Converge Magazine - Issue 3 Spring 2023

converge

Issue 3 | Spring 2023

CONTENTS FAMILY AND CULTURE

6

8 11 14

Somebody’s Someone

By Jennifer Serrano Ramirez Struggles as a Teen Mom

By Teresa Balmori Perez From Addiction to Caregiving

By Amanda Wisdom Wave your Flag

By Frankie Nadal

ARTISTS AND ADVOCATES

18

A Journey to Empowerment

By Jessica Estrada

21

Songwriting Savant

By Kaleema Ishmel

24

A Passion for Poetry

By Autumn Layton

26

A Place Where Wonder and Whimsy Come to Life

By Frankie Nadal

28

Artist Profile: Daisy Gomez

By Dina Olvera

30

A Real Life Rags-to-Riches

By Stephanie King

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LIFE AND ADVICE

32

Punk Rock and Parenting

By Brandon Strumlauf

34

Natural and Nourished

By Haydee Barahona

38

Young, Broke and Making a Difference

By Alexis Lynde

40

Building a Sustainable Wardrobe

By Hollie Briceno

42

What’s Your Number?

By Sarah Schusler

44

The Great Outdoors

By Elise Mayer

46

Tacos Mi Casa

By Haydee Barahona

50

Baking Her Way to a Business Degree

By Jaylene Collins

52

Monday Night Mocktails

By Jocelynn Landon and Kristen McGuire

54

Food Around the World

By Camila Arambula, Haydee Barahona, Joselyn Green, Elizabeth Lackey, Maya Morales and Kiara Zabala

FOOD AND FUN

TABLE OF CONTENTS | 3

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Dear Converge Readers, After almost two years, I am so excited to share the third issue of Converge Magazine. Our first issue was inspired by attending a college journalism conference. That impact has come full circle as this year’s team was influenced by the fellow student journalists we met at another national journalism conference to highlight the diverse voices in our community.

Two months into the Spring 2023 semester, we were determined to bring our vision to life: a magazine in which we can connect with readers through our pages, both visually and narratively.

Our team finally had the opportunity to work on Converge hands-on for the first time since the pandemic. Each writer, photographer, artist and page designer put their mind and body in the spaces that produce these stories.

Inside this magazine is a collection of unique, multicultural experiences, written by students who were committed to bringing them beyond the parameters of California State University, Bakersfield. Together, we gathered a range of stories about artists, advocates, families and cultures, offering advice and excitement that is accessible to our readers. From honoring a relative’s legacy by helping those in need, to tips on how to be a punk-rock parent, there is something for everyone to take away from Converge.

Thank you for your support and readership, and for opening your minds to celebrate this community that we share. With that, I invite you to another year of stories where you can read about where our lives converge.

Haydee Barahona Converge Editor 4 | SPRING 2023

converge OUR MISSION: Converge magazine enlightens and connects its readers by exposing them to local cultures and communities through arts and language. All stories, artwork, and photography in the magazine are produced by students at California State University, Bakersfield. Converge is a product of The Runner, the independent student newspaper produced as a learning lab in the Department of Communications at CSUB.

EDITOR Haydee Barahona, hbarahona@csub.edu

ADVISOR Jennifer Burger jburger1@csub.edu

CONTENT CREATORS Front cover by Elise Mayer and Vada Hepner, Back cover by Anaiah Alfred Ray Alarcon Marquez, Camila Arambula, Anaiah Alfred, Teresa Balmori Perez, Haydee Barahona, Hollie Briceno, Jaylene Collins, Jessica Estrada, Brianna Fay, Joselyn Green, Kaleema Ishmel, Jocelynn Landon, Autumn Layton, Ernesto Leon, Alexis Lynde, Elise Mayer, Kristen McGuire, Maya Morales, Frankie Nadal, Dina Olvera, Sarah Schusler, Jennifer Serrano Ramirez, Brandon Strumlauf, Amanda Wisdom, Kiara Zabala

COPY EDITORS & PAGE DESIGNERS Susana Alfaro, Anaiah Alfred, Teresa Balmori Perez, Haydee Barahona, Brianna Fay, Jocelynn Landon, Ernesto Leon, Kristen McGuire, Frankie Nadal, Jennifer Serrano Ramirez MEET THE STAFF | 5

SOMEBODY’S SOMEONE Photo contributed by Lydia G. Lopez Left to right: Lilliana Ruiz, Sycelia Rosas, Stepfanie Espinoza, Lydia Lopez, Seanna Melgoza and Paulita Guiterrez attended the COVID-19 memorial to honor Lydia Gutierrez Lopez on May 18, 2021.

Family honors woman’s legacy by helping the homeless

By Jennifer Serrano Ramirez

together. She was grateful that they were keeping her company in such rough times of isolation.

long-lasting legacy began with a relationship that sparked in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Lydia Gutierrez Lopez, a mother of four, always had a special place in her heart for the homeless community. She became extremely empathetic towards homelessness, knowing her first-born grandson, Angel, and his girlfriend, Neecol, were experiencing it. Lydia opened her doors to them and offered them shelter, a place to stay.

Unfortunately, on Dec. 20, 2020, Lydia passed away from complications due to COVID. On May 9, 2021, Mother’s Day the following year, her daughter and namesake, Lydia Lopez, decided to continue her legacy.

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During the pandemic, Lydia’s love for Angel and Neecol grew as they began to spend more time

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When Lydia G. passed away, Neecol decided to express her gratitude to her family.

Daughter Lydia L. says Neecol told them,”Your mom was the only person who made me feel like I was a human being. She took me in and she gave me clothing. She treated me like family. Not only

was she like family, but she was my friend. We were best friends.”

After Neecol expressed her gratitude for Lydia G., Lydia L. said she knew she had to continue helping people who suffered from homelessness.

“That just triggered something inside of me that just said, ‘I need to run with this. I need to run with the heart of my mom,’” said Lydia L. Lydia L. started a Christian organization called LydiaGFoundation. It has accomplished much in just one year. They offer socks, clothing, food and hygiene products to homeless people around Kern County.

The LydiaGFoundation has also made its way up to Santa Monica. Because the foundation has done so much for the community, Lydia G. was also honored with a spot in Bakersfield’s COVID-19 Memorial.

Lydia L. helps the homeless to honor her mom’s legacy because she understands how possible and real it is for somebody to struggle with homelessness.

She said it is easy for someone to fall into the trap of homelessness, which is exactly why everyone should feel more compassionate for those living on the streets.

“There’s somebody’s someone. There’s somebody’s daughter, somebody’s sister, somebody’s mother.

There’s somebody’s friend, cousin. They’re somebody’s someone,” Lydia L said.

Throughout the months of meeting and helping new people, Lydia L. has collected some interesting stories.

Jean, a lady in her early 50s and a former RN nurse, was admitted to the hospital for trying to commit suicide. When she was released, she had nothing; she felt lost, but luckily, the LydiaGFoundation was there to help.

“

SHE HAD A HEART OF GOLD AND SHE DEFINITELY LEFT A LEGACY FOR US TO LIVE OUT.

Lydia Lopez, daughter of Lydia Gutierrez

Photo contributed by Loli Lopez Photo of Lydia Gutierrez Lopez on her last Mother’s Day celebrated with family.

All Jean wanted were socks, clean clothing, and food. The foundation’s team provided her with what she needed and made sure to let her know that she had their support.

Fast forward a few months later, and now Jean has a job helping take in other homeless women and is sober from drugs.

Jean told Lydia L., “You’re very much a part of that.

You guys are my family.”

Lydia L. said these moments made everything worth it. She started this foundation to help homeless people and to honor her mom’s kind heart. One can tell how much love Lydia L. has for her mother, and how much more determined it makes her to help people on the streets.

“Well, my mom was a beautiful lady inside and out. She had a heart of gold and she definitely left a legacy for us to live out, and I want to honor her all the days of my life. Just to bring her face to the world because she’s so beautiful. I, I just want the world to know how beautiful her heart was and the loving heart she had,” said Lydia L. To make a donation, go to the “LydiaGFoundation” on Facebook and Instagram.

FAMILY AND CATEGORY CULTURE| XX |7

STRUGGLES AS A TEEN MOM Photo contributed by Lucia Gutierrez Lucia Gutierrez and her husband, Edgar Gutierrez, take a family photo with their three children, Melanie Gutierrez, Edgar Gutierrez Jr. and Briana Balmori.

By Teresa Balmori Perez

I

t was late afternoon when my sister and I arrived at my cousin’s house. We entered her house, where she converted her bedroom into her own proper salon. This is where she operates her own business doing eyelash extensions. As she removed my sister’s old eyelash extensions, she told us about her big plans for her daughter’s quinceañera.

“Briana wants a red dress for her quinceañera,” my cousin said.

“When is the party?” I asked.

“It might be in May, next year, right around her birthday,” she said.

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Lucia Gutierrez has been raising her daughter, Briana Balmori, since she was a teenager. She found out she was pregnant at the age of 15. During this time, she was expecting to have a quinceañera. However, due to her being pregnant, she was not able to have one.

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ccording to Gutierrez, before she found out about her pregnancy, she was living with her boyfriend after moving out of her parents house.

“My step-dad was always against me like, he just always neglected me. He always just put [my halfsiblings] before me and it was sad,” Gutierrez said. “My mom

would never have my back; she would always have his back.

I felt like [moving in with my boyfriend] was my only way out from the home that my mom provided that didn’t even feel like a home.”

Soon after she moved in with her boyfriend, she discovered that she was pregnant. Gutierrez and her boyfriend were the same age.

She told her boyfriend about her situation with her step-dad and he offered her to stay with his family.

“I was just scared. I felt like the whole world just collapsed,” Gutierrez said.

Gutierrez explained that she

didn’t know what she was going to do. With only being 15 years old and not having her mom by her side, she didn’t know what to expect with having to raise a kid when she was just a kid herself.

According to Gutierrez, she was surprised by how well her family and boyfriend took the news. Gutierrez explained that one of her biggest support systems during her pregnancy was her mother. Her mom would take her to all her doctor’s appointments and would check up on her to see how she was doing. However, this bond didn’t last long because once Briana was born, they went back to having a difficult relationship.

Finally, in May 2008, her daughter Briana was born.

“I felt excited because, you know, she was there, and obviously I love her, but it’s just, it was just unreal…it just didn’t feel real to me,’’ Gutierrez said.

Two years after she had her daughter, she and her boyfriend got married at the age of 18.

Their wedding was a small and simple party. They invited both of their families to the wedding.

Gutierrez’s grandfather was the one who gave her away for her wedding.

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utierrez explained while she was raising her daughter, she had to quit school during her junior year in order to work and provide for her. She worked at Walmart, while both of Briana’s grandmothers watched over her baby. That meant that she had to give up all her activities and social life. She described that time as feeling really lonely and vulnerable.

Her grandmother Maria Rosa Calderon would help Gutierrez by buying her diapers and milk for the baby, and by providing extra food for them.

Photo contributed by Lucia Gutierrez At 15 years old, Lucia Gutierrez (right) found out that she was pregnant with her daughter Briana Balmori (left).

According to Calderon, her husband didn’t have a job at the time because he refused to find a job, so she tried her best to provide for them.

Meanwhile, during this time, Gutierrez mentioned that her marriage wasn’t going well due to her husband physically abusing her.

“Once he put hands on me, that’s when I decided to just, you know, let him go. That wasn’t the first time he hit me though,” Gutierrez said.

Calderon mentioned that her granddaughter would keep her issues with her husband a secret from the family. Calderon was unaware that he would abuse her granddaughter. This made Calderon furious that she had to find out after their divorce.

