Humanities Network, Winter 2004-2005

1.1 MB·English

by  California Humanities (formerly California Council for the Humanities)

California Council for the Humanities winter 2004-2005
HUmaN/TIeS
Featured in This Issue 1 2 5
Young Californians to play a Jim Quay interviews author Stockton project aims to bridge
central role in CCH's upcoming and poet Chitra Divakaruni, the city's many cultures.
April campaign. one of the editors of California
7
Uncovered, CCH's new
CCH project involving Native anthology of stories. CCH-supported radio documen¬
Americans influences historic tary explores the housing crisis
decision to return land to on the Central Coast.
Indian tribe.
COMING
CALIFORNIA. IT’S THE MOST
ETHNICALLY DIVERSE STATE IN
THE NATION. A STATE WITH A
IN APRIL MULTIPLICITY OF LANGUAGES
AND CULTURES, WHERE THE OLD
AND THE NEW ARE CONTINUALLY
COLLIDING.
CALIFORNIA STORIES Daily, we read and
hear California's demographic
facts: More than 25 percent born in
UNCOVERED
another country; almost 40 percent
speaking a language other than
English at home. But what do these
facts mean? What is it like to be a
Californian at this time in history?
CCH’S NEW STATEWIDE
And who are these people called
Californians?
STORV-SHARING CAMPAIGN This April the Council will
sponsor a statewide story-sharing
campaign designed to encourage
people to look beyond the state's
YOUNG CALIFORNIANS AT THE
statistics and stereotypes to the
reality of California life. The new
FOREFRONT OF ACTIVITIES
statewide campaign, called
California Stories Uncovered, will
Russian-speaking immigrant teens in West Hollywood explore their emerging cross-cultural identity
involve people in hundreds of
in one of the Council's California Stories Uncovered projects. Top: Natalia Zotova, one of the project
participants is shown here with her mother in a photo taken by another participant, 16-year-old Alexsey story-based activities in schools,
Donskoy. At right: A photo of a Russian couple at home taken by Belarus-born Daniel Korochkin-Zoryn,
age 16. Photos courtesy of Venice Arts. continued on page 3
SACRED LAND RETURNED make a community. We have not of one of the Council's Community
danced since that day. I can't wait Heritage Projects called "Living
TO WIYOT PEOPLE
for that first dance." Biographies."
The Wiyot had been working to Kraepelien said his experience
Director of project documenting the
get the land back for years. In 2000, with "Living Biographies" was piv¬
ives of native elders plays key role the tribe raised enough money to otal in helping him understand the
purchase a 1.5-acre parcel on the Wiyot world today. That project,
island. The land from the city which took place between 2000 and
Some 144 years after a brutal where for centuries the Wiyot held amounts to another 40 acres and 2002, documented the stories of
massacre on a small island in major celebrations and dances. is important because it contains
continued on page 6
Humboldt Bay decimated the Wiyot There has been no dancing on Wiyot burial grounds and cen¬
population, the city of Eureka took Indian Island since the massacre. In turies-old shell middens.
a small step toward righting this accepting the deed to the land from One of the people instrumental The California Council for the
past wrong by returning a portion the mayor of Eureka last May, in the return of the land was
Humanities is a state-based
of the island to the Wiyot people. It Cheryl A. Seidner, chairwoman of Jan Kraepelien, a lecturer in
affiliate of the National Endowment
marked the first time in California the Table Bluff Reservation of the the Journalism and Mass
for the Humanities. Humanities
history that a city had returned a Wiyot Tribe, told the Los Angeles Communication Department at
sacred site to its native people. Times, "We lost our regalia, our Humboldt State University, a Network \s published quarterly and
Indian Island is the center of the elders, our weavers and our video-production specialist with the mailed to anyone who requests it
Wiyot universe, a sacred place dreamers, all the things that city of Areata, and former director from the San Francisco office.
www.californiastories.org
This past November, Executive intimate thing that we do when we write and read. Because here this
Director Jim Quay interviewed book is going out into the world and be read by people that I don't know.
award-winning writer and poet Chitra And yet, as that reading is taking place, the experience of the book is this
Banerjee Divakaruni at a California strange experience with the author on one end and the reader on the
Library Association regional meeting. other. And while the book is being read, it is a very private and intimate
Divakaruni is one of the editors of the experience between the author and the reader because of the story and
Council's new anthology of California the characters, of course. The characters are very important — they are
writings called California Uncovered: an important part of this interchange.
