An Act of Protest Has Never Sounded So Good
The corner of Stockton and Lenzen Avenue was bumpin’ on Saturday night. At a show called “Cultura En Tu Idioma,” held at the De-Bug Community Center, some 500-plus Latino youths came to celebrate a culture of their own invention: Spanish rap, rock, poetry and cumbia, all interwoven into one singular expression. No alcohol, no fights, just young people expressing themselves and having a good time. It was a pronouncement San Jose’s youth who, rather than choosing between the Latin American culture of their parents’ homeland, and the English they were taught here in schools, simply mixed it all up, and kept both worlds. It is that kind of impulse—to bring it all in and create something new—that makes perfect sense in the diverse backdrop of San Jose, perhaps more than anywhere else in the country. And while San Jose’s young people were busy carving out new identities, it also exposes how out of step policy trends of our city government are with the younger generation’s directions and ambitions.
Let’s look at two indicators. First: a city ordinance on promoters that, if passed in its current form, is sure to have a chilling and excluding effect on young people who want to engage in the entertainment industry. Second: the city’s response to gang violence, which is focusing on allocating more resources to the police department. The unspoken common denominator in these two conversations is young people in San Jose and their opportunities.
Towards the end of this month, likely on April 29, the city council will be deciding on an ordinance that could mandate a permitting process for club promoters. Deemed by many as unnecessarily demanding and expensive, promoters have united to try to stop the ordinance. After a groundswell of pushback by promoters, artists and cultural organizations, it looks like what may end up in front of the city council is a less burdensome ordinance—one that puts more responsibility on the club owners and emphasizes contracts between venues and promoters, rather than citywide permits. But the ordinance is only part of a broader vision of downtown, one that has been in development since 2006.
Sponsored by the City of San Jose, the Redevelopment Agency, and the Downtown Association, the Responsible Hospitality Institute compiled a report of various meetings with city and community leaders that were intended to craft a coherent vision for downtown activities. The Institute will be submitting this report the day the promoter ordinance is presented to the council. The report gives a framework to the ordinance, and clarifies that central to the promoter’s issue, is youth culture in San Jose. Listed as part of the background of the report were observations that “new high-rise residential development generated concerns among some that the high intensity nightlife might be a deterrent to the new resident profile.” The nightlife they refer to is entertainment venues that “began catering disproportionately to a younger demographic, 21 to 25 years old.” Peppered throughout the report are hopeful comparisons to what San Jose downtown could be—places like Santana Row and Los Gatos.
And although this city ordinance is based on a presumption that more city regulation of the community is what will bring San Jose nightlife to a better place, listed as the number-two priority in the final assessment of the report, just beneath “develop a unified message,” is “friendlier police and change in police approach.” But putting enforcements on club promoters that serve a youth demographic is perhaps an easier charge than changing police practices.
Also, while the city might look longingly to places like Santana Row, it is the “problem” generation—21 to 25 year olds— that could be the ones who can put San Jose culture on the map. They could make the San Jose cultural scene a pioneer that is born out of our unique diversity, rather than imitators of other downtown models. The Cultura show last weekend was evidence of that. Right now, it’s being talked about in hip hop circles (Spanish and English) all across the West coast. Mind you, this comes at the same time Chuck Reed and Nora Campos are calling for emergency meetings to deal with another youth issue: gang violence. The mayor is asking for more police officers on the streets as well as a series of community forums.
San Jose’s younger generation—the ones that put that show on, the ones fighting the ordinance—are way ahead of the city on this one, and have designed their own strategy to deal with violence on the streets. It’s called “hip hop.”
Culture, the kind that makes your identity as you make it, is a tactic young people in San Jose have used to create an alternative to banging. Rather than getting caught up in activities that can lead to death or prison, many are turning to producing music, art and, yes, promoting shows. It is contradictory for the city to try to get young people to not engage in self-destructive violence, and take away their alternatives to that lifestyle at the same time. Rather, the city could encourage the cultural development of San Jose and prevent street violence by supporting this generation in their ambitions. Young scene-makers talk of venue spaces to hold all-age events in San Jose like it is a fantastical idea; yet, the city has both the power and the incentive to create such spaces. As longtime San Jose rap icon Megabusive suggested at a meeting last week about the promoter ordinance, why not a small tax on club owners to fund community arts and music spaces for youth?
The Cultura En Tu Idioma event, which was complete with rappers from Mexico City, Peru and Brazil, a fashion show by local designers, and a photography and art display by local artists, was not an explicitly political event, but served as such. Without rallies, protests, or even attending a City Hall meeting, young people at this event made a statement: If the city will not provide them with cultural outlets or ways for their community to come together in distressing times, they will make their own.
