Our communities are under attack, and our safety is threatened. Our communities in the Eastern Coachella Valley are vulnerable because there’s already a lack of safe spaces and resources for our immigrant community.

Like many here, I grew up seeing la migra on a daily basis patrolling our homes. When we are threatened with walls and deportations what’s at stake is the separation of our families, the separation of our communities.

Our immigrant communities are the foundation of this nation, many who sacrificed everything by crossing man made borders so that their children could have a better life.

Our immigrant communities are the foundation of this nation, many who sacrificed everything by crossing man made borders so that their children could have a better life. They’ve contributed greatly to this nation and in return they yet are not given the credit or paid adequately or treated justly for their contributions.

I am the proud daughter of immigrant parents, the ones who’ve pushed me to go on with chants of si se puede. Their love and daily sacrifices is where I pull strength para echarle ganas y seguir adelante. When they threaten immigrant communities they threaten my source of vida and our existence. Sin la comunidad inmigrante esta nación no es nada, what’s at stake is our tomorrow.

When they threaten immigrant communities they threaten my source of vida and our existence.

For me sanctuary status would be a guarantee of our safety. Officials and leaders at every level need to make public statements that they will take action and put into writing that they stand with our immigrant community. They need to state that they don’t stand with the separation of families, that they don’t stand by policies that have given them the license to racially profile and criminalize and that they will not comply or share information with immigration agencies.

If we have all of our local officials and leaders in our community make public statements and put their words into writing and action for me it will make me gain some newfound hope that all politics isn’t just carefully crafted piece of words but that those elected people are actually there for our gente and it will make our efforts that much greater.

Check out this video from Youthwire of young people advocating for sanctuary status in communities across California. 

About the Author:

Olivia Rodriguez, 24, is from Thermal, Calif. She graduated from UC Berkeley in 2015 with a Biology degree. One of her favorite places in the Eastern Coachella Valley is the Mecca Park where you can find her playing basketball. At the end of a long day she loves spending time with her family in their garden enjoying a cup of unsweetened chamomile or hibiscus tea. View her author page here.

By Amanda Flores

Military aircrafts from wars past flew across Veterans’ Memorial Park in Coachella marking the start of the dedication ceremony for the newly renovated space. Flags surrounded the park honoring Coachella residents who served in the U.S. Armed Forces as hundreds of families sat gathered to hear city officials and honored guests speak from the park’s new amphitheater.

“Our job as community members is to pay homage to those who have sacrificed themselves and those that have given their lives so that we never forget the cost of freedom,” Mayor Steven Hernandez said. “Freedom is not free, it is fought for.”

The park was first inaugurated in 1906 and was later named Vietnam Memorial Park. However, in 2003 the city decided to change the name of the park to Veterans Memorial Park to honor all veterans. As the park began to deteriorate, the city sought to renovate certain areas to make it more inviting to the community.

The project, which took six months to complete, cost  $4.2 million. City council members, the Veterans Committee, and city engineers, including Jonathan Hoy, were some of the key contributors to the park’s renovation. The newly renovated park consists of three main areas: the amphitheater, a picnic area, and a date palm and rose garden.

Local veterans were among the hundreds in attendance during the ceremony. Santos P. Castillo, 69, is a resident of Coachella who served as a sergeant in the U.S. Air Force from 1967-1971, including tours in Vietnam. “The park was in desperate need of the renovation for many years. It will offer visitors a place to reflect on the contributions of our local heroes,” said Castillo, who was honored at the event.

The park features a “Hero Walk” where inscriptions from famous veterans and officials are displayed. In addition, the names of local veterans are engraved on granite  tiles. Also, a Supreme Sacrifice Monument honors those who lost their lives in the line of duty.

Another local veteran,  Alonzo Solis Jimenez, 70,  served as a specialist in the U.S. Army from 1967-1968, also during the Vietnam War. “It’s about time we get some close to home recognition. When we came home from Vietnam, there were no parades or no celebrations, we were just ignored. But now, I feel truly honored to be recognized and part of this new Hero Walk.”

Residents felt it was important to renovate the park so that they can gather to remember the active service members and veterans in the community.

Other parts of the city are expected to undergo renovations in the near future, including the library and local buildings. The city’s goal is to bring new life into downtown Coachella so that residents can enjoy the community they call home.

