LA C MA SPRING 2018
INSPIRE The world is quite the carnival nowadays. We lay in beds of nails, hoping we don’t wake to more painful wounds. We swallow truths of fire, spitting out a flame that is hardly seen. We juggle bowling pins of responsibilities, trying to balance ourselves on the unicycle of life. Somewhere throughout this magazine I hope you’re inspired. Inspired to do something out of the norm, inspired to travel, inspired to write, inspired to create. Inspired to break out of the circus and be what the circus can’t hold down. To be a lion that cannot be tamed. There’s been so much going on that has inflicted fear, insecurity and doubt. Fear, insecurity and doubt that has held us back from being ourselves and our best selves possible. I want you to remember this country was made great by leaders who inspired, not leaders who divided. I want you to remember this is a country that is supposed to be blind to who becomes great. I want you to ignore any outside clamor that has clouded your head and caused you gloom. I want you to be yourself, though I can only imagine how difficult it can be for some. While you’re yourself, I hope you inspire others to do the same. It’s a challenge for us all, but life will always be that. I want to thank my fellow writers of this magazine. I want to thank my friend, Aaron Martinez who has helped tremendously. Most importantly, I want to thank our advisor, Wendy Carrera who has inspired us all more than she knows. With love,
Ramon Alvarado Editor, Writer
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INS IDE 14
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One Piece at a Time
Power of the Panther
The Right Side of History
Across the Border, Mexican Charms Await
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Strawberry Fields
To be Different... To be Unique
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Chinese New Year
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Lucha Vavoom Takes Over V-Day
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Shopping at the LA Fashion District STAFF
Johan Alfaro Ramon Alvarado Danielle Anzures Jaime Aparicio Arline Chaidez Rodrigo Coraza Gilberto Espana Jennifer Espana Noah Garcia
The Constant Struggle to Stay Free & Alive
STAFF
Jake Laurell Jonathan Meza Anthony Moreno Edward Perez Steven Perez Cynthia Rizo Alex Rodriguez Natalie Solano Sara Tabarez
You Gotta Love You First
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“I was a teacher for a long time, Now I collect cardboard on the street to pay the bills. I’ve been collecting cardboard for 40 years. ” - Maria Sanchez
ONE P I E C E
what she was talking about,” says Maria, “she forgets that I’m older than her.” Maria and Teresa are not California natives, in fact, the two are from Texas and they moved here in their early 20’s.
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“I used to own a house in Santa Monica,” says Clifford Marvin, 78. He’s been homeless multiple times in his life, the actual number of times he doesn’t want to share. Marvin is a Vietnam veteran that doesn’t have any living blood relatives, but whose step daughter hasn’t spoken to him in decades unless she needs something. “When I came back from the war someone else was living in my house and I couldn’t get it back.” On the same street some houses down Maria Sanchez walks along the sidewalk, picking up cardboard. The sun is breaking through the horizon, the air has a cold bite to it, and she’s walking around in an old t-shirt and pants and no sweater to protect her from the cold morning. She’s opening the recycling bins that line the street, picking out pieces of cardboard if she can find them.
“The cold really messes with my hands,” she says, as she blows on them and rubs them in an attempt to warm them up, “arthritis, the doctor said.” Sanchez is 97 and lives with her younger sister, Teresa Sanchez, who is only eight years younger. They live in a small house with their six yappy dogs. “I used to own two houses on this street with my husband,” Sanchez says, smiling fondly at a memory. “But then my husband died and I lost both of them. [My husband] wanted those houses so we could rent them out and have money to maintain us after retirement.” “We’re lucky to have this one,” says Teresa. Her tone implies this is a conversation they’ve had before, but Maria simply shakes her head and continues looking for cardboard.
“She likes telling me what to do, as if she knew
“I’ve been three years cancer free...my [adopted] family takes good care of me and were with me when I needed chemo years ago.” - Clifford Marvin 6
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Diana Juarez
PHOTOS
Diana Juarez, Steven Martinez
“I was a teacher for a long time,” Maria says, dragging cardboard behind her, “now I collect cardboard on the street to pay the bills. I’ve been collecting cardboard for 40 years.” The cardboard is stacked in the back of an old little pickup truck that’s parked in their driveway. The cardboard is also scattered all over their yard, something they both try not to do for fear of the city coming in and evicting them for it. Neither of them can drive anymore, so Maria’s son helps her take the cardboard when he can. When he can’t, she has someone help her drive the cardboard to the recycling center. Marvin, Maria, and Teresa are a few of the lucky senior citizens that have a home and are, more or less, taken care of. Something that can’t be said for many senior citizens when one in ten of them suffer some form abuse or neglect in the United States of America alone. Hospices and senior homes house countless of elderly patients that are dropped off by their family members only to be abandoned there.
