As we mentioned in our previous post (see Part I here), ZUMIX staff have been working with students at East Boston High School to create original radio pieces. We asked students to write about security in all of its forms, and here is some of what they had to say:
What is security? When, where and why do we feel secure or insecure?
Students in Ms. O’Hearn’s class wrote about security in all of its forms, from the feeling that comes from your family’s support at home, to the feeling you get when your landlord promises to raise the rent, to the feeling you get when you witness violence on the street. Students found security to be a relative and temporary concept. They then explored the experiences that shaped their perception of security through radio diaries.
This year, ZUMIX Radio is collaborating with English as a Second Language students at East Boston High School to produce El Barrio: Community Across Borders. The project will explore how community shapes personal identity–first through discussion in class, then writing, then sharing on the radio. Radio provides a medium to archive these important personal stories, while allowing students to process and listen to their collective experience of migrating to the United States. Seven ESL classes will be participating, from October to April, and their final products will be shared here.
Thank you to all of the students, who shared bravely and listened with compassion. Thank you also to our musical collaborators, Geko Lopera of RBN Raw Music and C-Kan, and ZUMIX beatmakers — Justin Garcia, Chris Martinez, Sebastian Jaramillo and Dan Gentilucci.
Los estudiantes en la clase de Ms. O’Hearn escribieron sobre la seguridad en todas sus formas, desde el sentimiento que viene del apoyo familial, al sentimiento que viene de la promesa del dueño de casa cuando promete aumentar la renta, al sentimiento que viene cuando se ve la violencia en la calle. Los estudiantes encontraron la seguridad como un concepto relativo y temporal. Ellos luego exploraron las experiencias que formaron su percepción de la seguridad a través de los diarios de radio.
Este año, ZUMIX Radio esta colaborando con estudiantes de Ingles como Segundo Idioma en East Boston High School para producir El Barrio: Community Across Borders. El proyecto explorará como la comunidad da forma al identidad personal — primero a través de la discusión, luego la escritura, y finalmente el compartir por la radio. La radio provee un medio para archivar eses importantes cuentos personales, mientras invitando a los estudiantes procesar y escuchar a su experiencia colectiva del emigración a los Estados Unidos. Siete clases de Ingles como Segundo Idioma participarán, desde octubre a abril, y sus proyectos finales serán compartidos aquí.
To listen to more of our students’ amazing work, click here for Part II.
Music: ‘7 de Noviembre’ — RBN Raw Music
Transcript:
My experience here in East Boston is good, because I’m never lacking anything. My mom is here with me, and my little sister and my stepfather are with me too. They always help me with what I need. They give me hope to continue forward in my life. I came with the purpose to do better in the future. I want a car and a job. My mom always helps me. I only feel bad, because I don’t have my father and my other sister with me here, and I want to have them here.
I think that the government may choose to help undocumented students, because they will be the people of the future and they too deserve college, as much as citizens of Massachusetts. If they help me to get my diploma, with a scholarship, I would be so grateful, because I want to be a nurse in the army. They will benefit from my service, because I will be serving the government and my community.
Transcripción:
Mi experiencia aquí en East Boston es buena, porque nunca me falto nada. Mi mama esta aquí, y mi hermanita y mi padrastro están conmigo. Ellos me ayudan siempre en lo que necesito. Ellos me dan esperanza a seguir adelante. Yo vine con el propósito de ser mejor en el futuro. Yo quiero un carro y un trabajo. Mi madre siempre me ayuda. Solo me siento mal, porque no tengo a mi padre y a mi otra hermana conmigo aquí, y yo quiero que ellos estén aquí.
Yo pienso que el gobierno puede también ayudar a los estudiantes indocumentados, porque ellos serán las personas del futuro, y ellos también merece ir a la universidad. Si ellos me ayuden a mi a obtener la diploma, con una beca, yo podría estaría bien agradecida, porque yo quiero ser enfermera en el army. Ellos tendrían beneficios de mis servicios, porque yo estaré sirviéndole al gobierno y a mi comunidad.
Music: ‘Ahora Es Tiempo’ — RBN Raw Music
Transcript:
When I came, my family worried a lot, because they didn’t want me to come. They told me that I didn’t no about life here in America, and I told them that I was going to come to help them and continue forward with things in my life. In America, thanks to God, I am achieving my dreams. I’m studying, and thanks to God, I am learning English. My family is happy, because here in America, I don’t have any bad habits. Since I left Honduras, I’ve said that I will help my family. I am studying in East Boston and I’m learning a lot of English and math, and I’ve learned a lot about how life is in America.
