{ SAN JOSE } LIFE & ST YLE
W H AT ’ S I N S I D E M AT T E R S
|
M AY / J U N E 2 0 0 9
|
ISSUE 1.0
dirt
decomposition & regeneration
Charley Trujillo Local author, educator & publisher
Grave Digger
Interview with Eduardo Medina
Let Go
The people of the recession
DIGITAL iPhone photos by wes thomson
table of contents
Cultivator Notes Contributors Dirt on Soil Composting 101 Gravedigger Urban Gardening Mushrooms Flavor Page: Recipes Alessandra Asks A Lost Battle Rages On Grapes of Cesar Interview: Charley Trujillo Writings Let Go Fashion: “Debonair�
2 3 4 5 6 10 12 14 16 18 20 24 26 35 46
Photo: Wes Thomson
CULTIVATOR’S NOTES
dirt issue 1.0
I have put down roots in San Jose; into the school system, into the businesses and the lives of family and friends. Here in the dirt of this city. We are not only from the earth but our dependence and our relationship to it has never been such a topic of discussion and concern. And though it is getting a little cliche to be “green” we cannot argue with the importance of respecting our environment. Dirt--where we grow our food and bury our dead. Life and death are played out in the soil. Decomposition and regeneration. This paradox demostrates so much about our lives. How a bad thing that happens can turn out to be the catalyst for growth. Like losing a job which leads us to have the courage to pursue what we always wanted to do. In this issue, we scratch the surface of the complexity and beauty at our feet. Dirt.
Daniel Garcia, Cultivator daniel@content-magazine.com
2
Cover Photo: Model: Sarah Hale Photo: Daniel Garcia
Joe ClausRoaming the streets of SJ with camera and tripod, Joe is as much a part of downtown as the locals he photographs. We thank Joe for contributing his passion for people, San Jose & portraits in “Let Go” pg. 35.
Joann CollierRecognized as a “jill-of-all-trades” Joann appears on the pages of this issue demonstrating her diverse talent and interests, posing on pages 46 to 51 and sharing her inner beauty with “badwater” pg. 31.
Marcos JohnsonA true San Josean, he can be seen at Cafe Triesta or walking his daughter, Alessandra, to school. Father and daughter join creative efforts to launch an exclusive content series called “Alessandra Asks” pg. 16.
Wes ThomsonA justice advocate with Invisible Children, he believes that those who believe they can change the world are the ones who do. Look for him downtown with his iPhone and see his work in “Digital Holga” on the inside covers.
CO N TRIBUTORS Shapers Daniel Garcia-Cultivator daniel@content-magazine.com
Words Jon Havens – Wordster jon@content-magazine.com
Visuals Brian Jensen-VisualImprinter brian@content-magazine.com
Sarah Garcia-Marketeer sarahg@content-magazine.com
Shadd Williams-FreelanceGenius shadd@content-magazine.com
Matt Hale- Scribbler matt@content-magazine.com
Marc Cardenas- FaceBridger marc@ content-magazine.com
Ruben Escobedo-StoryMaker ruben@content-magazine.com
Amy Iniguez-Grafista amy@content-magazine.com
Keith Hendren-GenerTech keith@content-magazine.com
Michelle Nicole Sodergren-TheaTixer michelle@content-magazine.com
Jessy Dewi- Queen-le-Grafix jessy@content-magazine.com
Nathan Jensen-AnthroTect nathan@content-magazine.com
Deanna Wallace-Editoress deanna@content-magazine.com
Chris John-Design Ninja chris@content-magazine.com
Sarah Hale- Sustainer sarahh@content-magazine.com
Fashion Adrea Cabrera-Stylista adrea@content-magazine.com
Food Sarah Kompelien-Flavorite sarahk@content-magazine.com
For advertising information please contact: advertising@content-magazine.com Submissions and contributions are welcome. Please read through requirements.. content magazine is a bi-monthly on-line publication about life and style in San Jose, California. Reproduction, duplicating, distribution and remixing are encouraged provided you give credit to the material source and artists and allow the same condition to your contributions. You can find out more about our copyright license at creativecommons.org. 3
The Dirt on Soil From the grime under our fingernails
after an afternoon spent in the garden to the brittle-dry mud caked to our boots after a spring hike, dirt (in all honesty) can be a bit of an annoyance. It stains, it smells, and its mysteriously brown hue can be quite unsettling. It is mundane and commonplace. Yet while we have defined dirt in these terms, and in response to the aggravation it presents in our everyday lives, a look below the surface (both proverbial and literal) reveals a different story.
So, what is soil?
Article by Nathan Jensen
IT IS DELICATE: We cannot seem to escape dirt. It really is everywhere. (Fortunately, we have not yet paved over everything). However, we should be careful not to equate quantity with quality. Nor should we assume that its abundance is proof of robustness. In fact, good soil is quite delicate and requires care and sensitivity to preserve it. The quality of our agricultural soil is of paramount importance. Whatever is in our soil ends up in our food, and the chemical pesticides and fertilizers that are commonly impregnated into our topsoil will create a lasting detrimental effect on the health of our foods. Effectively, good soil is a nonrenewable resource. It takes nature over 500 years to create just one inch of organic topsoil. With over-farming and proliferation of pesticides as the standard practice in agriculture, cropland in the US today loses nearly three billion tons of topsoil each year. Although dirt is plentiful, soil, as a fragile ecosystem, is becoming scarce. IT IS DIVERSE: In general, healthy soil is made up of organic matter and mineral compounds of Nitrogen, Phosphorous, and Potassium. What fertilizers do is to fortify depleted soil with these minerals in an attempt to bring it back to vitality. Even so, as in any other ecosystem, the make-up of soil is much more complicated than this. Consider this: In one gram of soil, there are anywhere from 5,000 to 7,000 different species of bacteria to be found. In one acre of soil, there can be up to ten tons of animal life thriving. IT IS ALIVE: Soil is anything but benign. It not only aids in the decomposition of waste,but also acts as a system that effectively produces, consumes, and metabolizes it.