Despite this, Gutierrez still tried to make her marriage work for the sake of their daughter. But she finally had enough and left him when their daughter was 5 years old.

Calderon explained that she was happy that she finally had the courage to leave him after years of being with him.

After she left her husband, she became a single mother. She and Briana then went to live with her aunt in Los Angeles for three months. After she left Los Angeles, she moved back with her ex-husband for six months, until Gutierrez had a fight with her ex, which made her move into her uncle’s house. Gutierrez and her daughter stayed there for a few months until one of Gutierrez ‘s friends offered to live with her.

FAMILY AND CULTURE | 9

I

tw was in the afternoon, when I went to interview my second cousin Briana. She just got home from volleyball practice.

She gave me a notebook and pen to get started on my interview.

We both sat at the dinner table as she told me her feelings towards her parents. According to Briana, her parents’ divorce really affected her while growing up.

“It really affected me a lot, like, emotionally because when I was little, I was really attached to my biological dad. So, then, when [I stopped seeing him], it really changed me,” Briana said.

“He became like, you know, a father figure to Briana,” Gutierrez said.

“He made a huge impact. He really stepped in when my biological dad left me, and honestly, he’s played a good role at being a dad,” Briana said. “He did way more for me than my biological dad has ever done. He treats me like his own daughter.”

Gutierrez explained that her husband made her believe that there are always second chances in life. She has been happily married to her husband for

almost a decade. She has three kids, a 9-year-old boy, a 5-yearold girl and her oldest Briana who is 14 years old. She was able to get her GED and earned her certificate in eyelash care.

As for the future, Gutierrez plans to give Briana a quinceañera on a ranch. She plans to invite her whole family from México. She feels grateful that she has the opportunity to give her daughter a quinceañera. Gutierrez hopes that her daughter will one day go to college and become a lawyer, something that Briana has always wanted.

Briana mentioned that she was really depressed during that time and would refuse to leave her room or even eat properly. Her family had to sit next to her to make sure she would eat.

“I was lowkey sad because I would see all my friends with their dads and everything, and I’d be like, ‘Oh, why can’t I have that?’” Briana said.

Although her dad wasn’t around, she still had her mother by her side.

“She’s honestly my hero, and my biggest inspiration. I really love her a lot. She’s my strength,” Briana said.

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wo years after Gutierrez divorced her ex-husband, she met her current husband. They met through a friend of Gutierrez. They were both in their early twenties.

According to Gutierrez, she thought that she was going to be a single mother forever because she thought no one would want to be with someone who already has a kid. Gutierrez mentioned that, after her husband met her daughter, he did everything he could to provide for them by giving Briana her own room and by taking responsibility as a father figure.

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Photo contributed by Lucia Gutierrez Edgar Gutierrez became the father figure that Briana did not have growing up. Lucia and Edgar had two more children together, Melanie and Edgar.

“

SHE’S HONESTLY MY HERO, AND MY BIGGEST INSPIRATION. I REALLY LOVE HER A LOT.

Briana Balmori, daughter of Lucia Gutierrez

FROM ADDICTION TO CAREGIVING

Photos contributed by Hattie Davis Hattie uses her past experiences to empathize with her foster kids and help them deal with their own trauma.

By Amanda Wisdom

E

very child deserves to live in a safe and loving household. Unfortunately, this is not the case for many kids in this country. Children are placed into the foster care system when they need temporary, out-of-home care because of parental neglect, abuse, or exploitation.

Some kids are sent from house-to-house, family after family, trying to find a place to fit in. Others are lucky to end up with a supportive and loving family that is willing to do whatever it takes to keep them safe and happy.

One of those parents is Hattie Davis, a 28-year-old foster mother living in San Luis Obispo County.

Davis works as a drug and alcohol counselor for The Salvation Army and studies psychology in college.

Davis and her partner, Ulysses Jimenez, have a total of six children living with them. One is

her biological child, Carter, 6, and another is her partner’s daughter, Ashley, 17. The other four are sets of siblings that needed to be removed from their parents: two brothers, Jeremy, 17, and Ryder, 4, and a brother and sister, Mayzie, 8, and Mason, 6, Mayzie and Mayson happen to be her niece and nephew, whom she began fostering and eventually adopted.

“They were removed from my brother’s care in 2017. Everybody in my family had criminal records and are addicts, so no one was able to get them.

I didn’t think I would be able to get them with my history. So, we went through a six-month process until we were approved to be able to foster them,” Davis said, referring to her background as a recovering addict herself.

Mayzie and Mayson’s parents were given the opportunity to reunify. They were only given six months due to the ages of the children, who were 18 months old and 3 years old at the time.

FAMILY AND CULTURE | 11

Photos contributed by Hattie Davis.

Hattie Davis and her partner, Ulysses Jimenez, live with six children: Jeremy, Carter, Ashley, Mason, Mayzie, and Ryder.

“They had gone to rehab and left...just a bunch of different things. They did ultimately show up to court but there wasn’t enough evidence that they had tried hard enough. They gave them six more months to try again but at the one year mark the court terminated their rights. That’s when we made the decision to adopt them,” said Davis.

has absolutely changed her. She feels like she would take in all the kids if she could because she knows how bad it is.

Jeremy and Ryder were a different story.

“I was a troubled kid. I went to juvenile hall for the first time for being under the influence and being a habitual runaway. I now know I was self-medicating the mental health symptoms I struggled with due to trauma,” said Davis.

“Jeremy is Ashley’s boyfriend. Whenever I would go pick her up from his house, I noticed things were off. I told Ashley that I didn’t want her going over there anymore and they could hang out at my house,” Davis said.

Eventually, Jeremy had stayed with Davis for over a month, sleeping on her couch. It was at the end of that first month that she decided to buy him his own bed and moved him into one of the bedrooms.

Shortly after that, his little brother Ryder was removed from the father’s house, so Davis took him in as well.

“Social Services told me none of the foster families were taking teenagers, let alone sibling sets, so they asked me if I could take them both. So, we did.

They placed Ryder with us that same night he was removed.”

Davis said that being a foster and adoptive mother

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Davis had a troubled childhood as well and can relate to some of the struggles her foster children deal with.

She uses her past experiences to empathize with her foster kids and help them deal with their own trauma.

One of Davis’ best friends, Amanda Cordova, has known Davis for nine years.

“She’s the best mother,” Cordova said. “She goes above and beyond to help these kids in need. She never lets a child feel like they are a foster child or not her own blood. Hattie literally has the biggest heart, and I can see that it physically hurts her not to be able to help more kids.”

Another friend of Davis, Wendy Blacker, had similar things to say.

“She has become the perfect mom and stepped up to the plate, not only as a mom to her son,

but a mom to her partner’s daughter, a mom to her niece and nephew whom she took in to save from getting lost to the system. She is an absolute inspiration, and I couldn’t be any prouder of her than I am,” Blacker said.

Davis admitted that fostering children is not always a walk in the park, as there are many hardships and challenges along the way.

She said that it puts a strain on her family and relationship. There are times when her partner gets very tired. The last placement was difficult for him, resulting in the couple having conflicting views on the situation.

“Although I’m thankful I’ve been able to give a home to multiple children to grow and gain stability,” Jimenez said, “I struggle in not knowing if I’m making the right decision due to the influence and behaviors my children see and watch from the other children while we are fostering.”

When asked about how she differs from her partner, she said, “He wants a break, whereas I will continue to push on till the end of time.”

She also said she does not have much time for

herself these days. Most of her days are filled with school, work, and chores.

The children get along for the most part, but there is a lot of territorial behavior when it comes to their belongings. Davis said she believes it’s because they have had to leave all their things behind many times before.

“There is always a need to foster teenagers. Jeremy is in a bit of trouble right now, but he has nowhere to go. This county is in desperate need of foster parents to take on teenagers. If you’ve ever thought of doing it, just do it.”

“

THIS COUNTY IS IN DESPERATE NEED OF FOSTER PARENTS TO TAKE ON TEENAGERS. IF YOU’VE EVER THOUGHT OF DOING IT, JUST DO IT. Hattie Davis

FAMILY AND CULTURE | 13

WAVE YOUR FLAG Understanding the colors and symbols of the LGBTQIA+ community Story and Illustrations by Frankie Nadal

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n a world full of both wondrous splendor and some... not so wondrous and splendorous things, it can be difficult to know what is what.

Is the LGBTQIA+ acronym inoccuous or not? Are XYZ words offensive? Were they always offensive? Is it a new development of language and culture, or some sort of social media campaign? Some other conflicting conundrum?

Well, fear not, dear reader. While one person cannot possibly assuage every concern of every person at every turn, this handy guide to follow contains some basic info on one community I proudly call myself a member of: the LGBTQIA+ Community.

While not wholly comprehensive, it does share some common symbols and debunk some common misconceptions about the community, in addition to some fun (and not so fun) facts and history.

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Lesbian Up first, our lovely lesbians. As shared by the Trevor Project: “Lesbian ... describes women who are predominantly attracted to other women.” Additionally, lesbians exist along the full spectrum of gender expression, presenting as masculine, feminine and everything in between.

Gay

Some common symbols seen in the lesbian community are the black triangle, labrys and violet.

The triangle is a reclaimed symbol, used in Nazi Germany to denote “asociality.” The labrys, a double-headed axe, is a symbol of lesbian feminism, derived from Amazonian myth. As for the violet, it is a reference to the Greek poet Sappho, who used the color in much of her homoerotic poetry.

Up next, our gracious gays. Now, gay does not refer exclusively to men who are attracted to other men, though it once did. The American Psychological Association states, “gay ... describes people who have physical, romantic, and/or emotional attraction to people of the same gender.” This language is inclusive to women and those who have alternate gender expressions.

The pink triangle, like the black triangle, is a reclaimed symbol from WWII, and the green carnation is attributed to Oscar Wilde, a famous author notorious for his homosexual exploits. Further, the community was once referred to by “GLBT,” and was changed to honor the lesbians who aided gay men during the AIDS epidemic.

Bisexual Moving forward, we come to our boisterous bisexuals. Bisexual folk can form “physical, romantic, and/or emotional attractions to those of the same gender or more than one gender,” as defined by the LGBT Community Center in New York City. It can also be used as an umbrella term containing pansexual, polysexual, omnisexual and more.

A lot of confusion surrounds bisexuality; one misconception is that bisexuals are equally attracted to men and women or are simply confused. In truth, bisexual people can experience varying degrees of attraction to various genders. The moon is a prominent symbol for its phases and varying nature, exemplified by the lunar moth.

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Transgender Then, we meet our tenacious trans folk. The Trevor Project shares that “transgender” is both a gender identity and umbrella term for those who find their assigned gender inaccurate or wrong. Nonbinary, genderqueer and gender non-conforming folk are all included under this umbrella.

Trans folk don’t always medically or socially transition, often for a variety of reasons, but that does not make them less valid. This goes for those who are genderqueer, non-conforming or nonbinary, regardless of their presentation or lack thereof.

The androgyne-male-female symbol is a prominent fixture in trans communities.

Queer and Questioning Now, we get to the nebulous and apt queer and questioning. While once “considered a perjorative term,” as the LGBT Community Center shares, queer has been reclaimed by the community.

Queer folk may not feel that any one label describes their unique experiences. Alternatively, a person may be questioning their gender and or sexual identity.

Regardless of one’s identity or lack thereof, we should not assume anything about their gender or sexual identity. After all, gender is presentation.

Intersex As we near the end, we come to our intrepid intersex individuals. Intersex people do not “fit” within the gender binary of male and female. As shared by the Trevor Project, “sex does not equal gender...”

