El Sol Summer 2011

sol el MAGAZINE

Summer Edition 2011

Olympic Stars Now SWC Coaches

Enrique Morones exchanges fire with Joe Arpaio New Kings of Comedy

el sol TABLE OF CONTENTS

40) Sojournalists

Summer 2011 VOLUME 1 ISSUE 2

Photo Essay by Diana Inocencio and Amber Sykes Curiously detailed paper dolls experience firsthand some of the sublime and ridiculous peculiarities of the Golden State. Student journalists, too.

6) Olympian

coaches train champions

12) Hell

on Wheels

16) Not

so pretty in pink

By Lyndsay Winkley

By Rhett Creel

By Samantha Mendoza and Gregory L. Ewing Angela Rock and Tonie Campbell are Olympians, champions and Southwestern College coaches. South Bay athletes are the winners.

2 | el sol magazine, Summer 2011

Southwestern College Sun's Editor-In-Chief spent three days in a friend's wheelchair and came away with a whole new perspective of the world.

Border Angels founder Enrique Morones, America's most vocal immigrants rights leader, and Joe Arpaio, "America's Toughest Sheriff," engage in a sometimestesty conversation about a hotbutton topic: immigration.

Summer 2011 VOLUME 1 ISSUE 2

Editors Diana Inocencio Amber Sykes

Writers Andrea Aliseda Marce Appelhanz Jiamay Austria Brittany Comas Gregory L. Ewing Albert Fulcher Tommy Lord Samantha Mendoza Angela Soberanes Lyndsay Winkley Cody Yarbro

It is a long-time tradition of the Southwestern College Sun newspaper to celebrate the diversity of our college and honor students, faculty and staff who enhance the beautiful culture of the campus. In its second print, el sol magazine continues to seek unique and powerful subject matter that embodies the richness and diversity of the community that makes this campus thrive. Take a journey as el sol travels through the lives of students and faculty to Sacramento, San Francisco, Arizona, Seoul, Tijuana and Oaxaca. Each journey winds its way through Southwestern College to gain power, inspiration and hope.

READER

el sol

Dear

el sol

Photographers Jiamay Austria Roy Enjambre Jr. Albert Fulcher Diana Inocencio Tommy Lord Marshal Murphy Daniela Padilla Amber Sykes

Designers

Faces of Immigration

Arts & Entertainment

4 Brilliant in any language

30 Comic Renaissance

Vianney Luis-Quero arrived in the U.S. from Oaxaca with a degree in psychology but spoke no English. How the SWC ESL program transformed her life.

South Bay comedians are creating a new laugh track for our lives.

32 Highway 101 Revisited

A local troubadour channels his inner Woody Guthrie and hits the road with his guitar.

Jiamay Austria Diana Inocencio Angela Van Ostran Amber Sykes Cody Yarbro Joseph Young

Student Art

Contributors

Food & Health

Fashion

24 Divine and Argentine

36 Style on a budget

Eter Dafne Estrada Rashid Hasirbaf Margie Reese

Adviser

Max Branscomb

NO PART OF EL SOL MAY BE REPRODUCED IN ANY FORM BY ANY MEANS WITHOUT PRIOR WRITTEN CONSENT FROM THE SOUTHWESTERN COLLEGE SUN EL SOL MAGAZINE. FOR PERMISSION REQUESTS CONTACT XXELSOLMAGXX@GMAIL.COM.

9 Art of the Jaguar

From photography to poetry, Southwestern students brim with talent.

Yerba matĂŠ is a healthy coffee alternative from South America and a toast among friends.

34 Music Reviews

Peter Merritt and Draind lead a vanguard of young musicians who must be heard.

Students prove that creativity can trump cash on the fashion front.

26 A party without the alcohol

Zumba, the hyperkinetic dance exercize from Brazil, is showing students how to boogie their way to fitness. el sol magazine, Summer 2011 | 3

Faces of

Immigration

The Langua Story and Photographs by Albert Fulcher

I

n Oaxaca, Mexico Vianney LuisQuero was a college graduate and licensed psychologist. In America, she found herself as another immigrant performing menial labor because she could not speak English.

Southwestern College — and her spirited quest to remake herself — changed all that.

Today Luis-Quero, 27, is a doctoral student and role model for her countrymen.

“My story is one of challenges, possibilities and a vast future,” said Luis-Quero. “It is very possible that my story is also your story.”

Luis-Quero left her country, family and friends four years ago to follow her dreams.

Armed with only a student visa, licentiate de psicología in hand and no understanding of

Commencement day with Professor Andy MacNeill

4 | el sol magazine, Summer 2011

the English language, she found herself at Southwestern College’s English as a Second Language (ESL) program. Her vocabulary was so limited she could only find work at a thrift store. Her greatest decision, she said, was to take ESL classes.

“When I arrived to this land I only knew a couple of sentences in English,” she said. “I had to learn simple things such as ‘Hello, my name is…’ and ‘I am lost.’”

Luis-Quero said ESL classes gave her the ability to help other immigrants, desperate because they were unable to communicate effectively in America.

“We were trying to learn English and share experiences, ideas and our lives,” she said.

“Trying to adapt to a new life and get better jobs.”

In the beginning Luis-Quero said she did not understand why they had to learn about tectonic plates, climate change and theories of evolution. She saw no reason for using this type of vocabulary until after she graduated from the ESL program last year and starting regular college courses. She said her first day of regular college courses were full of fear and questions, and wondered if she could understand the teachers, communicate with her classmates or write a comprehensive essay.

Then that moment of realization--the information from the ESL in classes had foundation to help her feel comfortable with real life English.

“And guess what?” she said. “All those catastrophic ideas disappeared. I comprehended everything my teachers said. My classmates never pointed me out because of my strange accent and I was comfortable following prompts, writing essays and analyzing poems. I learned all of these tools from my ESL classes.”

ESL Professor Andy MacNeill said LuisQuero took part in classes that follow what is called the Opportunities Model. He said the object is to give students the tools and opportunities for interaction, taking the input and utilizing the output.

“Vianney took that seriously,” said MacNeill.

“She took every opportunity she could. Her presentations were above the level of other students in the program. They were very high quality.”

On May 6 Luis-Quero spoke to the 2011 ESL graduating class and assured her peers that their hard struggle to get to regular college courses was not an end of ESL, but a beginning of their next step in their educational pursuits.

She said it would not be without struggle, but the reward for their efforts would be a fountain of opportunity in their futures.

“As a student, I know there are times when we are just tired,” she said. “Tired of learning a new language. Tired of learning a concept while we work serving mashed potatoes, accommodating merchandise on a counter or working as a waitress in a restaurant.”

Luis-Quero said the cycle of learning was difficult and she endured many days of doubt.

“I know about those moments in which we feel very close to quitting school,” she said.

“We arrive home at night after a long day at work and we still have homework to do.”

It was last year while taking English 116 that Luis-Quero decided to apply to Allied International University’s (AIU) doctoral program in clinical psychology. She said it was a difficult process.

“I was disappointed,” she said. “I was told that my studies from Mexico were not valid if I wanted to continue studying here.”

In her first step, she had to request a U.S. equivalency of her degree earned at the Instituto de Estudios Superiores de Oaxaca. Money, official transcripts, letters of recommendation, personal essay and a resume were all required in order to get an interview with the college. She said a successful interview was critical for entering the program. After hours of what seemed like endless work, she received a U.S. equivalent degree—a BA in Psychology and an acceptance to AIU’s doctoral program.

MacNeill said the ESL program has had students like her that have an education from their country and need to transfer their skills from their native language to English.

“We have seen a few cases like Vianney where Boom!, they are not going into English 71, they are going into English 114 and 115, college-level courses right out of our program.

And that is what we strive for.”

MacNeill said Luis-Quero was always prepared and appreciated everything she could learn. She was a joy to work with, he said, and her upbeat personality showed in everything she did. She has the intelligence and social skills to form relationships with those around her, he said.

“She just punched it out,” he said. “We didn’t know what we were getting, but we were happy with what we got. She has a captivating personality with a touch of humor.”