fail, “metal would bring in more money, but I can’t pick it up.” She manages a small pick-up truck full of cardboard per week, that ends up giving her anywhere between $15 and $30 depending on how much cardboard is being bought for. “At least all this walking is helping my diabetes,” she reasons. Because on top of having to sell cardboard to make a living, she also has a slew of illnesses to combat. “I’ve been three years cancer free,” says Marvin, “my last scan came out clear. But the skin cancer keeps popping up. My [adopted] family takes good care of me, though. They make sure I get to my appointments and were with me when I needed chemo years ago.” He refers to the family he’s lived with for the past 15 years. The children fondly call him grandpa and have known him their whole lives. Marvin is happy with them, but there’s an undeniable tone of melancholy when he talks about his blood family. “My mom would take us for drives through the hillside in San Bernardino and to the orange orchards in what’s now Hacienda Heights,” Marvin says as he looks at a copy of a picture of his mother. The copy paper it’s printed on is frayed and worn, but he smiles down at it, “she liked going dancing in that dress.” Yet even with all the tragedies they’ve lived through respectively, both Maria and Marvin are willing to talk about their lives. They share their stories freely with anyone that asks. The pieces they left strewn between Texas and California, because Marvin lived in Texas for a while, are sewn together to make an intricate quilt of stories that keep them talking for hours.
“It doesn’t happen here often,” says Jane Smith, a medical records clerk from a hospice that she asked to be left unnamed, “most of our patients have family that visits them regularly. But the few that are left here always break my heart. They die without any loved ones with them. Sometimes without anyone in the room at all.” “My dad died alone in Texas,” says Maria, “My sister and I were here and had no way to get to him. We didn’t even know he died, nobody called us to let us know until months after it happened. I used to help my dad pick up scrap metal off the street, it’s how we would eat most days,” Maria says. The irony isn’t lost on her. Her gnarled hands are stiff with arthritis and her vision is starting to LA CIMA MAGAZINE
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he fields of Southern California are red with quickly ripening strawberries. Produce pickers all over the state are working hard to collect the season’s fruits and vegetables, and with California being the nation’s agricultural leader, it’s not hard to imagine just how much food the state grows. Yet even with a yearly cash haul in the billions, California farms are suffering. The current political climate is pushing many immigrants, legal or otherwise, to flee the country and abandon the fields, leaving produce to rot. It would be easy to point fingers at the current administration, but the truth is that farmworkers started leaving the country since the Obama administration. The problem was perpetuated by the current administration and the rhetoric that was sensationalized during the 2016 presidential campaign. The possible scarcity of produce could drive prices up, leading to a chain reaction that could see many families struggling more than they already do. At least $13 million worth of produce has been lost in California and, that’s just an early estimate. With these kinds of numbers, one would be hard pressed to say that there are no jobs for hard working Americans. So, where are these hard workers at? Driscoll farms, famously known for their strawberries, has already started replacing workers with robots, and many farms are looking to do the same. Others have even raised wages for their workers in hopes of enticing them to stay and new ones to come. The farm owners that did raise wages go 8
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Diana Juarez
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Brayan Altamirano
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around trying to recruit workers for the fields. They’ll go to homeless shelters, parking lots, and food trucks all to no avail. No matter how they try to sell the many job openings, nobody is willing to work the fields. But not all farms are willing to raise wages. It’s no secret that farm owners exploit migrant workers, taking advantage of the fact that many are here illegally, to underpay their hard work. It might be this that keeps American born citizens from working the fields, because it’s not like fieldworkers have a history of being mistreated in this country. There are those who are asking the current administration to allow more season workers into our borders to make up for the numbers lost to deportation or fear of deportation. Somehow these fieldworkers are wanted for their cheap labor but turned away as human beings. Human beings that work hard under the sun, hands caked with dirt, faces streaked with sweat, as they risk their health to put food on the table for their families. The same pesticides that we all try to avoid eating clouds the air over the fields. Many times the workers there don’t have more than a bandana to cover their noses and mouths, other times not even that. Strawberry pickers in our own backyard work hard to fulfill the dreams they dared their children to have. They travel up and down the state, chasing seasonal harvest like their lives depend on it. They avoid doctors and the police like the plague, making them easy targets for abuse of all kinds. A price they are willing to pay and one many of us can’t fathom doing so. For now, our fields are lush with produce and dreams. Time will tell if the strawberry pickers will stick around another season or if like their predecessors, will leave the country that doesn’t welcome them, but will take their cheap labor.
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CHINESE NEW YEAR he evening before the first day of the Chinese Lunar New Year, this year it was celebrated at the Thien Hau Temple in Chinatown Los Angeles. Many people celebrated as lion and dragon heads were dancing in and out of the temple as the traditional sound of the drums were playing as music for the heads to dance to. Different families were chosen to demonstrate and acknowledge the traditional lighting of the firecrackers and the crowning of the Los Angeles Chinatown Queen.
Offerings such as oranges, baked goods, and flowers were made as people prayed to the different deity statues that were on top of the alter. Other people were practicing kau cim, a fortune telling practice where a person asks a question and requests an answer from a sacred oracle lot, such as bamboo sticks labeled with numbers ranging from 1 to 78. To get an answer, you shake the bamboo cylinder that the numbered sticks are in, and shake it until one stick falls out. This number then becomes your fortune and you get the interpretation from a book.