However, just as gender is a spectrum, so is sex. In other words, people who are intersex may present masculine on the outside, but have an internal reproductive system, and vice versa. These differences extend to hormones and chromosomes.

The intersex flag is yellow, with a purple circle emblazoned on it. The orchid is a common symbol, as its Greek root refers to “testes,” and it illustrates the struggles of individuals with androgen resistance.

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Asexual and Aromantic Penultimately, our astounding asexuals are, as defined by the LGBT Community Center, “[people] who do not experience sexual attraction.” This includes demisexual, graysexual and other folk; however, some ace folk are described as hating sex or romance, but everyone views sex differently.

Also, people who don’t feel romantic attraction are aromantic, and they can fall on the ace spectrum.

The ace community has used both the ace of spades and the dragon as a symbol, with aromantic spaces opting for the arrow, or “aro-w.”

Plus Last, but certainly not least, we have our personable plus people. The plus sign represent all those who have various other gender identities and sexual orientations that were not previously included our yet recognized, as stated by the APA. As a result, the plus at the end of LGBTQIA+ is a bit more all-encompassing compared to previous identities, but it may also be easier to understand.

Referring to anyone and everyone whose identity lies outside what we can currently and accurately assign names and descriptions to, the plus symbolizes our ever-evolving understanding of gender and sexual identities.

The LGBTQIA+ community, as it is now, may only be a recent develop spanning the last several decades, but we have been around since time immemorial, found all over the globe.

Whether it be in ancient Greece, Japan or Egypt; whether it be in the many indigenous communities around the world; whether it be in the present or past - we exist.

And I’m not referring to just those identities mentioned in this guide, no. There exist so many more identities within the community, with their own unique history and subculture that is rich with expereinces both wondrous and terrible.

So, whether it is to discover more about yourself or inform yourself of a marginalized community to be a greater advocate, I implore you to explore the community.

And that really is the least of it.

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A JOURNEY TO EMPOWERMENT Lawyer gives immigrants the chance that was given to her

By Jessica Estrada

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knock on Yunuen Mora’s door. As she lets me in, I see her laptop open, a thick case file, notebooks, and books sprawled across her table. Anyone would think this is a bit of a chaotic mess, but as I talk to her, I realize this is the research and her hard work to determine a decision for one of her clients.

As we say our hellos, I get the tour around her new home. Yunuen and I went to high school together in Chula Vista, California but did not run in the same circle. We vaguely remember one another but did connect recently after a friend’s tragic death. As small of a world as this Earth is, our daughters are now in the same elementary class, and we are new neighbors in the same condominium community.

Yunuen is a lawyer in San Diego, California and her focus is on immigration law. Yunuen said that she was an immigrant herself and was intrigued by her own historical experience. Her father came to the United States from Tijuana, Mexico and brought his family along when she was in 7th grade.

As a young 12-year-old whose life was interrupted for ultimately a better life, she is thankful that her parents made the decision and was always curious about how the process happened.

“As a child, I never really knew the history or reasoning of how we came to the United States.

It just kind of happened.”

Yunuen’s father became a citizen through the Bracero program, which allowed Mexican workers to fill seasonal jobs on U.S. farms. Since her father was a citizen, as she explained, and since she and her siblings were underage, they could also become citizens of the United States under the family-based immigration law.

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Yunuen said that her father would cross the border to work occasionally and cross back to Tijuana to build his medical practice. He finally decided that he wanted to establish a better life for his family in the United States. When I asked Yunuen what her father thinks of her career choice, she mentions that she imagines he is proud since he refers clients to her.

After high school, Yunuen went to University of California, Berkeley, where she obtained a bachelor’s degree both in psychology and sociology. While attending the university, she immersed herself in a course in which that introduced her to law. In one of her courses, she had a project in which they engaged with the immigrants in the fields in Salinas, California.

Yunuen worked with the agricultural employees and translated brochures for those employees from English to Spanish. She explained that she would see throngs of immigrants arriving in the fields.

“They would all live in these little huts or houses on the fields, all bunched up. Someone would fly over the fields at night and spray pesticides, and the effects that they would have on these people were so harmful. Some ended up with cancer, and others had babies with missing limbs. It was horrible to see and none of them dared to speak up because they were all scared,” said Yunuen.

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THE CHALLENGING MOMENTS REMINDED ME WHY I WAS PRACTICING IMMIGRATION LAW. Yunuen Mora

Yunuen also spent some time abroad when she studied in Spain.

Yunuen took more law courses to open her mind to what it contained. Once she finished her classes abroad, she obtained assistant law jobs, pushing her to study and take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT). She got accepted into the California Western School of Law, based in San Diego, California.

During her time in law school, Yunuen volunteered at local San Diego non-profits such as the Employee Rights Center, which provides legal services regarding employment and labor laws, and Casa Cornelia Law Center, assisting in the representation of indigent asylum seekers.

Yunuen passed the California Bar examination and obtained her first job as a lawyer with a former law professor. She also worked at the American Bar Association Immigration Justice Project, representing indigent clients suffering from mental illness during removal proceedings held before an immigration judge to determine whether the individual is to remain in the United States.

In 2018, Yunuen opened her own law practice, Cross Border Lawyer, where she has offices in San Diego, California, and Tijuana, Mexico.

Yunuen works closely with the San Diego Mexican consulate as a consultant. Yunuen is also a member of the Association of Mother Immigration Attorneys (AMIGA).

Photo contributed by Yunuen Mora “My mom helps people,” says Julia, Yunuen’s daughter.

Not only is she a lawyer, but she is also a mother to an amazing little girl named Julia, 5. When I interviewed Julia, I asked her if she knew what her mother did for work, and her response was, “my mom helps people.”

ARTISTS AND ADVOCATES | 19

I asked Yunuen what the difficult part of being an immigration lawyer was: “Getting emotionally invested and separating those emotions.”

Yunuen’s assistant Bianca Lopez said, “the emotions when working with the clients are hard to separate.”

Yunuen said being an immigration lawyer when President Trump was in office was awful and she wanted to quit.

Yunuen said that almost every Friday while President Trump was in office, he would change certain rules or forms that needed to be filled out. Things were always changing, and it was making it difficult to keep track of all the details.

Her simple cases became hard cases with these never-ending modifications. There was, however, a positive outcome in the migrant community when President Trump was in office: everyone rallied for this community and were willing to help.

“The challenging moments reminded me why I was practicing immigration law,” said Yunuen.

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Photo contributed by Yunuen Mora Yunuen Mora opened her own law practice, Cross Border Lawyer, in 2018, with offices located in San Diego, California, and Tijuana, Mexico.

SONGWRITING SAVANT

Photos provided by Kaleema Ishmel Sam Dew sings at a mic during a recording for the Minion’s Rise of Gru soundtrack.

By Kaleema Ishmel

“I

don’t know any writers who have no intention of ever being seen, I just know that they’re not that concerned,” Sam muses.

Sam Dew is a 35-year-old singer-songwriter from Chicago, Illinois and has worked in the music industry for around 10 years. I have known him for a little over five. He is a fairly private person, generally preferring to allow his work to speak for itself. However, he agreed to sit down with me in his newly completed studio in Los Angeles to discuss his career as a songwriter.

The studio is verdant, in every sense of the word.

Quirky, green chairs nestle against the softly

buoyant soundproof walls. Faux moss creeps across the ceiling and center wall, interrupted by a massive curved television screen. “Dune” plays soundlessly in the background as I take my seat on the furriest green ottoman I have ever encountered.

Sam was most recently in the news for his work on Taylor Swift’s “Midnights” album and Kendrick Lamar’s spring release, “Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers.” His previous work includes writing and performing the hook to “LoveHate Thing” by Wale, as well as his work with artists including Rihanna, Jessie Ware and Mary J. Blige.

ARTISTS AND ADVOCATES | 21

A typical 9-to-5 job has a first day of work, with training and an office tour. But what does a songwriter consider their first day in the music industry?

“It’s the first session that actually yields finances,” Sam said. “I’ve been making music for a long time, but the industry itself is defined by revenue. So, I would say the first day is probably the first session that yields a placement.”

In the music industry, a placement is a song that has been cleared for use, which usually includes licensing and syncing rights. Writers in this industry aren’t always guaranteed money for the work that they do. However, sessions often serve as a different kind of currency.

When describing how he defines a successful session, Sam said, “You can know immediately from the reaction that you get in the room that you did a good job. Whether they found a way to monetize it after the fact, there [are] a myriad of things that go into that equation. I’ve gotten that feeling walking out of a room and not gotten a placement. I’ve gotten that feeling walking out of a room and gotten more placements than I’ve ever expected, or callbacks and opportunities as a result of that. Sometimes rooms are an audition, just to see if they want to work with you in the future.

Some of this stuff is irrelevant, what you’re doing is irrelevant, they just want to know if they can trust you with the real shit.”

This begs the question: if writing is more lucrative based on notoriety, how does someone who prefers to stay out of the spotlight survive in this industry? Sam said that many writers aren’t as concerned with marketing themselves on the performance side.

So, what differentiates a ghost writer from a songwriter in the industry at large? Do ghostwriters even exist? There is a moment of silence as Sam ponders the question wryly. The soft sound of passing traffic floats through the open door to his balcony.

“You could say that. I mean, I never had this veil over my head that I believed that this wasn’t happening. I always knew that there were writers, I just didn’t know to which degree. You just slowly start to see it. It’s different than it used to be. The industry used to just present you with a person and be like,” Sam said as he straightened up and flourished an imaginary tophat, “‘Ladies and gentlemen, this is the fellow who brought you so and so’ and you’d be like ‘I’ve never heard of this person in my life.’”

“So there’s this element that as a writer I typically don’t care about visibility. I don’t think it’s a lie, I just think it’s a piece of the puzzle. And you can use it just as much in scarcity as you can in multitudes. You don’t have to be this person constantly being visible. You can use the lack of visibility to your advantage. It’s still a conversation on the same thing,” Sam said.

Sam seems to appreciate the nuance of visibility.

In 2019 he did a three-city tour as part of the group Red Hearse, where he sat unassumingly in a bucket hat before shocking the crowd with his powerful range and falsetto. Then in 2021 he released his debut album “Moonlit Fools,” a subversive and moody R&B album with startling afro-futuristic visuals.

However, people may not realize he also cowrote “I Don’t Want to Live Forever” for “50 Shades Darker” or collaborated on “Turn Up the Sunshine” for “Minions: The Rise of Gru.” This is further evidence of a writer being able to be a part of big projects, without being big themselves.

Sam Dew’s released his debut album “Moonlit Fools” in 2021.

22 | SPRING 2023

Many of Sam’s colleagues are understandably just as private. So, I hopped on a Zoom with a few fans and non-entertainment associates. Due to their minor (or complete lack) of involvement in the music industry, their external opinions serve to contextualize how writing is viewed outside of those working directly in it.

For Tish Bazil, screenwriter and Chief Operations Officer for The Chavis Group, a global education, consulting and development firm, songwriting is an elevated art.

“Songwriters are visionaries. They take ideas in the spirit and the ethereal in the concept stage, and they ground it and tether it to the real world. Sam has a unique ability to elicit emotions through his unique combination of words and sounds. The power of those words can either edify or break down people, intentionally or unintentionally.

As a creative, I respect and admire other artists, it’s bold and brave for someone to allow another to co-create. Not unlike a mother and a father giving birth to a newborn, an artist and songwriter collaboration is similar in nature,” said Bazil.

But despite the beauty music can evoke, some individuals see beyond the apparent ease. Munah Kaye, a fifth grade teacher in Los Angeles, reiterates the unpredictability with placements.