Much of what happens below the surface revolves around death and decay. Yet it is this process of decay that also serves as the catalyst for life. Wendell Berry, the respected agro-philosopher, wrote in reference to this paradox:
“If a healthy soil is full of death, it is also full of life: worms, fungi, micro-organisms of all kinds‌ given only the health of the soil, nothing that dies is dead for very long.â€? It is as if soil is in a constant state of respiration, breathing in and out in a cycle of death and life. This metabolic process is one of the most fascinating characteristics of soil. It has the ability to efficiently convert waste into food and correspondingly, decomposition into sustenance for growth and life. I started a compost bin in my yard recently. It began simply as a receptacle for coffee grounds, eggshells, and vegetable scraps from my kitchen. I wanted to cut back the amount of waste I was contributing to the landfill. Yet the process of composting has provided much more than this. As often as I refill the bin with food scraps, I am amazed as I watch soil being produced. The amount of moisture, number of worms, and quantity of food all serve as variables in a delicate equation. If the ratio of one to the other increases disproportionately, the system fails. Then as I stir the contents of the bin in order to catalyze the metabolic process, the variety of animal life that is noticeable is staggering, not to mention the thousands of species of bacteria and other microorganisms that exist but are unseen. The end result of the composting process is a black gritty substance called humus. This is the organic matter that provides nourishment and sustains growth to this vibrant ecosystem. Dirt is everywhere. The temptation is to dismiss its presence as a benign afterthought of our natural environment. The truth, however, is that healthy soil is its lifeblood; that as we look below the surface, we find a delicate, diverse, and living ecosystem that captures our fascination and demands our attention.
Composting 101 What is compost?
A mixture of decaying organic matter, as from leaves and manure, used to improve soil structure and provide nutrients.
It’s been around It is not known exactly how long humans have been composting as a method of nutrient recycling, although we do know that prehistoric farming groups used manure from their domesticated animals mixed with straw and other organic material to produce a soil that would eventually yield healthier crops. Modern composting got its big start in India in the 1940s. Sir Albert Howard developed a method that called for three parts garden waste and one part manure which, when stirred periodically, yielded healthy and fertile soil. He published his findings related to organic gardening in the 1940 book An Agricultural Testament.
Why it’s necessary One-third of landfill waste is made up of compostable products such as meat and vegetable trimmings, table waste, dryer lint, newspaper, and coffee grounds. By composting these materials, we can drastically reduce the amount of methane gas released, which is believed to contribute to the depletion of ozone and therefore global warming.
Article by Sarah Kompelien Photography by Brian Jensen
How it works
As with the decomposition of any material (like the slice of bread you left out on the counter for a week), micro-organisms grow and multiply as they feed to break down organic matter. Compost can be thrown into a bin or pile in your backyard. The sun heats up the organic materials and begins to break them down along with the help of other bacterium, fungi, and insects. These little creatures break down compostable materials into products of carbon dioxide, water, and biomass. This is where you come in. Stirring of the compost pile is necessary to assist and progress natural decomposition. Depending on the climate, compost is typically gardenready in a matter of a few weeks.
In smaller spaces Apartment woes? Don’t fear! There are now several items on the market for indoor (and stink-free) composting. Here’s our favorite: Nature Mill Pro (http://www.naturemill.com)At $399 it’s an eco-splurge, but is most efficient for the square-foot-challenged green thumb.
Think outside the mall
Composted soil can make a great gift for the gardeners in your life!
5
2
GRAVE DIGGER
Interview with Eduardo Medina, a Gravedigger
by Ruben Escobedo III
6
7
9
Urban Gardening I just got in from the crisp spring air where I spent the better part of a sunny Sunday afternoon planting the vegetables and herbs I picked up at the local nursery earlier this week. Planting the Early Girl tomatoes reminded me of the delicious tomato salad recipe I discovered last year--the tomatoes warm from the summer sun, having been picked only moments before. Planting the green beans reminded me of summer’s past, being sent out to our family vegetable garden to pick a colander full of pole beans that my mom would cook up for dinner that night. I smiled as I watched my daughter carefully set the baby pear tomato plant into the garden at a strategically located spot--where access was guaranteed for those short breaks between playing to eat them as if they were candy from a candy tree. These sweet memories are made sweeter knowing that my grocery bill promises to be cheaper throughout the summer months as we eat from our harvest—only picking what we need, eating fresh, organic and with a special feeling of pride that every vegetable gardener understands.
10
As self-sustaining vegetable gardens grow in popularity, (especially as we all try to find a way to save a dollar here and there) the only thing that keeps us from planting one ourselves is time and space. Like most things in life, often we don’t do anything because we can’t do it 100%. But, what I’ve learned over the years is that one tomato plant is better than none, and even if you are a little late on getting that garden started, our ideal Bay Area climate makes it easy to jump in and start your garden anytime during the spring.
Article by Sarah Garcia
So here’s a few tips to make the most of your space, time and vegetable preferences to make this the summer you harvest with pride: Make a list of the top 5 vegetables and herbs you use/like.