About the author:

Amanda Flores, 15, is a lifelong Coachella resident. She joined Coachella Unincorporated earlier this year and has already written several articles on community health and farmworker services. After high school, Amanda said she wants to study law or medicine. View Amanda‘s author page here.

INDIO, Calif. — A group of young artists from the eastern Coachella Valley recently showcased their art installation, ‘Pyramid of Teotihuacan’ at the 2016 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.

This isn’t the first year artists from Raices Cultura, a nonprofit art and cultural expression program based in the eastern Coachella Valley, have been invited to showcase their work at the annual music and arts festival, but this year, designing the art piece had more meaning according to Jacqueline Aguilar, an artist with Raices Cultura.

“The theme is pyramids because we wanted to focus on the rising importance of black and brown unity,” Aguilar said. “Which is why one of the pyramids resembles a Teotihuacan shape and the other [pyramid] looks a more like the pyramid of Giza.”

Both pyramid structures were displayed during weekend one and weekend two near the camping area.

Artists from Raices Cultura hope to display the pyramids again at the fifth annual ‘The Hue Music and Arts Festival,’ an event planned by the Building Healthy Communities Youth Organizing Council, on Saturday, April 30 in Mecca, Calif.

More information about The Hue Music and Arts Festival:

Date:                     Saturday, April 30th 2015
Time:                    12:30pm-9:30pm.
Location:             Mecca Community Park, Mecca CA 92254

For more information on The Hue Music and Arts Festival, please contact Victor Gonzalez 760-989-7188

About the author: 

Luis Lua is currently a senior at Desert Mirage High School in Thermal, Calif. Luis joined Coachella Uninc. in September and enjoys learning about video production. He said, “I personally think journalism is a way to exercise our rights,to express ourselves and to help change the way people view our community.”

By: Paulina Rojas

COACHELLA, Calif. — On Thursday night, the normally quiet streets of Old Town Coachella buzzed with energy during the Bernie Sanders for President Block Party, also known as Berniechella.

The block party featured art, live music, DJ sets, food and a beer garden.

Hundreds of people, young and old, made their way to the event Thursday night. Many of the Sanders supporters were from the Coachella Valley, but a few people, like Rick Massias, traveled from areas outside the desert to come and celebrate the presidential candidate.

“I am a big, big Bernie supporter. It’s Bernie or no one for me,” said Rick Massias, who drove more than an hour from Corona to be at the event. “Friends of ours told us about the event and were like, “Okay, we have to go.’”

Massias also said that blending music with politics is a good way of getting young people involved.

“It’s so important, especially for the young people. To be able to fuse music with politics is essential, especially for Bernie because his message reaches all boundaries,” he said.

Even though Sanders did not make an appearance at the event, he was still very present through the crowds of Bernie t-shirts, stickers and a life-sized cutout of the man himself. 

For many of the younger concert-goers, the event provided a space for them to get involved and meet others like-minded Sanders supporters.

“I am in college and I don’t think a lot of people really care [about the elections]. But if there were more events like this, people would be like, “Yeah, let’s go out,” said Kristen Soto, a College of the Desert student and Indio resident.

Local elected city officials were also at the event Thursday night, including Coachella Mayor Steven Hernandez and Assemblyman Eduardo Garcia (56th). 

For event organizers, there was no doubt that Coachella was the perfect place to host the event.

“It made perfect sense that something for Bernie be in the City of Coachella, in the eastern part of the valley,” said Tizoc De Aztlan, ‘Berniechella’ organizer. 

“Politics is all about people, people coming together,” Aztlan said.  “Being in an environment like this, I hope, encourages people to let their guard down more and be open to discourse, and if it takes really cool music and art to make that happen then so be it.”

About the author:

Paulina Rojas joined Coachella Uninc. as a beat reporter in February 2016 after working as a city reporter in the eastern Coachella Valley for more than a year. Although born and raised in New York City, Paulina feels right at home in the eastern Coachella Valley. She loves the warmth of the people and buying fresh bread from her favorite bakery in downtown Coachella. Paulina is a graduate of the University of Houston, and her work has appeared in The Las Vegas Review – Journal, The Houston Chronicle, HelloGiggles and Vivala. View her author page here.

By: Amanda Flores

COACHELLA, Calif.—On Friday, the new Desert Oasis Healthcare center in Coachella held an open house for residents to meet the doctors and staff working in the facility.