Dr. Joel Levine, dean of language and

Success

age of

literature, said Luis-Quero is a top-notched student in the ESL program. He said her focused mind and motivating spirit took her where she wanted to go.

“She came here as an ESL student, with limited English and joined our program,” said Levine. “She made the absolute best use of this new design we have on content-based instruction. She was able to recognize the value of what that program was offering in order to prepare her for the courses she would need to take to get into that doctoral program.”

Luis-Quero begins her journey at AIU this fall.

Her teachers at SWC stand by her, assuring and

supporting her. While speaking to her ESL peers graduation, she said she is living proof that the program is a launch pad for achievement.

“Based on my experience, I am telling you do not give up your classes,” she said. “Don’t give up on your dreams. It takes effort and time, but it is within your reach. It is possible to achieve them. I am doing it.”l

“My story is one of challenges, possibilities and a vast future.

It is very possible that my story is also your story.”

- Vianney Luis-Quero

Vianney Luis-Quero was a licensed psychologist in Oaxaca, but worked in a U.S. thrift shop while she learned English at Southwestern College.

Fast

L track

Keeping on the

ittle did the young Tonie Campbell know walking down the impoverished streets of Carson that he would one day carry the Olympic Torch down the streets of nearby Los Angeles.

Southwestern College track coach Campbell is a threetime Olympian (1980, 1984 and 1988), a medalist and a Heritage Hall of Famer at USC. His biggest race, he said, is yet to be run.

His toughest race he has already won.

“When I was growing up, there were some rough elements beginning to develop in the area,” he said. “Drugs and gangs had begun to emerge as detractions for youth. So my father believed those individuals that got involved in gangs and drugs were people with no time on their hands.”

Playing football and baseball at the age of six, it was not until his sophomore year at Banning High School that he would put on his first pair of spikes and fly down the track.

“Like most high school teams the coaches were teachers just earning a small stipend and really didn’t know much about track and field,” he said. “Being the budding scientist, I approached my training differently.

I checked out every book about track and field from the local library and studied technique and training.”

Banning had one of the top track teams in the nation, so Campbell knew he would have big shoes to fill. He left his decade-long passion for football and trained for track year-round. He convinced a friend from the photography club to take photos of him every week so he could evaluate first and second place finishers in the high hurdlers and an Olympian from Finland. Colleges only took the top three places at the time so Campbell was forced to run the 400m hurdles and mile relays. After a summer of putting on 15 pounds of muscle and growing a few inches, Campbell earned his spot as a frontline Trojan high hurdler.

It did not take long for the fleet Campbell to become an elite hurdler.

In his sophomore year of college he became the number one hurdler in both events and qualified for his first Olympic team. His dreams of being an Olympian were shattered though, when the U.S. boycotted the 1980 Moscow Olympics to protest the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan.

“Athletes are very proud yet they are patriotic,” he said. “The problem was, no one consulted with the athletes before making the decision which made many athletes mistrust the government and despise the action it was forcing upon us.”

Campbell said the government had not taken into account the sacrifices made by athletes to reach their goals. To conduct an Olympics, pick the team and tell athletes they couldn’t go was too much for some. This was a lot to take in for a 19 year old.

“I realized quickly that I was being used by our government to enforce a policy that today seems ridiculous,” he said. “Once I began to realize the reality of my situation, I had actually made the Olympic team and may never make another, I began to grow angry and

Tonie Campbell cleared many hurdles on his way to the Olympics, bronze medal and a career in athletics.

6 | el sol magazine, Summer 2011

Story by Samantha Mendoza | Photographed by Diana Inocencio and Daniela Padilla

distrustful of our government.”

Campbell earned a bronze medal at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, Korea. He described the victory as a sense of fulfillment.

“If you could imagine the feeling of holding your breath for years and finally exhaling,” he said. “The actual moment when you’re in a zone and doing what you are trained to do. You don’t realize that you’ve accomplished your goal until several minutes after when you come down from the adrenaline rush of the race.”

Campbell graduated from USC with a bachelor’s degree in communications.

He changed from a pre-med major to communications when his career as an athlete began to interfere with his class schedule. He also realized his original goal of becoming a medical doctor was no longer his passion.

“My decision to get a degree in communication was one of convenience,” he said. “Once I had retired from track, I realized that teaching, coaching and being in the business world was where I wanted to be. I have a gift of speaking and guiding others to their goals.”

As the former managing director at the U.S. Olympic Training Center and current chairman of the developing committee for the USA Track and Field, Campbell has a wealth of connections with the best in the sport, which he said allows him to lure so many terrific athletes to compete at Southwestern College.

“A lot of the athletes that are helping us now are people that I was either in charge of or that I used to work with,” he said. “And a lot of those happen to be athletes who have made Olympic teams in the past, so I tap them and

offer them positions within the team.”

A writer of screenplays, children’s book and a part-time actor, Campbell has dined and partied with kings, bishops, CEOs and presidents.

“Sky is the limit,” Campbell said. “I still know I have personal goals and desires to achieve. Whether they have made themselves known to me is still debatable. I’m a winner and I love to see others win, too. So being the coach at this great institution is an honor for me.”

Athletic Director Terry Davis said Campbell is a bit of an unusual coach because he’s very patient with the athletes. He looks for the best in all athletes and has a tremendous amount of support for the team.

“I think that Tonie having been a worldclass athlete, he’s been able to provide good leadership and teach the athletes what it really takes to be competitive,” said Davis. “He helps the competitive edges of our athletes because of his experiences.”

Campbell said he gets no greater pleasure than to see a young man or woman fulfill their athletic potential.

“These skills are what I hope they will be able to draw upon in the real world, in their personal lives and professional lives,” he said. “Finally, seeing each athlete becoming a productive citizen, earning a degree is what really makes me smile. Building a team from scratch and given the opportunity to do something that hadn’t been done before (winning conference, regional and state) is exciting to me. Meeting the staff and other coaches at SWC and seeing that we share a common passion for excellence and winning was alluring.”

“I am a winner and I love to see others win, too.”-- Tonie Campbell

Sophomore decathlete Ben Ijah said Campbell gives his all to the track program.

“He’s a great influence because he really knows what he’s talking about,” said Ijah. “I mean you can’t earn Olympic medal and be a scrub. So when he tells you to do something you really take it to heart.”

Ijah is just one of the many athletes Campbell devotes his time and effort cultivating.

“Every coach would like to say it’s them, but the reality is I’ve been blessed with great athletes coming to me and I just make them better,” said Campbell. “One of my greatest skills is I am very technical minded and have a superior technical eye.”

Campbell has a great understanding of biomechanical and organic systems which allow him to improve athletes’ form. He said he understands the new paradigms and put them into his own training schemes to make his athletes confident and knowledgeable. But Ija said there are greater lessons.

“What I’ve learned most from him is how to just enjoy track,” he said. “I used to try and do everything with a football player’s mentality, trying to muscle everything and use strictly talent. But over the course of the season he’s helped me to use more finesse on the track and the long jump runway.”

Campbell has done more than most do in a lifetime, but he said he has bigger goals for the future.

“We all have callings in life,” he said. “Mine is to help the men and women of SWC become better people and for some, to bring their talents out for other to see. Besides, it’s fun.”

Olympic Rock Star

A

ngela Rock is small for a giant.

At 5’8” she is taller than most women, but shorter than most world-class volleyball players, college AllAmericans and Olympians.

Teammates and opponents often comment that the springylegged Rock was perfectly named.

She could soar like an angel and rock the court with thunderous spikes. She loves to compete and hates to lose.

Now with two years under her belt as the Southwestern College volleyball coach, Rock is looking to turn some South Bay athletes into champions—and maybe find a future Olympian.

“I have learned that hard work and dedication do pay off,” she said. “The Olympics changed the course of my life.”

After an illustrious career at San Diego State, Rock started for the 1988 U.S Olympic Volleyball Team in Seoul, South Korea. An

women athletes at time when very few women had fans “She was that first generation of women athletes when things started opening up like with soccer and softball,” he said.

