Director talksabout filmon teeninmixed-status family

In“Fruitsof Labor,” a coming-of-age feature documentary viewers watch Ashley Pavonnavigate her final year of highschoolwiththoughts ofprom, college andfamilyundertheshadow ofanincreaseinraidsinher Watsonville community by U.S. ImmigrationandCustomsEnforcement. To helpsupport her family andprotectthemembers ofitwhoare undocumented,Ashley goes to work in thestrawberry fieldsand a foodprocessing plant.

“Yousee how this teen istraversing the seen and unseen forces that keep herfamilytrappedin poverty, saidEmilyCohen Ibañez,the film’s director producer cinematographerand co-writer “It’s a lyrical meditation onadolescence, nature andancestralforces.It reallylooks atwhatit meansfor a young, working woman to comeinto her own power.”

The filmisoneamong a numberofstoriesfeaturedinthis year’s HumanRights Watch Film Festival,beinghostedonlinethrough TuesdaybySanDiego’s Museum ofPhotographicArts.Ibañez,who holds a doctorate inanthropology from New York University and has also creatednumerous commis- sionedshort filmsforvarious outlets,isback on thefestival circuitwithherdebutfeature documentary Ibañez tooksometime to talk abouther film, working with Pavon (whois 17 inthe filmand 21 now),andherdesire totell a coming-of-age story that focusedona young womanof color (Thisinterview hasbeeneditedforlength andclarity. Fora longer versionof this conversation,visit sandiegouniontribune.com/sdutlisa-deaderick-staff.html.)

Q:How did you findAshley?

A:

I have a longhistory of workingin Watsonville aroundunion organizingforfarmworkers,and I was teaching a class invisual sociology atUCSanta Cruzin2015.I partnered withmy sister, whoisthe executive director ofanorganizationcalledthe Community Agroecology Network,andtheyhave thisGrowing Justice youthprogramaround this community gardenthey’d foughtfor While I was teaching my class, I wantedmystudents to thinkabout collectivelyauthored filmsandwhatthatmeans, experimentingwithformanddifferent waysof goingaboutmaking films.

Itaughtthe college students production,andtheirtask was to

NORTH COUNTY: ANGELA BRANDT

Following community meetings anda successfulsurvey,thePowayCityCouncilrecentlyadoptedtheCommunity Park Needs Assessment.Thenext stepsintheprocess willbe to developanactionplanandthensecure fundingfortheprojects officialssaid.

Themainpriority found was shade. City staffisnow tasked withcreatingmore shadedareasaroundthepark anditstrails as well asamenitieswhere people congregate Thismightbedonewithtreesand shadestructuresorsails,officialssaid.

Another concern voicedintheassessment was accessibletrailsand connectivity. Respondents want a connectionofpedestrian loopsand to make thetrailsmore universally accessible.Another response was wantingbike accessthroughoutthepark alongsidebicycleparking.

Signage andpark visibility were another needlistedon theassessment. Options for enhancedvisibility include reducingthe tennis court fencing and relocatingtheoperationalyard.Increased signage throughout thepark was encouragedfor awareness directionalandinterpretive purposes.

Park amenitiesandan all-abilitiesplaygroundalsomadethepriority list. The idea is to modernizeplayareas to include all-abilities playgroundsandintroduce pickleball as wellasadventure amenities toexpand the park’s usability.

Lastly, the needforadditional resources for awarenessandmaintenancebystaffor contractsupport was listedintheneedsassessment.Theplan wouldbe to investadditional resources tokeepupwiththepark maintenanceas additionalamenitiesare added to thepark.Oneideais to createa

TheCommunity Park NeedsAssessmentfoundthat Poway residents wantmoreshade andaccessibletrails. Signage,enhanced visibility,park amenitiesandan all-abilitiesplaygroundalsomade theprioritylist.