Dr. Peter Hein, a family physician, and Gabrielle Schwilk, a family nurse practitioner who specializes in pediatric medicine, will be the main practitioners located in Coachella. Hein said he looks forward to working with families in the area.

“My job is to help provide medical care and establish a place for people to be comfortable to receive medical care in an environment that respects them, their culture, and the values of their community,” said Hein.

The Desert Oasis Healthcare center, located on Grapefruit Boulevard, opened earlier this month after a year and half of searching for a suitable space, according to Beverley Kay Estell, vice president of operations at Desert Oasis Healthcare.

“We are hoping the eastern Coachella Valley community will embrace this new clinic and utilize it very well,” said Estell.

Hein, who also worked with Clinicas de Salud del Pueblo, said he believes one of the biggest health concerns in the ECV is diabetes. He hopes residents will take advantage of upcoming health classes offered at the Coachella facility to better their health and the health of their families.

Though Desert Oasis Healthcare has locations across the Coachella Valley, this is the first facility to open in the eastern Coachella Valley. Coachella, with an estimated population of 44,132, has been designated a medically underserved area since 1995, according to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. The new center will help bring much-needed services and health classes to the community.

The healthcare center is located at 49-201 Grapefruit Blvd in Coachella and is open Monday-Friday from 8:00a.m-5:00p.m. For more information on the center and upcoming health classes, call (760) 320-5134.

About the author:

Amanda Flores, 15, is a lifelong Coachella resident. She joined Coachella Unincorporated last year and has already written several articles on community health and farmworker services. After high school, Amanda said she wants to study law or medicine. View Amanda‘s author page here.

Creating a positive learning environment in school can be challenging when students routinely see classmates suspended or expelled for minor infractions. That has been the case at Bobby Duke Middle School in Coachella, where the suspension rate last year was more than double the state average.

The situation prompted a group of parents and community organizers in the eastern Coachella Valley to launch a restorative justice pilot program they say will begin to reverse the trend.

“At the beginning I felt a little frustrated because I wanted things to go at a faster pace,” said Sandra Ramirez, a mother of four, in Spanish. “But now I understand that it is all part of how the process works.”

Ramirez sees a big need for programs like restorative justice in her community and thinks that more parents should be involved.

“A lot of people think, ‘Oh, it isn’t my kid, I don’t have to worry about it,” but the truth is that everyone in the community feels the negative effects when our kids start to go down the wrong path,” she said.

Bobby Duke’s suspension rate in 2014-2015 was 9 percent, compared to an average of 4.1 percent for the Coachella Valley Unified School District and 3.8 percent statewide.

There is an abundance of data showing a strong connection between high suspension and expulsion rates with poor academic performance, with black and Latino students experiencing rates that far surpass whites and Asians.

The idea to bring the restorative justice program to the Bobby Duke came from two parent leaders at the advocacy group Council of Mexican Federations (COFEM) who learned about the program and wanted to bring it to their children’s school.

Restorative justice focuses on rehabilitation and reconciliation. The practice has been used in schools from coast to coast in place of more punitive disciplinary measures to keep students in the classroom and off the streets.

The 12-week pilot at Bobby Duke began the week of February 15th and will end in late April. Ten teachers at the school have already committed to the program.

“I think the success of this has been due to parent involvement,” said Leoda Valenzuela of COFEM. “ They have the best ideas, things that really connect to people. It is a really positive environment that is being built.”

She added that implementing the program was made easier because parents “already had an established relationship with the school principal.”

COFEM, along with the community-based organizations TODEC legal center and Raices Cultura are part of the Building Healthy Communities (BHC) Eastern Coachella Valley Schools Action Team, which is working together with parents on the pilot program.

“[The pilot program] is going to be stronger because of the resources that BHC ECV are providing and the internal value that each person brings,” said BHC-ECV Project Coordinator Sahara Huazano.

Before the pilot took off the Schools Action Team held a series of meetings and forums beginning in the summer of 2015 to rally support and inform the community about restorative justice.

The most common way that RJ is implemented at schools is through circles. There are three common kinds of circles that occur depending on the situation that is being presented.

There are community-building circles that focus on relationship building. Conflict or healing circles seek to address a specific problem and reentry circles are used to welcome back students that have been suspended or expelled.