Dan Rock said his sister was determined, passionate and gifted.

“She was one of the main forces in women’s volleyball and all the young people should know she was a leader,” he said.

Dan Rock said he knew his baby sister would make the Olympic team, but when he heard the news from her he recalls it felt surreal.

“Wow, this moment is really happening, it was a neat thing to see her keep going up, up and up,” he said.

Angela Rock played on U.S national team for five years, starting in 1985, and was part of its original nine.

Besides playing in the Olympics, she enjoyed an impressive beach volleyball career. She won the Women’s Pro Beach Volleyball Association (WPVA) Ace Award in 1992, ’95 and ’96. She was inducted into SDSU Hall of Fame in 1991 and was named Best Hitter in the the same year.

Rock credits Arie Sellenger, her Olympic volleyball coach in 1980 and 1984, for elevating her game.

“He let me train with his team

“The Olympics changed the course of my life.” upset loss to Peru kept the team from competing for a medal, but Rock said her Olympic fortnight was wonderful.

“I remember it was really hot when we were walking into the opening ceremonies and that we could hear cheers from inside,” she said. “It was beautiful, emotional and thrilling all wrapped into a two-week experience.”

Seoul's Olympic Village remains a memory.

“The energy was so electric,” she said. “I remember walking through the village with wonder at all the beauty and with pride that I had made it to the Olympics.

The matches were intense and it was a disappointment not to have earned a medal.”

Her brother Dan said Rock had a loyal following of young

8 | el sol magazine, Summer 2011

and without that time I don’t think I would have achieved what I did,” she said.

Rock is an assistant professor school of health, exercise science and athletics, dedicating her time to her students with the same commitment that made her a world-class athlete.

“Angela Rock is an advocate for women’s sports,” said former SWC volleyball coach Karen DayCravens, who helped recruit Rock.

Her days of raining thunderous spikes on her opponents are behind her, but Rock said her best days are ahead. Montezuma Mesa’s leaping legend is ready to carve a rockin’ new niche at SWC. Story by Gregory L. Ewing Photographed by Jiamay Austria and Diana Inocencio

of the

Art

Jaguar

Justin Nunez

Illustrations by Rashid Hasirbaf

Photography Major

"Stolen Sunlight"

Fashion Photography f/3.5 1/30 ISO-200 28mm

el sol magazine, Summer 2011 | 9

"bombin the hood with love & peace" Acrylic on canvas

"Make Art Not War #1" Mixed media

Jesimiel Rivera Art Studio Major

10 | el sol magazine, Summer 2011

Communications

Ana Bahena

“They Are More Than Just Food.”

This is for the fat, money-hungry, brutal corporations who don’t care.

Uncaring, uninterested, unbelievable.

The true pigs.

Those animals, those animals are alive.

They’re breathing, living, they’re right there, doomed.

Unimaginable pain, they suffer.

Numbness, they can’t move, they can’t extend fragile, little limbs, they can’t fly.

They will never run, never even walk This is a nightmare.

Cages, cages everywhere.

Stacked, piled, filled with defecation, covered in vomit, a thick layer of urine.

They chew on the metal bars.

They are starving.

They eat their own crap.

It’s like a eating a piece of cement, their dirty teeth throbbing.

Brothers and sisters, now, just carcasses.

Smelly, disgusting, rotting.

A life just ended.

Done, gone, adios.

Murdered, slaughtered, by the hands of a coldblooded killer.

Some become insane.

Anxiety, depression, lack of sleep, food, water, a lack of love.

On Saturday mornings, my sweet mom cooks breakfast for my sweet fam.

What sits on the plate?

Bacon? Sausage?

Maybe some eggs? A glass of milk?

I wanna scream.

I wanna cry.

Mom, dad, brother, sister, friend, why can’t you realize what the hell you’re putting into your mouth?

You’re eating a corpse, a lifeless body, fried in oil, seasoned with salt, with a squeeze of lemon, a drop of red ketchup, like the red stains on the white aprons of the men who butcher the animals you eat.

That pig, that chicken, that cow, that sheep, that rabbit, that turkey, that fish, that duck.

All of them, they lived.

They were made.

They have a mother.

They have a father.

They were born.

They took their first breath.

They felt their mothers touch.

They thought.

They thought life was amazing.

They sucked brittle nipples.

They ate.

They shit.

They smelled the rancid air.

They felt sadness.

They felt happiness They felt the warmth of their mother next to them as they sleep.

Then what?

They are taken away.

Taken away from all that is good.

Beaten, bashed, cut, abused, smashed, punched, hit, castrated, shattered.

Pain.

Death.

Sweet death to them, to escape the horror.

Death on your plate, and yet, the fork still enters the gaping hole on your face.

Realize.

Realize what exactly you are doing.

And maybe, perhaps, think about, contemplate— Change.

el sol magazine, Summer 2011 | 11

12 | el sol magazine, Summer 2011

Hell on Wheels

Three days in a friend’s wheelchair gives a *TAB a new perspective on rolling through life.

Story by Lyndsay Winkley Photographed by Diana Inocencio *Temporarily Able-Bodied el sol magazine, Summer 2011 | 13

T

he only thing I know is I don’t know everything.

I now know I know every less about what it means to be disabled than I thought.

I don’t remember what I thought it would be like. Did I think it would be challenging? Was I concerned about my ability to succeed? I should have been.

Because I failed. Consistently.

M y v i ew p o i n t s e d i t o r, w h o u s e s a wheelchair, tasked me with a unique assignment. Use a wheelchair for three days. It was as simple and as life changing as that. Three days turned into 10 days. In the end, my myriad experiences resulted in one-millionth of what it must be like to live with a disability.

14 | el sol magazine, Summer 2011

D ay O n e w a s ab o u t e x p l o r at i o n .

Exploring my new sphere of personal space was completely unique. I was awkward and uncoordinated, but motivated. I went up ramps. I attempted to open doors. I tried to challenge myself. I was going to do this.

The novelty wore off the second day.

Sooner than expected, I found myself making excuses not to sit in the chair. I can’t get into my own front or back door, they are not wheelchair accessible. I can’t reach the sink to do dishes. I can’t get my errands done quickly enough. And so I started spiraling. Rather than living in the chair, I was visiting it.

Depressing.

I quickly began to feel like a fake. Here I was, a trained journalist, tasked to experience and I couldn’t even do that. I was a person without a disability trying to understand something I would never truly comprehend.

What seemed an interesting task began to

feel daunting – impossible.

After five days of visiting the chair, I had an epiphany. I didn’t understand and that was okay. This was hard. Really hard. The lessons would find me.

Making eye contact was a frustrating experience. I constantly craned my neck to speak with people only to watch their eyes gradually grow disinterested and drift away.

As a leader, I found early that I used much of my body to communicate assertiveness.

This was much more difficult for me while using a chair. After spending more than eight hours in the chair, my feet began to swell and my hips were sore – physical symptoms of sitting at an angle that increased mobility but not necessarily comfort.

Everywhere I went, I felt surrounded by an invisible bubble. People seemed intent on making room for me, even going so far as to cross the street. Everything was built for people much taller than me. Help desks,

“I’m (used to being) the one who helps. I’m not the helpee. It’s a struggle to take it one day at a time.”

- Margie Reese

Cancer Survivor, 2011 SWC Student of Distinction Award recipient

library shelves, grocery stores, bathroom sinks, and stove tops were not built for my accessibility. And the only flat surface were the faces of people intent on not staring at me – or missing me completely.

Many people were curious. They wanted to know what it was like and what I had learned.

So I began to research. I spoke in detail with people who had a variety of different disabilities. Women with cancer whose entire life changed after treatment. Students with learning disabilities. Individuals who had been using a wheelchair since a very young age and men who used canes. I began to accept that I would never know what it was like, and instead, used my limited experience to spark conversation. I wanted to hear their stories.

And what I heard was awe-inspiring, heartbreaking and authentic.

Brian Gushue is a copy editor at the North County Times where I am interning.