Take a look around the outside space you have. One thing you do need for an edible garden is some direct sun. Find a spot that gets 4 or more hours of sun a day. Once you’ve found that space, consider if it makes the most sense for you to plant in a container, a raised bed or directly in the ground. Containers allow for an easy way to start a garden without making a permanent dent in your yard. They also make the most sense when you have limited space. Planting in the ground is the quickest, most affordable option. Raised beds are ideal to allow for ease of plant access, and keeps the plants up and further away from bugs, animals, etc. Now compare the space you have to the list you’ve made. Obviously herbs take up less space than tomatoes, and tomatoes considerably less space than your vine plants (squashes, beans, etc.) Remember that the cute little plants you buy at the store get big pretty quickly, so allow space for regular plant expansion. Once you have determined what is realistic, head to your local nursery to select your plants. If you are planting in pots, make sure you grab some bags of potting soil, and if you are planting in a raised bed or in the ground, you’ll want to make sure you supplement your native dirt with some rich organic compost and soil. If you are growing tomatoes or peppers, you’ll want to make sure you get some tomato cages. While planting, don’t forget to consider that taller plants should be in the back, while the smaller ones (most likely the herbs) should be toward the front to allow for easy access. Now is the time to consider how you will water the plants. If you have an auto drip system or sprinkler, you are advanced. It really doesn’t matter how you water the plants just so long as you do. Put a reminder in your phone or calendar and make a date with those plants. The time you spend caring for the plants, albeit short, will provide you with a healthy, bounteous summer.
Square Foot Gardening In a 2’x 4’ space: 1 tomato 1 bell pepper 1 jalepeno pepper cilantro green onions lettuce
In a 3’x 4’ space: all of the above 2 more tomatoes basil organo thyme leeks
In a 4’x 4’ space: all of the above pole beans squash cucumbers radishes
11
by Sarah Kompelien photos by Daniel Gies
MUSHROOM
12
For most of us, our mushroom awareness begins and ends with what appears in our yards after a rainfall. For a select few, mushrooms are life. I recently had the opportunity to meet one of the latter at a free seminar and guided tour at Muir Woods National Park in Marin, California. Though officially retired, mycologist Robert Mackler is a ball of mushroom-loving energy. His affection and excitement for the study of mushrooms led him to organize special events such as the one I attended. The day began with an hour and a half lecture about mushrooms; the edible, the poisonous, and the highly prized.
FACTS KNOW BEFORE YOU GO. Many people go on excursions to forage for wild mushrooms, Chantrelles and Morels being the most commonly sought after. There are, however, mushrooms that are extremely poisonous which bear similar resemblance to edible varieties. Thorough study and field guides are needed to avoid dangerous consequences!
ASEXUAL HEALING. Since mushrooms do not mate, they release their spores either up into the air, or down through their gills. Puffballs release their spores into a cloud.
MUSHROOMS ARE EVERYWHERE AND PRESENT THEMSELVES TO THOSE WHO TAKE THE TIME TO NOTICE THEM . It took only a day in Muir Woods to open my eyes. Less than a week after my hike at Muir, what should I see growing (literally) in my own back yard? A patch of Turkey Tails.
THERE ARE OVER 3,000 KNOWN SPECIES OF MUSHROOM GROWING IN CALIFORNIA. Mycologists believe that these may only represent about 60% of what actually exist.
To this day, I’m amazed at the variety of life that springs forth from the dirt. As one who is intimately involved in the daily preparation of vegetables, I often lament taking a knife to their beautiful stalks, flesh, or pods. Time yields the reminder that the flavors they impart to the palate and the energy they provide are also facets of their purpose in life; their dying makes our living possible.
Plants have fascinated me since childhood. From where I stood in the backyard on a warm summer afternoon, the spray of my mother’s garden hose would catch a sudden breeze and the mist would refresh me as I indulged in the carefree spirit of summer freedom. I watched with wonder as shovels first pierced the earth in early spring. The soil beneath Mom and Dad’s grass-stained shoes was comprised of hard, dry clay; I marveled at the strenuous work. They displayed a commitment to the pursuit of future gratification that was, in my naïve mind, a waste of time; especially when there was plenty of backyard baseball to be played. Mom carefully laid various types of seeds under mounds of earth, watered, and waited. The stages from seed to sprout passed ever so slowly. After a few weeks, it became apparent that Mother Nature had worked her magic once again. Bright green signs of life began to stretch their limbs upward and outward following a long nap in their beds of soil. Carrots and sweet peas alike commenced their sprouting. They began to differentiate themselves, as junior-highers do: some grew taller, others lingered, some began to blossom and sport their shiny leaves for all to see.
Yet in the midst of all this beauty, most of us can bring to mind plants that we could do without. For me, it was mushrooms. I would cringe at the sight of their raw, rubbery, white flesh sitting atop an otherwise lovely salad. My experience with them was limited to mostly this, although I have an especially painful memory of mushrooms crashing a family birthday celebration on top of what should have been a tasty cheese pizza. Years passed, and with them came the realization that perhaps there was more to mushrooms than what rubbery disappointment had landed on my pizza. They must be given another chance, I thought, heeding the encouragement of my elders. Taste buds do change. Curiously, cautiously, I brought the King Trumpets to my lips. Their goldenbrowned forms were roasted to perfection in just a touch of olive oil and freshly chopped thyme. It was love. I was changed. Since that day I have experienced a world full of fungi which, in the right hands, have the potential of being something wonderful.
