with their workload.
FATIMA: How do you use your art to connect with people or express yourself? How does it influence people?
NIKI: Through art and storytelling, we have the power to break through cultural barriers. While each of us has a unique perspective, we also share universal emotions like love, adventure, sadness, and a need for community and belonging.
My hope is that the stories and characters I create resonate with viewers through their own experiences, inspiring them to overcome any challenges they encounter in life.
FATIMA: What’s the first thing you remember drawing?
NIKI: That was so long ago! But I remember drawing a lot of people and their choice of fashion accessories, haha.
FATIMA: What inspired you to make Santiago of the Seas?
NIKI: To be honest, the inspiration came from a deep sense of homesickness! My entire family lives in Puerto Rico, and I found myself missing home a lot. This longing led me to pitch something truly personal, inspired by elements I treasured during my childhood in Puerto Rico: the magic found in nature, pirates, mermaids, adventure, and our rich Latin-Caribbean culture and lore!
FATIMA: Do you like how the show has turned out so far?
NIKI: Yes—I’m proud to say that we truly did the best we could, given the budget and schedule.
FATIMA: What was your favorite idea that didn’t make the cut?
NIKI: Fortunately, Nickelodeon was supportive of our ideas. Those that did not receive an immediate thumbs-up usually underwent a back-and-forth process of notes. Eventually, we found a happy-medium that allowed these concepts to make it into the show.
FATIMA: What was your favorite Nickelodeon cartoon when you were a kid?
NIKI: I was a big fan of Rocko’s Modern Life and Aaah! Real Monsters!
FATIMA: What is the process of making an animated show?
NIKI: It takes a while to create a single 11-minute episode of a show—almost 9 months, to be exact! The magic begins in the writers’ room, where potential episode ideas are conceived. Once a premise is approved by the network executives, a script is written. Voices for the episodes are then recorded
and incorporated into the storyboard. Simultaneously, we work on the concept art for the episode, which includes background designs, characters, props, and so forth. Once the storyboard, designs, and scripts are approved, we send it all to an overseas studio for animation. Our in-house animation director works with the animators to ensure that we achieve the correct staging and character performance in each shot. After all shots are approved, we edit the footage to fit the time frame, color correct it, and mix the dialogue recording, special effects, and score with the animation. Once these steps are completed, the episode is ready to be delivered to programming for broadcast!
This interview inspired me to do animation. What I took away from this interview was that animation can be very expressive by putting your creative ideas on paper or mostly online if you’re doing graphic design or, on the other hand, perhaps animation. It could be liberating in some ways.
Fatima would like to go into animation. She likes animation because it is a part of her childhood, in which she grew up drawing.
JOSIE EMILY R.
I journey to distant realms, traversing time and space, Yet, by your side, I find my anchorage, my solace in this chase. Your eyes, witnesses to tales untold, Fill my mind with the epochs, the stories they behold.
Decades apart, our paths may diverge, Yet your essence, like a beacon, my spirit does urge. With lips perpetually upturned, never to rest.
Time’s elusive dance, its mysteries embraced, Your voice, a melody, through which eternity is traced. For in our togetherness, the concept of time finds its grace.
In the gallery of my life, your persona shines uniquely, It is a masterpiece of love and care, a treasure I truly wish to keep.
Not only to me but countless hearts you’ve touched, With dedication unfaltering, in every moment.
For eight cycles of seasons, our journey intertwines, As I walk the paths you’ve paved, in wisdom’s glow, You’re the architect of my being, the nurturer of my soul.
To the world, you present me as a symbol of greatness with my first steps, Yet it’s your strength, your passion, that makes me bold. For you, dear one, are the steadfast pillar of my story.
BALL IS LIFE MONSE LOPEZ
I remember seeing Coach Sherland and being completely terrified of her. Seeing her yell at her athletes was the scariest thing I’ve seen. I had told my mom, “If that was my coach, I wouldn’t want to play basketball.” Next thing you know, I found myself having a one-on-one session with her because my mom forced me to and honestly I have to thank my mom for dragging me there. If it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t have grown and improved in basketball and I wouldn’t have found one of the best people in my life: Sherland Chansam.
MONSE: Tell me about one of your life experiences.