He loves comics and football and lives with cerebral palsy. During an afternoon shift at the daily, I asked him how he refers to a person with a disability. Comfortably he said, “Usually by their first name.”

Margie Reese is a philanthropist in the purest sense of the word. She loves to write and she’s battled stage-four cancer. After treatment, her body betrayed her, minimizing her mobility in a life-changing way.

“I hate having to ask for help,” she said.

“I’m the one who helps. I’m not the helpee.

It’s a struggle to take it one day at a time.”

Derrick Dudley is a confident and outspoken vice president with the Associated Student Organization who lives with cerebral palsy. Dudley has been a long-time advocate for individuals with disabilities. When a woman working at disability support services was rude to him over the phone, he was firm.

“I hope she’s willing to say that shit to my face,” he said matter-of-factly.

If statistics posted on the enable.com website are correct, there are about 605 million more people living with a disability in the world that I did not speak with. That is one person in 10 worldwide. It is the largest minority group in the world consisting of every age, race, and economic level.

So why did I wait this long to have this dialogue? Why did I not notice missing curb cuts or people without placards or disabilities using parking spaces designated for those who need them? And how many will read these words and take the time to even consider them?

In the words of a dear friend with rheumatoid arthritis, people with disabilities are often seen as broken people. Sometimes they remind us of our own frailties.

I don’t know what it’s like to live with a disability. But I do know that I don’t know – and that is always the first step toward mindfulness. el sol magazine, Summer 2011 | 15

Morones VS Arpaio

Words betw

MORO an ARP Story by Rhett Creel Photographed by Diana Inocencio

Story

America’s immi advocate in a ro conversation wi Toughest Sher

M 16 | el|sol magazine, Summer 2011 April 13, 2011 el sol

5+

ween men

RONES nd PAIO

igrants’ ousing ith ‘America’s riff ’

Story

M

aricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio and Border Angels founder Enrique Morones, two outspoken men on the frontlines of America’s often caustic immigration debate, sat down in Arpaio’s downtown Phoenix office for a lively discussion of the divisive issue. Morones is a human rights leader who has worked tirelessly to show America that Mexican immigrants are mostly hard-working and honorable people who suffer greatly due to American immigration policy. Arpaio is a former soldier and Drug Enforcement Agency officer who is known across America as the no-nonsense sheriff who makes prisoners wear stripes and pink underwear, and work on chain gangs in the sweltering desert. Morones has accused Arpaio of illegally enforcing federal immigration law and mistreating undocumented workers who are not criminals.

el sol magazine, Summer 2011 | 17 April 13, 2011 | el sol

6¤

Inmates read books and travel magazines to pass the time in the open air prison.

18| el sol magazine, Summer 2011

M

orones started the discussion by asking Arpaio what changes he would like to see in federal immigration policy. Arpaio said he would like to see the laws already enacted properly enforced.

“If you don’t like the law, change the law,” he said. “Maybe more visas. Listen, my mother and father came here from Italy. People here from Mexico, South America and all over the world made this country great.”

Arpaio said it was unfair to grant citizenship to Mexican and Latin American immigrants who cross the border illegally while others wait for years to come into the country legally.

Morones said that unlike his parents and Arpaio’s, most of today’s immigrants had no legal means to enter the country.

“I could trace my roots on this side of the border to 8,000 years back on my dad’s side,” Morones said. “It’s easy for people to say, ‘Well they should get in line and do it the right way.’

We all agree on that. Let’s create a right way.

There is no right way for them.”

Morones said the United States is largely responsible for the influx of Mexican immigrants due to NAFTA and trade policies damaging to Latin American farmers. Since the implementation of Operation Gatekeeper in 1994, illegal immigrations have increased, he said, as economic turmoil south of the border drove desperate people north. Morones said more than 10,000 migrants have died crossing

the border in the past 18 years.

Morones questioned Arpaio about being under investigation by the U.S. Judiciary Department for racial profiling and misappropriation of funds. Arpaio bristled at the question and said it was not relevant to a discussion of immigration reform. Morones said it was relevant because Arpaio was zealously corralling undocumented immigrants while under investigation by the federal government.

“Really? Let me tell you something,” barked Arpaio. “I’m enforcing the law. Now you’ve got my blood up a little, which is common with you.

I was saying nice things about you, okay? You can have your Department of Justice that’s been here two years investigating me and my office on alleged racial profiling. Has that stopped me?”

Arpaio said he respected Morones and was willing to communicate with him, but resorting to accusations and mud slinging was unnecessary.

“I’m not accusing you of anything,” said Morones. “Let those other things run their course. I’m not a lawyer. There are other people that are handling that.”

Morones asked if there was an incident during Arpaio’s tenure as an American agent in Mexico that may have compelled him to adopt his hardline stance on immigrants.

“No! I got along great with President Echeverria” said Arpaio. “He used to come to my house, quite frequently. I fed him blueberry pie and whiskey. I got more done with blueberry pie and whiskey than the big American stick!”

Arpaio said he felt the inmates in his jails were treated humanely and hoped that Morones would look into Maricopa County’s GED and drug prevention programs.

“You’re gonna say, you know what? This sheriff isn’t as bad as people say. Which I hope you don’t say, because you’ll be ruining my reputation,” joked Arpaio. “Don’t ever call me nice. I hope the inmates don’t say to you, I love the sheriff. You know I wouldn’t like that.”

Arpaio said he was in favor of having the U.S. military enter Mexico and work bilaterally with the Mexican government to resolve the drug cartel crime epidemic in the country.

Morones said he definitely did not think the U.S. military should go into Mexico.

“We saw what happened in 1846 when they took half the territory,” he said. “It was wrong then and it’s wrong now.”

“What about around the world then?” said Arpaio. “So you’re against the military going anywhere around the world?”

“I can’t think of a good cause to go into another country except for humanitarian reasons,” Morones said.

“Then I never should’ve been there,” Arpaio countered. “I should’ve never been operational (in Mexico), in gun battles, working with the president. Is that what you’re saying?”

“Quite possibly,” Morones replied.

Morones said he had originally planned to speak with Arpaio in a more private setting without the media throng. Arpaio agreed to honor the request and began moving towards his personal office. el sol magazine, Summer 2011 | 19

A

rapio’s office is adorned with pictures of himself posing with presidents and key political figures, promotional posters which he is glad to autograph for the public, plush-doll figurines of prisoners wearing pink underwear and a faux-antique wooden sign behind his desk which reads, “If you don’t want to do the time…don’t do the crime.”

Arpaio was asked why the inmates are required to wear pink underwear.

“What the - ? The world’s caving in and you’re talking about pink underwear? I mean that’s, that’s amazing,” said Arpaio.

Arpaio said the reason the underwear were dyed pink was to prevent inmates from stealing them upon release from jail.

“That’s the official reason,” said Arpaio. “You wanna know the unofficial reason, since I’m a very honest guy? They hate pink. You got it?

They don’t like pink underwear.”

Arpaio expressed gratitude to Morones for being able to engage in a reasonable discussion, even if they were of different minds. He said his relationship with protesters and demonstrators had gradually devolved over the years.

“I used to be able to talk to the demonstrators,” he said. “But now I can’t talk because when I say anything, they scream and the TV is there, they get their word on and I get mine and that’s it.”

Morones said he felt that there was a time and place for freedom of speech to be exercised.

“I don’t condemn those people for doing that,” he said. “But I also don’t support anybody, whether it’s them or anybody else, promoting violence as a result of their demonstration.”

Morones said some of the media, particularly Fox News, had degenerated from reporting news to reporting opinions designed to exploit the country’s polarized political and ideological climate.

“You and I disagree on a lot of things and agree on some things, but we’re dialoguing,” said Morones. “There are other people who want to do this, but somebody has to take the first step.”

Morones concurred with Arpaio’s earlier statement that President Obama would be better suited to seek the council of the sheriff and himself than those he was discussing the matter with.