COURTESY PHOTO teach the youngfolks intheGrowing Justiceprogram,andthen collaborate withthemonmaking films.That’s whereI metAshley. Indoingthis video collective withthese youth,mostofthem went to work in the fieldsafter the2016 election.There was alabor gap because there wasa marked increaseinICE [U.S.Immigration andCustomsEnforcement]raids after the election, especiallyin workplaceslike factories and fields. Undocumented adults were becomingincreasinglythreatened andscared to goto work in the fields,so youngpeoplewho are often borninthe U.S. to undocumentedparents, were fillingthe labor gap. lems,but we aren’tallowed to be fullhumanpersonsonscreen.So, theaim was to justfollow Ashley’s last yearofhighschooland go through allofthe joysandstruggles ofthat,andallofthe awkwardness and whatitmeans to be ateen.Of course,all of thatis withinthe context ofher reality of having to work nightshiftsina factory that freezesstrawberries. Then,trying togoto school and strugglingwith graduation.

Ashley Pavon

to comeinto herpower as a working young woman of colorinthis country?

Q:

What was itabouther story andperspective that led you to want to document part of her life and experiences?

A: There are fantastic filmsin thefarmworker movement that reallyfollow ouricons,like Dolores Huertaandthe film“Dolores.”There are also other films that reallyfocus onsocialissues, andsometimes,peopleof color becomestand-insforsocialprob-

FromUnion-Tribune reportingstaff

website app to aidinthe growthof marketingand communicationefforts to create greater awareness about theofferings particularlyat the community recreationcenter.

TheCommunity Park NeedsAssessmentwillassistintheplanningandprioritizingofimprovements andthenindeveloping along-term conceptplanforthepark,which offersmulti-generationalprogrammingand opportunities.Community Park ishome to theMickeyCafagnaCommunity Centerand the recentlyupdated PowayCommunity SwimCenter Community Park alsoserves as theheart ofdevelopmentinthe Poway Roadarea.Impactfees fromthenew developmentprojects are oneofthesources of fundingforfuture improvements atCommunity Park,officialssaid.

Atthemeeting councilmembers voiced aneagerness to start improvementsassoon aspossible.

“I want to move theballdown the field,” saidCouncilmemberBarry Leonard. “I just don’t wantthis to take longerthanithas to.”

City Manager Chris Hazeltine assured themthatwhilestaffwillbe building a multiyearplan to addressthe top priorities some oftheprojectswill beincludedfor consideration inthe2022-23 fiscal yearbudget.

Hazeltine saidsomeofthe cheaperand easierprojectsor“low hanging fruit” canbe tackledsooner.

“We’re always lookingfor ways to get money outthere that we can leverage to better ourprojects. No doubt,”headded. Brandtwrites for the U-T Community Press.

When you see the film, I think it’s hard not to kindoffall inlove with Ashley andherfamily The firstquestionI askedheroncamera was,“Whatare yourdreams?” Her dream was to bethe firstin herfamily to graduate fromhigh school,andshe really wanted togo to college.Throughoutthe film, there’s someambivalence about that route and you see thathappening Shedoes graduate from highschool,andshe’s finishingher associate’s degree.She’sa fulltimestudentnow, she’s finishing up a certificate in Latinobusiness atSantaClara University, and we’re workingonhertransition into finishing herfour years.She’s doingit. No childshouldhave to be that resilient,and yet, you see Ashley.

Q:WhatdidAshley come to learn aboutwhatitmeans

A:I think a lot ofit was havinga recognitionofher own selfworth and a recognitionthatsheis enough, what sheisdoingis enough Actually theburdenis too much. Justthat recognitionalone is a place to stand from Herstory matters,herdignity and respect matter, andshehas a voice and she canspeakup.Herdreamsare worth it. You’llsee in the film,she justkindofsaw deadends Cominginto her own meantthat, despite all of these difficulties, she canstill fight to aspire forthe things thatshe wants.Bytheend ofthe film, you see herfallinlove withChicanostudies and psychology ather community college.I thinkthat’s reallyher cominginto her own,andtheideathat you’re notaloneandshe recognizesthat sheisn’t alone.There’sa lot of youngpeople with a similar experience. Tickets to screen allfive of the festival’sfilmsare on saleonline for $35 and for individualfilms for $9, withdiscounts available for Museum of PhotographicArtsmembers as well as members of Human Rights Watch. For more information,go to ff.hrw.org/san-diego. lisa.deaderick@sduniontribune.com

Astudentcreativity contestand a vir- tual eventwithbestselling author Heather McGhee are amongthehighlights oftheSanDiego Public Library’s BlackHistory Month celebration.