COACH SHERLAND: One of my life experiences was being an athlete all my life. I was a professional volleyball player in my country Belize in Central America. I developed the passion for coaching basketball and have won many championships at every level of the game. I had the pleasure to meet a special needs girl when she was twelve years old, that couldn’t play basketball. After a year she became one of the best players at the park. She then went to high school and made her high school team as a JV player averaging 20 plus points a game. She was then moved up to Varsity where she was on the floor playing and participating in a state playoff basketball game. Another one of my life experiences is getting players coming into my program at Hamilton not knowing how to play or not even being athletic and by the end of four years, that player got a college offer. Meeting someone like Monserrat, who was so shy and nervous, and scared of me, that didn’t know anything about being an athlete and watching her develop into a player
she never knew she could be. So, my greatest experience in life is changing people’s lives and helping them find their purpose and calling, and unleash their untapped full potential.
MONSE: What made you want to coach basketball?
COACH SHERLAND: I have always loved sports. I grew up as an athlete participating in all sporting events. I then had the opportunity to assist at Mar Vista Park & Rec as a basketball coach and realized at that moment, by doing this I can teach players the skills they need to be successful both on and off the court and to help them develop as people. I take pride in seeing my players all leaving the place better than they found it. It is definitely a calling for me, I am very passionate about the game, knowing I can use it to always make a difference in these people’s lives is awesome.
MONSE: What’s changed in the 30 years that you’ve been coaching?
COACH SHERLAND: Time is the number one answer. The world has become more digital, kids having access to social media and of course the pandemic have rerouted everyone’s mind set. 30 yrs ago, the players were more committed to the process and more disciplined. A lot of kids use this as an outlet because they have nothing else to do. Now kids have way too much on their hands that there is no commitment or discipline towards anything they do. Hard work is pushed out the door because social media exists and it gives them an easy answer. The toughest thing about the new age group is communication, they are so used to texting everything that the lack of eye contact and communication is non-existent now.
MONSE: Is there a coach you had when you were younger who really influenced you?
COACH SHERLAND: My volleyball coach was very hard on me because I was only thirteen years old playing with adults at the time and I couldn’t understand why he was always picking on me. He then told me after the season, he only picked on me because he wanted me to be great and he didn’t want me to be comfortable with being good. Once I learned his reason, I respected that.
MONSE: Who are you involved with in our community?
COACH SHERLAND: I am involved in the community because I’ve been in the community for over 30 yrs. Mar Vista Park & Rec is the only Park I have ever coached at in all my years, so I built up a certain respect and loyalty over the years. I was honored in 2014, for my volunteer service at the park as a basketball head coach, no coach has ever gotten that honor, because of my loyalty to the park. I still go over there and volunteer at every event the park hosts and coaches the basketball all star teams as well. Everyone at the park knows and respects me, even strangers would approach me and ask if I am Coach Sherland, because someone would let them know I am Mar Vista and they can check with me for anything affiliated with the park. Hamilton High School is also on the west side so I called it my little hollywood, because everyone knows me or of me.
After almost two years of knowing Coach Sherland, I am beyond grateful to have her in my life and have her as my coach. She has taught me so many things about life, like the importance of not caring what other people think about me and only focusing on myself and my success.
Monse is a junior in high school who loves helping the people around her by being there for them at their lowest. She aspires to be a psychologist or pediatrician. She loves playing basketball and is part of the varsity team at her school. She believes that practice leads to improvement and she believes in the importance of playing with confidence.
THERE WAS COMMUNITY IN THAT SPACE
JEOVANNY P.
Wilson was a tutor that would read books with me on Saturdays. I interviewed him because he is the only other person at 826LA that has known me as a kid.
Jeovanny: How did you get started at 826LA?
Wilson: I was over at a friend’s art studio who had volunteered a lot with 826. I saw one of the field trip books she had worked on, and I thought it was so fun and creative. I wanted to get involved too. I’m trained as an illustrator and 826 seemed like a good chance to learn about what kids like to read and write about.
J: What was your first impression of me?
W: I thought you were silly. You liked to laugh and ask questions. You could become a little amazed if something struck you as funny or odd and you wanted those things explained. You also were really good at killing time by getting lots of drinks of water.
Before we worked together, I had seen one of your writings–it’s still a favorite. You defined ‘Specialist’ as ‘Someone who knows a lot about dolphins’ for an AST Dictionary chapbook. It still makes me laugh. You must’ve been reading about sea life.
J: Was there a book you enjoyed reading with me in Barnacle’s Bookworms?
W: We read several good series–Fly Guy was especially fun, although I also enjoyed Ricky Ricotta, Jellaby and Matilda. One of my biggest ‘wins’ was when you stayed late to finish one of the Uncle Scrooge stories. Were there books you remember reading and enjoying?
J: Calvin and Hobbes and Bone–great art styles and humor. I felt like I was reading stuff that was a little more mature. What’s a funny moment you remember when working with me?