“We’re the ones on the front lines, like you said,” Morones said. “What does Arnold Schwarzenegger know about this? He’s in Sacramento, he’s out of touch. And even though New York is a border state, they’re looking at this from far away. The people that are most afraid of the border are the people that are furthest from the border because they have no idea what’s really going on.”

20 | el sol magazine, Summer 2011

Prison garb is a standard issue in most correctional facitlities, but the pink underwear at Tent City has become a Phoenix roadside attraction.

el sol magazine, Summer 2011 | 21

“President Echeverria used to come to my house. I fed him blueberry pie and whiskey."Sheriff Joe Arpaio

A

rpaio and Morones agreed that the U.S. should offer Mexico foreign aid and assistance, partially under the logic that boosting Mexico’s economy and job market might result in fewer illegal immigrants.

Arpaio said Mexico was an oil producer and a reasonably wealthy country.

“Why isn’t that developed?” he said.

“Is it the internal problems that have been here for years and years?”

Morones said although Mexico has risen from the 50th most powerful economy in the world to the 12th, there still remained a gaping chasm between number 12 and number one.

“You can build that up with factories and build up that economy,” Arpaio said.

“Let’s get over there and help them bilaterally. I don’t mean invade Mexico, but use all our resources that we can to try and stop this crime over there. Send a message out.”

“We ought to go to a good Mexican restaurant,” said Arpaio. “I can’t go to a Mexican restaurant around here. Are you kidding? Either they run out the back door or they spit in my food. I can’t go anywhere. Maybe you can help me. I can’t go to McDonald’s. I raided that.”

Arpaio confessed to a grudging respect for Morones as a man of clarity and conviction.

“You don’t have to say nice things about me,” said Arpaio. “This isn’t a love affair. But we do have to have a little mutual respect.”

Morones was granted access, as Arpaio promised, to the notorious Tent City jail.

“You’re lucky it’s not summertime,

22 | el sol magazine, Summer 2011

Maricopa County

because it’s not 130 degrees today,” said Arpaio. “But I told them, you go into the tent, you talk to anybody you want. I must be a little strange. Because if I’ve got so much to hide, why do I let anybody go in there, talk to all the inmates? I could care less.”

Officer Ramirez, a deputy at the jail, served as a greeter and escort through the security vestibule just inside the jail’s interior, leading to a facility called a day room.

“This day room is open 24 hours with the exception of lockdown, when we have emergencies, or for lunch and stuff,” said Ramirez, who explained that the day room was there to cool off the inmates from the harsh desert climate when necessary.

Inside the day room a few scattered groups congregated around a deck of cards or a game of dominoes, a pair of showers on the far wall, and a television set high out of reach, nestled in the corner right above the ceiling. Sterilizers and cleaning products did little to mask the stench of perspiration.

“This is the best part about this whole place,” said Nima Hadadi, an IranianAmerican inmate at Tent City serving time for a felony probation violation.

“Other than that it’s miserable.”

Much has been made in the media of moldy bologna sandwiches, a rumor that was quickly confirmed by inmates.

“Oh yeah, that’s true,” said Robert Holden, another incarcerated inmate.

“On the weekends usually. We usually get peanut butter sandwiches on weekdays.”

Inmates are given two meals a day, a “brunch” and a hot meal that they refer to as “chow.”

“Basically you can figure out what you’re gonna have the next day by looking

at what you had the day before,” says Hadadi. “That’s gonna be what you’re gonna have tomorrow except with water added to it. It’s just slop. Every day. Slop.”

“You wouldn’t even feed that to your dogs,” said Viki Fangupo, an inmate from Tonga.

Unlike prisons, jails are generally for those serving terms of less than one year.

Because of the shorter terms inmates are given less freedoms than those serving long prison sentences.

“I’d rather do 10 years in prison than one year here,” said Hadadi. “I’d rather throw away that long instead of being here. It’s that bad.”

One freedom of the outside world retained by inmates is reading.

“Yeah, we can have books,” said Hadadi. “This isn’t Farenheit 451.”

Outside in the Tent City the sight resembles an army barracks. In some of the rolled up rain-tarps on the tops of the bunks, pigeons nest and lay eggs. A watchtower not too far in the distance of the compound glares stubbornly under the big open desert sky.

A sign says “Vacancy.”

Inmates take refuge from the brutal Arizona sun in the airconditioned facility called the day room where they also eat their meals. el sol magazine, Summer 2011 | 23

Food and Health

Social maté is a fr In Argentina this conversational drink and social tradition is enjoyed by every generation. You don’t have to be South American to enjoy a matécito.

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riendly lift

L

Story by Marcela Appelhanz Photographed by Amber Sykes

ook out coffee, Yerba maté (mah-táy) is moving in. Native to South America, the energizing beverage is a traditional drink in Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia and southern Brazil.

Americans may find the tea-like drink intimidating in its loose-leaf form, but the drink promotes friendship and socializing, typically served with close friends and family.

Traditionally, one person serves it (lo ceba) and must drink the first pouring as it will be the strongest, sort of taking one for the team. After drinking all the water (you will know by the sound of air being sucked up) whomever is pouring the maté will fill it up again with hot water and pass it on to the next person. Once he’s done, he will give it back to the original person. This is repeated until the whole group of friends has had one serving. The cycle starts again and continues until people are satisfied or they run out of water. (Or conversation.)

There are infinite variations to maté. Whether to add sugar (dulce o amargo?) is one of the first questions one would ask when serving someone new. With summer here, a more attractive variation may be its cold version, tereré. It can be served with lime, orange or pineapple juice, nicknamed tereré ruso for its popularity with Russian immigrants in South America.

Containing 1/3 of the caffeine of coffee and more antioxidants, maté may also be a healthier choice. Its alkaline nature makes it easier to digest, less likely to upset the tummy. Happy stomach makes for a happy day. Maté is the Southern Hemisphere's happiest drink.

North America will be smiling soon.

How to prepare a proper maté What you will need: • A maté container • A bombilla (straw) • Yerba • Water • A thermos • Sugar or honey if desired Maté traditions vary from location to location. This version is Patagonian. It is served in a matécup, where the yerba is poured in its loose leaf form. A metal straw (bombilla) filters it as the flavored water comes up.

1) Heat enough water to fill a thermos (do not let it boil!) The temperature is key. Boiling water will burn the yerba and the taste will fade faster. This is one of the harder steps to master.

2) While the water is heating, pour yerba into the crumbled maté leaves, 2/3 full.

3) Place your palm on top of container and turn upside-down as you shake the yerba inside to filter out any twigs or dust the yerba might have.

4) As you turn it upright make sure the yerba sits on one side of the container to leave room for the bombilla.

5) Place the bombilla inside the container pointing away from the side the yerba is sitting on.

6) Once the water is hot, place in thermos to keep it from cooling.

7) Pour the first maté (which you will drink) slowly adding water on top of the bombilla. This will make most of the yerba stay dry on top. As you keep the cycle going it will preserve the taste longer.

8) Sit back and enjoy a good conversation with friends.

Check out exclusive healthy recipes from SWC faculty and staff at www.theswcsun.com el sol magazine, Summer 2011 | 25

s ’ l i z Bra

e l b a e v o m

a t s Fie

A B M U Z “A party without alcohol,” the new fitness sensation is good for the heart, good for the soul and a good time for all.

Story by Brittany Comas Photographed by Jiamay Austria

Working out was never my thing. I was that girl who complained when she got sweaty and couldn’t work a treadmill. It was time to get my act together. It was my last semester at Southwestern College and I had been waiting on my acceptance letter to CSU Chico. My life was changing, so I decided to try something new. Exercise!

I joined a gym and heard talk about Zumba classes. I had only ever seen a few infomercials but I thought, "Well it's like a dance class, right? Easy."

I gave it a try and instantly knew it was "my thing."

One class a week turned into five and I fell in love with Zumba. I left the gym thinking, "I'm sweating more than I›ve ever sweat before, my face is red, my legs hurt... and I still want more!"

Zumba adds a healthful element to my life and it helps to keep my life in balance. Zumba is like a party without alcohol. After a long day at school, piles of homework and other stressors, I look forward to my Zumba time.

