hello. i'm damian trujillo. today our show has the pos ada tradition. right here on "communidad del valle." >> nbc bay area presents "communidad del valle" with damian trujillo where. >> we begin with world aids day. the organize rg committee is on the south bay. and the public health department here in the south bay. welcome to the show. let's start with you. december 1 st, world aids day. >> yes. >> december 1st is world aids day in recognition of world aids day our committee, the world aids day committee, which is made up of several agencies and,

ones within our county, came together to support this by asking our city to light our city hall tower red. this way we join our global community in recognizing world aids day. not only remembering those that we have lost through the h.i.v. and aids, but also to reaffirm our commitment to keep fighting h.i.v. >> and, i mean, the numbers are there, right? 3,500 as of 2015 or the beginning of 2015. 3,500 people diagnosed with h.i.v. >> and that's correct. those are the numbers. also, it's amazing because this is checking you sometimes. new infections was 152, but the majority was 47% was in the latino community. >> what does that tell you? it the fact that, i mean, is it education? ? the fact that the number keeps increasing. not dramatically, but it's still an increase. >> that's what prompted this sort of bringing back world aids

day at this platform because i know how it is impacting our latino community and really for not only sigma, but which is one of the barriers that keeps us latinos from, one, getting tested, two, talking about it, and, three, even if you are diagnosed, you obviously take out treatment. that's why we're doing this. not only to spread the word and, of course, to spread the education piece. the numbers are there, and we need to obviously address them and it is a big concern. >> yeah. we were looking at video from the san francisco celebration of world aids day from the last year. as a concern -- does it concern you that the fact that the latino numbers are where they are right now? >> that's correct. you know, in -- they mentioned something very important. all the factors to add about the community is more infected with h.i.v. because a lot of the latino community, they don't know we have services we can provide.

regardless, about original studies or they don't have insurance. we can provide the services to them, you know. we had a special program. we helping to get people together immediately after or their after care in santa clara county. the most important thing for the latino community to know we have these services. we can help them. if they don't have insurance, laugh people they're thinking about to get tested, but they don't want to get tested because they're afraid if they're tested positive, what they're employgo do where. >> how do we get rid of that stigma? it's something -- i mean, it's -- i mean, it's like that, what if i do have it? if you do have it, it gets worse. >> unlike cancer, you know, aids is or h. vichlt is affiliated with large -- although h.i.v. impacts

all americans. it impacts every single member of the community, but there's that stigma related to, well, it's impacting men having sex with men, and that in itself is part of the stigma. i believe we just need to keep talking about it. be visible. as a latino, it's my responsibility to be visible and come on shows like this and everywhere that i can to not only share this information, but talk openly. >> you can live a long, happy life in which you can slooif. >> world aids day at san jose city hall specifically. they are going to light the rotunda in bright red colors, and there is the web address for

more information. you gets more information in there. >> just for clarity, it's not the rotunda, but it is the tower of city hall, and joining us also in lighting and recognition will be the city national civic center as well as the circle of palms, where people go ice skating. they're joining us. the city is going to be lit in red. >> the tower -- they haven't done the tower yet? >> they do a power much the tower. it will be the tower, circle of ponds downtown where the ice rink is at, and the city national civic auditorium. our city is going red in recognition of world aids day. come out. >> good luck with your efforts. >> thank you. >> thank you. >> up next, the san jose state latino alumni network. stay with us.

>> the latino alumni network at san jose state is creating quite a legacy. the latino alumni network. welcome to the show. >> thank you for having us. >> tell us about the network. i mean, this is obviously when you say network, this is what it is.

this is a network of latino and latino professionals who are there now and are kind of giving back. tell us about it. >> yeah. we're an affiliated organization within the alumni organization, and we're a nonprofit under them, and so basically we're a board member organization of eight, and so we basically host events. we've had affiliated organizations like linkedn, facebook. we just did an event on the latino vote. we've been going in that direction just promoting personal, professional growth from the network. >> here's a slide show that you all provided. it's growing, and it's getting stronger and bigger, right? i would say, romina? >> we try to reach out to alumni grads and see where they're working and if they can host us for networking evented s working and if they can host us for networking evented or if thy can over their time to mentor recent graduates from san jose state. there's a lot of latino alum grads out there in the area, and we want to make sure they come

together and help each other succeed in the valley. >> tell bus your graduation date and what you are doing now? >> i graduated with a masters in french. now i'm working on the team at what's app, which is part of facebook. very different, but thanks to that french education at san jose state, i was able to have this. >> i graduated from san jose state with a major in business, and now i work in recruiting at amazon. >> how important is it to be part of the alumni association itself and not kind of branch out on your own and be your own network? it you're part of the main group. >> yeah. we get a lot of support from them. we're a nonprofit under them, and having them as a partner is very helpful. reaching out to the other alumni that we don't have access to, but it's a lot of ground work to be done still. >> what do i get out of it if