Stories for the 21st Century. The And also I think it's powerful because, unlike other kinds of media, you
anthology, which contains stories are the ones creating those pictures. And for each one of you, the picture
about life in California by authors will be a little different. You created that private intimate world as you
CCH Executive Director Jim Quay
from more than a dozen ethnic back¬ read the book. And as I read the
grounds, will be featured in the Council's upcoming "California Stories book, I am doing the same thing. So
Uncovered" campaign in April 2005. Divakaruni, the author of Mistress of I think it is a combination of all of
Spices, The Conch Bearer and, most recently. Queen Banerjee of Dreams, those things. And that when we use
talked to Quay about her work and how she sees California today. This is the imagination to create this world,
an excerpt from that conversation. and identify with it, we are really
working from a very deep level with¬
Quay: Let me ask you a little about California. In the "Blooming Season
in ourselves. And I think that this is a
for Cacti," a story in The Unknown Errors of Qur Lives, you tell the story
level deeper than when we watch
of a woman who comes to California from India. And at one point, she
something on a screen, where the
mentions her disappointment, her — she says — "desperate mythologiz¬
pictures are already created for us.
ing of California." And this collision between the dream of California and
Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
So, when we come from a level that
its realities is a common theme in your writings. What qualities did you
is so deep, something in us opens up and is ready for change and is
expect to find in California when you first got here?
ready for growth. We've made ourselves vulnerable in a sense when we
Divakaruni: I very much remember my first trip. I had come into the air¬
are reading a book with all our attention, as we are going to allow the
port and I was going to go to Berkeley, and a van was going to take me
book to seep into us, and perhaps we won't be the same person that we
across the bay. And we were on the freeway and I saw these oleanders
were before we read that book.
blooming. And I hadn't seen any oleanders since we'd left India. And it
Quay: I'm going to ask one more question. What, if anything, does it
was so powerful and moving for me to see the flowers of my home
mean to be a Californian? This quote by Samuel Huntington was
blooming in California. I think it made me feel at home immediately and it
said about America, but I ask it about California.
made me love California in a very special way that I've continued to feel
"Critics say that California is a lie, because its reality falls so short of
ever since.
its ideals. They're wrong. California is not a lie, it is a disappointment.
Quay: Were there things that immediately jarred against that feeling?
But it can only be a disappointment because it is a hope."
Because you certainly do not, either desperately or otherwise,
Does that make sense to you?
mythologize California in your writing.
Divakaruni: Yes. I think my own experience has overall been such a
Divakaruni: I think that by the time I started writing about California I
positive one that I can't really say that California is a disappointment.
had begun to understand California's complexity and the wonderful
However, I think as I've lived in California since 1979, I do see the ways
opportunities. Because in all the places that I've lived in, California has
that California is changing. And that sometimes is a disappointment.
been the most multicultural and the one most open to being multicultural.
Things that we loved — many of those things are passing out. Even
And, of course, there are problems and, of course, there will be times
geographically, even physically, even if we think of this Bay Area and the
when cultures will clash against each other, and people will respond to
way it was 20 ago — it just isn't. We've lost a lot of things. And a way of
each other — or to the other — with fear and prejudice. But I think over¬
thinking, especially during the dot-com boom, there was a whole new
all, I hope I have been able to create the sense of the very rich complexity
way of thinking about what was important in life. And I felt that some¬
of California. thing very important about California was passing out of our culture at
And I notice that as I am living in Houston, it's very multicultural. But
that point, and a much more go-getting, financially oriented culture was
each cultural group stays very much on their own. They are by them¬ coming in to take its place. So I am concerned.
selves. You really have to make an effort if you want to make friends with
Quay: Is there anything embodied in the anthology that for you is what's
people of another culture. And when I was here in Northern California, I
special about California?