The best part about a Zumba class is that it always feels like a party. The music is loud and that's the point. The Zumba mantra is "Feel the music, join the party!" and students are expected to do just that. There is no stepby-step direction before every class, instructors lead by example and encourage their classes to just feel it and do what feels right.

People immediately saw a nice change in me. My boyfriend noticed an instant change in my attitude. He was so supportive and happy that I found something for myself. I was, too. Before Zumba, my only hobbies were work and school and those aren't really hobbies. I made new friends with my Zumba classmates, became friends with my instructor and began to realize that Zumba kept me sane. It's an instant release of the stress, almost a therapeutic feeling.

My family also started noticing a change in my behavior and my personal appearance. I started dropping inches after only two weeks. I became more energized and happy, due to the endorphins released in the brain during exercise. After a few weeks of Zumba just about everyone who knew me, saw it had become an important part of my life. Everyone I know has been really supportive and has seen what Zumba has done for me.

Then I made a huge decision. I decided I wanted to become a Zumba instructor. I thought that with my dance experience and newly upbeat attitude, I'd be great at it.

"I fell in love with Zumba.

I left the gym thinking, I’m sweating more than I’ve ever sweat before. My face is red, my legs hurt and I still want more!"

I have been in love with dancing ever since I could walk.

It started with Mickey Mouse Club dancers and progressed to learning NSync choreography and teaching my friends.

In sixth grade I started taking lessons and I stayed involved with dance up to my first year of college. I've been trained in modern, jazz and ballet, but my passion lies in hip-hop.

That is, until I found Zumba. Now my mix of Latin flavor and dance experience has helped me excel in Zumba.

The journey to becoming an instructor sounds easy, but it takes a lot of work. To become a Zumba instructor, it takes one full day of professional training taught by Zumba Education Specialists. I learned the basic steps, took two master classes, and then I earned my Zumba Instructor License.

I think the instructor training helped me find my style, too.

I noticed that everyone did things differently, and I liked the way I approached things. I think my classes will be fun, loud, interactive and butt-kicking for sure!

I like to jump around a lot and use fast-paced music. Most everyone there liked the slower salsa, but I was jumping around to the merengue music the entire day. The music, the moves and the excitement will get stuck in your head. It's an addiction!

I can't wait to see how people perceive my class once I start officially teaching. I'd like to teach in the area until I transfer to CSU Chico. I am so excited to transfer and even more excited that being a Zumba instructor will help me pay my way through college. Being the go-getter that I am, I started Googling "Zumba classes Chico, CA" and a few links came up, but what I found wasn't very exciting. Zumba hasn't quite hit Chico the way it has hit here, but I plan to change that. I've already contacted 20 different gyms, fitness centers, recreation centers and dance studios asking for jobs.

My experiences in journalism will help me to market my own personal brand and help make Zumba a big thing in Chico.

No matter what I get into after I graduate with my BA in journalism, I'll still teach Zumba. Reporter by day, Zumba Instructor by night! That sounds perfect to me.

I hope to become a great instructor with full classes and a demand for more. I'd love to host some charity Zumba events in the near future as well. There are Zumbathons for cancer, heart disease and even for smaller charities. I'd love to give back to my community using Zumba. Although there are other ways to try Zumba, nothing compares to taking an actual class and I'd encourage everyone to come out and try it out at least once. el sol magazine, Summer 2011 | 29

arts & entertainment

San Diego comedian Christian Spicer outside Lestat's Coffee House, one of many burgeoning comedy strongholds in the region.

Serious about Comedy Story by Tommy Lord Photographs by Tommy Lord and Amber Sykes

Funny thing, but the South Bay’s got a comedy scene. It’s small, but like a swelling laugh, it is growing. Southwestern College alumni are leading a comedic Renaissance and that's no joke.

B

en Garcia-Reyes takes comedy seriously.

He has to.

Garcia-Reyes puts up with no funny business when it comes to the funny business. A Southwestern College alum with a wicked sense of humor and business acumen like P.T. Barnham, he has helped turn the dreary Chula Vista Sports Bar into one of San Diego County’s burgeoning laugh lounges.

There are a few patrons in the bar, but the night is young and

30 | el sol magazine, Summer 2011

Garcia-Reyes is confident.

“If you build it, they will come,” he said, but this was no Iowa cornfield. His faith—and the marketing plan--paid off. As the crowd grew larger the comedians grew more confident, as they delivered each punch line smoothly and waited for the payoff.

The show was a success, and it was just the first of many GarciaReyes had put together that month.

“I don’t like to mess around with the politics when it comes to putting together a show,” says Garcia-Reyes. “I let the people I

know are funny and have the experience get the feature or headlining spot and I like to mix it up a lot and give people shots, so that they can experience a good show.”

Stand-up in Chula Vista and San Diego has gone far beyond comedy clubs.

Comedians are gaining favor in our stressful era of recession, terror and

Saturday Night Live and Kids in the Hall.

“This is kind of the golden age of sketch,” says Spicer. “We just wanted to work with people that we thought were funny and creative and get things out there. We’ve been cranking it recently, putting out sketches pretty regularly. It took us a while to find our stride, but it’s

been crazy.”

Much like a family, stand-up comedians stick together, embrace one another with support and work their hardest to ensure that this art form stays alive. That, you can be sure, is no laughing matter.

“It’s about having fun. If I’m going to be doing something and it’s stressful, then why do it,” said Garcia-Reyes. “And I am having fun. I get to meet a lot of people, make people laugh, which is the one thing I love to do. Even if I don’t get to go up, I get to bring people that I know will make the audience laugh.”

“It’s about having fun. If I’m going to be doing something and it’s stressful, then why do it.”- Ben Garcia-Reyes, comedian global warming. Folks need to laugh.

These days comedians may outnumber musicians and poets. At the Blarney Stone Pub in Claremont on Sunday nights and Mondays at Lestat’s Cafe in North Park, comedians rule.

Comedy of the stand-up variety is American as apple pie and as varied as the jellybeans at Gimbals. Locations like Over the Border in southern Chula Vista, Buster’s Bay Side Restaurant in National City and the Salty Frog in Imperial Beach all have raucus comedy. Like musicians, comedians have to find new ways to gain exposure and attract fans. Facebook and Twitter help put new material out and advertise gigs. YouTube allows them to add their performances and other forms of media to their channel, making them easily accessible.

In University Heights Rajan Dharni and Christian Spicer, a comedian who has performed with Garcia-Reyes on a number of occasions, host a show at Bourbon Street Bar and Grill featuring headlining performers from E! Entertainment, Comedy Central and Hollywood comedy clubs. When asked to describe what to expect from one of his shows, Spicer doesn’t skip a beat to promote his gig.

“Oh my god, you have to come to a show, it is so good!” he enthused.

“Christianspicer.com, it is so amazing, oh my god!”

In addition to performing live, Spicer and Dharni are members of Cool Party Guys, a group of local stand up comedians who take advantage of these technologies, releasing a live and downloadable podcast every week for free and making videos reminiscent of

Clockwise from top right: Christian Spicer preps for his gig at Lestat's Coffee House where he and Rhajon Dharni host a weekly comedy showcase, Omar Moore knocks 'em dead at comedy night at Chula Vista Sports Bar, Ben Garcia-Reyes performs his set at Over the Border.

el sol magazine, Summer 2011 | 31

Highway 1 Story by Angela Soberanes Photographed by Marshall Murphy

Andy Sanchez, former SWC troubadour, busking on the streets of downtown San Diego as Adam's Apple.

101 Revisited T he great American troubadours all have powerful messages, a love for travel and a touch of indignation at the unfairness of the world. Woody Guthrie, Pete Seegar and Bob Dylan were peripatetic social commentators before they were songwriting icons. But at least they told their mothers they were leaving home.

Southwestern College musician Andy Sanchez embarked on his journey equipped with a pack of Camels and a plastic bag concealing 96 ounces of fermented alcohol. He is a lone vagabond with tattered luggage and a worn out guitar waiting on the Coaster train heading northbound to San Francisco. He did not tell his mom he was leaving.