My opinion is that some undocumented students can’t study in Massachusetts, and many people who have documents are supporting them, so that they can enroll in school in Massachusetts. Some students who have received support have been able to fulfill their desire to go to college. I agree with those who have documents supporting those without documents. For them it’s very difficult to do it alone, because they cannot enroll alone. They are minors and still cannot sign to apply to college alone. I applied to study at college to be able to be an engineer.
Transcripción:
Yo cuando me vine, mi familia se preocupa mucho por mi, porque ellos no querían que me viniera. Me decían que yo no sabia la vida acá en América y yo les dije que yo me iba venir para ayudarlos y salir adelante con las cosas. Yo acá en América, gracias a Dios, estoy logrando mis sueños. Estoy estudiando, y gracias a Dios, aprendiendo el Ingles. Mi familia esta feliz, porque yo acá en América no tengo ningún vicio, porque desde que salí de Honduras, dije que venia para ayudar a mi familia. Yo estoy estudiando en East Boston y estoy aprendiendo mucho Ingles y matemáticas. He aprendido mucho y he aprendido mucho sobre como es la vida en América.
Mi opinión es que algunos estudiantes indocumentados no pueden estudiar en Massachusetts, y muchas personas que tienen documentos están apoyando a los emigrantes indocumentados, para que ellos puedan ganar la matricula en Massachusetts. Algunos estudiantes que han recibido el apoyo han podido lograr su deseo de llegar a la universidad. Yo estoy de acuerdo con los que tienen documentos que ellos están apoyando a los que son indocumentados. Para ellos es muy difícil hacerlo solos, porque no pueden matricularse solos. Ellos son menores de edad y no pueden firmar todavía para aplicar su matricula. Yo apliqué la matricula para estudiar en la universidad para poder ser ingeniero.
Music: ‘Cold Dayz’ — RBN Raw Music
Transcript:
In my opinion, I like studying a lot in East Boston, because I want to learn English to get a good job to be able to earn more money. This is my goal. The bad thing is that I don’t like the cold, because you have to go around with a lot of clothes on and I don’t like that. I like the warmth more.
In my opinion, what the government is saying could be true, to give immigrants, who stumble from migration, permission to go to college.
Transcripción:
Mi opinión es que me gusta estudiar mucho en East Boston, porque quiero aprender Ingles para conseguir un buen trabajo para poder ganar mas dinero. Esta es mi meta. La mala es que no me gusta el frio porque uno tiene que andar con mucha ropa, y eso no me gusta. A mi me gusta mas o menos de frio a caliente.
Mi opinión es que puede ser cierto de lo que dice el gobierno, para que darles permiso a los inmigrantes, que caen con migración, para estudiar a la universidad.
Music: ‘Idelogia Lyrical’ — RBN Raw Music
Transcript:
Each day, I wake up at six in the morning to go to study at the high school. I like the classes that I have, but it is difficult for me, because I don’t know much English, because I barely just arrived from El Salvador. It’s because of that that my classes are difficult. After leaving school, I go to my house, where I order food or make it myself. In the afternoons, I get ready to do what I love most: play soccer. I like to walk through the park to get to the soccer field, and I like East Boston a lot, because there are a lot of Salvadorians. I returned to see many friends, who I hadn’t seen in a long time, and I returned to my family. This makes me happy, even though I’m not accustomed yet.
My opinion is that each immigrant minor, who enters the country as an immigrant, has the complete right to study in school, and after in college. But because the majority of immigrants are of few resources, even though they want to continue studying, they do not have the money necessary to go to university. That’s where immigrants are putting pressure on the state government to help. On one hand, it is good, but then again, no. It would be better to lower the cost of tuition to enroll in college.
Transcripción:
Cada día me levanto a las 6 de la mañana para ir a estudiar a la High School. Me gustan las clases que tengo, pero se me dificulta mucho por se poco ingles, porque apenas voy llegando de El Salvador. Es por eso que se me dificultan las clases. Al salir de la escuela me voy para la casa, pido comida o hago yo. Por las tardes, me alisto para hacer lo que mas me gusta: jugar fútbol. Me gusta caminar por el parque hacia la cancha de fútbol, y me gusta mucho East Boston porque hay muchos Salvadoreños. Volví a conocer amigos que no los miraba hace mucho y volví a mi familia que tenia mucho tiempo de no estar con ellos. Eso me hace feliz aun que no me he acostumbrado.