never had to work at that, and that's something that is very special. And
I would hope that we will always foster that and keep it going because Divakaruni: Well, once again, the anthology is such a wonderful collection
I think what we have is so special — that openness. of many, many voices from many different backgrounds — not just racial,
but the urban landscape, rural landscapes, older people, younger people,
Quay: One of the reasons for the Council to publish this anthology is
people who have come from many different places and many different
to enable that experience. But it's a pretty mysterious process that the
situations to California, the wonderful diversity. And also the idea
reading of these words should have this powerful effect. Now I know —
underlying that anthology which is that all our stories are important. And
as a reader, as a writer, as a teacher — you have thought about this.
if we can share all our stories, it will create a texture, a rich and cohesive
What makes that possible? Possible for a human being to do that?
texture for California. Just by sharing stories, we can do that. And I think
Divakaruni: I think that is the nature of story and the nature of books —
that is one of the ideas that I really love about this.
which is that reading a book is at once a risky and yet safe kind of thing
to do. You are opening yourself up to something. You don't know what,
You can read this interview in its entirety on the Council's website at
but you are doing that in a safe space. And it's also a very public and yet www.californiastories.org.
2
www.californiastorles.org
CCH'S NEW STATEWIDE STORY-SHARING CAMPAIGN
(continued from page 1)
libraries, community centers and events. The website will also photographing their families and anthology. Among those partici¬
more, all during the month of inform people how they can communities. Young people in pating are Richard Rodriquez,
April. Playing a leading role will be become involved in the campaign West Hollywood, San Francisco, David Mas Masumoto, Francisco
California's young people, who and provide materials for teachers, Riverside, Paso Robles and Santa Jimenez and anthology editor
Ana we be involved. The public Divakaruni.
will document their lives, interview libraries and others who will
will have a chance to see the fin¬
their neighbors, and present be developing programs and
ished work on websites and in •The thousands of Californians
their view of California through activities.
public exhibits. Visitors to the CCH who turn to ethnic newspapers for
websites, poetry slams and The following are key
website can view an online exhibit their primary news will be invited
photography exhibits. campaign activities: of the work in January. to write a letter home describing
"The new campaign will pro¬
•Students in dozens of California “WE ARE PARTICULARLY EXCITED THAT YOUNG
vide a cornucopia of opportunities
classrooms will interview and
for people of all ages, economic PEOPLE ARE PLAYING SUCH A CENTRAL ROLE
write about people in their com¬
levels and cultural backgrounds to
munities and present their work to
IN THE CAMPAIGN. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS
come together to share stories and
the public during April. Students
discover what we have in common in more than 1,000 public school
LOOK IN ANY CLASSROOM TODAY, AND YOU’LL
despite our differences," said CCH classrooms are expected to partic¬
Executive Director Jim Quay. "We ipate in this phase of the SEE THE FACE OF CALIFORNIA AS IT IS
are particularly excited that young campaign using materials devel¬
oped by CCH's partner in the BECOMING. YOUNG PEOPLE ARE OUR FUTURE,
people are playing such a central
undertaking, the California Writing
role in the campaign. All you have
AND I THINK IT’S IMPORTANT THAT THEIR
Project, an association of 30,000
to do is look in any classroom
California English teachers work¬
today, and you'll see the face of VOICES ARE INCLUOEO IN ANY CONVERSATION
ing to improve the teaching and
California as it is becoming. Young
learning of writing. Teachers inter¬
ABOUT CALIFORNIA.’’
their life in California. Twelve of
•Adults and young people in the best letters will each be
some 70 locations in California awarded $1,000 in prize money.
will participate in intergenera- The letters will also be published
tional programs as well as reading by the respective media outlets
and discussion groups at their involved in the campaign. The
local libraries using a new anthol¬ Council's partner in this effort is
ogy of California writing. The New California Media, a member¬
anthology, called California ship association of 700 ethnic
Uncovered, was developed media organizations. "This is an
especially for the campaign by opportunity for Californians
CCH and Heyday Books, an whose native language may not
independent publisher of books be English to share their experi¬
on California history and culture, ences of living in California,"
and edited by award-winning Quay said. The deadline for
author Chitra Divakaruni. The submitting letters is Jan. 15.