Whether he is bound for glory like Guthrie is unknown, but Sanchez has embraced the journey. Nicknamed “Adam's Apple” by a friend, Sanchez said he will do what it takes to survive playing folk tunes and selling his CD

along the way.

After three semesters as an SWC music major, he has hopped aboard Dylan’s slow train.

Sanchez’s eponymous record “Adam's Apple” features 11 tracks of clever selftaught music. He is earthy as Robert Johnson, but tuneful as Mozart.

He plans on selling demo tapes while he is backpacking up and down the streets of the San Francisco Bay Area, a place he feels is more accepting than San Diego of street performers.

He will also reunite with drummer Chris Valdez, a band mate from high school, to write songs about subhuman labor conditions endured by workers in Northern California, an echo of Guthrie's work with Southern California fruit harvesters.

Sanchez packed his bags discreetly in his room so his mother wouldn’t hear him.

Stacks of vinyl records and all of Bob Dylan’s hits adorn the artist’s cave, as a protective pomeranian named Zoe watched the scene from her throne of pillows.

Positioned near a wall dedicated to images of rock-and-roll icons was a single photo of two young boys. They stand in what seems like the hot lands of Africa. It was a picture with a direct emotional message to Valdez. Since his freshman year in high school he has dreamed of recording music and overcoming personal strife.

“I actually found that at a thrift store,” he said. “I just liked how it represented us for some reason.”

Enchanting melodies, lively accordion, piano, mandolin and vocals create the sound of Adam's Apple. Sanchez combines his Spanish culture and beliefs as he sings of a world without restrictions or enslavement.

He also uses household objects like spoons tapping on vases, breaking glass and clinking coins to form the aural atmosphere of his recordings.

Sanchez completed all but one music and theory class SWC has to offer. A brush with death altered his priorities.

“I was sick and walking home in the rain,” said Sanchez. “I collapsed when I was walking and I had to go to the hospital for five days.”

A collapsed lung knocked him out of school but did not silence his voice.

“I have all the knowledge I want from school, but not in the sense that I don’t want to learn anymore,” said Sanchez Living a few blocks west of the Bonita/ Sunnyside Public Library provided him easy access to the philosophical books he craved.

“My teacher James Henry (professor of commercial music) taught me about recording, he taught me about music business and he taught me just like philosophy on stuff just by being in his class,” he said.

His lyrics are inspired by life events, Sanchez said, like nights of fleeting romance and harsh endings.

“Two loves lost just misplaced/ I hope she understands she left her wallet behind/ I hope she understands her identity is mine,” he sings with tongue-in-cheek reminiscent of “Norwegian Wood.”

In a song he wrote to his mother he tells her a few things he was not able to before he left. He thanks her for love, shelter and other motherly reveries that shaped his character. But he couldn’t bring himself to tell her he was leaving home.

“Aw, you’re mom is gonna be so mad,” said Christina Marquez as she accompanied him on his last night in Chula Vista before the morning train.

Next morning a loud thump shook the car as Sanchez tossed his things into the trunk.

“Did you kiss her goodbye at least?” asked Marquez.

Sanchez wouldn’t say. Ahead of him lay the road, music and adventure. Everything else was the past.

Stirrings of the past twisted through his thoughts like melodic phrases and lines of verse. Duke Ellington wrote hundreds of compositions on trains. So did Johnny Cash. Sanchez couldn’t write songs until he took care of something that was suddenly important.

After a long train ride he decided to make a phone call at a lonely rest stop half way to San Francisco.

Sanchez then hopped onto a bus toward a new life--with the blessing of his mother.

Tracks Jaguar

Reviews of Southwestern College Recording Artists

Raw Deal American Citizen

Peter Merritt The Road to Tijuana

Apex Realm Demo

Hip-hop artist’s anger drowns out his global message

Talented student troubador has bright road ahead

Upbeat hip-hop crew is musical and likeable

Beware, content is explicit and is not appropriate for young ears.

SWC hip-hop artist Raw Deal has a radio-quality sound, but vulgar lyrics overpower the message of the music. His debut CD “American Citizen” has some inspiring words, but misleads the audience with disturbing and violent lyrics that are misogynistic and mean.

Raw Deal drapes himself in a cloak of political conscience, but only one track out of the 19 has anything to do with unity and worldly conflicts. Showcasing his talents, he starts off angrily expressing how corrupt the country has become and how its citizens are lost in poverty.

“The Same Struggle” makes the case that all the world’s problems are the same and people need to unite. War is everywhere and it needs to stop. Unfortunately, this message is lost among the rest of the snarling tracks.

Lacking original hooks, there are no tracks that keep the lyrics stuck in your head.

Raw Deal’s album is of quality sound comparable to professional recordings, but the beats sound like the sloppy seconds to any Tupac or Notorious B.I.G song.

Its lyrics lack any uniqueness. If Raw Deal plans on making it big, he needs to move big and out of the worn-out hip-hop box.

“American Citizen” was a good first exercise, Raw Deal sounds like every other rap group in the industry. Unoriginal and impacting nobody but the ‘hos they are harassing, he reached for the stars, but only grabbed a cloud. Finding your sound and voice takes time and for right now, American Citizen should be kept in the past.

In a generation where musicians strive to reinvent, hybridize and even make up genres, Peter Merritt decides to stick to the roots of Folk Rock. Merritt’s album “The Road to Tijuana” is peppered with some of the best elements of the ‘60s and ‘70s music scene. Guitar licks reminiscent of Neil Young, a voice that has somehow found its way in between Tom Petty and Bob Dylan, and some familiar tunes by greats like the Doors and Sonny Boy Williams II make this an easy listen.

Once you pop in “The Road to Tijuana” your attention is grabbed by an old, familiar blues tune, “Help Me,” a composition made famous by Williams in the early ‘60s that sets the mood for this somber yet optimistic album. It is obvious that Merritt put a lot of heart into this project. The music is raw and the lyrics, for the most part, come off as very sincere as he sings about alienation, bittersweet love experiences and insecurities.

The quality of the album is not what you would expect from an independent musician handing out CD-Rs covered with a hand-drawn album cover. “The Road to Tijuana” is the real deal. The instruments are leveled out to near perfection with Merritt’s voice hitting the foreground clean and clear.

“The Road to Tijuana” is a pretty refreshing experience. It’s nice to take a break from the trance and metal music that is hitting the music scene at full force. Merritt’s songs are well paced and catchy. If you are looking for something “chill” to listen to and like to support your local musicians, Peter Merritt delivers.

Cody Yarbro

Tommy Lord

34| el sol magazine, Summer 2011

Never heard something so fresh.

Apex Realm has the jazz.

Contemporary hip-hop artists with old school soul, Apex Realm has universal appeal. Band members Lethargik, Okey Dokes, Skelly and Chief Lion have mastered walking basslines and off-beat pianos generating sounds like choruses of orchestrated waves, along with a playful juxtaposition of watered-down old school Game Boy pings. Sampled crackles from the time-tripping vinyls enhance its organic sound.

Apex Realm features lyrics that are very zen and optimistic, which makes the group all the more likeable.

A departure from other angry hiphop groups, Apex Realm is a breath of fresh air with rhymes expressing appreciation of life, humor and spunk.

Fans of musical giants like J Dilla, A Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul will have their fancies tickled if they’re willing to lend an ear to Apex Realm.

Available currently on Myspace.com and apexrealm.bandcamp.com is its two-song demo, “Dogs for Dinner” and “Thanks.”

Andrea Aliseda

If you wish to submit an album for review please e-mail elsol@ theswcsun.com. Submissions must be hard copy of album, demo or EP. No on-line entries please.

Draind

Featured artist

Brandon Lobb, Jonathan Biong, Alex Utrilla and Luis Hernandez make up the Southwestern College metal band, Draind.

Profile by Marisela Pulido Brandon Lobb confessed he had no idea when he joined his middle school marching band as a 12 year old he would be an up-andcoming thrash metal star a decade later.