YEAR OF THE DOG 2018 Inside the temple was beautifully lit up and decorated as incense were being lit up as prayers as an auspicious start for the New Year. As tradition the temple was covered in red and gold décor which corresponds with good fortune and joy. The most popular decorations are the beautiful red lanterns, papercutting and door god statues.
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Each year the Chinese new year lands on a different day as opposed to our traditional American new year that lands on January 1st. The New Year date is based off the cycle of the moon that is the new moon closest to the beginning of Spring. Chinese year is also associated with a Chinese zodiac sign which this year’s celebration was based off the 11th zodiac sign, the dog. The foretelling fortune for this Year of the Dog is said to bring people more focus on environment, agriculture, territory integrity or religious spiritual area for those born under the sign, more specifically males, acknowledging the phrase, “A dog is a man’s best friend.” Sara Tabarez, Rodrigo Coraza
PHOTOS
Sara Tabarez, Rodrigo Coraza
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Marvel Studios
POWER OF THE
PANTHER
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Anthony Moreno
and Disney have released their most political and influential film in the tenyear history of the franchise. Black Panther was released on February 16 to giant numbers at the box office. The film grossed a record-shattering $242 million in its first four days in U.S. theaters and became the fifth largest opening in history. The audience for the film was also groundbreaking. 37% of viewers were African American more than double the African American audience that usually goes to see Marvel films. Caucasian and Hispanic were the next biggest percentage of viewers with 35% and 18% respectively. Black Panther is the first superhero film to have a predominantly Black cast and Black lead actor. Starring Chadwick Boseman, Angela Basset, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o and Forest Whitaker. The film takes place in the fictitious country of Wakanda where after the death of his father, Boseman’s T’Challa must take his place as king. The film is coming at the perfect time in our political climate where racial tensions are at an all time high. Black Panther is more than just
“young people will finally see superheroes that look like them on the big screen.” -Michelle Obama
a film at this point it is a movement. This is the first time Black people will be able to see themselves on screen as the lead in Marvel’s billion dollar franchise. Released in the middle of Black History Month. This is also the first time a Black director is at the helm of a big budget Marvel blockbuster; Ryan Coogler the 31 year old director of Fruitvale Station and Creed. Wakanda is a country that has not been colonized and is a huge technological empire. Where men and women are of equal importance and a place where T’Challa’s sister Shuri can vie for power. Coogler has stated his inspiration for the women of the film were “my wife, my mom, my grandma, my friends, my colleagues.” These multilayered women encompass the entire film and represent the all female army known as the Dora
Milaje. Critics were also praising the film’s villain, Erik Killmonger, as being the strongest in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Killmonger’s storyline is villainous with his actions but his ideoligies make sense to many. He believes in using Wakanda’s technology to help their brothers and sisters who are being oppressed. Former first lady Michelle Obama tweeted about the importance of the film to the younger generations. She congratulated the team saying “because of you, young people will finally see superheroes that look like them on the big screen.” Representation is such a huge part of this film; to be able to see yourself in a big budget superhero
movie for the first time is huge. When asked about the importance of the film and what it means here’s what a few students had to say. Autumn Lewis, Vice President of the Black Student Union at Rio Hondo and Ronnie Rogers, a film student at Santa Monica College, talked about how it felt seeing the empowering Black film and what it means to them. Lewis told me it was empowering to see femininity mixed in with the strength of the Dora Milaje. When asked why they thought it took so long to make a movie of this magnitude Lewis says it might’ve been hard to find a director as strong as Coogler to “capture the essence of the African Culture”. Rogers said it could be because the film didn’t fit too well with what a blockbuster looked like in the past. Both referenced the power
of one of the final scenes in the film revolving the death of a main character. Lewis said it was her favorite scene in the entire film because of the power it conveyed. The character denies a chance to be saved and says “bury me in the ocean with my ancestors that jumped from the ships, they knew death was better than bondage.” These political messages clearly resonated with many, further pushing the boundaries of what an MCU film is. Their favorite characters of the film couldn’t be more different. Lewis’ favorite: Erik Killmonger for his passion and pain that resonated with her deeply. Rogers favored Black Panther himself, King T’Challa. He admired the type of leader T’Challa wanted to be and acknowledged a quote from the film when former King T’Chaka tells his son “it’s hard for a good man to be a great king.” The entire film hones in on this and shows what being a good leader means. This is all something viewers from all walks of life and cultures can take away from Black Panther.
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to be different... A
ll humans are, every being is. But what makes each and every one of us different? What makes us unique? We all have a mind, a mind we all use to make choices. That’s what ultimately makes us ourselves. Sure, life has thrown us all blows that are out of our control, but each of us make different decisions throughout the day. Some of these decisions have temporary impacts, some of these decions are permanent. Permanent like the ink that covers Crazy Ruben’s face...
...to be unique
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Born Ruben Dario Contreras September 3, 1983 in Los Angeles, Crazy Ruben moved to his parents’ hometown of Colima, Mexico when he was a young boy. After staying in Mexico for a few years, Contreras found himself back in the U.S., in Boyle Heights, before moving down to the city of Baldwin Park where he’s remained much of his life.