“It really strives to create that space where people can feel supported, where they can share and learn about one another and explore shared values,” Valenzuela said. “It is harder to harm someone that you know.”

Another aspect of RJ is a more effective and positive use of language. Feedback will be collected from six sessions of circles at Bobby Duke.

According to Huazano parents have been very receptive and satisfied with the program.

“They are very satisfied with it,” Huazano said. “Some of them are already practicing restorative justice, a term that describes many of the needs that they are trying to address.”

BHC will be a hiring a youth organizer to focus specifically on brining more students into the program at Bobby Duke Middle School.

At the core of restorative justice is the idea of community building and bonding.

“It is a very simple concept but you would be surprised at the need that there is for it,” Valenzuela said.

About the author:

Paulina Rojas joined Coachella Uninc. as a beat reporter in February 2016 after working as a city reporter in the eastern Coachella Valley for more than a year. Although born and raised in New York City, Paulina feels right at home in the eastern Coachella Valley. She loves the warmth of the people and buying fresh bread from her favorite bakery in downtown Coachella. Paulina is a graduate of the University of Houston, and her work has appeared in The Las Vegas Review – Journal, The Houston Chronicle, HelloGiggles and Vivala. View her author page here.

Day 1

“Today we are traveling to Iowa for the Iowa caucus! I am excited that I will get to experience the caucus the same year I will be voting for the first time. I hope I get the chance to meet the presidential candidates. Wouldn’t it be great to meet the winning candidate so that I could say I was face-to-face with the president?

This morning when I was checking my bag, I was so worried I would forget something. Both my parents dropped me off at the Palm Springs Airport. I know they wanted to see me board my first plane ever.

I’m writing this blog post while we have a layover in Denver, and I can now say that my first time flying was both fun and scary. I did not expect the plane to move so much, or to get butterflies in my stomach, but once we were in the air, I could not stop looking out the window to take in the amazing view. Everything and everyone looked so very small, and once we flew higher all the people disappeared. I was supposed to read a book for my government class while on the plane, but time and the plane flew by fast. I spent almost the entire time gazing out the window.

Now it’s time to rest because tomorrow we will have many activities and we get to meet the other students from across the country.”

— Naomi Carrion

“While I was getting ready to travel to the Iowa caucus, I thought about whether or not I was ready to leave home. Even though the trip is just for three days, my heart raced and I began to miss my room even though I was still home. In my suitcase I packed thick jeans, thick sweaters and thick socks. I packed beanies and scarfs and gloves. Since the current temperature for Des Moines is 34 degrees, I knew I needed to pack for temperatures I’m not used to feeling here in the desert. Before leaving, I also spent time thinking about the experience that awaited me in Iowa. I didn’t know what Iowa looked like because I had never been there before but I was more than ready to make Iowa my home for three days.

The first flight we took was from Palm Springs to Denver. While we were waiting to take off, I thought back to the first time I had flown and I started to become nervous. Thankfully, my teacher sat next to me and oddly enough, it brought me so much relief. For the entire flight, which was only one hour, I watched movies and looked out the window. When we arrived in Denver, my first thought was, “How does so much snow exist in one place?” My second thought was, “How would people from Coachella react to this temperature?”

After our turbulent flight from Denver to Des Mois, our group was tired but we met a few of the students from other groups who were also staying at our hotel. I was more than excited to see who I would be rooming with and who my assigned candidate would be for this weekend. I can’t wait to spend three days learning about advocacy and campaigning. I’m excited to watch the youth from Los Angeles, Washington D.C.,Chicago and Coachella work together to create a better America for tomorrow and for ourselves!”

— Karla Martinez

About the authors: 

Karla Martinez has been a youth reporter with Coachella Unincorporated for two years, where she has produced numerous articles and reflections on issues like community violence prevention to voter registration. In April 2015, Karla won the Young Lady of the Year Award for Riverside County District 4 for her work with the Land Use Planning Awareness project. View Karla’s author page here.

Naomi Carrion is a senior at Nova Academy in Coachella, Calif. Naomi joined Coachella Uninc. this fall as an apprentice and she is excited to make a difference in her community through her writing. Naomi also enjoys art and math. She hopes to attend college next year to major in math. View Naomi’s author page here.