book contains work by such estab¬
lished writers as Maxine Hong •Public attendance and participa¬
Kingston, John Steinbeck and tion are encouraged for a number
Joan Didion as well as new voices of other Council-sponsored events
that reveal California in all its in April, including workshops,
complexity, including Shirley exhibits, performance pieces and
Geok-Lin Lim, Dao Strom and le community forums. All these
thi dem thuy. events are connected to projects
EDITED BY CHITRA BANERJEE OlVAKARUNI, WILLIAM E. JUSTICE, AND JAMES QUAY
funded by the Council over the
The anthology contains a reading past year under the grant lines
and discussion guide to enable of California Stories and will be
people to use the book in reading listed on the Council's website.
groups outside of formal library
programs. The anthology is California Stories LJncovered is the
available online and from local second statewide campaign under
bookstores. the Council's multiyear California
Stories initiative, designed to use
CCH is conducting the library pro¬ stories to strengthen communities
gram in partnership with the and inspire change. The first
Califa Group, a membership- campaign, Reading The Grapes of
based service bureau that pro¬ Wrath, brought together thousands
vides services to California of Californians in Qctober 2002 to
CCH's new anthology, available this month, features work by California authors of a dozen libraries. read John Steinbeck's novel about
different ethnic backgrounds.
California migrants and talk about
• The general public will be invited their own California experiences.
people are our future, and I think ested in participating can down¬
to attend writers-in-conversation
it's important that their voices are load the specially created materi¬
events in nine hub cities: Cerritos,
For up-to-the-minute information
als from the Council's website and
included in any conversation about Chico, Fresno, Los Angeles,
apply for a small grant to hold about the campaign, visit
California." National City, Riverside,
public programs. the Council's website at
A focal point of the campaign Sacramento, San Francisco and
www.californiastories.org.
will be the Council's website San Jose. These events, designed
• Immigrant and refugee youths in
(www.californiastories.org), which to bring people together from var¬
five communities will explore their
ious aspects of the campaign, will
will contain a searchable, up-to-the
cross-cultural identities and
feature CCH's Jim Quay in conver¬
minute calendar of campaign experiences as newcomers by
sation with writers from the
www.californiastorles.org 3
FORKILWKft^
MILLION^E^
THE MI6-i|^||
HERTO WORI^
RICE FIELDS im
MOUNTAINS. ^
out
bci^n Spd
|_;|||Qndpar^nts,
Photographs of the Wong, Cuevas and Canepa families, all participants in "Stockton Speaks!." Photos/Chi Lan Cheng and Sophoan Sorn
www.californiastories.org
TORIES
"The challenge in Stockton is communities to serve as conveners thought we were nuts," Ikeda said. many Stockton organizations. The
how to create better understanding and interviewers. All the interview¬ "But it was a worthwhile effort next step will be to introduce the
across all the different groups." ers and conveners took part in a because of the level of people's stories into Stockton's schools.
said Bob Benedetti, director of the
training program before being sent commitment." In December 2004, Benedetti
project, professor of political sci¬
out to gather stories. Once the interviews were com¬ sent letters, with a CD-ROM of the
ence at the University of the Pacific
A typical interview team was pleted, they were handed over for stories enclosed, to 150 organiza¬
and executive director of the uni¬
composed of two people of differ¬ editing to students in a writing tions in Stockton — from the Child
versity's Jacoby Center for
Community and Regional Studies, ent ages and ethnicities. A third class at the University of the Abuse Prevention Council to local
the project's fiscal sponsor. "I think person of the same ethnic back¬ Pacific. "It was a way to get the business groups — introducing the
that stories can show all the com¬ ground as the subject convened the students involved in the community," projects and asking for an opportu¬
mon themes among us." family and paved the way for the Benedetti said. nity to schedule a presentation.
Benedetti and the other interview. "What this meant," The public had its first chance "We think that these settings will
leaders of the project decided to hear "Stockton Speaks!" in help us reach more people, includ¬
to feature just nine ethnic .‘'""'Won August at a unique daylong, city- ing those who are making social
groups: African American, Chinese sponsored cultural policy decisions," Benedetti said.