All these awards came to Contreras before he got what is now his most famous and eye-drawing tattoo: the collection of pieces that combine to cover his face. Contreras has had his face covered for almost two years now. It took a total of two days’ work for tattoo artist Carlos Torres to finish the Mexican culture pieces on Contreras’ face.
“Everybody looks.” Everyone has an opinion, too. Sure, there’s people whose mouths drop in awe when they see Contreras; but there are also people whose eyes widen in terror when they see him. While Contreras might not catch a lot of people staring at him, he mentioned that whenever he’s walking with someone, he-or-she lets him know they’re getting a lot of looks.
Contreras started covering his body with ink when he was just in grade-school. He didn’t have professional artists working on him at that time, though.
“I would do a piece [of the face tattoo] and then I would wait months… and then [Torres] would get me back in,” Contreras said. “It was 48 hours, but it was all like seven-and-a-half, sixand-a-half, eight hours. It was different sessions.”
One person that refuses to look at him, though, is his very own mother.
“I got my first [tattoo] when I was in third grade. I got a letter “R” for Ruben on my arm,” Contreras explained in his cool, calm tone. “Some little kid brought the needle and ink from his house. He did the “R” for Ruben, then I went home and my parents whooped me.” Contreras didn’t get his next tattoo until he was in his late teens, and it wasn’t until his twenties that he really began getting his body blasted.
With his face now covered in ink, Contreras began attracting attention, getting asked to take pictures just about everywhere he went. Sometimes the attention bothers him, sometimes it doesn’t. “Everywhere I go [people ask to take pictures]. Sometimes it does bother me,” Conteras explains, “It’s different if I go to a concert or event and there’s a lot of people, but I don’t like it
“...if I didn’t have the face tattoo, I would just be like everybody else.”
“I got another [tattoo] when I was 16, about to turn 17, then I stopped,” Contreras said. “I got one when I was 19 and then it was around when I was like 20 years old… I got one piece from Tommy Montoya (tattoo artist who appeared on TLC’s NY Ink show from 2011-2013) and then I started getting more and more work. I just didn’t stop from there.” Contreras eventually had his entire body covered in ink with work done by over 20 different artists. With all the clean art covering his skin, Contreras became an attraction at tattoo conventions and competitions across the U.S. and overseas. “I went to London and I won ‘Overall Male’,” Contreras said with a bit more enthusiasm than he spoke with before, “That’s when they give an award for the person with the most and best tattoos. I won that out there in London in 2014… I’m pretty sure I’ve won like a hundred awards out here [in America] and different states.” 18
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Ramon Alvarado
when I wake up and I just want to go grab something to eat. That I don’t like, but it happens everywhere I go.” Contreras says the only people that give him dirty looks because of his face tattoos are old women, but he’s fine with it because they gave him those same looks when only his body was filled with ink. He doesn’t mind any of the looks people give him, really. Probably because he doesn’t catch people looking often. Contreras knows he hardly catches people looking at him because they try hard not to make it obvious. He told a story about one of the first times he stepped out with his face tat. “I remember when I first got it done I went to a restaurant and I see a lot of kids, like teenagers,” Contreras explains, “I’m ordering food, and I thought people would look at me because I had just got it done... So as soon as I’m done ordering I turn around, everybody’s looking at me, but when I turned, everyone turned their heads down. That was the first time I was like ‘dude, everybody looks.’” PHOTOS
Ramon Alvarado
“I was never close to [my parents]. Even before I had my face done it was crazy. I used to go to my mom’s house and I would get more and more tattoos. She told me ‘when you get your face done, don’t come to the house anymore’,” Contreras said. “I thought to myself ‘I’m not gonna get my face done, why would I do that?’ I ended up [tattooing my face], and like she said, she doesn’t talk to me.” A lot of people may regret something they did that made their mom stop talking to them. But not Contreras. He assured he doesn’t think he’ll ever regret the art he covered his face with. “No [I don’t think I’ll ever regret the face tattoo]. If I did, I could remove it , I could go get laser removal,” Contreras said. “I’ve gotten tattoos removed to get new ones, different ones. But
C RC AR C Z AR YZA YZ Y
C RC AR C Z AR YZA YZ Y
my face, yeah, I would just take it off if I did [regret it], but I don’t think so. It’s something I like, you know.” Contreras was already a popular figure in the tattoo community before he covered his face, with thousands of followers on Instagram. Since the face tattoo, though, he has seen his follower count jump to 114 thousand. Contreras follows none back. Crazy Ruben aimed to stand-out from the crowd with his face tattoo, and he surely has. Contreras is featured in the Mexican group Revolver Cannabis’s video, “Cuanto Chino,” which has over 3 millions views on YouTube. Contreras has been getting a lot of calls, direct messages and e-mails from writers, photographers and others who want him to be a part of their respective projects. While some (including his mother) might not like it, Crazy Ruben knows he can thank the face tattoo for the slew of opportunities that are coming his way. It doesn’t look like the opportunities will stop coming either. “I’ve met a lot of Mexican singers, American comedians (he has a picture with late-night TV host Conan O’Brien posted on his Instagram), and I just been meeting a lot of people through social media. It just keeps going and going, and I know it wouldn’t be like that if I didn’t have the face tattoo. I would just be like everybody else.”