“We’re invitingourpatronsandallSan Diegans to learnaboutthehistory, achievementsandstoriesof BlackAmericans,” Library Director Misty Jonessaid in a statement.“Whetheritisattendinga thought-provokingauthortalk,creatinga pieceofart thatcelebrates Blackhistory orpickingup a recommended read, there are many ways toexplore the contributionsBlack Americans have made throughouthistory.”

The contestinvitesstudentsin grades 4to 12 to submit anessay, poem, visual artwork, song, rap orothercreative work. It should representan eventor figure from Black Americanhistory that influenced the student’s personallife orshaped the world.Deadlineforentriesis Feb.28.

Top prizesinclude$150 for first place, $100forsecondand $50 forthird.Allen-

SAN DIEGO STORIES

Inhonor of Black History Month,the Union-Tribunehas partnered with the San DiegoHistory Center to presentitems each day in February onlocalBlack history.

SanDiegoUrban League It was theperseveranceofDr JackKimbrough,amongothers that was crucial in establishing a local UrbanLeaguebranch in 1953. Inmanycities,thelocalNAACP branch foughtforcivilrights,butinSanDiego it was the UrbanLeaguethatplayedthe pivotal role after World War IIinpushingfor civilrightsandfullinclusioninthecity’s growingeconomy TheSanDiego Urban Leaguehadan ability to unify competinginterests,and work onbehalfof communities of color Among itssuccessfulprograms was avocationaleducationprogramintroduced to city schools in 1956 Anothersuccess was theAdopt-A-Childprogram,a charitable collaborationbetweenseveral

FROM THEARCHIVES

Thirtyyearsago today, TheSan DiegoUnion-TribunelaunchedtheNight&Day weekly entertainmentsection.Thatsame week,themorningSanDiego UnionandafternoonTribunehadmerged into thesingle newspaper you know today

ThepremiereeditionofNight&Dayincludedacenterpiecestoryonthecoffeehousecraze inSan Diego (few of 11 espressobars reviewed still exist) There werereviewsofmovies,theater, albumsand televisionshows.There were also 10 pagesofpersonaladsandthis 1990s tech advice fromthe new Singles Scene column: “Whole new way to flirt:By way of PC modem.”

Manythings havechangedsince 1992 Night&Day remains.Thesectionisnow published onFridaysinsteadofThursdays. Thedebutsectionalsoincluded a couple of bylines that willbefamiliar to readers:Karla Petersonand George Varga.

FromThe San Diego Union-Tribune Thursday Feb. 6, 1992:

ByKarlaPeterson,ArtsWriter

WhenyouhearEarlThomas sing the blues,youhaveplentyof reasons tobegrateful Youcanbegratefulthatthelocalsinger hassuch a finewaywith a tune. You canbe grateful thathisbandissosharp.Andyou canthankyourlucky stars thatThomasis singingthebluesinsteadofmakingyousing themyourself.

“Ialwayswantedtobeanentertainer,but Ididn’tthinkmusicwassomething I could do,”saidThomas,whobringshisBluesAmbassadorsto BlindMelonsonSaturdayand

Winston’s onSunday.“Ithoughtthemusic businesswassomebigthingthatyouhadto fighttoget into,so I decidedtobe a dentist instead.”