^IMS To
American, Italian American, "was that we Benedetti and his staff will
®R/OGe
Japanese American, Filipino had Italian Americans interview¬ have a busy spring ahead
American, Mexican American, ing Hmong Americans and CITY'S
Many
Cambodian American, Hmong Mexican Americans interviewing celebration called Hands
CULTUR£i
American and Native American. Chinese Americans, and so forth." Across Stockton. if all
"Clearly this represents a start¬ The idea, said the project's At that event, the first nine of goes well. Helping
ing point and doesn't exhaust the Assistant Director Gladys Ikeda, the 54 stories — one from each eth out with the presentations will be
diversity of Stockton," he said. "was to open up ethnic communi¬ nic group — were presented to the seven trained discussion leaders,
Benedetti also chose to focus ties to each other in the same way assembled crowd. some of whom are former project
on one aspect of each participant's that the overall project hoped to do Stockton Mayor Gary Podesto, interviewers. Members of a story¬
life: how a person moves from when the stories were presented to who introduced the stories at the telling organization have expressed
childhood to adulthood and what the community. We wanted to give celebration, had great praise for the interest in participating, and stu-
lessons were learned along the all participants a positive experi¬ project and told the Stockton dents in a drama class at the
way. "We knew it was a topic that ence with one another." Record, "If you look back at University of the Pacific may
everyone could relate to and that it In all, the project collected 54 Stockton's family histories from the become involved,
would hit a chord across genera¬ interviews from 18 families. Photos very beginning, we've been an "People appreciate what we're
tions. And we also knew that an of the participants were taken by interesting and diverse community doing" Benedetti said. "I think it's
audience listening to the stories two local freelance photographers. from the start." captured their imagination that
would be reminded of their The organizational aspect of the Benedetti and his team are now someone thinks these stories are
own experiences growing up," project, from arranging the inter¬ working on several fronts to bring so important."
Benedetti continued. views and pairing the interviewers the stories to an even wider audi¬
To find families for the project, with the right families to accommo¬ ence. They're sponsoring programs For more information on "Stockton
Benedetti enlisted the help of dating conflicting schedules, was at libraries, planning to present a Speaks!" and a calendar of events,
Stockton's ethnic organizations, daunting, but the group was selection of stories at Stockton's visit www.stocktonspeaks.org or
which nominated the families to be dogged in tracking everyone down First Night celebration on New e-mail Bob Benedetti at
interviewed and provided names of and handling all the details. "It was Year's Eve and are hoping to get [email protected]
three leaders in their respective a huge undertaking, and people the stories onto the agenda of
www.californiastories.org www.californiastories.org 5
SACRED LAND RETURNED TO WIYOT PEOPLE
(continued from page 1)
my getting involved in getting Council passed the resolution was
Indian Island back?' And that was magical. I think everyone in the
it. He stuck with the cause all the room had a sense of what a huge
way to the end." thing it was — the first time that a
"Jan had done work with the city in California, and maybe the
Eureka City Council, so he knew country, had returned land to
people who native people didn't a tribe without getting any compen¬
know, and he knew who to sation in return. Everybody wanted
approach to get things done," to celebrate.
Lowry says. "The idea of retuning "I think it was just the right time,
the island had been floating the right city council, the right cli¬
around, so it was in the public mate in Humboldt County and the
consciousness, but it took someone right people involved. And part of it
with Jan's energy and commitment was Jan's ability to bring people
to get things going and keep and ideas together and foster com¬
pushing." munication between people of
In July 2001, Kraepelien invited divergent interests and back¬
the staffs of the city of Eureka and grounds. He believes strongly in
Eureka Mayor Peter La Vallee presents WiyotTable BtuffTribal Chairwoman Cheryl A. Seidner
the Wiyot tribe to a meeting at the goals of the tribe and has been
with a symbolic clay pot filled with earth from Indian Island on the day of the historic agree¬
ment returning 40 acres of the Island to the Wlyot people. City Council member Mary Beth Humboldt State University to dis¬ there every step of the way, contin¬
Wolford looks on. Photo/Bob Doran
cuss the ownership of the island. uing to bring the issue up and to
Native American elders, including Lowry also convinced Kraepelien Kraepelien knew that the meet¬ meet with people. He never lost
the Wiyot, in the northern part of that the Wiyot elders should be ing had a great chance of going sight of what we wanted to accom¬
California, and turned the stories interviewed before those of any of well because of the groundwork he plish. And there was nothing in it
into half-hour television programs the other tribes in the area. "I told laid beforehand, meeting separate¬ for him except his feeling that it
watched by thousands of Northern him that the whole area had once ly on numerous occasions with trib¬ was the right thing to do."