Oven-Roasted Asparagus with Confit Garlic Aioli Serves 4
1 bunch asparagus, bottom ends trimmed 20 cloves garlic, peeled 1 ½ t salt ½ t freshly ground pepper 1c mayonnaise 1-2 c vegetable oil ½ t lemon juice Preheat oven to 250° F. In a small, oven-safe baking dish, add 18 of the garlic cloves and cover them with 1-2 cups of vegetable oil (garlic should be submerged). Cover dish with foil and place in oven for 40 minutes. Upon removing, test garlic for doneness. It should be very soft to the touch. Remove from oven and let cool. Meanwhile, reset oven to 375° F. Mince remaining 2 cloves of garlic and toss with asparagus, salt, pepper, and 2 T vegetable oil. Lay asparagus in a single layer on a parchment paper lined sheet pan. Place in oven for 10-12 minutes. While asparagus is baking, strain out the cooked garlic cloves from the oil with a mesh strainer, tapping off excess oil. Pantry Tip: Store garlic-flavored oil at room temperature and use later for an easy way to add flavor to pasta, rice, or chicken. Use a knife to smash the cooked garlic cloves into a smooth puree. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, garlic puree, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt. Serve aioli chilled as a delicious dipping sauce for the asparagus. 14
Strawberry Fennel Iced Tea Makes One Gallon
Brew tea bags in 8 c filtered water by boiling it for 5 minutes. Remove tea bags, add ice cubes, and chill overnight. Meanwhile, combine 1 cup tea, strawberries, and chopped fennel in blender and process until smooth. Strain mixture through fine mesh to remove seeds. Add blended mixture and lemon juice to tea mixture and chill. Adjust sugar to taste.
6 ea black tea bags 1 c sugar 2 c strawberries, tops removed ½ bulb fennel, tops removed 1-2 T lemon juice 8 c ice cubes 8 c filtered water
Mini Mushroom Pot Pie Serves 4
For the Crust: 1 ¼ c all-purpose flour ½ t sugar ½ t salt 1 stick (4oz) cold, unsalted butter ¼ c ice water You will need 4 ceramic ramekins for this dish. Preheat oven to 350° F. In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar and salt and mix thoroughly. Cut the cold butter into small pieces and work into flour mixture with hands or a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Remember to work quickly; you want to keep the butter as cold as possible! Drizzle ice water over flour/ butter mixture and mix thoroughly until a dough begins to form. You may need to add 1 to 2 additional tablespoons of ice water to have a fairly smooth dough. Flatten into a disk, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour to allow butter to re-harden. Meanwhile, make the filling.
For the filling: 2T vegetable oil ½ c ½” diced yellow onion ½ c ½” diced celery ½ c ½” diced peeled carrots 1 c chopped fresh mushrooms, such as Portobello and Cremini 1T finely chopped thyme 1t white wine vinegar 2T all-purpose flour Salt and pepper to taste 1 egg, beaten In a medium saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and sauté together onion, carrot, and celery over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add vinegar and mushrooms, cover, and allow to cook another 5-7 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle flour over vegetable mixture. Stir constantly to allow mixture to thicken. Season with salt and pepper to taste and add freshly chopped thyme. Transfer cooked mixture to ramekins and fill ¾ full. To finish the dough: Remove from the fridge and roll out to ¼” thickness. With a round cutter or sharpedged glass, cut out circles of dough to fit the top of the ramekins. Pinch the dough up against the edges of the ramekin to completely cover the vegetable filling. Brush with beaten egg and bake at 350° for 25 minutes, or until tops are browned. Serve hot.
Spring Mix with Strawberries, Goat Cheese, and Balsamic Vinaigrette Serves 4–6
1 bag spring mix lettuce 1 pint strawberries, topped and quartered 4oz fresh goat cheese 1 shallot 3T balsamic vinegar 2oz olive or vegetable oil 1T finely chopped thyme
In a blender, combine ½ shallot, thyme, 1 T goat cheese, and balsamic vinegar. Blend until smooth. With motor running, slowly stream in olive oil to emulsify. Add salt and pepper to taste. Toss dressing with greens and top with strawberries and crumbled goat cheese. RECIPES by Sarah Kompelien PHOTOS: Daniel Gies
Alessandra Asks: About Divorce By Marcos Johnson and Alessandra Johnson
Alessandra was an inquisitive little girl who loved to talk to her Papa and ask him lots of questions. Her Papa called her “Tiki”.
16
ONE WEEK AGO, Allesandra and Papa were riding their bikes. They were very happy. Today, she was sad. So was Papa. “Why can’t I have a happy family, Papa?” Papa did not know how to answer at first. When her birthday came close, he asked her what she wanted for a present more than anything. “More than dolls, Papa!” “Yes, Tiki.” “Even more than books!!!” “Yes, Tiki.” Books were Allesandra’s favorite thing. What she wanted for this birthday was something that you cannot buy in the stores. “I want a happy family, Papa!” “Are you sure, Tiki?” “Yes, Papa!!!” She screamed and shook her arms, the way she did when she was happy. Try as they might, Mama and Papa had to split up and get a divorce. “What’s a divorce, Papa?” “It’s when two people have to be apart to be happy.” “But why can’t they be together and be happy, Papa?” Papa had a really hard time with that question. He wanted to fib. He could not. He had to tell her the truth. The problem was that he was not sure what the truth was. What he did not want to do was blame anyone. “I don’t know why Tiki, but it isn’t anyone’s fault. Not Mama’s. Not Papa’s.” “So you and Mama can still be friends?” “Yes Tiki, we can be friends because we love you.” “Then why can’t you be together?”
Because sometimes people get along better when they are apart. Even when they love each other. “Because sometimes people get along better when they are apart. Even when they love each other.” “Do you love Mama still?” “Yes, I do.” “Really?” “Yes. That’s why were not together.” “But what about the happy family I wanted?” “You have it Tiki.” “How Papa, if I don’t have two parents together?” “Because even when they are apart, they still love you. They still think of you. They miss you. And they both want the best for you. And that is better than being together and not getting along with each other. Then no one is happy. Does that make sense Tiki?” “I think it does.” “Is it better now that we aren’t arguing all the time?” “Yes.” “I think so too,” said Papa, sadly. Then he shook his head. She hugged him, happily.