“What also makes it tough is that you can give somebody this work or aspect of work, and you never know if it will be put out there or if it’ll see the light of day. What’s also rewarding is you get to be a voice for someone else, or someone else can be a voice for you. It goes both ways,” said Kaye.

Morgan Vinson was a winner of Bumble’s Empowered by Bumble Bizz songwriting contest and performer at the 2021 Music Midtown Festival at Piedmont Park in Atlanta, Georgia.

“

I THINK MUSIC, IN AND OF ITSELF, IS A COLLABORATIVE ART FORM. IT DOES NOT EXIST WITHOUT PEOPLE.

Sam Dew, singer-songwriter

Photo contributed by Kaleema Ishmel.

A Sam Dew figurine was created as part of the rollout for the band Red Hearse’s merchandise line.

Vinson said, “Sometimes you’re not talented in writing music. So I think it’s fine for people who have more vocal talent than they do lyrical prowess to use writers. I don’t have issues with that. I have issues when it comes to people taking sole accountability for it and discrediting others’ contributions. That’s the only time I feel kind of weird. I think we know that artists are not writing all of their own music.”

For Sam, writers will always be important.

“When you choose to use a writer’s words for yourself, you’re saying this helps round out my world. This is what I keep coming back down to.

I think music, in and of itself, is a collaborative art form. It does not exist without people. Everything you do in this business, in any business, will have to be of service to something. So you have to decide early on who you’re serving and never waver from that,” Sam said.

ARTISTS AND ADVOCATES | 23

A PASSION FOR POETRY

Keke West performs at the Kern County Fair on Sept. 22, 2022.

Photo by Autumn Layton

Personal experiences push Black poet’s pen Story by Autumn Layton Illustration by Anaiah Alfred

“M

y God was right on time. When letters to God landed in my lap heavenly sounding like a feather silence prayers answered” Trapped Keishonna West had just finished performing her poem “Trapped” at the Bakery Lounge in Burbank.

A woman from the crowd approached her. She said the poem moved her so much that she wanted to reach out to her own mother, with whom she hadn’t spoken in over 20 years.

Keke went to California State University, Northridge where she started to write poetry.

In 2009, she ended up majoring in communications and public relations, and from then on, her classes helped her find her love of poetry.

“At the time, unfortunately, we all had to experience the passing of Trayvon Martin and I think that sparked the intensity and the passion behind writing,” said Keke.

West, who goes by Keke, was born and raised in Gardena, in South Los Angeles.

The classes and college experiences were also pushing her pen.

Once it was time for her to go to high school, her family moved to Bakersfield, where she attended Ridgeview High School.

When she graduated in 2005,

Keke writes heartfelt pieces inspired by both good and bad situations. When Keke writes a poem from personal experience, she hopes it inspires others.

XX SPRING 2023 2023 24 || SPRING

Once she graduated from Northridge in 2011, she felt that there was nothing for her in California so she moved to Chicago, Illinois in 2012. Keke found inspiration there that helped her to write her poem.

As she was on the bus headed back to the southside from downtown, she noticed from across the bus a teenage girl looking sad.

When they got deeper and deeper into the south part of town, Keke ended up sitting next to her and they struck up a conversation. Keke wondered if the teenager was going to cause self-harm.

The next day, Keke was on the bus route and saw the teenager in better spirits.

“I prayed to God” and said, “thank you for giving her the strength she needed to live through it,” says Keke.

“She’s neglected, infected yet headed for the respected, but rejected from her own mother.

Apron, name tag, she’s out the door left behind wondering if mommy’s pills are injected will it heal the pain no more.” Trapped The very next year in 2013, Keke came back to Bakersfield due to friend and family situations.

In the midst of her journey in 2015, Keke met someone who changed her. They were dating for a couple of months and she felt like it was time to let him into her place of passion, which was poetry.

Keke was hosting an open mic night and asked him to help by being a security guard. Keke introduced a woman who wanted to read her poem.

As this woman was reading the poem, Keke realized that she was talking about the man that she was currently dating. He had been in another relationship for

two years and she had no idea until that night.

“Was I embarrassed? Absolutely.

Was I let down? Absolutely.

But because it happened in the solitude of poetry I retired from poetry,” says Keke.

Soon after the breakup, she found out she was going to be a first-time mom by the man who betrayed her love.

She had the biggest writer’s block and decided to pick up some new hobbies to pass the time. Although this was a new experience, she handled it pretty well.

“Keke’s heart grew stronger and bigger. Everything that she does is for her daughter,” says her longtime friend Eva Villanueva.

They have been friends since high school and have watched each other grow into the women that they have become.

Villanueva said Keke has always been able to connect with others and be a leader.

“Becoming a parent made her more self-aware and patient with herself and others. I saw her grow as a woman and a parent,” says Murry.

As of winter 2021, Keke was able to get back in the groove of writing again. She has performed at and hosted Breast Cancer Awareness events, Black History Month, Mental Health Awareness Month and Juneteenth.

Keke has not stopped using the gift that God gave her and is bringing something new to Bakersfield. Out of all of the 28,305 African American people in Bakersfield, according to the United States Census Bureau in 2020, she’s just one who hopes to inspire others to chase their passions.

“So next time someone asks, what are you thankful for?

Say your heartbeat it reached billboard records the day you were born it will forever be my favorite song!!” - Trapped

Another one of her friends that she met in college, Jodi Murry, was overwhelmed with joy every time she heard her poetry.

WHEN KEKE WRITES A POEM FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, SHE HOPES IT INSPIRES OTHERS. CATEGORY || XX ARTISTS AND ADVOCATES 25

A PLACE WHERE

Wonder and Whimsy

COME TO LIFE

By Frankie Nadal

Photo by Frankie Nadal Actors Tamara White, Ali Dougherty and Jennifer Prince as Opal, Pearl and Edna, respectively, in their performance of “Oleander’s Finest” on March 24, 2023.

W

elcome, to the Gaslight Melodramaa place where we cheer our heroes, boo our villains and “ooh and ahh” at our sweethearts.

Owned by Michael and Jennifer Prince, the Gaslight Melodrama was established in August of 2005.

It is the first “privately owned performing arts venue to be conceived, designed, financed, and constructed as a theatre in Bakersfield history.”

Additionally, it is only one of two melodrama theatres in California, the other being The

26 | SPRING 2023

Great American Melodrama Theatre in Oceano.

Now, what makes a melodrama theatre so special?

At its core, a melodrama is a dramatic work of emotional art that focuses on values such as love, family, friendship and morality.

Often, the villain is an external figure acting as the antithesis of these values, though they are always soundly defeated. After all, the melodrama represents the idea of love over hate.

It also doesn’t hurt that melodramas are accompanied

by musical scores designed to enhance the experience, something the Gaslight Melodrama does well.

Crashing thunder and reverberating bass reveals the villain while a triumphant and inspiring score uplifts our heroes.

Of course, we also cannot forget the evocative motif that seems to follow the beloved sweetheart of every show.

And who doesn’t love the joyously silly tracks that accompany the laughter and groans at every joke? Good and bad?

However, it is not just the enticingly exaggerated acting and melodious musical numbers that draw crowds. No, it is the involvement.

The audience is very much a part of the theatre, part of every play, and breaking the fourth wall is essential to the hijinks and hilarity that are bound to ensue.

Between audience reactions influencing actors’ lines, audience members featuring in surprise roles during plays, and the cast directly interacting with and responding to guests, there is hardly ever a lull or full stop.

Save for the intermissions, of course. In fact, both before the show and during intermissions, you can help yourself to the Moosehead lounge.

There, you can purchase hot dogs and sandwiches, drinks for kids and adults, popcorn and sweet treats, and so much more.

Also, if you’re feeling generous, the melodrama’s website encourages you to “toss the change in the tip jar, and our performers will regale you with a song.”

A little tip for track, so to speak.

With all the creativity and skill present at the Gaslight Melodrama, it is no wonder why they feature a rotating cast of actors.

Many grew up in Kern County and the surrounding area, their formative years brimming with song and dance, before finding a home at the melodrama; however, just as the curtain must fall after every play, many of the melodrama’s actors move on, pursuing their dreams thanks to the experience they amassed during their tenure.

Photo by Frankie Nadal Actress and co-owner Jennifer Prince as Frau Blah-Blah, and actor Don Kruska as Dr. Frankenstein, breaking the fourth wall during “My Funny Frankenstien” on Oct. 29, 2022.

The Gaslight Melodrama is open year-round, putting on shows Friday through Sunday for about seven weeks, taking one week in between each show for rehearsals and set design.

Additionally, the theatre is host to the Omnipresent Puppet Theater and Ron Saylor Presents: Celebrities of Magic.

The puppet theater puts a heartfelt spin on classics like the Little Mermaid and Puss in Boots, showing the magic of puppetry to countless families when they perform.

As for the magic shows, Ron Saylor invokes a different magician each month, wowing and pulling at the strings of the

audience hearts.

All in all, the melodrama has something for everyone.

Whether you are looking for a fun family afternoon activity with the kids or an exciting and enticing night with the besties, the melodrama has got you covered.

It is truly a place of strikingly spectacular sights and splendidly superb sounds, rife with wonder and whimsy and whatever that third thing is.

One simply must visit the Gaslight Melodrama Theatre and Music Hall, located at 12748 Jomani Dr., Bakersfield, California.

ARTISTS AND ADVOCATES | 27

DAISY GOMEZ

Student challenges conventional beauty standards through art

By Dina Olvera

Photo contributed by Daisy Gomez Daisy Gomez is a third-year art education major at California State University, Bakersfield.

D

Gomez recollects a particular moment she was inspired to paint:

When the art education major was 13, expressing herself was challenging. This directed her to try her hand at painting to express her feelings.

Gomez said, “I noticed that my sister, who is Latina, was playing with dolls that did not look like her or anyone in our family.”

Not only did Gomez find art to be therapeutic and expressive, she also found that she was a natural.

This inspired Gomez to paint one of her favorite pieces called “Bridal Shower Party.”

Gomez’s art ignites emotions and makes you want to walk through the picture and into her world.

“I thought about the dolls. ‘Bridal Shower Party’ is about the importance of representation. People of color should be seen everywhere,” Gomez said.

aisy Gomez is using her artistic gift to voice her passions.

“It’s so easy for me to get an idea and imagine what it would look like in a painting,” said Gomez.

By incorporating colors, textures, and images, Gomez’s paintings illuminate the very essence of her emotions and passions. She is inspired by the world views of beauty, political controversies and current social topics.

XX SPRING 2023 2023 28 || SPRING

Her work can inspire those who feel as she does. “I was in a situation where I was one of the only Latinas in the room,” said Gomez.

Gomez brings awareness to the variety of beauty versus only the beauty that was introduced to her with the typical dolls.

Her younger sister, who inspired the “Bridal Shower” painting, Alejandra Gomez, said “I’m so proud of Daisy.”

Gomez hopes to capture a new understanding and vision of beauty standards.

Without an instruction from art class in school, Gomez was self-taught her first few years of practicing art. Gomez’s gift led her to a new desire in learning more about art and inspiring others.

As soon as Gomez graduated from high school, she took the opportunity to continue her journeyand with her sisters at heart -began her experience developing her skills and talent.

“CSUB’s art majors are so helpful and give good art making advice,” said Gomez.

Gomez’s creativity has flourished as beautifully as the flowers she paints under the guidance of professors like Sarah Vanderlip, professor of sculpture and drawing, and Jared Haug, professor of painting.

Photo contributed by Daisy Gomez “Bridal Shower Party” (2022) shares an impactful message about the lack of diversity society often faces.