R RU R UB UBE B EN EN N
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The Right Side of History
WE ARE IMMIGRANTS. That’s what our supposedly superior counterparts would identify us as. Anyone who is speaks a language that isn’t English, has a different skin tone, or are followers of a religion that doesn’t fit the Christian mold. Even if we were born and raised the same way we are often seen as undesirables. Racism has been apart of this country before we were even born, it was institutionalized into the very foundations of our government and is unknowingly engraved into our brains. It’s a shame, most of us won’t notice it until we have grown up and are forced to see how devastatingly broken our society is and see the patterns in history that seem to repeat themselves in present day America. We are told the reason we learn about history so we don’t repeat those mistakes. Clearly someone hasn’t read a history book.
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Danielle Anzures, Jennifer Espana, Gilberto Espana
PHOTOS
Aaron Martinez
Many of them rarely know how extremely long the process actually is. They’ll even use derogatory terms and bid them farewell in the most atrocious manner, as though it brings them a great deal of joy to wreck the lives of families and their loved ones. People have to stop casting stones at those who are just looking for something better, not only for themselves but for their families as well. Put yourselves in their position. A young boy in El Salvador having to see his friends be taken out one by one because they chose not join the gang infested community. Sending your children off to school in fear that this may be the last time you’ll ever see them. They’re on the run looking for a safe place to call home.
These walls and bans placed to keep certain people out is nothing new, they just target different people. Whether it goes by Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, which prohibited Chinese immigration, or Executive Order 13769, better known as the Muslim Ban, which was supposedly created to protect the nation from foreign terrorist entry. A 135 year difference and yet there’s really been no change made, the past just continues to repeat itself.
Why can’t we provide this for them? Don’t dare say somebody doesn’t belong here because the color of their skin isn’t entirely contrast to yours or because they don’t believe in the same values the way you do. Let’s not succumb to the irony of our past history. We all come from different ethnic backgrounds, this is the time to celebrate our differences not shoot each other down. There’s only one group of people who have the right to complain about people invading their country and we can ensure you they’re not the ones doing it.
Everyday it seems there’s brand new dilemma for people like us. Families are being torn apart because they didn’t acquire the essential paperwork to remain in the United States and, as though to add salt to the wound, many are quick to judge this action and blame these people.
The decision to remove Temporary Protected Status (TPS) is not only morally wrong, but heartbreaking under the circumstance of the living conditions in their countries. In an article written for the San Francisco Chronicle Homeland Security allowed Salvadoran residents to relo-
cate to the United States; due to the devastating earthquakes that shook the Central American country in 2001. They have become the fourth country to have their protection status revoked along with Nicaragua, Sudan and Haiti. It seems this decision was made without any understanding of living conditions in those countries, for how could one simply come to a conclusion to end something so important and vital to a group of people who have suffered so much? My sibling and I have seen firsthand the destruction that has taken El Salvador captive. In 2001, the country adopted American currency which would ultimately bring permanent benefits to all its’ residents. Several years later, families are unable to provide for their children as their pay is less than 8 dollars a day and that’s if they’re lucky. How is this related to immigration? Everything connects to each other. Many leave due to the lack of resources, is that so wrong? I’d do anything to keep my family alive and well even if it means I’ve got to pick up and leave everything I love behind. Being an American should never be defined by your birth place and really it never has been. The United States is considered the land of opportunity, land of the free. It’s home to the most diverse population in the world and we are constantly celebrated for being so different from the rest of the world. At this moment however, politicians who should be representing America have decided it’s too diverse and are trying to get rid of those who have been in the United States
for years doing what Americans are best known for, trying to better ourselves. America is constantly changing and evolving, but as it does so should the people living here. I have no problem sharing my educational rights with those who come from a different country and neither should anyone else. On the first day of a speech class, the professor told us that as residents of The United States we have the guaranteed right to freedom and an education no matter where you came from. Someone who contributes to our society in a positive way should have the right to stay here without fear of neither the government or the people who live here. Immigration has always been a topic in which people avoid bringing up. Talking about it has the power to change your overall perspective of someone you’ve known your entire life. Think before you judge, love with all you’ve got, share kindness not hatred. Those are the words we leave you with. You have the world at your fingertips, it’s up to you to see what you’ll do with it.
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This made the audience run and duck for cover and as for the audience up in the balcony seating, all you could hear was a roar of laughter. Chicago’s finests burlesque Michelle L’Amour took the stage in a skin tight black leather two piece outfit that consisted of a corset top and skirt and with a red and crystal embossed fur shawl. Drawing in each guest with her movements across the stage, L’Amour gave a playful burlesque performance while she stripped down to her rhinestone encrusted pasties.