Raj,
While I firmly disagree with a lot of what you say in this column, I think we are on the same page when it comes to art being a fantastic venue to expression. Many times in working with youth offenders, the youth agreed to do some incredible posters, raps, or poems about why stealing a car, or robbing someone etc., was wrong. The really cool thing is that these youths could reach other youths in a way the law, or authorities could not. Peer counseling works far better than the courts, or punishment can.
I was always incredibly impressed by the talent these youth have. When I worked in the Victim Offender Program, I worked closely with the CYA. They put on talent shows. It was really worth going to and seeing the many talents these youth displayed. I really enjoyed it!
One of my toughest youth went and did a stand up comedy routine. I was very proud of him for doing it because he was really frightened. He was a white, 17 year old who was pretty violent. His humor cut through all racial, gender, and age barriers. I could see him get more confident with each laugh he got, and afterward, it was just awesome to see him make new friends. I’ll tell you I was pretty proud of him.
I had another young man who stole cars. He did some absolutely incredible drawings and raps on posters about the perils of car theft, which were hung in schools and community centers as part of his restitution to his victims. The guy was just greatly talented. I noticed he too started to get a better sense of self as victims, and his peers complimented his work and asked him lots of questions about his work.
So, I agree that this type of venue is an awesome way to release anger, frustration, sorrow, and pain in a healthy way. It is also a beautiful way for these youth to tell their story, and to educate us on what they are so badly lacking from us as a community, and a society.
This is a good example of what I was discussing in the previous post.
Here’s a cultural event that comes from the people who live here. It’s not imposed from the outside or by someone at city hall. This is the kind of thing that could make our area a much more interesting place.
I have a lot of sympathy for young people. I was lucky enough to grow up in a big city and there were always plenty of things to do that didn’t cost a lot of money. But I can see that growing up here in the featureless sprawl could be pretty boring. And it could contribute to some kids getting into trouble.
Congratulations to these young people for taking matters into their own hands and getting something positive going.
Some other activities that are bubbling under the surface around here are skateboarding (mentioned in last week’s Metro) and classic and custom cars. These are things that could be developed into activities that would make people want to come here. And this event shows that it doesn’t have to be a big money pit like the Grand Prix to get something going.
(If there’s going to be a Grand Prix in Silicon Valley it should be for robot cars!)
Here is a cultural question.
Why don’t they try graduating from High School and going to college?
Well a lot of our youth that attended the event is already in college and they are well educated. The other half that came to support are in junior high or part of our hard working class. It seems like you guys don’t understand the concept of community and how hard it is to work in giving our youth of San Jose an option. I hear all you barking loud about this and that and stuff that in my opinion doesn’t make sense but you know what, its ok because you are really brave behind your computer in your suburban house pretending everything is all good when is not. And to the ones talking about woopty woo and this and that, please do something for your city, get off your couch and plant a tree, or start a program for the youth of your neighborhood. Again to the ones speculating and speaking about something that they didn’t witness please stop making a fool out of yourself. Don’t talk about youth culture if you don’t have anything good or constructive to say because to be honest I just hear a bitter old white man complaining about a solution that was presented so I suggest for you racist conservative non cultural beings to check your words and to learn how to respect our San Jose culture and I’m not only speaking about just Latino culture, I’m talking about culture in general here in San Jose. Thanks for nothing bigots.
#5- Mex Tape from the Heart of San Jose,
I agree with some of what you’ve said, but I draw the line when it comes to you making racial slurs like, “bitter old white man.” I don’t know why or how someone who makes a statement about being fed up with youth getting in trouble turns into a race thing. I am personally tired of the race card being pulled every time this issue comes up. We are all entitled to our opinion and race has nothing to do with it.
I was very excited when Jack added a youth perspective to SJI. I thought we’d finally have a chance at learning from Raj what is going on in the minds of our younger generation, and perhaps getting some ideas on how to pitch in and get involved in some positive venues with our youthful community members. I’ve been disappointed because IN MY OPINION, Raj columns are in themselves very racially bias, extremist, and one sided. I would like to have seen Raj post the event he is writing about here with an invitation to all of us to take part in it.
I strongly object to the fact that many in our community see troubled white youth as so privileged that they are some how made exempt from needing our love and attention. That in and of its self deeply saddens me. Talk about bias and racism!
It isn’t about us verses them, or brown verses white, it is about out troubled youth in general that we should be concerned about. Our youth learn from OUR ADULT attitudes towards one another. Fortunately, our youth are much more intelligent and tolerant toward differing cultures than we adults are.
Lead by example, love all our youth for who and what THEY are as an individual, and work at being colored blind when having these kinds of discussions.