18 18
19
J
A GOLDEN TIME IN THE WEST: CESAR’S GRAPES by Jon Havens
J 70 years after the publication of The Grapes Of Wrath, what can we learn from what many consider Steinbeck’s greatest work?
20
The year was 1939. Hitler’s forces were amassing to invade Poland, the Spanish Civil War was coming to a close, and Gandhi’s stomach was tightening for freedom. America was on the brink of war as its unemployment lingered around seventeen per cent. Severe dust storms known as the Dust Bowls ravaged the Midwest, forcing thousands toward California in a postManifest Destiny retreat. In the midst of a world seemingly in chaos, a novel with historic implications hit the shelves on April 14th. The Grapes Of Wrath, by John Steinbeck, would come to be considered Steinbeck’s masterpiece by most critics (its only rival East Of Eden). The novel tells the story of the Joad family who were forced to make the journey from Oklahoma to California after the repossession of their farm by banks due to the Dust Bowls. In many ways it represented the growing resentment towards “big businesses” and also outlined the fear of socialism that was prevalent in American society at the time. Tom Joad, the ex-con and prodigal son of the family, embodied a type of public unrest towards the powers that be. The corporate
farmers represented those powers and crushed any sort of dissent towards the establishment. The Joads, along with thousands of other dispossessed migrant workers from the East, were forced to work for little pay and live in camps that did not meet their most basic needs. The dispossessed now had a voice. And it belonged to John Steinbeck. Within a month The Grapes of Wrath was a bestseller, gaining Steinbeck more widespread popularity - which he loathed. Even Eleanor Roosevelt was a big supporter of the novel. It was rumored that her husband would soon voice his support of the Joads as well. Not all reaction to the book was positive. Many labeled the book as crude and profane. In some cases the book was burned in public demonstrations. Such instances are well documented in Rick Wartzman’s Extreme In The Obscene: The Burning and Banning Of John Steinbeck’s The Grapes Of Wrath. The Associated Farmers Of California (not to be confused with the novel’s Farmers Association) leveled the most vicious of these attacks. They labeled the book “communist propaganda” and set out to make sure the public believed it to be nothing more than “a pack of lies,” although Steinbeck’s depiction of the plight of the migrant worker is considered largely accurate. This garners the question: who picked up where Steinbeck left off? Did somebody carry the Steinbeck mantle for workers rights or did his call for justice die with him? Do migrant workers still struggle with the same problems today as they did in the 1930s? The answer lies in a man that nearly every Californian knows: Cesar Chavez (thanks for the holiday, by the way). Chavez was a Mexican-American farm worker and activist that strove tirelessly to give union laborers greater rights. This included leading countless strikes, boycotts,
Some of the owner men were kind because they hated what they had to do, and some of them were angr y because they hated to be cruel, and some of them were cold because they had long ago found that one could not be an owner unless one were cold.
and fasts over the course of a 30-year period, beginning in the 1960s. Greatly inspired by the non-violent teachings and commitments of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi, Chavez eventually founded what is known today as the United Farm Workers (UFW). In many ways he became the face of union workers rights in California. If farm workers were looking for a voice after John Steinbeck then they found it in Cesar Chavez. Of The Grapes Of Wrath, Chavez himself said, “I never felt so proud of poor people after I read that book.” Before passing away in 1993, Chavez had a massive following and earned numerous awards for his humanitarian efforts. Amongst Chavez’s accomplishments were higher wages, safer working conditions, and greater health and retirement benefits for farm workers. In 1973, Maria Morales’ parents emigrated from Mexico to California. Within three years, nineteen-year old Maria joined her family to work in the fields of Oxnard picking green beans and onions. Shortly after the Morales family arrived, the UFW arrived as well and began to organize the fields. Maria remembers the UFW providing bathrooms in the fields for the workers. But the UFW did not stop there. Maria’s younger brother and sister worked alongside the family in the fields as well. Due to the efforts of the UFW her siblings were placed in a school to receive a proper education. Now more than thirty years later, Maria is constantly aware of the life changing effect that Chavez’s UFW had on her and her family. Chavez is not without his critics. In early 2006, Los Angeles Times journalist Miriam Pawel ran a four-part story leveling serious accusations at the Chavez family, which took over the UFW after Chavez’s death. Amongst these accusations were charges regarding the distribution of union funds. “The money does little to improve the lives of farm workers, who still struggle with the most basic health and housing needs and try to get on by seasonal, minimumwage jobs,” Pawel wrote. “Most of the funds go to burnish the Chavez image and expand the family business, a multi-
22
million dollar enterprise with an annual payroll of $12 million that includes a dozen Chavez relatives.” Pawel not only strikes out at Chavez’s family but at Cesar himself, claiming that he veered off track towards the end of his life. “He became increasingly concerned with traitors, spoke of malignant forces and publicly purged the young and old. He turned on protégés, some of his earliest and closest friends.” Pawel asserts that Chavez’s behavior greatly changed, that he backed away from organizing farm workers and became suspicious of those from within that he perceived as threats to his control of the organization. “In December 1976, Nick Jones, a longtime left-leaning volunteer…was accused by Chavez of masterminding a communist conspiracy to bring down the union.” Jones quit shortly thereafter. Pawel’s accusations garnered a massive response on all sides. Immediately following the release of her series of articles, the UFW published a point-by-point 103-page refutation. They