“She [Gomez] iterates her ideas in multiple ways and exemplifies the moxie and individuation we hope all art students find in themselves,” Vanderlip said.

With Gomez’s message seeping through her paintings, Haug said Gomez’s paintings “have become grander and more ambitious.”

Gomez plans to become a high school art teacher and give her students the guidance the professors at CSUB are giving her.

“Anyone can paint,” said Gomez, and this is the message she wants to give her future students who are skeptical about trying art as a form of expression.

Photo contributed by Daisy Gomez “Feminine” (2022) “Women should choose what they want to do with their body hair without societal pressure,” said Gomez.

Being able to express yourself is important to Gomez because art can show others, especially young people, how to communicate their feelings in a safe and effective manner.

Gomez’s artistic talent can be seen on her Instagram page, @daisiespaintings.

CATEGORY ||XX ARTISTS AND ADVOCATES 29

A REAL LIFE RAGS-TO-RICHES One man’s rise from poverty to entrepreneurship

By Stephanie King

F

or Robbie Odom, growing up in South Central Los Angeles was not as black and white as portrayed in movies like “Boyz N The Hood.”

South Central Los Angeles consists of more than just gangs, drug dealers and crack heads.

As a son of a single mom living in a cramped, one-bedroom, one-bathroom house with six women, Robbie knew that when he grew up, he wanted a different life for himself. That included a big home with multiple bathrooms and preferably in what is known today as the Black Beverly Hills.

In the 1980s when Robbie was growing up, the only examples of making it out of the hood for young Black men were through sports or entertainment. Robbie was no athlete; however, he was a talented drummer and focused his goals on obtaining his bachelor’s degree in music. This would prove to be his ticket out of South Central, a steppingstone to traveling the world and into a future of financial stability and multiple home ownership.

Robbie was born in 1962 to Anna Davis, who primarily raised him as a single mom while his father played an intermittent role in Robbie’s life.

Robbie describes him as an absentee father.

In early memories, Robbie recalls living with his mom, grandmother, two aunts and cousins, six women in total, in a small, one-bedroom, one-bathroom house in South Central Los Angeles. There were many days when food was scarce and, due to lack of space, the children slept on a makeshift bed under the dining room table. Money was scarce, and it was difficult for the women to make ends meet.

Davis worked as a clerk in an office and commuted in her car every day to Orange County. She eventually enrolled

30 | SPRING 2023

Graphic by Anaiah Alfred

in a low-income first-time homebuyers’ program and saved $2,000 to buy a three-bedroom, onebathroom home in Watts, California. This was a turning point for Robbie and his family.

Witnessing his mother buy a home without help from his father was the example that would set the tone for his future successes. For Davis, it was important to provide a better life for her young son.

“I knew I had to provide something more for Robbie. I never looked at it as sacrificing. As a mom you just do what you must do without any regard for self,” Davis said.

Davis would prove this repeatedly throughout Robbie’s childhood. Robbie recalls the time his mother took her entire tax refund check to buy him a set of drums.

“I’ll never forget the time my mom bought me a set of drums for $300, which was a lot of money at the time. I knew she couldn’t afford it, but she knew how much I wanted them, and she believed in my talent,” Robbie said.

To this day, Robbie recalls that gesture with admiration and pride for his mother.

Robbie attended Locke High School and joined their world-renowned band as a drummer in the marching band.

This led Robbie to pursue a career as a musician. He was accepted and attended University of Southern California and majored in music, which was made possible through a music scholarship, student loans and financial aid.

One semester before graduating, he was offered the opportunity of a lifetime- to join the

Disney group in Japan and perform as a drummer.

Although he was hesitant to go before finishing his degree, his mother convinced him to take the gig.

“School will always be here. You won’t always have the opportunity to go to Japan and do what you love,” Davis told Robbie.

Robbie took the gig and spent the next nine months in Japan. When he returned to the U.S., in the mid-1980s, the crack epidemic had taken over and drum machines were putting drummers out of work. Robbie quickly realized that things in his old neighborhood had changed drastically, and he would not be able to make a decent living as a drummer here in the states.

Robbie returned to USC, finished his bachelor’s degree in music, and began working as a social worker trainee for LA County. After a few years with the county, Robbie returned to school to obtain his master’s degree in social work from University of California, Los Angeles, and eventually worked his way up the ranks to Division Chief, earning an annual salary of $125,000.

With both degrees under his belt, and while maintaining his day job with the county, Robbie wasn’t done. He knew he wanted more for himself and his family.

Robbie went on to obtain his real estate brokers license and eventually purchased his first home in Ladera Heights, California. Ladera Heights, Baldwin Hills, Windsor Hills and View Park are affectionately called the Black Beverly Hills.

Historically, Black people were redlined and not allowed to purchase homes in Beverly Hills, California, a predominantly white area. Historic redlining in the United States was a systematic practice of denying financial services to lowincome and non-white communities which ultimately enabled racial segregation.

Black people created their own Beverly Hills, and to this day, these areas are filled with affluent Black families who take pride in their neighborhood.

This is where Robbie always envisioned himself living, after all: this is where he saw his favorite legends buying homes. Everyone from Magic Johnson to Tina Turner had homes in these areas at one time or another.

This was Robbie’s way out of poverty: real estate combined with the six-figure salary. Robbie’s portfolio grew bigger and bigger. Today, he has nine properties, including apartment buildings and an impressive stock portfolio.

“

I DON’T WANT TO BE THE ONLY ONE BENEFITTING FROM WHAT I’VE LEARNED. THIS ONLY WORKS IF I BRING OTHERS ALONG ON THE JOURNEY. Robbie Odom

Robbie has always been passionate about passing on his knowledge to others. His focus is with Black Americans. Robbie holds weekly meetings with a group of friends and family members, which includes his youngest daughter, Amani Odom, who is 30 years old.

“My dad is the smartest person I know, I’ve learned so much from him and have benefitted from his knowledge and guidance”, said Amani.

Robbie’s motto is “I don’t want to be the only one benefitting from what I’ve learned. This only works if I bring others along on the journey.”

Not one to just talk the talk, Robbie recently brought his friends onboard his latest venturean apartment building purchase in Hawthorne, California.

“I could’ve purchased this by myself and reaped the rewards, but I wanted to bring my friends into the deal so that we can all benefit,” Robbie said.

There’s so much to be said for Robbie’s story, a real life rag-to-riches. The wealth gap between Black and white Americans is wide.

This is largely in part due to the generational wealth that white Americans benefit from while Black Americans do not.

“Generational wealth refers to financial assets passed by one generation of family to another, simply put, those who inherit generational wealth have a significant financial advantage over those who do not,” according to a 2022 Investopedia article.

The fact that Robbie has been able to generate his own wealth that will be passed down to his children and his children’s children, creates generational wealth for the Odom family for years to come, breaking the generational wealth curse that so many Black Americans face.

ARTISTS AND ADVOCATES | 31

Photos contributed by Brandon Strumlauf “Music and punk rock are very personal and passionate areas, and your children are lucky to have you passing the torch to them in the next generation,” writes Brandon Strumlauf, pictured with his two sons.

PUNK ROCK & PARENTING

By Brandon Strumlauf

O

h no… It’s time. You’re in your thirties and if you are anything like me, you’re having a hard time letting go of the glory days of partying until 3 a.m. and wasting your money on NFTs. Instead, you are likely lacking sleep due to a kiddo or two that won’t go night-night.

Instead of giving up your identity to parenting, you can perpetuate your hobbies and the best parts of yourself into your kids. They will definitely develop their own tastes and desires, but you can impart your passion just as easily as starting from a clean slate.

On the following page, I’m going to list five ways to help mold your kids into tolerable humans with decently eclectic music taste.

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1

BRING YOUR KIDS TO SHOWS

They don’t have to be the best bands, but they should be live music and tolerable. Even the bad openers will be great exposure to the scene.

There will be people dressed differently there, and with different hairstyles. This should help build familiarity with a visage that is different than the banal life we live day in and day out.

2

TELL YOUR KIDS ABOUT YOUR FAVORITE BANDS

Go into great detail. Share your passion for music and art with them. Why do you like a particular song? What does that song mean to you and what you stand for? The moment is the message.

These songs are the soundtrack to our lives, so make it meaningful and impactful. Kids pick up on things like that.

3

PICK UP AN INSTRUMENT AND JAM WITH YOUR KIDS

Yeah, The Partridge Family was kind of wacky, but they were on to something with the family band. The Jackson Five also knew what a family band meant. If your kids understand how fun playing music is, it will help them develop a skill for the rest of their lives. Kids that play music with their parents also develop a stronger bond with them. According to a University of Arizona News article by Alexis Blue, “Children who grow up listening to music with their parents report having better quality relationships with their moms and dads when they reach young adulthood.”

4

SHARE MUSIC FROM OTHER COUNTRIES

Music is personal, unique, and culturally relevant.

It helps people find their internal beat, and develop into the person that they choose to be. It is also a reflection of lifestyle, which is to say, that discovery of self is an important part of child rearing. “People think of the hearing brain as being a silo within the brain. In fact, our hearing engages our cognitive, sensory, motor, and reward systems. That’s huge. From an evolutionary perspective, being able to make sense of sound is ancient and has engaged all these different perspectives,” said neuroscientist and author, Nina Kraus, in an Edutopia article.

5

HELP THEM FIND THEIR PEOPLE

Society is based on social structures.

Friend groups have a high correlation with success and ensure that your children are with the people they respect and admire, as well as are respected and admired by.

Music is the basis for great community cohesion and is the conversational language, even when no common language is shared.

Safety pins used to be for piercing earlobes or noses; now they’re for holding nappies together. Just because you’re a parent now, doesn’t mean your passions need to die.

Your individualities define your contribution to a better tomorrow, whatever those may be. Music and punk rock are very personal and passionate areas, and your children are lucky to have you passing the torch to them in the next generation.

LIFE AND ADVICE | 33

Natural and Nourished Story and illustrations by Haydee Barahona

S

tepping away from full-coverage foundations and blinding highlighter, the natural makeup movement is all about glowing from within and embracing all skin types.

Miguel Garcia, 21, a licensed cosmetologist and freelance makeup artist from Lamont, California, said the natural makeup trend has become popularized because people may want to look and feel good in their skin without wearing too much makeup.

“For me, it’s that natural makeup because I do struggle with acne myself.

So, it’s just more of trying to cover it but not make it look like I’m wearing makeup,” said Garcia.

Natural makeup normally uses minimal cosmetics to enhance facial features rather than mask imperfections.

Citlaly Michel, 20, an eyelash technician from Bakersfield, said she was never one to follow trends, but after seeing makeupskincare hybrids, such as tinted moisturizers, emerge on the social media platform TikTok, Michel gravitated toward lightweight makeup options.

“I think the ‘less-is-more’ really came in with this trend, and I think that’s why a lot of people started following it because there were a lot of new products that were full coverage but still really light on the skin,” said Michel.

34 | SPRING 2023

TREAT YOUR SKIN

Even when applying light coverage makeup, it is important to start and end with a clean base.

Before applying makeup, Garcia uses CeraVe Moisturizing Cream, SPF 100, and moisturizer that contains primer.

“I do think that skin care is so important,” said Michel, “so, if you’re wearing makeup, I would say have a good routine to remove it all.”

Michel said the main reason her skin was breaking out was from wearing heavy, full-coverage makeup and not knowing the steps to take care of her skin afterward.

According to the American Academy of Dermatology, people with acne-prone skin should use an oil-free makeup remover, followed by washing the face with a gentle cleanser, to remove makeup before going to bed.

Gentle cleansers remove dirt without stripping the skin or clogging the pores.