Mi opinión es que cada inmigrante menor que entra el país como inmigrante tiene mucho derecho a estudiar en school y después en la universidad. Pero así como la mayoría de inmigrantes son de escasos recursos, a pesar de que quieran seguir estudiando, no tienen el dinero necesario para ir a la universidad. Es donde los inmigrantes presionan al estado o gobierno para que los ayuden. Por una parte esta bien, pero a las ves no, y seria mejor que bajan el costo de las matriculas para entrar a la universidad.
Music: ‘El Ritmo Rebota’ — RBN Raw Music
Transcript:
Caleb of Elemental Radio sat down with youth rock band, Postobon Manzana, fresh off their performance in ZUMIX’s December 18th Battle of the Bands event. The night celebrated Rock Ed participants’ hard work covering some groovy rock tunes — after coming together to form their bands only three months prior — alongside a dash of healthy competition. Take a listen to the interview to hear what Postobon Manzana enjoys most about their respective instruments and where they hope music will take them in the future.
ZUMIX’s songwriting program, Streetwise, will release its 18th album this December. Radio Active sat down with fifteen-year-old Streetwise participant, Chad, to hear a live performance of his original song. Chad also shared about how his dad’s tattoo artistry sparked his own creativity and what he hopes to contribute to the local hip hop scene. Streetwise will be celebrating the release of their album with a live performance showcase on Wednesday, December 9 at 6 PM. More information can be found here.
Beats by: ZUMIX participant, Justin Garcia, and Timbaland
ZUMIX’s Radio Active class spoke to jazz artist, Greg Abate, on the phone last week, in preparation for his Jazz at the Firehouse concert this Sunday, December 6th. Greg shared insight about how he found himself exploring jazz, what it was like to play alongside Ray Charles, and his impressions of Big Ben during his recent musical trip to London. Greg will join Gary Smulyan — a baritone saxophonist, who is ranked the #1 baritone saxophone player in the annual Down Beat Readers and Critics polls — and ZUMIX’s Latin Ensemble, for the final Jazz at the Firehouse concert in this winter series. Tickets can be purchased here. Thank you to Greg for speaking with us!
Nineteen English as a Second Language (ESL) students from East Boston High School recorded their own radio reflections last week, as a part of ZUMIX’s third installment of our Across Borders project. This year, six classes will be discussing the themes of community and identity — while learning english and processing their migration experiences. Hear a sneak peak of the students’ work below. We’d like to say a big thank you to Meredith Hubbell and all of her students.
La semana pasada, diecinueve estudiantes de Ingles como Segundo Idioma en East Boston High School grabaron sus propios cuentos de radio, como parte del tercero episodio del proyecto Cruzando Fronteras. Este año, seis clases discutirán los temas de la comunidad y la identidad — mientras aprendiendo ingles y expresando sus experiencias de migración. Escuche algunos ejemplos del trabajo de los estudiantes abajo. Querríamos darles las gracias a Meredith Hubbell y todos sus estudiantes.
One student writes about the laundromat, her favorite place in East Boston:
Un estudiante escribe sobre la lavandería, su lugar favorito en East Boston:
Alexis writes about his backpack, one of the things he brought on his trip from El Salvador:
Alexis escribe sobre su mochila, una de las cosas que llevó en su viaje desde El Salvador:
Improvisation is not what first comes to mind when you think of classical orchestral music. But that’s just what Boston’s Landmark Orchestra sought when it commissioned Brazilian composer, Clarice Assad. The process of collaborating with ZUMIX vocalists, rappers and percussionists was as unique as the product. ZUMIX Radio journalist, Charlotte, captured the fun in her story.
Radio Active hosted jazz guitarist and ZUMIX teaching artist, Nick Grondin, to discuss his music and his upcoming performance at ZUMIX. Tune in to an excerpt of the interview to hear how music has shaped Nick’s travels, where he finds his inspiration as a composer, how he manages to keep his cool before shows. Nick will join Marco Pignataro — multi-talented saxophonist, composer, educator, and jazz columnist — and ZUMIX Jazz Allstars for a special Jazz at the Firehouse performance on Sunday, November 1st at 5:30PM. All sales from this event will support ZUMIX’s work of empowering youth and building community through the arts. Tickets can be purchased here.
Mary Kay’s model of having women sell beauty products in their communities has allowed many women to make a living while raising a family. In recent decades, it has also provided alternative employment to immigrant women who face additional challenges. In this interview, 16 year old
Rayza Chavez interviews her mother about this experience.
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