addressed nearly every accusation in a determined effort to clear the UFW name and the legacy of their founder. “Over nearly a year’s period,” stated the document, “the Farm Worker Movement spent more time and effort with Miriam Pawel than any reporter in its history. Yet almost none of its side of the story ended up in her articles.” The UFW charged the Los Angeles Times with being unfair and pointed to article after article that the newspaper had previously published praising the work of Chavez and the UFW. They accused Pawel herself of being onesided. “…Many of the inaccuracies, distortions, omissions and outright falsehoods happened because Miriam Pawel never specifically asked the movement about them—and it didn’t have the chance to respond. Others are the result of sloppy journalism and omissions and misrepresentations.” Did the oppressed become the oppressors? Did Chavez lose his vision? The UFW has done a massive amount of good for farm workers nationwide: raising wages, giving
benefits and empowering the voiceless. Maria Morales this, instead of polarizing ourselves against our neighpraises the UFW while others are confused by its actions bors, instead of spending our nights worrying about our and wary of some of its decisions. Ask a hundred people incomes, instead of taking the path of fear that so many about the UFW and there will be many answers that do not before us have taken, perhaps we can look to Steinbeck fall under the categories of “good” or “bad.” once again and take his words as a manifesto for unity and Seven decades earlier, Steinbeck spent several years liv- hope. Perhaps Steinbeck had the answer after all. ing and working among the “In the evening a strange dispossessed migrant workthing happened: the tweners. Like Chavez, he experity families became one enced firsthand the horrors I’ll be ever’where– wherever you family, the children were of what the “powers that be” the children of all. The loss look. Whenever they’s a fight so allowed to continue in their of home became one loss, hungry people can eat, I’ll be camps day after day. Steinand the golden time in there. Whenever they’s a cop beck was compelled to docthe West was one dream. beatin’ up a guy, I’ll be there. If ument his experiences and And it might be that a sick those of so many others in Casy knowed, why, I’ll be in the child threw despair into the his masterpiece The Grapes hearts of twenty families, way guys yell when they’re mad Of Wrath. Upon compleand a hundred people; that an’- I’ll be in the way kids laugh tion, he knew the impact his a birth there in a tent kept when they’re hungry an’ they story would have. He carried a hundred people quiet the burden of this impact know supper’s ready. An’ when and awestruck through the for many years. To remain night and filled a hundred our folks eat the stuff they raise silent—to deny the voicean’ live in the houses they build- people with the birth-joy less the power to scream, to in the morning. A family why, I’ll be there. allow atrocities to go unnothat the night before had ticed—would have been a been lost and fearful might burden far greater than the search its goods to find a one Steinbeck chose. He played his part by introducing the present for a new baby. In the evening, sitting about the world to a man named Tom Joad who would become flesh fires, the twenty were one. They grew to be units of the and blood in the words and work of Cesar Chavez. camps, units of the evenings and the nights. A guitar unThe more one dives into Steinbeck’s world of 1939, the wrapped from a blanket and tuned–and the songs, which more the similarities to today come to the surface. We are were all of the people, were sung in the nights. Men sang in the midst of one of the greatest recessions since Stein- the words, and women hummed the tunes.” beck told the story of the Joads. Unemployment is skyrocketing. Critics label President Obama and his administration socialists. People are taking sides on economic issues great and small. People are looking for answers. In a time like
23
CHARLEY TRUJILLO by: Marco S.
MOST OF US KNOW WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO HEAR THE WORD, “NO.”
24
maybe in response to a college admissions application, a job inquiry, or a first date. Charley Trujillo heard the word “no” many times, but with an attitude of selfdetermination, he refused to give up until his dreams became reality. Today, Charley is an acclaimed author and the founder of Chusma House, an independent publishing house dedicated to the work of Chicano writers and artists. Charley’s friend Marc S asks him to recount the story of how he went from being a “kid from Corcoran” to becoming a San Joséan teacher, writer, and publisher who seeks to establish and advance multicultural art and literature.
CONTENT: CNT, CHARLIE: CHRLY CNT: If I recall correctly, my initial impression was: “Who’s the guy drinking a case of Bud and listening to mariachi music who says he’s writing a book?” Tell us about that time in particular. CHRLY: One thing I have to tell you is: I generally don’t listen to Mariachi music. It was Norteño music. Although I do listen to some Mariachi music. Now you’re getting into stereotypes. Stereotypes don’t fall out of the sky. They usually have some basis. Here’s the thing. You say you just saw a vato then, I looked like a janitor. I was a janitor. My formative years, I was a farm worker, at least part time. CNT: When was this? CHRLY: When I was a kid in Corcoran, California. Its claim to fame is that it has TWO big prisoners there. They got Charlie Manson, I’m name dropping now, Sirhan-Sirhan. CNT: Wasn’t Robert Downey, Jr. there too? CHRLY: Yeah, yeah. CNT: So is the prison the biggest employer in Corcoran? CHRLY: Probably. I haven’t seen the numbers. CNT: It went from crops to criminals, huh? CHRLY: Yeah, it seems like half my family is in prison, and the other half is guarding them. CNT: Had you thought about being a writer back then? CHRLY: No, I just like stories. CNT: Had you written any at that time? CHRLY: Yeah, actually there was an eighth grade teacher that I had, and all we did was sit down…and write. Everybody was really quiet, and when you finished your story, you’d take it to the teacher, and he’d read it, mark it up for you, and that was it. He didn’t give us no classes on writing or anything. I think it was great. CNT: Do you remember if they