LIFE AND ADVICE| 35

FIND THE RIGHT PRODUCTS Achieving a natural makeup look can require understanding what products will help enhance your skin depending on your skin type.

According to the American Academy of Dermatology, skin type can be identified under the following categories: sensitive, normal, dry, oily, and combination skin.

“Whenever I started breaking out, I stopped using makeup. But then I would use it occasionally whenever it was calmed down to cover the redness of my acne,” said Garcia.

Light-coverage makeup such as tinted sunscreen or moisturizer, blemish balm, foundation serums and colorcorrecting creams can provide a natural finish to the skin.

As someone who deals with oily skin, Garcia uses the NARS Soft Matte Complete Foundation to even out his skin tone and sets his makeup with the Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder.

Michel stays away from powders when dealing with dry skin and eczema around the eyes.

Instead, she reaches for makeup that is a lighter consistency and skincare infused, like the Summer Fridays Sheer Skin Tint, which contains hyaluronic acid, a hydrating ingredient, and squalane, a moisturizer.

“I feel like hyaluronic acid in the products really do make a difference, and it even helps with that appearance of that glowy and refreshed look,” said Michel.

36 | SPRING 2023

JOIN THE MOVEMENT The natural makeup trend encourages people to let their blemishes peak through minimal makeup, but looking beneath the surface, it may seem difficult for people with acne-prone skin to join the trend.

“Over time, I realized that not everyone has perfect skin and I have to embrace that, just working on my skin, like finding products that would remove my acne, telling myself that it’s okay to have acne,” said Garcia.

Michel explained that although she is a fan of natural makeup, she understands the mixed feelings toward the trend as most people participating in it already have clear skin.

“I have seen people who feel like they can’t achieve that look just because of their skin. I think there just needs to be more people who embrace it and still do that natural makeup, just so that other people can say ‘Oh, this is okay for me to do,’” said Michel.

Garcia said the natural makeup trend has allowed him to feel comfortable with his skin.

Models and social media influencers have also set the standard for natural beauty. Garcia would see influencers with clear skin and smooth makeup, which brought him down.

However, he knew that wasn’t the reality.

LIFE AND ADVICE| 37

YOUNG, BROKE AND MAKING A DIFFERENCE How to practice sustainable living Story by Alexis Lynde Illustrations by Ray Alarcon Marquez

F

or many people, your twenties are a time of intense studying, working, and partying. But most importantly, they are about getting your life started. Some fear what their future might look like due to the rising climate change crisis. People like Maria Dotz and Sarah Alame began practicing a more sustainable lifestyle in their early adulthood to do their part and help the cause.

Dotz, 24, who works at a biological consulting firm, said, “We specialize in biological services such as plant and wildlife surveys, mitigation plans, and impact analysis.”

Alame, 26, began practicing sustainability at 18 years old, and is now the president of Students for Sustainability at CSUB and ASI director for sustainability.

As for myself, I am a busy, broke 21-year-old and am guilty of consuming fast food and fashion, which are known to be especially wasteful. Trying to keep up with trends and live within a tight budget can be a challenge.

I have been interested in living a more zero-waste lifestyle, but getting started can be both overwhelming and intimidating. Many high-quality, sustainable products can be expensive, and almost everything nowadays is wrapped in plastic, so where does one start? Thanks to Dotz and Alame, here is a list of four tips and tricks that have helped me adjust to a more sustainable lifestyle.

1.

SHOP LOCALLY

Alame and Dotz said that big corporations produce an incredibly large amount of waste. Though it would be nice if they took more accountability for their actions, it’s also our job as consumers to change our shopping habits.

Alame said, “If we’re funding these companies that are mass producing, producing a lot of greenhouse gasses, they’re producing a lot of excess, unnecessary waste, that’s on us. That’s why it’s always important to try and shop local if you can.”

And with that I headed to the local farmers market and picked up some local honey. Not only was I supporting a local business, but the honey also came in a glass jar I could reuse and was approximately half the cost for the same amount of honey from a grocery store.

38 | SPRING 2023

2.

MAKE MINDFUL PACKAGING SWAPS

I explained to Alame that the amount of packaging used in stores could be discouraging.

“We generate waste on a daily basis. We’re humans and the whole idea of living a sustainable lifestyle is to make sure that your needs are met without compromising the state of our already suffering environment,” said Alame.

In order to try and achieve this, Alame and Dotz recommended switching to products that have either compostable or recyclable packaging.

Dotz said, “You can buy powdered Gatorade and lemonade instead of bottles; canned juice- just add water; a big bag of chips instead of many individually wrapped bags. If you can get the item you need in a more sustainable package or with no packaging, try that one instead. Try aluminum and glass bottles instead of plastic; they are both infinitely recyclable.”

For me, this was as simple as switching to bar soap and getting a giant tub of Gatorade. Both lasted me longer and were cheaper in the long run.

3.

REUSE WHAT YOU HAVE

Alame suggests reusing takeout boxes and coffee cups provided by restaurants and coffee shops. I gave her suggestion a try and instead of throwing a take-out ramen tub away, I washed it along with the rest of my dishes and used the same tub to store my lunch the next day.

The hardest part about this tip wasn’t just reusing what I already had, but learning what I didn’t need. Reusing certain appliances forced me to use what I had at home instead of buying new products or more prepackaged foods, leading to a more budget friendly and eco-friendly lifestyle change.

4.

TURN OFF WHAT YOU’RE NOT USING

Conserving energy is a great way to help the environment, and it doesn’t cost anything. In fact, it saves you money.

All it takes is being a little more mindful of your appliances.

That means unplugging LEDs or fairy lights and turning off fans when they’re not in use.

In the end, I have learned that living a sustainable lifestyle is, well, sustainable. It is not as daunting, intimidating or as expensive as it may seem. You don’t need to be perfect to make a difference. All it takes is small changes here and there. If we all imperfectly try, we might just save the world.

LIFE AND ADVICE | 39

BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE WARDROBE How to save money and the planet Story by Hollie Briceno Illustration by Ray Alarcon Marquez

A

s a self-professed shopaholic, I've spent ridiculous amounts of money on clothes over the years, and I'm not proud of it. We fall into a cycle of constantly buying clothes because the fashion industry conditions us to do so. It's common to buy an outfit for one event, buy too much, or keep items in our closets that no longer fit.

According to Dr. Jennifer Baumgartner, author of “You Are What You Wear,” we wear 20% of our wardrobe 80% of the time. If getting dressed in the mornings has become stressful and you think that buying more clothes is the solution: STOP. Here is how to shop on a budget without sacrificing style and keeping your money where it belongs: in your wallet.

1

CLEAN OUT YOUR CLOSET

Before you start shopping, you’re going to need to remove every single item out of the closet. This is the only way to really see what we’re working with. You will want to go through and decide what to keep and what to donate or toss. I’ve found that the three-bin rule works best: one bin each for donation, keep and toss.

• Get rid of any duplicate items.

• Toss any items that are worn, frayed or have holes.

• If you haven’t worn an item in a year or it doesn’t fit you, donate it.

• If the item is new, or designer, look at selling the item on an online market like OfferUp. • If it’s too hard to get rid of something, store those items away and out of the closet so it’s not taking up precious closet space. This will give you the room you need to see and store everything easily and neatly.

40 | SPRING 2023

2

SHOP AT A THRIFT STORE

Shopping at thrift stores can be overwhelming, but if you approach the search strategically, you may add some incredible things to your wardrobe for a fraction of the cost of something brand-new.

• Go in with a list of what you want to purchase.

• Check the rack near the fitting rooms for hidden treasures.

• Try items on, even if it’s over your clothes.

• Inspect items for damage or stains.

• Shop on the “right” day. Thrift stores will usually put out newly donated items during the week when it’s slower. Also, you may want to check and see if the store offers a sale price on a specific day, like discounts for students or seniors.

• Be selective in your choices. We don’t want to keep wasting money on clothes that might be worn once.

5

HOST A CLOTHING SWAP

A clothing swap is ideal for friend groups who are around the same size, but anyone can participate as variety is great for swaps.

• Set rules ahead of time. Bring a set amount of clothing or take an item only if someone takes one of yours.

• Setting a date is key. Give people time to go through their closets, but not too much that they forget.

• Make it into a party, like we did. Everyone brought a bag of clothing and food. We ate, listened to music and watched fashion shows as we “shopped” each other’s closets.

• If there is anything left over, donate it. It’s a winwin for everyone.

6 3

CREATE A CAPSULE WARDROBE

A capsule wardrobe is a limited number of interchangeable, complementary classic clothing pieces that don’t go out of style. This enables you to put together a range of ensembles for any occasion, and with a limited number of items.

4

BE A SAVVY ONLINE SHOPPER

Breaking the online shopping habit may be challenging, but there are more effective approaches that will result in savings.

• Search for coupons to save money.

• Add things to your cart, but do not buy them right away.

• Comparison shop to purchase the same item for less money on a different site. Be mindful of shipping costs since shipping can cost as much as the item if you aren’t careful.

LEARN PROPER CLOTHING CARE

Many of us have fallen victim to “fast fashion.”

We spend more money on clothes that don’t last and are replacing pieces after a few wears due to poor quality. These cheap clothes affect our environment. According to the United Nations Environment Programme, 20% of global wastewater comes from textile dyeing alone. Being socially conscious of where our clothes come from and taking better care of our garments can go a long way to saving us money.

• Spend more on quality pieces to decrease your cost per wear. Those $15 jeans that you wear once or twice due to trends or poor quality cost more than the expensive pants that are worn longer, reducing your cost in the long run.

• Let whites clothes soak in Oxy-Clean in warm or hot water for a few hours before washing. This will revitalize their brightness and remove most stains.

• Wash your clothes in cold water. Hot water can wear down the clothing fibers, reducing their longevity.

• Add less detergent to the load to make your clothes last longer and prevent build up.

• Use the proper detergent for dark clothes, which can protect their color.

• Clean your shoes after wearing them to preserve their look.

• Use a fabric shaver to easily remove fabric pills and lint.

LIFE AND ADVICE | 41

WHAT’S YOUR NUMBER?

By Sarah Schusler

H

ave you ever been asked, “What’s your number?” on a date? No, not your phone number… your number. The amount of people you’ve slept with.

For women, this is a tricky subject.

Throughout our lives we’ve been constantly subjected to slut shaming and harmful purity culture ideals, so much so, that most women feel ashamed to have slept with more than a couple of partners—let alone talk about it on a date.

It’s ironic, considering men are looked at as more attractive and renowned by both women and men for having numerous sexual conquests. Men are somehow seen as more sexually knowledgeable and, therefore, better equipped in bed due to their copious sexual experiences.

But of course, this is, in fact, false, especially considering what’s called the “orgasm gap,” a term coined to explain the percentage of heterosexual men that orgasm versus the percentage of heterosexual women.

42 | SPRING 2023

A whopping 95% of heterosexual men orgasm compared to 65% of heterosexual women, according to research by the Archives of Sexual Behaviors cited by Forbes contributor Alice Broster.

Susan Edmondson, 23, said, “Sometimes, it’s even harder stating that you’re a virgin and have had practically no sexual interactions.

Some men perceive you as this pure, fragile thing that can’t be tainted.”

But what does this mean for dating conversations? Is this even an appropriate conversation to have on a date?

Regardless of one’s sexual history, it’s healthier for everyone to open up about their sexual partners and experiences early on in a relationship.

The answer: Of course, it is!

Maybe not on the first date, but women shouldn’t feel ashamed for how many men they have or have not had sexual encounters with. In fact, more people are finding it attractive to have sexually educated partners.