Californians. For some viewers it been Wiyot land, and it was impor¬ al members and city officials and "I think Jan was the right person
served as an introduction to Indian tant that we honor that by getting making a case for the return of the at the right moment in history,"
history and culture. The project was Wiyot stories first," Lowry says. land. His timing couldn't have been says Lowry. "He was able to offer
a component of a larger "Living Kraepelien believes that that deci¬ better. He found city officials recep¬ his services to native people, but
Biographies" effort involving elders sion was important in building the tive to the idea, and when Eureka he let them be the leaders. And he
from a variety of backgrounds Wiyots' trust and also in City Manager Dave Tyson told him kept the conversation going and
in Humboldt County — from persuading the other tribes to that "he completely understood never gave up."
loggers and evironmentalists to participate in the project. that it was the right thing for the Lowry also believes that CCH's
timber-industry leaders. Through his ongoing relation¬ city to do," he knew that finally "Living Biographies" project played
Kraepelien credits Chag Lowry, ship with Lowry and the Wiyot, the plan had a good chance of an important role in persuading
the coordinator of "Living Kraepelien learned about the succeeding. people of the rightness of returning
Biographies" who has deep roots importance of Indian Island to the As Kraepelien had hoped, the the land. "Because of 'Living
in the Indian community, with play¬ Wiyot people. "They considered meeting was an overwhelming suc¬ Biographies,"' he said, "native
ing a huge role in his education the island sacred, that it wasn't like cess. The tribe and the city reached people were on TV talking about
about the Wiyot. Before the inter¬ a church that could be moved a basic agreement that the city their ceremonies and ancestral
viewing began, Lowry, of Yurok, somewhere else. Indian Island is would return 40 acres of the island lands. And viewers heard about
Maidu and Pit River ancestry, their church. And it wasn't some¬ to the tribe. All that remained was the effort to return Indian Island.
invited Kraepelien to a Wiyot com¬ thing important just to the Wiyot, to work out the details. Three years It raised awareness among
munity meeting at the tribe’s Table but to all the tribes." later, on May 18, 2004, the Eureka non-Indian people. And, maybe,
Bluff Reservation, 16 miles south of Lowry remembers the exact time City Council approved the historic they decided it wasn't such a scary
the city of Eureka. "Jan met a lot of when Kraepelien made up his mind resolution to return the land. "It concept to give back the land. The
elders and everybody clapped and to devote himself to the Wiyot wouldn't have happened without whole project helped, and I think
was happy about what he told cause. "We were driving back from Dave Tyson," Kraepelien says. "He that having native and non-native
them about the project," Lowry interviewing a Karuk elder in Scotts understood the importance to the people working together to achieve
remembers, "and Jan felt so Valley, and we talked about Indian communicty of giving back the a common goal, that blessed
touched that the people he met Island all the way back," Lowry land." everyone."
were so encouraging about having remembers. "And during that ride, Says Tribal Administrator Maura
him involved." he said to me, 'What do think about Eastman, "The night that City
THREE JOIN Business and the Lifetime Duran holds a doctorate in NEW CCH
Achievement Award from the educational administration from
BOARD OF STAFF MEMBER
Association of Hispanic Advertising University of Southern California.
DIRECTORS Agencies. Percival Everett is professor
Chavarria holds a doctorate in of English at the University of Gary Wheelock joined the staff
history from UCLA. He has taught Southern California and is the as executive assistant to Executive
CCH is pleased to announce three
at UC Santa Barbara and the author of 15 books, including the Director Jim Quay in November.
new members of the Board of
University of Wisconsin and has novels Erasure, Glyph, Watershed, Previously, Wheelock was at the
Directors: Jesus Chavarria, Ben
served on the national board of the God's Country and, most recently, Hispanic Community Foundation in
Duran and Percival Everett.