Editor’s Note: According to a study by the Pew Research Center, the number of young Latinos enrolled in a two- or four-year college has more than tripled over the past ten years. In the Eastern Coachella Valley, less than 29 percent of young Latinos are college ready, according to the UC Davis Center for Regional Change. High school senior, Naomi Carrion describes how her family helped create a college-going culture in their home. 

The best gift I ever received was from my parents. Like many other parents in the Eastern Coachella Valley, they moved from Mexico to the United States years ago, working to create a better life for themselves and their family, and making sure that my siblings and I took the fullest advantage of our education.

Now, as a high school senior and soon the first in my family to enter college, I am very thankful for the sacrifices they made.

Education has always been important in our home and not going to college was never an option. Even when I was a child, my parents would tell me I was going to become a doctor or a lawyer. They would say, “You’re going to have a better job than us.”

My parents would tell me stories of their struggles in Mexico and how they had to leave school at an early age. They always told me to never stop learning and to continue working hard in school. It was an example they set for themselves as well. After coming to the United States, they were eventually able to earn their general education diploma (GED), learn English and even attend beauty school and trade school, all while raising my siblings and me.

As a child, I witnessed my parents struggle to afford basic necessities. They would see me worry and they would tell me that in order for me not to struggle like them, I would have to work hard in pursuing my education. Their words were as much a warning as a motivation to succeed.

It wasn’t until this year that I really understood why my parents continually pushed me to do well in school. They didn’t want me to ever take for granted my chance at a better education. Looking back, I’m glad they pushed me and expected so much from me because I have come to expect that much from myself.

Last month, I finished applying to eight universities. I won’t receive notices until the spring, but no matter the outcome, I will continue to work towards my goal of attending and successfully completing college.

As children of immigrants, we know our parents’ hopes and dreams are wrapped up in our futures. I can’t and won’t let them down.  

About the author:

Naomi Carrion is a senior at Nova Academy in Coachella, Calif. Naomi joined Coachella Uninc. this fall as an apprentice and she is excited to make a difference in her community through her writing. Naomi also enjoys art and math. She hopes to attend college next year to major in math.

Read more: Creating a College Going Culture In Arvin

It’s upsetting that groups of people continue to be targeted and that, yet again, this mosque has been attacked. I stand against this violence and against Islamophobia. Right now, more than ever, is when we should be united and we should hold our community accountable for these violent acts. I hope that this news can start a positive dialogue among community members about how we can move forward.

— Olivia Rodriguez, 22

Some reports said this attack was in response to the recent shooting in San Bernardino, but you can’t hold a whole group of people responsible for two people’s actions, even if they are of the same religion. Muslims are humans, just like everyone else. This mosque is a place of worship and people who go there should feel safe and not threatened.

— Maria Garcia, 17

At this time, the Eastern Coachella Valley should come together to prevent these senseless acts of violence. We should not live in fear but instead we should work to bring the perpetrators to justice. We should all continue to stand with each other in community.

— Amanda Flores, 15

In the last few weeks, I have seen much in the media related to Islamophobia, and it’s just another case of demonizing and marginalizing a group of people. As a Chicano, I remember that it was not too long ago when my own parents were part of a group being demonized and marginalized. I do not fear ISIS and terrorism. I fear hate and injustice towards those of a different race, religion or gender. Chicanos stand in solidarity against Islamophobia.

— Christian Mendez, 24

I have lived near this mosque for 15 years and everyone is very peaceful. It upsets me that someone thought it was okay to start a fire in this mosque just because they decided they didn’t like these people and their beliefs. Violence should never be the answer to anything.

— Cindy Aispuro, 17

People shouldn’t have to be afraid of this senseless violence. It’s sad these people were targeted at their place of worship. Even if we are not Muslim, we need to stand with the community to eliminate the fear.

— Luis Lua, 18

Standing against Islamophobia and violence is important in order to bring peace to our country. As a community, we must support the victims of discrimination.

— Bryan Mendez, 21

An attack like this is something I would expect to hear about on the news, but this attack proves it’s also a local issue. It is horrible to know that not even a house of worship is respected.

— Naomi Carrion, 17

This violence affects all of us. I believe we need to avoid this kind of senseless violence and concentrate on uniting as a community. This mosque was targeted by a shooting last year and now it was firebombed. The Eastern Coachella Valley doesn’t encourage violence and revenge. We as a community need to remain united not divided.

— Karla Martinez, 17