W: I was often impressed, but the BJ Novak comedy writing session we had was a really good experience. You came up with lots of funny ideas, and though you were a little shy to get up and tell your joke at the front of the room, he walked you through it, and you got a good laugh from the crowd.
J: What made you interested in volunteering for Barnacle’s Bookworms?
W: I started with field trips, but I wanted to know more about what books kids like to read, and at what age level. I make that sound a little scientific, like I was showing up in a white lab coat carrying a clipboard, but when Barnacle’s Bookworms started up, it was an opportunity to better understand my own approach to illustration and how it could connect better with kids. I only volunteer for selfish reasons, of course ;). But there was community in that space, and working with you and getting to know some of the other volunteers was always a great way to start the weekend.
J: Was there ever a book you wanted to read that we never got around to do?
W: I’m glad you remember enjoying Bone, but we really only had the chance to read the first one. I think you would have
enjoyed the full series. Check it out if you get a chance. It’s still fun.
J: Was I the reason you kept volunteering?
W: You were a big part of it. We had a good time, I think. You were often very tired at 10 AM, but coming in to read on a Saturday morning, as a kid, should be fun, not drudgery. I hope you have fond memories of all of it? And I hope you’re still reading for fun!
J: I would say I still read for fun to this day, and I actually just finished reading Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens and thought it was pretty good. I enjoyed how it was written in a very sarcastic tone. Do you have a favorite book?
W: I read regularly, but it’s hard to choose something recent. I read and reread Charlie and the Chocolate Factory a lot when I was a kid. I was glad when you picked Matilda, because even though I knew the story, I wasn’t as up on Roald Dahl’s written voice and it was fun to hear that as you laughed along.
J: What do you think young Jeovanny would tell older Jeovanny?
W: I’m pretty sure he’d wonder if you’d like to come in to volunteer with some of the younger students attending 826 today.
J: Maybe. I’m okay with kids. They’re never embarrassed and they’re very enthusiastic and have a lot of energy. We’ll see. I might volunteer. How are you doing nowadays?
W: I’m alright. I’d like a sandwich. How are you?
J: Pizza sounds good. Pepperoni, I would say just cheese, but that’s boring. Did you ever enjoy reading the books I picked up?
W: Absolutely. I think I brought in a lot of books too, I hope you enjoyed those?
J: Yeah, for the most part. Anything that had too many words wasn’t my favorite, but I bet I’d like them now.
J: Have you ever met a rude customer while working at Time Travel Mart?
W: Sometimes people come in annoyed because they don’t understand the concept of the store. When they find out about the tutoring center, they get more excited and start to appreciate the things we’re doing here.
J: What’s your favorite food?
W: Pizza’s good. I could go for pizza. I went to a place called Ike’s for sandwiches last week and that hit the spot. I can be a creature of habit and I’ll order the same food from the same places sometimes, but I really do like to try a new restaurant every once in a while.
J: Do you play videogames?
W: Believe it or not I haven’t played a video game since the late 80s. Atari. I’ve seen other people play, and it looks like they’re having fun, but I don’t want to learn a game while someone is watching, and I haven’t enjoyed it enough to spend the money on anything. There are fascinating worlds, but the most I’ll do is watch. I like the look of Cuphead, but man….I know it’s too hard for me. What do you recommend?
J: Would you prefer a competitive game or a story game?
W: Story game for sure.
J: Grand Theft Auto 5, Uncharted 1-4, Jak and Dexter 1-., GTA 5 and Jak and Daxter for me are games I think you would enjoy because of its story/ addicting gameplay. I feel like the free open world would intrigue you. Jak and Dexter has platforms in its gameplay–it’s simpler. It’s easier to play.
W: That’s probably a good ‘in’ for me. Easy. But we both know after at least 35 years, it’s gonna be hard to jump in on something modern.
J: It’ll be harder to jump into something modern if you don’t at least try.
W: I tell you what, I’ll give it a go if you volunteer with some of the younger students. Deal?
J: Half deal
W: What does that mean? Which half?
J: Half maybe, half maybe not.
W: I hope you’ll finish Bone, anyway. Then share it. No matter what, it’s been a lot of fun catching up with you. I’m excited to see good stuff happen for you in the future!
J: I hope I do too, And thank you for reading with me.
W: I had a lot of fun. Drop by the mart and let me know how you’re doing!
J: Am I taller than you now?
W: Good question. We’ll have to stand up back to back and check. (We stand next to each other– Wilson is still just a bit taller).
J: I should have drunk more milk!
W: You still have time. Three months till graduation!