One tip for those who have never been to a Lucha Vavoom production, beware of the no fly zones which are located ring side and in the front of the stage. These are the
areas where wrestlers like the Crazy Chickens, Rey Fenix and Li’l Mime could be tossed right in front of you. The Crazy Chickens took the win in their high flying round against Chupacabra and Dr. Maldad. The Crazy Chickens definitely brought an abundance of energy to this match by involving the audience by stopping in between moves and having the audience cheer them on. They had the audience up and moving throughout the match with their quick stunts across all sides of the ring into the crowd. Ending the evening all of the wrestlers, performers and the co-producers Rita D’Albert, Liz Fairbairn amd Michelle Carr joined on the stage in front of the ring. Don’t feel like you’ve missed out, they are having upcoming shows at The Mayan Theater on May fourth and fifth. This is a great way to celebrate Cinco de Mayo, dress up and head to Downtown Los Angeles with a group of friends or a significant other for an action packed night.
For more information on times, ticket prices, and ticket purchases visit www.luchavavoom.com. You can follow Lucha Vavoom on facebook, twitter, instagram and youtube to see more pictures, videos and members of Lucha Vavoom.
The Mayan Theater in Downtown Los Angeles held its 15th year of Lucha VaVoom which took place on Feb. 14 and Feb. 15. Taking over Valentine’s Day with the both themed shows sold out the excitement and anticipation started in the entrance line with guests arm in arm with their significant others. An ongoing show featuring Lucha Libres who are Mexican inspired masked wrestlers, burlesque dancers, arielest and comedy all under one roof. Viewers will be entertained with a variety of wrestlers from little people, drag queens and extreme costumes to at times the rauchy of the raunchiest characters 22
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with their in your face personalities. Known for having special guests at every event, this Valentine’s day as well as the following day serving as a commentator was comedian Ron Funches along with Blaine Capatch and Jeff Davis. With music blasting the crowds eyes locked onto the center of the room, the first wrestlers to take the ring were Dama Fina, who many would say is the face of Lucha Vavoom, this blond hair and brown eyed babe is not one to mess with. Also in the ring were sleazy Joey Ryan, Chocolatay Caliente, Pantera Lisa, Jaguar Rojo and Ruby Gardenia in an triple tag team match. STORY
With the three count Ryan finished the round off with a victory. With no lull in between each wrestling match were comedic exchanges between commentators and jaw dropping burlesque performances by the La Roller Girls, Brynn Route, Carolina Cerisola Erica Snap and many other surprise guests there was never a moment you’d want to take your eyes off the front of the stage. It was an evening of non stop entertainment with a crowd full of avid followers like Manny Cervantes who goes on to say,” I have been following Lucha VaVoom for years, I have come to many of
PHOTOS
their shows here at the Mayan and many other venues and I am excited to see Dirty Sanchez, hes is my favorite lucha wrestler”. Diehard fans and newcomers alike, come together and cheer on their favorite lucha wrestlers to victory but they are taken in awe when the burlesque dancers and arielest take the stage. Starting a fresh match Dirty Sanchez entered the ring with Mariachi Loco and little people Li’l Devil and Li’l Mime. This event was by far the funniest and dirtiest with Sanchez throwing what seemed to be feces but was actually melted chocolate into the crowd.
M i c h e l l e L’Amour holds up her red and crystal embossed fur shawl as she takes the stage for her burlesque show at the Lucha Vavoom Valentine’s Day themed show on Feb.15 at The Mayan Theater in Downtown Los Angeles.
Middle of their match, Dr. Maldad holds a Crazy Chicken mid air before slamming him down in the ring while his partner is looking up at them from ringside.
“The Crazy Chickens took the win in their high flying round against Chupacabra and Dr. Maldad. The Crazy Chickens definitely brought an abundance of energy to this match by involving the audience by stopping in between moves and having the audience cheer them on.” LA CIMA MAGAZINE
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The LA Fashion district is divided into various subsections, the most popular of these being the Santee Alleys. The alley is an actual alley lined with over 150 stores selling apparel, accessories, luggages, electronics, handbags, beauty products and more. It is located in the heart of the fashion district. The discounts starts 30% and goes up to 70% off full retail prices. Some vendors also carry the brands such as Nike, Converse, Puma, Ferrari etc. Over the years the Santee Alley has become a mecca for vendors to do wholesale, closeout buyers, and manufacturers. Some are able to sell their merchandise at a much lower price by selling directly to the public. A lot of stores carry the latest trends at the most affordable prices, often before they hit stores. Because of the competition of having the latest trends people start to just bring in dupes of popular name brand products such as Kylie cosmetics, Fenty Beauty, Gucci, Supreme etc. The alley is truly a unique experience, where the world in a sense comes together and creates a festival like atmosphere. We highly recommend it to those who like to bargain the santee alleys is the place to go or for those who like to explore. “I like going to the alleys usually to shop for dresses for special occasions like weddings, or elite parties. The dresses are beautiful and elegant for a great price,� frequent alley shopper Danniela Chavez said.