And no, this does not mean you can run out and sleep with people for “research purposes,” but hey, if that floats your boat, you do you, boo (safely and consensually, of course).

What it does mean is people are finding it more attractive to be sexually educated, knowing your body and expressing your sexual expectations confidently, whether that entails the actual act of sexual intimacy or not.

Now, when should these conversations take place during the dating process?

Alex Gonzales, 34, said, “It’s all about the way the conversation is presented. I don’t ever want a girl I’m on a date with to think I’m a total creep that’s just trying to get into her pants for asking sexual questions too soon.

Usually, those kinds of conversations take place on later dates, maybe second or third.”

However, this conversation may not be easy for some people.

Conversations about sex and what the expectations are for the relationship— whether there’s a lack of sexual experience or not—can actually have a positive impact in making couples feel closer and more trustworthy.

According to Emily Nagoski, sex educator and author of “Come As You Are,” “Communication is key. When we open and discuss not only our expectations but what our philosophies are around sex, we learn more about our partner.”

Further, Nagoski writes that it can be difficult to be this vulnerable, especially for women, but that continued communication can strengthen the relationship.

The point is, regardless of how many people you’ve slept with or how much experience you have, clear communication is key when it comes to dating.

For women, this means learning about our bodies, desires and getting comfortable with having sexual conversations regardless of judgment, societal influence or experience.

Female sex positivity and education should not be a subject to shy away from, especially when it comes to dating.

LIFE AND ADVICE | 43

THE GREAT OUTDOORS Five go-to spots for an adventure close to home

By Elise Mayer

Photos contributed by Elise Mayer Elise Mayer climbs a challenging overhanging boulder in the Kern Canyon.

L

ife is busy and gas is expensive. I don’t know where to go, or how to get there. There is nothing nearby or I’m too tired to go anywhere. These second-rate justifications that I make to myself and others around me hold me back from valuing the ideal position that the greater Bakersfield area is in for nature lovers, from hiking, to climbing, camping, and more.

Here are four incredible destinations less than an hour and a half from Bakersfield for anyone who, like me, has been making excuses, or for adventure seekers looking for inspiration in the local Kern County area.

1.

WINDWOLVES NATURE PRESERVE

This 30-square-mile nature preserve is abundant with rolling hills, local wildlife, and hiking loops ranging from half a mile to 12 miles. In the spring, this is a stunning destination spot for exploring some of central California’s most beautiful wildflowers. Only 40 minutes out from Bakersfield, it is also a great spot for families to travel for a day picnic.

Admission is free to all guests.

44 | SPRING 2023

A cow walks through the many green pastures that line the trails of Wind Wolves Nature Preserve.

2.

TEHACHAPI HIKING

Tehachapi is quaintly poised on the top of the mountain pass when traveling east from Bakersfield, down Highway 58.

If you’re looking for a great view that is not hours upon hours away from town, Tehachapi has several hiking trails, ranging from beginner, intermediate, and advanced for hikers of all ages and abilities.

According to AllTrails.com, Tehachapi Mountain Park, Tehachapi Loop, and Meadowbrook Park Loop are the most popular in the area, each with a breathtaking lookout point.

Tehachapi has hiking trails with beatiful peaks.

3.

KERN RIVER PARKWAY TRAIL

Explore nature without even leaving town!

This paved path stretching over 30 miles follows the Kern riverbed as it weaves all the way through Bakersfield.

Passing through some of the most beautiful parks and nature in Bakersfield, this pet-friendly trail has several access points and parking areas, along with restrooms and water fountains along the way.

Two runners get their exercise on a beautiful spring morning on the Kern River Parkway trail.

4.

The trail starts at Enos Lane in the west and extends 30 miles to the oilfields in the east.

This two-laned path is locally known and appreciated by avid bike riders, runners and walkers who want to enjoy the beauty of nature.

KERN CANYON CLIMBING

It’s a beautiful drive through Kern River canyon along Highway 178 to reach these climbing destinations. There are numerous spots to safely boulder, toprope, lead climb, and crack climb just a short hike up the road all through the canyon. Climbing spots can be found on mountainproject.com.

Elise Mayer scales a tall boulder in the Kern Canyon at a climbing location called “Lower Mordor.”

XX FOODCATEGORY AND FUN ||45

Tacos Mi Casa Family strengthens relationship through business Story and photos by Haydee Barahona

Photo by Haydee Barahona From left to right: Fernando Ramos, owner of Tacos Mi Casa, works with two of his children, Carlos Ramos and Sara Ramos.

F

ernando Ramos had been a fieldworker in the 1990s, and in 2000, he started working at Alvarez Bakery. As a young father to six children, he felt the salary was not enough to support himself and his family. So, in 2004, Fernando decided to sell his home. He used the equity to buy two houses in Bakersfield, California and in June 2005, he started his own food truck business: Tacos Mi Casa.

46 | SPRING 2023

G

rowing up in San Francisco del Rincón, Guanajuato, Mexico, Fernando became inspired by the meals he watched his mother cook.

“Por eso se llama Tacos Mi Casa,” dijo Fernando, “porque toda la receta es una creación mía. Es algo que está saliendo de la casa, de hacer una comida casi cien por ciento con unas cosas de casa.”

“That is why it is called Tacos Mi Casa,” said Fernando, “because the entire recipe is my creation.

It is something that is coming from home, making food that is made of almost one hundred percent of things from home.”

According to the City of Bakersfield Treasury Division, there are currently 16 permitted food trucks in Bakersfield.

When Fernando started his business, he didn’t notice much competition. Over time, some trucks tried to park near Tacos Mi Casa. Some people have even tried to move Fernando out of the spot where his truck still stands today, 17 years later.

“Our kitchen is not the same as other trucks,” said Sara Ramos,

24, Fernando’s daughter. “They customized it to have it like that.

Then after that, there’s all the permits, inspections, seeing if everything’s okay and once that’s a go, you get started.”

Sara and her brother Carlos Ramos, 28, saw the food truck throughout their childhood.

They would join their father in washing dishes when he brought the truck home to be cleaned.

Soon, Carlos and Sara would be working in that same truck.

Fernando thought the best location for Tacos Mi Casa would be near a car wash.

After Fernando visited multiple car washes across town, the Sparkling Image Car Wash on White Lane gave Fernando’s business a chance. With so many people walking in and out of the area between the carwash and the Fastrip gas station, Fernando felt lucky to stay at this location.

“Algunas personas se burlaron.

Algunas otras personas que tienen troques me decían que me daban tres meses para que yo quebrada el negocio. Y pues, no. Yo siempre me sentí muy contento, tenía mucho ánimo,” dijo Fernando.

“Some people made jokes. Other people that also had trucks told me that they would give me three months for my business to fail. And well, no. I always felt very glad, and I had a lot of enthusiasm,” said Fernando.

To Fernando, it didn’t matter what others said. He knew he had to be the hard worker he had always been, and he told himself that this would help him when starting his business.

Photo by Haydee Barahona Fernando Ramos’ inspiration comes from the meals that his mother used to cook. Ramos named his business Tacos Mi Casa because almost all of the ingredients are made in the home.

FOOD AND FUN | 47

A

typical day at Tacos Mi Casa starts with opening procedures.

working at the truck after school and the nerves she had to get through on her first day.

While the truck operates from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Fernando begins his workday at 5 a.m. by prepping rice, beans, any meats that need to be cooked for the morning, and large quantities of salsa.

“The first time I actually had to work, I was so nervous. You know when you, like, shake? My first order, I was shaking. I was terrified. But, you know, after the days went by, it was easier and easier,” said Sara.

When the truck opens, Carlos comes in to prepare baking items, like hashbrowns.

O

“I have to set up canopies, put the chairs up, put sodas out, and clean around to make sure it’s tidy so people can have a nice meal,” said Carlos.

Carlos began working at Tacos Mi Casa at around 16 years old.

His first day at work was on a weekend, and he can only remember how hectic it was.

Still, some of Carlos’ greatest challenges are getting through customer rushes and maintaining the workflow when things pile up.

“It’s something different. Not everyone gets to experience how business is run at an early age, the responsibilities it comes with,” said Carlos.

Sara usually comes in later, at 9 a.m. She takes orders and handles prepping during the evening.

Sara said that growing up with a parent that owns a business requires more responsibility.

“Growing up, you have to learn things, you have to do it. Like, my parents sometimes need help, so you have to be there, too,” said Sara.

Sara remembers being about 16 or 17 years old when she began

48 | SPRING 2023

ver the last 17 years, Fernando feels that he has accomplished what he always wanted: for different communities to enjoy something he and his family created.

“Tenemos clientela que son Asiática, clientela Americana, clientela Latina, clientela de todas las razas, y era lo que yo quería- compartir en esta ciudad,” dijo Fernando.

“We have Asian customers, American customers, Latino customers, customers of all races, and that is what I wantedto share in this city.”

The Ramos family’s favorite part about working is satisfying their customers. Fernando imagines that each customer that eats at Tacos Mi Casa will love his food.

“Esa es mi parte favorita,” dijo Fernando, “cuando estoy cocinando. Yo cocino con mucho gusto.”

“That is my favorite part,” said Fernando, “when I am cooking.

I cook with great pleasure.”

Like his father, Carlos watches the smiles on the customer’s faces as they enjoy their meals.

“They leave the plates empty and to me, as the person that cooks, I’m like, ‘all right, I’m doing a good job, everyone’s really enjoying it,’” said Carlos.

“

A

s a family-owned business, HAY MOMENTOS DUROS, the Ramos family always someone to depend TAMBIÉN, NO LO VOY A NEGAR, on. Ashas Carlos puts it, there’s more PERO ME SIENTO FELIZ trust in each other.

PORQUE PUEDO CONFIAR EN Sara said that, unlike non-family businesses where employees ELLOS CIEN POR CIENTO. may not be familiar with their their father has Fernando Ramos coworkers, known them their whole lives.

He raised them.

Although owning a family business requires a team effort, Carlos and Sara point to their father for leadership.

“I would say a lot of the leadership is him because he has to do a lot of everything. When he needs help with paperwork or anything like that, we help him out, translate certain things, or if he needs help with computer stuff. But a lot of the time it’s my pops on top of a lot of the things,” said Carlos.

Photo by Haydee Barahona Tacos Mi Casa is located on White Lane and Gosford Road.

T

acos Mi Casa has also gotten involved with the Bakersfield community by helping schools sell meals at events.

“Después, los maestros van y comen en el troque, ordenan comida para la escuela, y los conocemos, nos conocen, y eso nos da gusto a nosotros,” dijo Fernando.

“Afterwards, the teachers go and eat at the truck, they order food for the school, and we get to know them, they know us, and that makes us very happy,” said Fernando.

Tacos Mi Casa has a close connection with its customers and knows many families. Sara said that there are even some families who have been visiting

the truck for almost 10 years.

Fernando has his own set of responsibilities, from inspections to insurance policies. Juggling between being a father while also being a business owner can be difficult at times, but overcoming obstacles also becomes easier in the presence of family.

“I do feel that we’ve been there for so long, we have clientele that’s established. They know us, they know our names, they ask us every day, ‘how’s the family?’” said Sara.

Fernando has always wanted his children to live comfortably. If one of his children were to have their own business one day, he wants them to be able to grow.

Fernando sometimes steps out of the truck to interact with his customers and ask how their own families are doing, as he did with customer Maria Silva, who visits Tacos Mi Casa with her daughter about once a week.

“Estoy contento. Hay momentos duros, también, no lo voy a negar, pero me siento feliz porque puedo confiar en ellos cien por ciento,” dijo Fernando.