WhenheenrolledatHumboldt StateUniversity,Thomasintendedtospendhistime listeningto thebuzzof adrill insteadofthe humofanelectric guitar. A dorm-room singalongconvinced himtochange his majorto music,butthe Tennesseenativewasstilla fewstepsawayfromthepathofmusicalrighteousness. “AtHumboldt,I studiedclassicalmusic forthreeyears.Iwasintrainingtobeanopera singer or a vocalinstructor,” Thomas said from his home inUniversityHeights “But once I heard Muddy Waters, I couldn’tignore it.” SoEarlThomas,dentistrydropoutand classicalcasualty,becameEarl Thomasthe soulstylist.Hemoved toSanDiegoinlate 1987 andjoined theRhumboogies a few months later.Afternearlytwo years withthe electric bluesband,Thomasformedthe BluesAmbassadors.Hereleased“ISingthe Blues” onan independentlabel in1990,and thatsmokycollectionof soulfulballads and raucousR&Btunesgotthesinger a contract withBizarreStraightrecordsof Hollywood. Aftersomeretouching andrewriting,“I trantswill receivea gift More detailsare availableat thelibrary’s BlackHistory Month website, sandiego.gov/sdplblackhistory.

McGhee isthe New York Times bestsellingauthorof “TheSumof Us: What RacismCosts EveryoneandHow We Can Prosper Together.” A nonfiction journey acrossAmerica,it challenges the “zero sum” ideathat oneperson’s progressmust comeat the expenseof someone else,and itspotlights groups thathave figured out how to accumulate whatshecalls the“Solidarity Dividend.” john.wilkens@sduniontribune.com

Hervirtual event,hostedatthe Central Library isscheduledfor6:30 to 8 p.m Feb. 28 Registration is availableat thelibrary’s BlackHistory Month website. OtherBlackHistory Month eventsincludetake-home kits forpreschoolersand elementary students,a fieldtrip to the La JollaHistoricalSociety and a “Reach for the Stars”story time.

SANDIEGOHISTORY CENTER

County SupervisorDeGraff Austin and National Urban LeagueExecutive Secretary LesterB.Grangerata San Diego Urban Leaguemeetingin 1955 socialserviceagencies.

SOURCE: SANDIEGOHISTORY CENTER

TheHistory Centerisat 1649ElPrado,in Balboa Park.Hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.Friday, Saturdayand Sunday. (COVID-19 rules: Facemasks mustbe worninside regardless ofvaccinationstatus.) To learnmore about thecenter goto sandiegohistory.org.

Aspecialpresentationtitled“Gems fromtheArchivesReflectingtheRichHistory ofBlackSanDiego”isscheduledfor noon Tuesday.RSVPatbit.ly/SD101Feb22.

SingtheBlues”became “BlueNot Blues, a title Thomas hopeswillexplainsomething about the musichediscoveredhecouldn’t ignore. “Mymusicisn’treallyinthestyle of great blues artists likeMuddy Waters B.B.King or Bobby‘Blue’Bland,butit’sveryconnectedto that.Icalledthealbum ‘Blue NotBlues’because thesongsarerealitybased,andthey dealwithhumanemotions. I don’tdealwith those thingsexactlythesamewaytheold guysdoit. I put myownstyleto it....Itcomes fromR&B,soul blues rock,jazz,country. It’sall inthere, I’mjust not surewhatto call it.” AndwhileThomas isspreadingtheword, he’ll begettingsomeassistancefromsoul masterSolomonBurke who recorded three songsbyThomasandwritingpartnerPhilip Woottonforhislatestalbum.

Withhissupplevoiceandcommanding stage presence,Thomasisquicklybecoming theentertainerheneverthoughthecouldbe. Asforthecareer indentistry Thomas hasno secondthoughts.Althoughtherearestill timeswhenhecoulduseashotofNovocainor two.

“It’sstillkind ofscary sometimes,”Thomasadmittedsheepishly.“WhenIfoundoutI’d beplayingSlim’s, I had a whole monthto prepareforit. I wasn’tnervous forthewhole month,butaboutfiveminutesbeforethe showwassupposedtostart, I startedshakingand I couldn’t stop.Whenwedothese otherbigshows,someone mayhave tocarry metothestage.Butonce I hearthemusic,I dojustfine.”