were fiction or non-fiction? CHRLY: Ah, you know, it was bullshit. But then I had an English teacher in high school. She was from Kansas. That type of English-Kansas, Nebraska-- is the standard they use in broadcasting, right? I learned English from her. That kind of English. That helped a lot, too. And we read a lot of literature. CNT: Cliché as it may be to ask, is there a specific book that stands out from those formative years? CHRLY: The Red Badge Of Courage. A lot of the standard English 1A stuff. CNT: You liked it? CHRLY: Oh yeah. I like stories. I’d also listen to, for example, the old men from the barrios, or who were working. They tell you a lot of stories. I’d listen to them too. That’s also had a big influence on me as a writer. I’m writing right now my memoir, fictional memoir, called The Real Life Of A Dead Chicano (Patas De Perro), and it’s about some of those stories those men would talk about. CNT: How many books have you published under your name? CHRLY: My name? Two. CNT: “Soldados” and “Dogs From Illusion?” CHRLY: Yeah, I call “Dogs” a post-modern picaresque novel. I don’t know what it means, man, but it sounds good when I go to the universities. CNT: “Dogs” came out in ‘94 and “Soldados” in ‘90? CHRLY: Yeah, ‘90. CNT: Those were published on Chusma House; how many other authors have you published? CHRLY: I really haven’t counted. Probably about thirty or thirty-five. CNT: How many books? CHRLY: That many. CNT: Are there any that have garnered any notoriety or acclaim? CHRLY: The closest I’ve come, and it wasn’t directly, I published a
guy named Victor Martinez. His poetry. Then he had a novel published [elsewhere] that won a National Book Award. CNT:You were not intending to be a publisher, were you? CHRLY: No, no. Just a writer. CNT:Tell us how that happened? CHRLY: When I was teaching at De Anza College. CNT: When you looked like the janitor? CHRLY: I still do. I started reading books on the Vietnam War. I was teaching Social Sciences and Chicano Studies basically, and I noticed that for the most part Chicanos weren’t included, or they were just mentioned, like you know in those Westerns that just show Pancho in back with a donkey. Stereotypes. I shouldn’t have been surprised. But nonetheless, there’s been a large presence of Chicanos in our wars, historically. So I took it upon myself to start documenting. I read other books. Everything We Had by Al Santoli, Nam by Baker, Wallace Terry with Bloods. I do my research, you know. So I decided to add another volume out there to that whole genre. And got turned down by at least eighty publishers. CNT: How long did it take from the beginning until those first boxes arrived with your book? CHRLY: Six years. CNT: Were there ever times you wanted to give up? Quit? CHRLY: No. Just go buy some beer, ese. That’ll take care of that. CNT: You had been rejected by eighty publishers, then what? CHRLY: My boss at De Anza, she told me. Because I spent two years, almost three, just waiting, or else that book would have been out sooner. I was just waiting on rejection letters. So the thing is, Olivia Mercado, who was the dean at the time, she said, “Charley, you’re going to have to do it yourself.” CNT: Tell us about teaching. Did you have a routine? Chill in the parking lot before class? CHRLY: Sometimes. I’d have a hangover. I’d go over there. Have a donut. Some aspirin. Friends told me they never noticed. CNT: How long did you teach? CHRLY: Fifteen years. But I couldn’t get a full time job. CNT: You have lived in what is now called “Naglee Park” for a good chunk of your life. What is it that you find attractive about downtown San José? CHRLY: I’ve been here so many years the place kind of grows on you. At least it has me. It’s just my lifestyle. I guess I’m kinda institutionalized. I need to stay near the universities. I got to stay close. I like to walk around. The general atmosphere. You know since I’m a country guy, to me San José is a big small town. You still feel like the orchards want to pop back up, like they’re just waiting to get rid of that cement. I kinda feel this aura. Maybe ‘cause I knew it. We used to come here when I was a kid, in the 50’s. We used to camp out in the orchards. We’d sleep under the trees and make little houses out of boxes. I still get that feeling around here. CNT: We have all been to San Francisco, Berkeley, even Santa Cruz. There is an energy there. Sometimes it is contrived, but there is an artistic energy. Why is it that San José, with a million people, does not have it to that degree? CHRLY: I really don’t have the answer to that. Even though I don’t get involved too much, I have my relationships, or non-relationships with certain arts groups here in town. CNT: Have they been supportive of you? CHRLY: Hell no. For example, there’s a local theater group and I asked the art director to help teach me how to audition people. She told me no. Said I didn’t know how to work with actors. So I said, “Bye.” These are the same people saying “Si Se Puede.” There was a song in the 60’s, it’s part of my philosophy, an oldies song, “One Monkey Don’t Stop No Show.” Then I added something to it, “Only Monkey Stop The Show Is Me.” That’s my response to them. Without acting arrogant or anything, but you know, that’s why I started my company, because they turned me down. But I know I can do it.
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
Let Go A photo essay by Joe Claus
Reuben
What is your dream job?
University Professor
36
Jim
“
From someone who “lets people go...”
Coming to the decision to lay someone off is very difficult, and our leadership team has sacrificed salary and bonuses to keep from having to do it. But sometimes it becomes inevitable, and you do what you have to do to keep –Mary the company healthy.
”
Linda
What are you up to these days? Nothing! Bored, no schedule. Sending out resumes & getting no responses. Eating at home for lunch and getting no responses.
Stephen
“
I make decisions on ‘who’ to layoff based on skill set, compensation and length of service; I keep it just business in the decision process. But I care very much about my staff, where they end up, what –Mary the impact on them will be.
”
39
Howard
What challenges have you faced since your layoff ?
No one is hiring, and the requirements are very specific.
No one seems to want to invest in training.
As a kid,
what did you want to be when you
grew up ?