“Pienso que las cosas están saliendo bien porque ellos tienen su responsabilidad.”

“Me recuerda a mi familia por los tacos porque soy de Mexico,” dijo Silva.

“The tacos remind me of my family because I am from Mexico,” said Silva.

“I am very glad. There are hard moments, I will not deny it, but I feel happy because I can trust them one hundred percent,” said Fernando. “I think everything is coming out well because they have their responsibility.”

FOOD AND FUN | 49

BAKING HER WAY TO A BUSINESS DEGREE Story

by Jaylene Collins

By Jaylene Collins Photos by Ranara Lim

F

rom a young age, Janette Chuuon-Chan has been exposed to the baking scene.

When Chuuon-Chan was 4 years old, her parents bought their first bakery in Bakersfield, California.

Eventually, Chuuon-Chan’s parents came to own two bakeries here in Bakersfield, College Coffee & Donuts, and College Smoothies & Donuts.

Growing up around these bakeries and around her baker parents, Chuuon-Chan has always been interested in baking.

“When I was younger, my mom, she kind of let me help out decorating,” Chuuon-Chan said.

“So, I always just kind of had a natural interest in it.”

Growing up, Chuuon-Chan said she’s enjoyed being creative. She had taken interest in painting and drawing. Soon, she began to channel her creativity into cake decorating.

Originally, Chuuon-Chan only made cakes for family birthdays and for fun until July 2020, when she created Sweets by Janette.

Chuuon-Chan is a local cake artist and student at California State University, Bakersfield. She has been running her business, Sweets by Jannette, for three years now.

When she first began posting cakes to her Instagram account, Chuuon-Chan started to gain local exposure. The sales followed shortly thereafter.

“I think people kind of just started sharing my page. So that’s kind of when I started getting business and it kind of turned into a full-time thing,” Chuuon-Chan said.

50 | SPRING 2023

Running a small business by herself is no easy feat. Especially as a college student, Chuuon-Chan found a challenge in juggling work and school.

“I do social media, I do my own finances, I do pretty much everything,” Chuuon-Chan said. “It’s just a little challenging. Everything’s on me right now.”

Chuuon-Chan currently attends CSUB and is working towards her master’s in business

administration. Going to school half-time eases some stress, but Chuuon-Chan still struggles to run her business solo.

Like her parents, Chuuon-Chan said she would eventually like to own her own store so she could hire employees and divvy up the work. For now, Chuuon-Chan said her boyfriend supports her and helps pick up ingredients from time to time.

Despite these challenges, Chuuon-Chan’s desire to create things of her own keeps her going.

“It’s cool,” Chuuon-Chan said. “I’m having people ask me to make cakes or whatever for future events and I really like being creative.”

Chuuon-Chan said she enjoys creating her own aesthetic and style for her cakes. She enjoys that she gets to make money while doing what she loves.

While sharing her favorite memory since having her business, Chuuon-Chan revealed her creativity has allowed her to branch outside of Bakersfield. In April 2022, Chuuon-Chan had the opportunity to make a cake for her favorite Los Angelesbased rapper, Vel Nine.

“I got to do her birthday cake. It was for her event she was performing at.

So, I made my boyfriend drive me to L.A. to do her cake,” Chuuon-Chan explained. “But, I had never driven a cake that far before and I was like, ‘oh my god, I’ve never done this. What did I get myself into?’”

was worried about the cakes staying cool and how decorations would turn out.

“I kind of just went with the flow and I was like, ‘I don’t know if it’s gonna melt on the way there.

I don’t know what’s gonna happen, but I’m just gonna go with my gut instinct. It’ll be fine,” Chuuon-Chan said.

Everything went smoothly, according to ChuuonChan. She said she decorated at the venue in L.A. and enjoyed the experience.

Out of all the cakes Chuuon-Chan has created, she said she doesn’t have a favorite. However, her favorite cakes to make are vintage-style cakes.

“I love doing really, really detailed cakes,” ChuuonChan said. “And I’m kind of like a perfectionist and I like doing, like, all the different details and piping tips.”

Chuuon-Chan posts all of her cakes on her Instagram profile, @ sweetsbyjanette_. Currently, she has over 3,000 followers and consistently receives orders. She plans to graduate with her master’s from CSUB in 2023.

Baking cakes and a master’s degree at the same time is not easy, but Chuuon-Chan makes it work.

This was Chuuon-Chan’s first time prepping and transporting a cake outside Bakersfield and decorating at the venue. She said she

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MONDAY NIGHT MOCKTAILS

Mix it up on a Monday night with these five easy mocktail recipes. You can enjoy these drinks without having to worry about a hangover.

By Jocelynn Landon and Kristen McGuire

STRAWBERRY SUNRISE Ingredients: • ½ cup of orange jucie • ¼ cup of cranberry juice • ¼ cup of Sprite • Strawberries for garnish Directions: Combine all ingredients and stir.

Add ice to a glass and pour mixture over ice. Cut strawberries for garnish.

GRAPE MOJITO Ingredients: • 8 mint leaves • 1 lime • 1 grape Olipop Directions: Cut up half a lime into small pieces.

Place into a glass with 4 mint leaves. Muddle together the mint and the lime until combined. Add ice and 1 can of grape Olipop. Garnish with lime and mint.

52 | SPRING 2023

RASPBERRY LIMEADE Ingredients: • 1 cup fresh raspberries • ¼ cup sugar • ¾ cup water • Lime juice (about half of a lime) • ¼ cup of club soda • Raspberries and lime for garnish Directions: In a small saucepan, combine raspberries, sugar and water over medium heat.

Bring to a simmer and then reduce heat. Let the syrup cook for 2 more minutes. Allow the syrup to cool. Once cooled, add the lime juice and stir. Fill a glass with ice and pour in your raspberry limeade.

Add club soda and top with fresh raspberries and lime.

PINEAPPLE COCONUT Ingredients: • 3 ounces of pineapple juice • 1 ounce of orange juice • 1 ounce of coconut crème • Blue food coloring Directions: Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Shake and pour over ice.

SOUR BLACKBERRY Ingredients: • 1/3 cup fresh blackberries • Lemon juice (about half of a lemon) • ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract • ½ teaspoon honey • 1 cup of club soda • Blackberries for garnish Directions: Muddle the fresh blackberries with your lemon, vanilla and honey. Add club soda. Strain the mixture. Fill a new glass with ice and pour the mixture. Add more club soda and blackberries on top.

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Canva graphic by Jocelynn Landon

By Kiara Zabala

T

hai House, located at 5143 Ming Avenue, welcomes its guests with a cozy ambiance, and spicy scents that hit your nose as soon as you walk in.

“Our food is a huge example of how we share our love.

In our culture we even greet one another with asking ‘Have you eaten?’” said our waitress, Anna.

Two must-tries there is the eggrolls and the chicken pad Thai. both items are filled with delicious veggies and mild flavors. For our spicy lovers out there, ask for the chili paste to add that extra kick to your dish.

In the wise words of my friend, Rennah, who went with me, this restaurant’s dishes are “very good for carnivores.”

The restaurant offers a large selection of food and the customer service is incredible, with constant refills on our half empty drinks. Thai House is the place to be if you wish to leave with a happy and full stomach.

54 | SPRING 2023

THAI HOUSE

ROLLS AND GRILL

By Camila Arambula

W

hen I was a kid, my mom would take me to eat pho if I was sick or during cold weather. I loved going out to eat with her and these memories are very fond to me.

Rolls and Grill is a family-owned Vietnamese restaurant located in Ming Plaza, owned by Loan and Danh Nguyen. I hadn’t been to the restaurant since I was little, but recently I went in hoping to try a new dish.

Although the restaurant primarily has Vietnamese food and is known for their pho, there’s also different types of Asian food, including Japanese food. I ordered a Japanese-style poke bowl with three scoops.

“We are usually sold out of our poke bowls,” said Hailey, the cashier.

I chose white rice and spring mix for my base. For my toppings, I chose crab, tuna, spicy mayo and seaweed salad.

I enjoyed my food and ate quickly. Overall, it was a 10 out of 10. The service and quality of food is exceptional.

If you enjoy eating healthy, without missing out on flavor, you should try Rolls and Grill.

EL PUESTO COCINA Y CANTINA

By Maya Morales

E

l Puesto Cocina y Cantina is a warm, inviting restaurant that greets customers with scents of spices and a delightful welcome that makes you feel like part of their family.

A beautiful painting of Frida Kahlo and touches of Mexican culture transport you directly to the streets of Mexico.

When I sat down, I was greeted by a kind server who served me duritos drizzled with Valentina- a nice change from the traditional chips and salsa.

One of their most popular dishes that I had the pleasure of trying was the enchiladas poblanas: chicken enchiladas made with special blended green sauce topped with crema, pickled onions, cilantro and other vegetables.

Each bite reminded me of a dish I would eat if my grandmother was in the kitchen; it was a flavorful blend of Oaxaca, Puebla and Michoacan, Mexico. If you seek delectable authenticity in a Mexican dish, El Puesto, located at 3700 California Avenue, is the place for you.

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ATHENA’S GREEK CAFE AND BAKERY

By Elizabeth Lackey

I

f you are looking for authentic Greek food and great service, Athena’s Greek Café and Bakery at 1901 20th Street is the place to go.

They have a wide array of Greek dishes, such as steak pita and beef skewer. Both come with a choice of rice pilaf or Greek lemon roasted potatoes. It was all impeccably cooked, and the tzatziki on the pita was full of delicious flavor that complimented the seasoned steak very well.

Our server, Zach Wenzel, brought dessert; he was a wealth of knowledge. He said that all Greek food is extremely well seasoned, but not hot or spicy.

“The Greeks make their food with a lot of honey, that’s why the baklava is made with so much honey,” said Wenzel.

I tried the baklava, and was delighted to taste the delicious honey, in addition to all of the other ingredients.

This local, family-run business is certainly worth a visit, even if you only have room for one of their delightfully Greek desserts. Athena’s Greek Café and Bakery is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Saturday.

By Joselyn Green

L

ocated at 4120 Ming Avenue is a little yellow and green shack called Barrington’s Jamaican Kitchen.

This restaurant serves curry chicken, as well as jerk chicken; those plates come with plantains and rice and beans or cabbage.

Jerk chicken and curry are deeper than just delicious food. They come out of the history of not only Jamaicans, but Africans, the Arawak and Taíno.

The restaurant also serves oxtails and brown stew chicken Fridays through Sundays only, but is open on Tuesday through Sundays.

Barrington himself said “if you’ve been to Jamaica and you come back to America or wherever you go and come back to, you always crave the food.”

That part of the culture is well loved. Barrington also said, “the goal is to represent Jamaica in a small way so people can relive that experience.”

56 | SPRING 2023

BARRINGTON’S JAMAICAN KITCHEN

By Haydee Barahona

I

f you’re craving Salvadoran food during your night out downtown, El Cuscatleco, located at 1528 18th St., is the place to eat.

EL CUSCATLECO

As an appetizer, we started with platanos fritos, fried plantains served with sour cream and refried beans.

The restaurant also serves pupusas, the country’s plato tipico, or traditional dish.

“This is the most popular meal in El Salvador,” said server Beatriz Herrera.

The pupusas can be made with corn or rice flour tortilla, stuffed with cheese, beans and your choice of meat. Customers can also order their pupusas stuffed with vegetables like zucchini or loroco, an edible herb native to El Salvador.

Herrera served the pupusas with a cabbage slaw called curtido, and salsa. To complete our meal, we also ordered a sweet soda called Cola Champagne.

El Cuscatleco definitely brings the taste of El Salvador to Bakersfield.

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