Southwestern College students Jonathan Biong, a music major, and Lobb are pounding their way into the ears and hearts of hardcore fans with their band, Draind.

Members have performed at Soma’s Battle of the Bands and Epicentre. Every Sunday they can be heard on the Rock 105.3FM “Local Hour.”

Soon Draind will produce it’s first EP, “Deflesh Our Brothers.”

Guitarist Biong and drummer Lobb are joined by guitarist and lead vocalist Alex Utrilla, 23, and 22-year-old bassist/vocalist Luis Hernandez.

Draind was created in 2003 by Biong and Utrilla when they were in high school. Lobb and Hernandez joined the band in 2007.

Members display a musical energy along with hard metal camaraderie.

“I think one of the reasons our band has stayed together so long is that we’re all friends outside of the band,” said Biong.

“No one is big-headed,” said Lobb.

It took two years to complete “Deflesh Our Brothers,” said Lobb, but years to compile the inspiration. Everyone in the band has input when it comes to writing the songs.

“We all have life experiences to write about,”

said Lobb.

No subject is taboo on the nine-track EP. “Women, anger and political events are just some of the inspirations behind our songs,” said Utrilla.

Members’ tastes in music are diverse despite their heavy genre. Bob Dylan, Nirvana and Cyndi Lauper are among Utrilla’s favorite artists, though their band’s influences are along the lines of Metallica, As I Lay Dying and Lamb of God. Utrilla’s intense vocals coupled with Hernandez’s heavy bass and Biong’s frenetic guitar rhythm sets Draind apart from the overplayed music of Katy Perry and Justin Bieber.

Each band member openly displays his passion for playing onstage.

“I feel on top of the world when I’m performing,” said Hernandez. “It’s like it’s what I’m supposed to do.”

“It’s like a 35 minute orgasm!” said Lobb.

Music has been a part of their lives since childhood, said Biong. He and Utrilla started at 16, he said, and both learned to play guitar on their own. Hernandez joined his high school marching band’s drumline.

Draind is planning to come out with a second EP this June, said Biong.

“We’ve been around for a long time,” he said.

“It would be cool to have a couple more years of Draind.”

Draind Deflesh our Brothers Southwestern College band thrashing its way onto playlists Sporting a sound that is much like a cross pollination of heavy-metal entities Deicide and Slayer, Draind chugs its way through its first EP entitled “Deflesh Our Brothers.”

The EP features nine tracks, each lasting long enough to feed your hunger for heavy string work, guttural vocals and groovy drumming that leaves you asking for seconds. Thick and tasteful guitar licks take the foreground as the brutal beatings and thumping of the rhythm section act as cement for this brick house.

“Greybloodshed,” the sixth track on the album, gives you a minute (literally) to catch your breath before pulling you back into the mayhem as Draind introduces the track with a tribal arrangement that feels like Alice in Chains.

Draind does an amazing job taking the thrash metal genre and adding modern elements that would have both ‘80s thrashers and modern metal fans banging their heads in approval.

Tommy Lord el sol magazine, Summer 2011 |35

fashion

STYLE

FILES Southwestern College students show their flare for creating champagne fashion magic on a beer budget.

36 | el sol magazine, Summer 2011

B Melissa Jacobo,19

Jacobo mixes many styles in one look, with subtle accents.

Here’s how her look stacks up against designer duds: A. J.Crew Sweater - $80 vs. Charlotte Russe - $25 B. Michael Kors Wallet - $195 vs. Billabong -$25 C. Topshop Boots -$140 vs. Vintage D.3.1 Lim - $423 Skirt vs. Forever 21- $50

C

A

“Fashion makes you feel good about yourself.”- Jacobo

D

el sol magazine, Summer 2011 |37

Cynthia Gonzalez, 19

B Gonzalez goes against the norm and thinks outside the box.

Take a peek at how her look matches up with high-end labels: A. Antik Salma Dress - $233 vs. H&M - $19 B. Deepa Gurnani Headband - $81 vs. Billabong - $3 C. Gorjana Somerset Disc Earrings -$70 vs. H&M - $8

A

C

“ I’m really into fashion, I like to play around with my clothes and match.”- Gonzalez 38 | el sol magazine, Summer 2011

Clinton Burton, 19

A

Burton dresses the part at all times, taking inspiration from the past and making it modern.

Here’s how his choices reflect runway ready-to-wear pieces: A. Balmain T-Shirt - $272 vs. Marshall’s -$12

Photos -- Jacobo: A.&B. netaporter.com C. boutique1.com, D. topshop.com Gonzalez: A. 25park.com, B. brownsfashion.com, C. charmandchain.com Burton: A.&B. mrporter.com

B. Rag & Bone Jeans - $81 vs. Marshall’s - $25

“I like to dress nice. My dad always did, so I always have and will continue to do so.”- Burton

B el sol magazine, Summer 2011 |39

S

Rose Tom and Rose at the Exploratorium in San Francisco.

LIKES DISLKES

Sojournalists Story by Amber Sykes | Photographed by Diana Inocencio and Amber Sykes

The life and journey of paper dolls, our alter egos and a great college journalism convention.

O

ur state journalism convention was held in Sacramento this semester, which to us meant ROAD TRIP! With adventure calling, as well as the prospect of winning some awards, we mapped out our journey and came up with a creative way of keeping ourselves entertained on the road. Thus we found ourselves as elaborately described paper dolls created by Emily Winfield Martin.

This was a journey we saw through the eyes of our dolls. And through them, maybe you will meet us.

MADONNA INN, SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA Madonna wasn't even there.

Stories on the radio, taking the subway, mice Hot weather, sweatpants, other people feeling embarrassed el sol magazine, Summer 2011 | 41

Jack LIKES Graph paper, documentaries, buttons DISLKES Untied Shoelaces, leaky pens, gloomy Sundays

Henry LIKES His pipe, mystery stories, apjacks DISLKES Idle chatter, termites,

poorly researched history books

BUBBLEGUM ALLEY- SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA Surviving a sticky situation

ROUTE 101, GILROY, CA - Home of the world-famous Garlic Festival.

Just oustide the Garlic Shoppe stocked with all your garlic needs-- from ice cream and mayonaise to mixed nuts-- the party took a breather. It gets cramped in a car with four other paperdolls after a few hours. About 20 minutes later the group left Gilroy, but the aroma of garlic came along for the ride.

Violaine LIKES

Music from before she was born, black swans, tea with lots of sugar

DISLIKES Stand-up comedy, warm-weather vacations, people her own age

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - Just outside City Lights bookstore, Tom and Rose imagine what it must have been like circa 1960 when the place endulged the great beat writers. Allen Ginsberg shouts "Howl" from the top of his lungs and we walk down Jack Kerouac Alley, stopping at Vesuvio for his favorite tasty beverage. Next stop - Chinatown.

Tom LIKES Trains, pocket watches, November DISLKES Falling down stairs, thieves, potato eyes

SACRAMENTO, CA JACC convention. Hazel and Olive make like "The Shining" but the Double Tree Hotel was actually a friendly place.

LIKES DISLKES Jack

SACRAMENTO, CA - State capitol, a lovely site to see and host to the Journalism Association of Community College 2011 State Convention.

Sometimes JACC is stressful, but it's never a chore. After all the wonderful places we stopped, a Double Tree Hotel in the outskirts of Sactown may not be a prime destination, but is the vortex of our adventures. Our minds are challenged and creative juices run dry by the end of it, but win or lose, everyone learns something and we're on our way to becoming better journalists. We did win some awards and we also made some new friends. But did we make enemies? A fantastic cartoon of SWC journalism students in our now famous cardigans was the trip's ultimate enigma.

Whether it was a ruse to get us in trouble or a tribute to how awesome the cardigans were, we will never know, but we will always be flattered by the notoriety of it all. Now we need to make paper doll-sized cardigans for the next adventure. el sol magazine, Summer 2011 | 47

sol el MAGAZINE

Summer Edition 2011

From Struggling Immigrant to Doctoral Student

Frugal Fashionistas Hot Jaguar Tracks