ELECTING A SOCIALIST FOR PRESIDENT

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In the first official update from yours truly since our special Election Journey to El Salvador, let’s get into some final details for L.A. County’s March 5th Primary Elections and how to vote–including at the last minute–between now and then. Plus, we rebroadcast the Launch Party for Claudia De La Cruz and Karina Garcia’s campaign out of New York City with the Party for Socialism and Liberation, which was initially broadcast on January 28th, 2024. You can vote for the pair in California–including at the last minute–through the Peace and Freedom Party ticket and keep up with De La Cruz and Garcia’s campaign on IG. Check back soon for the official show-notes!

(0:33) Hey, what’s going on Los Angeles? It’s J.T.
(1:00) I’m back from El Salvador
election Journey out to my father’s homeland of El Salvador this past January late January through early
(1:25) Thanks again to each and every single supporter whether you donated online or whether you came out to our spectacular movie night out with Midnight Books in Boyle Heights
(1:55) Now, Election Day is just 7 days away, and generally speaking, they’re low turnout affairs
(4:04) Nonetheless, let’s go over some key notes for voters to keep in mind about the process
(4:32) Firstly, you do not have to vote in every race for your ballot to be counted
(5:35) You also do not need to wait until Tuesday, March 5th to vote! You can do so now, right away! I myself voted this past Sunday
(8:13) Next up, a brief note about Write In Candidates and say, the Democratic Party process for this versus that of the Republic Party
(9:47) Now, consider Claudia De La Cruz’s campaign with the Peace and Freedom Party in California
(11:49) Last minute voting, also known as Conditional Voter Registration
(13:57) With this said, let’s consider tracking your vote
(14:04) Re: the lesser of two evils argument when it comes to the Presidential Race
(15:16) Voting with pride and enthusiasm instead of with shame and embarrassment
(18:30) In that vein, this episode features a rebroadcast of none other than Claudia De La Cruz and Karina Garcia, who are Democratic Socialists running for President out of NYC. Enjoy!
(20:02) P.S. Did you hear about my first-ever Vote By Mail party? In East Hollywood; Wednesday February 28th
(21:06) With that said, from Los Angeles to New York, it’s J.T.
(21:21) Carla Reyes: Good morning to the West Coast…
(28:03) Lucy Ceballos Felix out of Texas for Claudia De La Cruz and Karina Garcia
(31:40) Miya Tada, out of the People’s Forum in New York and New Jersey
(33:40) Stephanie Weatherbee, International People’s Assembly
(41:49) Juana López out of Bed Stuy, Brooklyn, pre-gentrification; Latina Institute
(45:21) Amari Butler, pro Palestine student organizer with the Harvard African and African-American resistance organization
(51:26) Nathali Hrizi, Public School Educator, San Francisco 
(59:15) Dr. Jared Ball, Black Power Media; author of The Myth and Propaganda of Black Buying Power
(1:04:45) Nisreen Muntasser, Mamas for Palestine
(1:11:20) Vijay Prashad; author of Red Star Over the Third World
(1:14:18) Eugene Peryear, PSL Central Committee Member
(1:23:16) Karina Garcia, Vice Presidential candidate for the Vote Socialist 2024 Campaign
(1:36:07) Claudia De La Cruz, Presidential Candidate for the Vote Socialist 2024 Campaign

Last but certainly not least, to make a one-time donation to my team and I’s Vote By Mail Party in East Hollywood this Wednesday, February 28th, please do so here. To support the production of J.T. the L.A. Storyteller Podcast, check out my PATREON.

J.T.

adult alone boy building

It’s official. The number of homeless people in the U.S. has hit a record high of 653,000 on any single night

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The 2023 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report to Congress was published this past December 15th; key findings of the 117-page document include that:

“On a single night in 2023, roughly 653,100 people – or about 20 of every 10,000 people in the United States – were experiencing homelessness. Six in ten people were experiencing sheltered homelessness—that is, in an emergency shelter (ES), transitional housing (TH), or safe haven (SH) program—while the remaining four in ten were experiencing unsheltered homelessness in places not meant for human habitation.

Experiences of homelessness increased nationwide across all household types. Between 2022 and 2023, the number of people experiencing homelessness increased by 12 percent, or roughly 70,650 more people.

The 2023 Point-in-Time (PIT) count is the highest number of people reported as experiencing homelessness on a single night since reporting began in 2007. The overall increase reflects the increases in all homeless populations. Homelessness among persons in families with children experiencing homelessness rose by 16 percent. Similarly, the rise in individuals experiencing homelessness was 11 percent.”

It’s also important to note that point-in-time (PIT) estimates are widely considered to be undercounts–possibly by up to half–including since PIT counts are usually coordinated in the Winter morning, when many folks living on the street are out seeking some sort of refuge. Additionally, a 2019 article from Bloomberg pointed out a discrepancy between the department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)’s number of unsheltered Americans versus that of the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES); in 2015, HUD identified just under 565,000 people without shelter, but the NCES counted up to 1.3 million homeless children attending public schools that year.