Make-A-Wish Foundation. American Desert. He is the recipi¬ San Francisco and before that
Jesus Chavarria is the founder
Ben Duran is the superintendent ent of a number of awards, includ¬ worked in New York at Elias Arts, a
of Hispanic Business Inc., the
and president of Merced College. ing the Hurston/Wright Legacy music media company.
nation's leading Hispanic publish¬ His background includes positions Award, the Hillsdale Award and the Wheelock has traveled exten¬
ing, information services, recruit¬ as a district school superintendent, PEN/Oakland Josephine Miles sively in Europe, South America and
ment services and events company. principal, counselor and teacher. He Award. Asia, and is planning to visit Japan
A leader of the Hispanic small-busi¬ is involved in numerous community He holds a master's degree next spring. He holds a bachelor's
ness community, he has received and school-related organizations, from the graduate writing program degree in philiosophy from City
numerous awards, including the College of the City University of
where his efforts are directed to at Brown University.
Minority Business Success Award New York.
helping young people.
from the Institute for American
6
www.californiastories.org
RADIO DOCUMENTARY EXPLORES THE CAUSES, EFFECTS AND
POSSIBLE CURES OF THE CENTRAL COAST'S HOUSING CRISIS
"Juan was the first person in labor camps into affordable hous¬
his family to get an education, and ing and to Anna Caballero, the
he wants to settle here, but he may mayor of Salinas, who is drafting
not be able to afford to," Goodman an innovative plan that combines a
says. "It will be disappointing mix of subsidies and laws requir¬
for him and a loss for the youth ing builders to create affordable
center." housing.
Goodman points out that Most agree that cities will have
Mendoza is competing with afflu¬ to work together to solve the crisis.
ent people from Silicon Valley who Mayor Caballero tells Goodman,
come to the area seeking cheaper "The closer you get to the coast,
housing. "It's a ripple effect," she the more expensive the housing
says. "People from Silicon Valley gets. If we're not careful, the hous¬
outbid the local people for homes, es on the coast will be second
so the locals are forced to move homes, and, as a result, those
further away from the coast — and communities will get whiter and
then they buy a place inland, forc¬ more exclusive and lose the chil¬
ing out the locals there. People end dren necessary to fill the schools.
»J\I/\NTEQ up living a long way from where There's this political divide
they work." between the communities housing
For farmworkers, whose aver¬ the workforce and the wealthier
age income is $1,200 a month, communities on the coast. In
$ moving out is not an option. Salinas, we continue building
Typically they double or triple up in affordable housing because we
A. ^
rooms and often become victims of think there's a moral imperative to
rent gauging. do so. The challenge is to get
John Doughty, head of coastal communities to see they
Watsonville's Redevelopment have a moral imperative as well."
Agency, tells Goodman about one Goodman hopes that her
case in which people paid $250 a documentary will help move the
month to park their car in some¬ issue of affordable housing back
home: ow krshii* one's driveway and another where onto the agenda. "I think the piece
In a search for an affordable place to live in i Cruz County, Juan Mendoza, the head of
a local youth center, resorted to standing in 1f ront of a shopping center carrying a "house-
wanted" sign. Photo/Rachel Goodman
The Central Coast of California crisis. It's how growth changes a
appears to have it all, from red¬ community."
wood forests and scenic beaches Goodman talked to a cross-
to a mild climate and some of the section of people for the piece,
most productive agricultural land including a longtime rancher with
in the nation. But making a home hundreds of acres of strawberries
in such a paradise is not easy these and lettuce in production, farm¬
days as home prices far outstrip workers forced to live in over¬
incomes, making it nearly impossi¬ crowded, substandard conditions
ble for local workers, including and local residents being "gentri-
teachers, firefighters and nurses, fied" out of their neighborhoods.
to find places of their own. One of the people she inter¬
Award-winning radio producer viewed was house hunter Juan
Rachel Anne Goodman documents Mendoza, the head of a local youth
Farmworkers pay $350 a month to park travel trailers in the Golden Torch Trailer Camp in
the Central Coast's housing crisis center who moved to the area two Freedom, Calf, in Santa Cruz County. Photo/Rachel Goodman
in her one-hour radio special fund¬ years ago. Mendoza and his social
45 people paid a landlord $8,400 a highlights the desire of residents
ed by the Council under the worker wife qualified for a
month to live in a two-bedroom not to have this area become
California Documentary Project. $450,000 mortgage but have had
house. another L.A.," she says. "I hope it
Called "Boomtown Chronicles: no luck finding a home. On the day
Among the farmworkers inspires them to feel a sense of
Reflections on a Changing Goodman catches up with him he
Goodman interviews is 25-year-old concern, not only about the hous¬
California," the program will air is standing on a busy street out¬
Alejandro Castillo, who's been liv¬ ing crisis but also about where
on NPR and community stations side a shopping center carrying a
ing with his parents and grandpar¬ we're going as a state, and to
this spring. "house wanted" sign, hoping that
ents in a small travel trailer in a become involved in the planning
Goodman, a native Californian passersby might give him leads to
labor camp for three years. The process in their communities."