826LA would like to thank to following for their support in making this chapbook possible:
Alexis Yang
Ariana Ponce Olivares
Bella Bellavides
Caily Newsome
Catalina Acebal-Acevedo
Connor Chi
Djibril Curley
Emily Ponce Olivares
Gregory Herman
Jackie Hernandez
Jennifer Fonseca
Juan Lobo
Juliana Rosales
Kristin Kingsbury
Lizbeth Tovar
Lucia Cisneros
Matt Conway
Meredith Goldberg-Morse
Nathan Koketsu
Nicholas Hartmann
Rebecca Lee
Ricardo Hernandez
Ruth Baxter
Ryann McMurry
Sabrina Cisneros
Trevor Worthy
Will Van Dalsem
Wilson Swain
Yamilene Vaal
Yuricza Hernandez
ABOUT 826LA
Vision:
826LA envisions a Los Angeles where every child has access to quality writing education and is empowered to express themselves creatively through writing. We envision a Los Angeles where every teacher is supported in their writing-based educational objectives.
Mission:
826LA is dedicated to unlocking and cultivating the creative power of writing for students ages 6 to 18, and to helping teachers inspire their students to write.How we advance our mission: A nonprofit organization, our services are structured around our understanding that great leaps in learning can happen with one-on-one attention, and that strong writing skills are fundamental to future success. With this in mind, we provide after-school tutoring in all subjects, evening and weekend workshops, in-school programs, field trips, college access, help for English language learners, and assistance with student publications.
All of our programs are challenging and enjoyable, and ultimately strengthen each student’s ability to express ideas effectively, creatively, confidently, and in their own voice.
Core Values:
826LA values joy in the service of achieving educational goals. Our community norms value diversity, equity, inclusion, and access. We therefore prioritize partnerships with Title 1 Schools, engagement with historically marginalized populations, and training and deploying community-based volunteers in support of our mission. As a teaching approach, we value creativity, authenticity, empathy, and lively, rigorous, and student-centered writing education. As an educational enrichment organization, we value supporting teachers, principals, and other school staff in the pursuit of excellence.
826la programs
After-School Writing Programs
Mondays through Thursdays, students attend 826LA for after-school writing programs. Students participate in community building activities, work on homework or reading with trained tutors, and of course, write! Students submit their writing for inclusion in chapbooks, which 826LA publishes twice a year. To celebrate students’ hard work, 826LA unveils these chapbooks at book release parties, where students read their work to thunderous applause from their volunteers, families, and peers.
Field Trips
During the week, 826LA invites teachers and their students to our writing labs to participate in a morning of collaboration, creativity, and writing. Whether Storytelling & Bookmaking, Well-Wishing & Poetry, Choose Your Own Adventure, or Memoir, field trips at 826LA support teacher curriculum and student learning by offering a safe space for students to be their most imaginative and to work on their writing skills. In a few short hours, students brainstorm, write, edit their work, and leave with something tangible—a bound book—as well as a renewed confidence in their ability to tell their stories.
In-Schools Programs & Writers Rooms
Because not all students can come to us, 826LA brings specially trained volunteer tutors into classrooms throughout Los Angeles. There, volunteers provide one-on-one or small group assistance with writing projects. 826LA works with teachers to craft all projects, which are designed to engage students while targeting curricular needs. In addition to visiting twenty schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District each year, 826LA has additional sites within Manual Arts High School, Roosevelt High School, and Venice High School called The 826LA Writers’ Rooms.
Workshops
826LA’s workshops bring students together with artists, writers, and professionals for creative collaboration. Whether the subject is journalism or preparing for the zombie apocalypse, our workshops foster student creativity while strengthening writing skills. This program includes two long running partnerships with Paramount Pictures and the Hammer Museum.
Join the Future Bestsellers Club!
Sign up to make a monthly donation to 826LA and you’ll join our Future Bestsellers Club. For as little as ten dollars each month, we'll deliver writing from our brilliant, emerging authors right to you!
Go to 826LA.org/donate and click on Future Best sellers Club to join.
Jaime Balboa
Executive Director
Diego Quevedo Chief of Staff
Shani Foster Director of Education
Christie Thomas Director of Development
Pedro Estrada Programs & Operations Manager, Echo Park
Mike Dunbar Programs & Operations Manager, Mar Vista
Mateo Acosta
Associate Director of Community Engagement
Carinne Mangold Store and General Operations Manager
Time Travel Marts in Echo Park & Mar Vista
Alma Carrillo Development and Communications Manager
STAFF
Trevor Crown
Senior Manager of Volunteer Innovation and Assessment