#5- Here are some interesting articles showing just how bad our WHITE youth are at risk. We need to be color blind when it comes to worring about our youth because they are ALL in need of our guidance, and our concern.
http://www.adl.org/racist_skinheads/
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/10/02/national/main576190.shtml
http://www.cahro.org/html/gangs.html
http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles/fs-9772.pdf
http://www.allacademic.com/meta/p_mla_apa_research_citation/1/1/0/7/3/p110730_index.html
Kathleen,
Thank you for the reflections on the important (vital really) connection between media arts and the development of young people. I couldn’t agree with you more, and I found your stories of youth who have used the arts field—comedy, poster-making, etc—inspiring and consistent with what I’ve seen with young people who are turning their life around. Lets hope San Jose creates more avenues for these moments of transformation to occur. And yah, I’ll take your advice and try to post an invite before the next event. Peace-raj
#3,
Here here.
Our City has demonstrated that it is incapable of the most elementary tasks such as keeping our parks clean & tidy.
What makes anybody think the City of San Jose has the ability to be surrogate parents to a bunch of “disenfranchised” kids?
Sorry Kathleen. While I agree with you that media arts is an effective vehicle that helps ALL young people find, express, explore, and make real their identities, you can’t take race out of ANY equation. It’s difficult to be color-blind when you go to courts, when you see the jail population, when you go to low-achieving schools, when you see segregated neighborhoods, and the huge majority of people you see are people of color—young people of color. What do you say to a youth of color who sees their dilapidated environment and all they see are black and brown faces around them who suffer the same plight? We live in a racist society, and by that virtue, Raj reporting on the issues that face the people he works with reflects the institutional nature of that very racist society.
However, I do agree with you in the value of media arts. By making media arts available, accessible, and legitimate in WHATEVER form they come in, we can TRANSCEND racism through the conversations we have with one another—or at the very least, acknowledge the different experiences that our society affords us. Through that, we can come together not in spite of our divisions, but BECAUSE of them.
#9- Katrina,
Yes, you can take race out of the equation if you chose to look past someone’s skin color and where they come from, and if you educate yourself on the real facts. Do you really think that white people don’t live in the ghetto, in run down apartments, go without food, or a mother or father to guide them? Do you really think white people don’t go to jail, or end up on Welfare? Well they do, and it is the kind of situation that goes vastly unnoticed because people would rather play the race card, then to be honest about the REAL reason inequality exists.
Raj is doing a grave injustice to ALL youth by focusing on race rather than the problem. I have worked with hundreds of youth offenders and I can tell you there are several common demonstrators in why kids get in trouble, and RACE has nothing to do with it. It has to do with lack of guidance, education, lack of family and community involvement, and lack of money. Low income people can get financial aide to go to college, get food stamps, free medical care, and many other necessities that low to middle class income families, regardless of color, CAN NOT.
In answer to your question, “What do you say to a youth of color who sees their dilapidated environment and all they see are black and brown faces around them who suffer the same plight?”
I say stop buying into the BS everyone is handing you about people of color can’t get a head, and work toward your dreams. I hook them up with education, and job programs, and caring non-profits that will help them along the way. I tell them that the path they chose is up to them, and that the road less traveled is lonely and difficult, but the end of the journey is worth it if they stick it out. I tell them the people they will meet along the way are no better than they are, so hold your head high and keep on trucking because if they fail, it is their choice and they have no one to blame but themselves.
I tell them that regardless of race we are all in this together and that they must give back to another in need. I tell them they we are all equal and don’t let any one tell you differently. And I tell them that self-love and self-respect is something money cannot buy. I give them my phone number and tell them I’m a phone call a way if they get stuck or need help.
Now if everyone did that with just ONE child, or one person in need of our help, this conversation wouldn’t be taking place now would it? There are no free rides Katrina, it is all about making your life what you want it. No excuses, no get outta life’s responsibilities free race cards, or blaming the system, or mommy or daddy, or staying stuck in self-pity. It is about knowing how truly great you are and that you deserve everything your heart desires; all you have to do is work for it.
#8- Raj,
Thank you. That would be great.
Define popular, and then tell me if the people they are popular with are worth looking like a dumb ass for. ;-0
“Using surveys of 90,000 secondary-school students, Harvard University researchers found that white students were more popular when they had higher grade-point averages. But black students’ popularity sharply declined when their GPAs reached a B-plus. For Latinos,
Advertisement
the price of good grades was even costlier: Popularity peaked at a C-plus, then plunged.”
What a shocker. (in the Mercury News no less!)
Could it be the brown man’s own culture is keeping him down?
http://www.mercurynews.com//ci_8829545?IADID=Search-www.mercurynews.com-www.mercurynews.com