While virtually every state, including Alaska and Hawaii count homeless people within their boundaries, since 2007, when point-in-time counting of unsheltered folks began, the five states with the largest growth in homelessness have been “blue” or democratic; however, it’s also key to consider that blue states have historically been far denser than “red” or Republican-led states.

On the other hand, the wealthiest 1 percent of Americans are also breaking records. According to Americans For Tax Fairness, a lobbying association, as of November 2023, the collective wealth of 741 billionaires in the U.S amounted to $5.1 trillion. The organization also notes that:

“[U.S. Billionaires’ wealth] is up an astounding $2.3 trillion (78%) since enactment of the Trump-GOP tax law in 2017—a fiscally irresponsible measure heavily slanted towards the rich that undoubtedly contributed to billionaires’ wealth growth over the last six years.”

To be certain, though, of 332 million people in the U.S., 741 billionaires represent just about 000002%, or two hundred-thousandths of the overall population.

J.T.

THE LATINA MIXTAPE REVIEW: FROM NEW YORK TO L.A.

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Suzy Exposito is a born writer, whose Belizean-American mom taught her to read as early as 3 years old. She is also the founder of “The Mixtape Club” at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts in her ole stomping grounds of Jacksonville, Florida. Since 2020, she has been a music reporter with the L.A. Times and is now also a culture columnist with their new De Los platform and initiative.

In our convo, we talk especially about the impact of movement-making in the 2010s on the music industry and pop culture today; we also share some thoughts on the evolution (or lack thereof) of certain artists over the last decade, including Drake, Tyler the Creator, and more. You can read Suzy’s interview with Bad Bunny—Rolling Stone’s first cover story authored by a Latina—here; and you can keep up with her via “X” at @hexpositiveh or via Instagram at @brujacore.

To make a one-time donation to my fundraiser for the 9th anniversary of JIMBO TIMES, please do so through jmbtms.com. To support the production of J.T. the L.A. Storyteller Podcast, please see my new page at PATREON.

J.T.

Meg Rakos: Supay & New York City: Two Adventures, One Destiny

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Since as long as I can remember, the background on my computer screen was the NYC skyline. I was drawn to the city lights and told myself, “in another life” I would live there. I was born in Cusco, Peru, but was adopted weeks after birth and raised in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. At 25, I had just moved into a beautiful apartment and had an amazing job and strong support system from my friends and family in Brooklyn Park. But I was craving more. At the time everything felt like it was too easy, I knew I could be more and do more.

In 2017, I sold my car, packed two suitcases, and followed my heart, purchasing a one way ticket to New York City.

It was then that I reconnected with Sam, a friend of mine I’d met years earlier on a family visit to Lima, Peru. Sam had also been adopted from Peru and we met while we were both trying to reconnect with our birth families.

We didn’t know we’d both be in New York City 13 years later, but there we were. One night, while we were playing soccer down at the pier, Sam asked if I wanted to be his partner with SUPAY, a design company he had started in Summer 2015 showcasing his South American ties through modern street-wear. I was thrilled! Our illustration styles were similar, we had both gone to college for Graphic Design, and both shared an incredible culture to look back on together. I knew we’d make a solid team.

We started with the idea of self identity – who we are, where we come from, where we’re going. We both struggled with identity since we were each raised by Caucasian parents, missing out on the experience and knowledge of a Hispanic family. We wanted to reconnect with our roots and so we began to research South American civilizations, studying designs, textiles, architecture and artwork to make sense of the history.

Sam looked into Incan mythology and selected Supay for the brand’s name because Supay was the god of the Incan underworld. He was a misfit, but his unique character provided sustaining springs of subterranean waters to the upper world of life. We could both relate to Supay since each of us is constantly searching for the light among the darkness in NYC. It’s what we aim to show in each design for our t-shirts.

Sam also now goes by Uku Pacha for his DJ name, which references the Incan underworld.

It all happened very fast, but I feel like I’m right where I need to be.

When I step outside I feel a tremendous amount of energy that the city permeates. There’s always something more you can do to push yourself and that’s something I didn’t feel in MN. I’ve had so many people stop me at coffee-shops asking what I’m doing when I’m designing, wanting to see more illustrations and learn about the story behind SUPAY. Their positive energy advances me forward. It brings me only more happiness to know this is just the beginning and that I’m blessed to be following my dreams alongside my best friend.

My advice for anyone out there who feels out of place sometimes but who still has a dream just like I did, would be this: your dream doesn’t have to be just an idea resting in your mind. You can will it into existence and take that first step. If you truly give yourself a chance to push through all the uncertainty and do everything with love, you’ll be steered in the right direction, every time.

M.R.