SHOPPING AT THE LA FASHION DISTRICT STORY
Arline Chaidez
PHOTOS
Rodrigo Coraza
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Across the Border, Mexican Charms Await Owning a home may be easier than you think with the
DOWN PAYMENT RESOURCE CENTER
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aving for a downpayment is the number one obstacle for people looking to own a home. But what if you didn’t need a big down payment? With the Down Payment Resource Center you can search online for the many local city and county specific downpayment assistance programs in the state! It is the only one-stop shop for down payment assistance program information in the nation.
RUN A SEARCH OF YOUR OWN AND FIND OUT HOW EASY IT IS FOR YOU TO OWN A HOME!* Potential Benefits of Downpayment Assistance: • Assistance amounts range from a few hundred to tens of thousands of dollars in downpayment assistance.
Cynthia Rodriguez
• Some programs offer additional incentives for educators, government workers and healthcare workers as well as active or retired military personel, people with disabilities, or homes in redevelopment areas.
In Ensenada, less than two
hours from San Diego, travelers can get a taste of Mexican food, culture and nightlife. The city has a peculiar mix of cruise shippers, drive-by tourist from California, visitors from mainland Mexico and locals, all gathering to this beautiful seaport city, one of the largest on the Baja peninsula. In case you have forgotten you are in Mexico with all those US dollars and English menus, just look up and you will see a large Mexican flag fluttering proudly over the malecón. Whether you are interested in a relaxation or an outdoor experience, Ensenada will not disappoint.
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*This is a preliminary determination of eligibility, other qualifying factors may apply. All applicants are subject to underwriting guidelines and approval. Not all programs available in all areas. Rates and terms are subject to change without notice. This form may not be reproduced. Licensed by the Department of Corporation under the California Residential Mortgage Lending Act. NMLSY 164497
The malecón
is a nice way to start your exploration of Ensenada in a relaxed way. It’s a nice walking path down the side of the harbor with dozens of street vendors, you can get anything from a traditional fresh coconut to roasted corn on the cob. There are plenty of taco stands, bright colored outdoor booths with souvenirs and the largest fish market in northern Baja California. Along the side of the malecón STORY
Cynthia Rizo
PHOTOS
Cynthia Rizo
there is a hand full of sailboat stations where you can take a thirty-minute ride for as little as two dollars. Experience the marine life by seeing and hearing roarinsealions and on some occasions spotting grey whales. Throughout the malecon you will see and enjoy different music groups and marriachis, and all they ask is some donations to contribute.The Malecon and the streets just off it become dominated by places to eat. With the local seafood market nearby all the food is fresh and delious.
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Nearby Attractions of Ensenada L
a Bufadora is just an hour drive south from Ensenada. It’s considered to be the second largest sea blowholes in the world and sprays water from 60 to 100 feet in the air as the tides change. This marine geyser phenomenon is caused by ocean waves being forced into a partially submerged sea cavern, causing great amounts of air and water pressure to build. The air and ocean water are expelled through the only exit, launching it several stories into the air. On your way to see a rare natural blowhole, you will pass a walking area with street performers, small shops, nice bars and restaurants.
Across the street from the
earby vineyards offer winetasting in a more traditional and serene setting. Just half an hour from Ensenada, Valle de Guadalupe is Mexico’s premier wine region, producing 90% of all the wine that comes from Mexico. There are now over 150 wineries in the valley with more opening every year. From small wineries tucked back in the foothills off dirt roads to wineries in modern structure on hilltop with expansive views, averaging a decent tasting price you will not regret. What makes it extra special is that several of the wineries do not export, you can only buy that certain type of wine in Valle de Guadalupe. Wine grapes were originally planted in the valley by Jesuit priests in the 18th century. The first visitor boom began in 2006, when the ribbon of road between Ensenada and Tecate was paved. Production is so small, and Mexico’s wine tax so high, that very few
melcón is the Plaza Civica or how locals call this “La Plaza de Las Tres Cabezas” (Three Heads Plaza), horning three men from Mexico’s historic past. The first sculpture honors Benito Juarez, the second one Miguel Hidalgo, and the third Venustiano Carranza. In this plaza you will encounter many performers reprsenting different cultures and food vendors.
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wines are exported—the only way to taste them is to visit. Tourism took off, and with San Diego only 1 1/2 hours away, wine-curious Americans led the way, making up about 75 percent of the visitors.
esides the fact that Ensenada is less than two hours away from San Diego, guest will quickly find that Ensenada has a unique and distinctive culture. Whether its just for a day or a weekend, there are many different things to do in Ensenada. From water sports to wine
B
tasting to regional shopping, this Mexican city has something for everyone. Next time your thinking of your next getaway, don’t forget that Ensenada has many Mexican charms to offer, all within less than two hours away. This welcoming city will not disappoint you! LA CIMA MAGAZINE
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the police won’t stand up for what is right in the community, then acting on the kidnappings and murdering of women in secret will definitely go unpunished. Sadly enough, some women in the country see that the only way to escape this hellish life is by abandoning all hope and committing suicide.