who has lived in Santa Cruz housing he can afford.
trailers, typically designed to hold
County in the northern part of the "We're all set to go," he tells
two people, often house families of For more information
Central Coast most of her life, Goodman, "but when it comes
ten. Castillo tells Goodman about about "Boomtown Chronicles,"
became interested in the problem down to it, can an average person
the conditions. "A lot of the trailers visit www.coastridge.org or
as she saw the crisis taking a toll in afford a mortgage payment of
have plastic tarps on them to keep e-mail Rachel Goodman at
her own community. "The median $3,000 a month? It leaves no dis¬
the water out when it rains," he Rachel(3)well.com.
price of houses in Santa Cruz posable income whatsoever. A per¬
says. "Inside many are run down
County, where I live, is now son just ends up scratching by. It
and rusted out."
$659,000. The prices are up there doesn't make a lot of sense. And
Despite the bleakness of the
with Paris and London, and they I'm just one person. There are hun¬
housing picture, Goodman finds
are driving a lot of people out. But dreds, thousands of Californians
glimmers of hope. She talks to
despite this, people still keep com¬ trying to find an affordable house.
people at several nonprofit groups
ing here because it's so beautiful. Just a home to live in, that's all
involved in turning condemned
It's not just about the housing I'm asking."
wvwv.californiastorles.org
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FELICIA KELLEY
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© 2004 The California Council for the
Coordinator of Organizational
Humanities
you can participate in its programs, please visit us Effectiveness
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CCH Board Members
CHARLENE WEAR SIMMONS ROY EISENHARDT DAVID JOHNSON PATRICIA O'BRIEN
Chair Attorney Producer and Investor Executive Dean
Chief Consultant San Francisco Santa Monica UCLA College
Join Legislative Audit Committee Los Angeles
DOUGLAS GREENBERG SHELLEY KESSLER
California Legislature
President and Chief Executive Officer Executive Secretary-Treasurer BRUCE SIEVERS
Sacramento Survivors of Shoah San Mateo County Central Labor Council, Executive Director
PAULA WOODS Visual History Foundation AFL-CIO The Skirball Foundation
Vice Chair Los Angeles Foster City San Francisco
Author and Editor NANCY HATAMIYA STEVEN KOBLIK TRITIA TOYOTA
Los Angeles Principal Consultant for California State President Broadcast Journalist
JULIE BORNSTEIN Assemblywoman Wilma Chan Huntington Library Los Angeles
Executive Director Sacramento San Marino
DONALDYOUNG
Campaign for Affordable Housing JUAN FELIPE HERRERA HILLARY MENDELSOHN Director of Broadcast Programming
San Francisco Professor of Chicano and Executive Director National Asian American
SCOTT BOTTLES Latin American Studies FLASH: A California Partnership for Telecommunications Association
Banker and Historian California State University, Fresno Safety and Preparedness San Francisco
Beverly Hills
Los Angeles MARIA HERRERA-SOBEK
DAPHNA EDWARDS ZIMAN
RAFAELA CASTRO Acting Associate Vice Chancellor STEVE MONTIEL Founder and Chairperson
Research Librarian for Academic Policy Director Children Uniting Nations
University of California, Davis and Professor of Chicano Studies Institute for Justice and Journalism Los Angeles
University of California, Santa Barbara Annenberg School of Communication
WILLIAM DEVERELL JOAN KLEIN JACOBS University of Southern California
Professor of History and Philanthropist and Arts Patron Los Angeles
Director of the USC-Huntington Institute San Diego
on California and the West
Los Angeles
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