Therie
I have always wanted to be a
Always an
engineer
Anand
lawyer
“
I try to keep the conversation itself straightforward. We are open about the company’s performance so many know that a decision is coming. I try to praise the work the employee did, not focus on ‘why them’. –Mary
”
Nicole
Brian
Nicole
Calvin
Joe
UNEMPLOYMENT RATE MARCH 08-09 = 0.5 % = National Unemployment rate = California State Unemployment rate = San-Jose Metropolitan Area Unemployment rate All data are taken from Bureau of The Labor Statistics, http://www.bls.gov/
11% 10% 9.5%
7.8% 7.1%
6.4% 6.3%
6.7% 6.4%
6% 5.5%
5.3% 5%
11%
11.5%
8.9%
9%
10.6%
9.1%
7%
7.6%
7.7%
7.9%
8.4%
6.1%
6.5%
7.6%
6.5%
6.5% 6%
MAR
4.8%
APRIL
5.2%
MAY
5.7%
JUN
6%
JUL
6.1%
AUG
6%
SEPT
OCT
NOV
7.1%
DEC
2009
2008
5.2%
8.5%
JAN
FEB
MAR
‘debonair’
46
makeup & hairstyling angie styling & production adrea cabrera models angie & joanne wardrobe therapy of campbell photography daniel gies
Red southwestern Romper with Ruffle top (Audrey $42. Small) Owl leather purse (Sunflower $89.)
Silk plum Hermes Cami dress (Silvergate $42 Medium) Brown leather bag ( Yaaz bag $289.)
Red southwestern Romper with Ruffle top (Audrey $42. Small)
Silk plum Hermes Cami dress (Silvergate $42 Medium)
49
Peach and green silk tie back cocktail dress ( Esley $62. Medium)
Teal and white banded dress (Solemino $48. Small)
// ROCK REVIEW
GRIZZLY BEAR WHILE LOW-FI RECORDINGS have a bad reputation for sounding amateur and lacking the crisp fullness that modern production techniques provide, the sounds of Grizzly Bear, whether intentional or inherent, contain a roughness that smoothes the coarse and ugly edges of the heart. The quartet that makes up Grizzly Bear is headed by originator and songwriter, Edward Droste. From Brooklyn, New York, Droste wrote and recorded their debut album Horn of Plenty alone in his Brooklyn bedroom. The album is narrated by Droste’s haunting and unsettling drone, incorporated with a background of layered harmonies, clean guitar strums and sparse percussive accents, which continued into their sophomore release Yellow House. When first listening to “Knife,” the single off of Yellow House, I found myself swimming in a shimmering sea of layered melancholic reverbridden vocals and was instantly lost in the mind of Droste. What was once unsettling is now oddly inspiring as Droste works through his cryptic lyrics with a backdrop of beautifully dramatic harmony and arrangement that makes the album a true melodrama. Grizzly Bear is embarking on a cross-country tour to support their newest record, Veckatimest, to be released on May 26th, with the nearest to San Jose date on June 21st at the Fillmore in San Francisco.
BASED OUT OF: Brooklyn, NY MEMBERS: Ed Droste, Christopher Bear, Daniel Rossen, and Chris Taylor ALBUMS: Horn of Plenty, Yellow House, Veckatimest (to be released) WEBSITE: grizzly-bear.net
THE VELVET TEEN THROUGH A SLOW progression of sparse listening to their first two records, I found myself smitten with the Velvet Teen’s last release Cum Laude. The past two years had been filled with brief encounters with their second album, Elysium, but this reviewer was not won over. The balladic string arrangements and soothing vocals of lead vocalist and guitarist Judah Nagler, captured my ears but only momentarily on this album. It took the raw energy of Judah yelling at me through a megaphone with a near lady-like range to seal the deal and open up the world that The Velvet Teen created. With three full-lengths out and one on the way, The Velvet Teen has been around and writing from 2000 with sounds ranging from electronic prog-rock to piano ballady-fluff to spastic experimental. The Velvet Teen is always moving, always changing, always reinventing. Their last release featured the mind shattering drumming of Deitz, over driving keys and guitar and a megaphone. Highly abrasive and just as innovative, Cum Laude grew on me like head lice. Coincidently, I still can’t get them out of my head. Never seeming to take their music too seriously in a business sense, they definitely do not lack the talent or innovation necessary for gaining massive public success. They just don’t seem too interested in it. Their website consists of a picture and a two sentence update. It is obvious by their disinterest in publicity and quality of musicianship that they only focus on what they create. They are in studio at the moment, with no release date set, but you can check their website for updates as they come.
BASED OUT OF: Santa Rosa MEMBERS: Judah Nagler (lead vocals/guitar), Josh Staples (bass), Casey Deitz (drums) ALBUMS: Out of the Fierce Parade, Elysium, Cum Laude WEBSITE: myspace.com/thevelvetteen; thevelvetteen.com
TROUBADOUR BASED OUT OF: San Jose MEMBERS: Andrew Beach (lead guitar), Brent Kompelien (bass), Jeremiah Dias (drums), Robbie Ernst (lead vocals/guitar) ALBUMS: EP~It Grows and Grows and Grows WEBSITE: troubadoursound.com
52
THESE SAN JOSE natives are stirring the underground music scene from a deep sleep with a redemptive message and an unmistakably unique sound. With an emphasis on storytelling shaped by lessons from deep relationships and literature, the love-child of Robbie Ernst became realized early in 2008. With their debut album “It Grows and Grows and Grows,” it is easy to see that their influences are as diverse as the members. Robbie drew on friends and classmates to embody the vision he had spent years creating in his home studio. Now with talent to back his vision Troubadour exists to roam the land and move people like the music that moves them. To know Troubadour’s music is to know its members. Few bands exhibit the kind of transparency that is found in their lives and music. Each member brings something necessary and different to the band. Beach’s unique and groovy lead riffs, Komplein’s foundation building bass lines, Dias’s solid beats and Ernst’s constant in your face rasp and tasty shape shifting rhythm guitar create textures that have not been heard before by MAN! If you don’t listen to Troubadour and walk away different, you weren’t listening close enough. Troubadour is planning on bringing their electric performance on tour this summer to exclusive dates on the West Coast. More information can be found on their website or myspace page.
DIGITAL (cont) iPhone photos by wes thomson