The Kurdish Committee of Jineology, which is made up of women, fight for the equality of female rights in every sense of the word. Asia Ramazan Antar is a well-known feminist fighter from a 40% female militia.
Holding On to Freedom: The Constant Struggle to Stay Free and Alive
It’s depressing to know that even in today’s
world, there are still unjustly actions being done to different kinds of people simply because of the way they look or act. One major topic that always seems to find its way back into the forefront of wars and debate is religion. The idea of tradition being implemented from the concept of religion seems outdated and should be updated to fit the needs of the people of today rather than the people from a distant time. One country that cannot seem to escape the clutches of tradition and religion is that of Iraq.
Due to the hayness acts that have been,
and still are, committed to the women of Iraq, The Organization of Women’s Freedom in Iraq (OWFI) was founded. The women of Iraq have 30
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Jaime Aparicio
gone through years of violence and religious traditions that lead their very own husbands, and in some cases their male relatives, to kill them. These killings are all done in the unusual manner to bestow or keep honor amongst the Iraqi men. Iraqi women have also experienced their flesh being burnt or have had their bodies mutilated for being suspected of shameful acts without a chance to defend themselves physically or, more importantly, judicially.
Other inhumane acts of violence that are
wrongfully given to women are being publicly executed or shot by the police. If the women of Iraq cannot be protected by their very own police, then what hope do future female generations have to pursue better lives for themselves? And if
This Islamic submissive
attitude that men have with their wives, or just the opposite sex in general, has been building since it was implemented hundreds of years ago. Women that have been widowed by consecutive wars and executed in the past by Saddam’s army have little to no support in trying to sustain a healthy lifestyle for their families or relatives. Thankfully, such local women’s movements have been slowly gaining support from International groups.
One group known by IWO
was founded back in March 8, 1992. They not only provide a safe dwelling for the female refugees, but also support armed protection and that of legal services. Other locations that have inspired to help the cause are located in Canada, England, and Australia. Though it would seem that the most logical and humane thing to do is provide the women of Iraq the support they need, such heavy acts of diplomacy would need to pass several groups of people in charge in order present change amongst the people of a country with deeply engraved beliefs. Only time will tell if the women of Iraq will ever truly be liberated from a harmful tradition that has plagued the female sex for many years.
Secretary of State’s International Women of Courage Award was given out to several women in the movement for equality including Jannat Al Ghezi (above). The representatives of women’s rights traveled the country in order to show and give information about their individual groups in person.
The International Women’s Day event was held at a youth center located in Diwaniya, Iraq in order to celebrate the accomplishments done from past female leaders. Participants and audience members ranged from the youthful to the elderly to convey the message of equal empowerment. LA CIMA MAGAZINE
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Just Jake, as he likes to be referred as, is an artist born and raised in Los Angeles until his departure to Riverside. Jake has faced many self-endangerment obstacles as a part of losing himself in traumas and life experiences but came out stronger and now focuses on painting as a reflection of his experiences. Jake’s inspiration, in a sense, started with his father at a very young age in his early childhood. He recalls putting a paper on top of his work and he slapped his hand to never do that again, but then he said to show him what he was made of. Ever since, Jake had made his goal to show him what he is made of. His father is the chauvinist type of person and his family is narrow-minded; he couldn’t talk about dreams or ideas. “It was about finishing school, I have papers and after school getting a good job and making some money.” For the longest time he kept that bottled up and he turned to art as his escape. Jake began to treat it as a hobby in the beginning. At the time , he didn’t realize that art was his long-time passion. It wasn’t until high school that he began to take it seriously. His former high school teacher, Mr. Lupe bought him his first canvas to paint on, and the ironic thing is he didn’t know what a canvas was. His former High School teacher Mr. Lupe took an interest in his work and encouraged him to sell his work; he hoped for him and believed in him, not his family. During his time in high school, prior to his second attempt to taking life he got hit in the head and his memory was wiped completely, which is why he has trouble remembering his name 32
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and who he is. Struggling with the person society claims him to be, Jake tried to keep his head up and went back to his roots focusing on his art. Soon after he got a phone call; his work was beginning to get acknowledged, but still it is not what he wanted even though his work was being displayed. He began to get calls with requests of art and again he got lost and he wasn’t doing his work for himself but for others. He felt like he was trying to please the world, which led him to his second attempt to feel pain, which happened to look like a suicide attempt. “I did not want to kill myself the goal here was I simply wanted to feel something even if it was pain.” Jake woke up in a psychiatric facility strapped down to the bed; after that whole experience is then when he finally wanted to kill himself because of the situation he put himself in on top of being overwhelmed. The orbit that Jake is in the people claim that Jake is a good artist, but he did not feel like one after he was discharged from the Psychiatric facility; he was unrecognizable to himself. “I feel like art; real art is supposed to comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable.” Jake’s real name is actually Alvaro, but he dislikes being called that because he thinks about his dad. No one called him that until he acquired his first job. Jake is still trying to figure out his true self and displays his art in the Whittier art walk.
Alex Rodriguez
PHOTOS
Jonathan Meza
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