i'm an alum? >> that depends. what are you joining? are you joining our facebook page? are you joining the alumni association? >> the alumni association. >> well, to be a member of the latino alumni network is to be a part of the alumni association. you get the same benefits as you have as an alumni association member. you're just a part of affiliate with us, and so, you know, you get different benefits. you get discounts. there's multiple benefits that we have listed on our website. being part of the latino alumni allows you to be part of the organization as well. it's an added bonus. >> talk about maybe the asset for those who might be at an employment crossroads in the valley. then maybe they link up with the alumni network and what do they get out of that, would you say? >> on our website we have resources. under resources, you find job listings with direct contacts to those positions. maybe they're not the hiring manager, but they know the

hiring manager, or they know the hr team or they're already working in that company, so this he can help you with a referral. that's something you wouldn't get if you just went on, say, sparta jobs that's through the san jose state. it's a general pool of applicants, where here you have a direct connection to somebody in the company where you trying to get hired. like i said, many of our members work at big silicon valley type companies. they're able to offer their perspective on what are these teams looking for? what are these companies looking for and how can we help you get into those types of companies if that's what you want? >> talk about -- maybe talk about that sense of pride and being surrounded within the network of latina and latino professionals who, again, made it and who are there. >> a lot of these companies also have employee resource groups that also have a latino focus. personally i'm part of the facebook lat iono resource group, and it brings me a lot of pride to help other latinos join

the company and on to represent san jose state as well, and to be able to go back to this broader latino network of san jose state graduates and say, hey, i made it. you can make it too if we stick together. we can definitely -- >> the idea is to make the network grow. when you start off an organization like this, it takes a while before the wheels start spinning, but i'm assuming that you guys are well on your way. >> we have been trying to create value. we start thred three years ago. this month it's been three years. we've just been creating relationships with different organizations and we have a holiday party coming up, and we are working a latina coalition. we're partnering with organizations that have similar goals to us, and so we're doing a holiday party for all of us to come together. >> all right. >> in addition -- >> in addition to benefitting this collaboration, we're also raising funds for a scholarship. if you become a member of the alumni association and you add to the latino network as your

affiliate group, we will also get a percentage of your membership fee that will help towards our scholarship fund that we're putting together. >> all right. well, that's your opportunity to log on and find out more about the latino alumni network out of san jose state. there is the web address for more information. good luck with your ventures. >> thank you. >> thank you. >> huh thank you very much. up next -- stay with us.

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>> what a powerful segment there. that's -- who is here playing the role of juan diego, who is now san juan diego. he is a veteran. the director of this year's production. they both join us here on comunidad dell value. welcome to the show. >> gracias. >> that scene there just gives you a lump in your throat. how hard is for you to get the lines out when you are feeling that emotion? >> it was difficult. it's an emotional song, and, of course, i have to stay in character, and, of course, as a singer, i know i have to sing it well, so it was always powerful. it was one of my favorite scenes when i was doing the role of juan diego. >> now it's on your shoulders. this production. what can those who go to enjoy the performance in the old mission, what can they expect to see? >> they expect inspiration. i rememberle the very first production that i ever saw was

actually this one, when i was going to college. you see people that i can easily see around my community up there becoming these moving mirrors was just jaw-dropping. inspirati inspirational. the music, the space inside the mission of san juan batista. it allows for everyone to be submerged into the story that we're creating. it's very, very, very inspirational, and then being -- with all the -- it just -- >> it's got to be a lot of credit to you to get the finger pointed at you and say you're the man in charge. it's a big production. it's a very big deal. >> it's a huge production. it's a blessing. it's a responsibility. definitely. i mean, most of the productions

obviously there's this type of undertone, political undertone, a message. what is the message that we're trying to get out to the audience? responsibility is heavy that -- it is something that i am -- i was and everything about me is -- i knew that eventually we'll have to get passed down to myself or -- and then once i get to that age where i have to get passed down to the next generation it's something that is very much -- >> i guess it's easy to work for someone that has that kind of passion as a director? >> of course. the beautiful thing is most of the people that come have that passion already. they know this is more than just a community theater. our stories need to be told by us. with the help of luiz and some

of the other young directors and writers now, that is one of our new talents, it's going to continue for another 50 years. >> it's not glitz and glamour. this is old school. grassroots. >> old school. you know, i go to professional thee theaters, and i go wow. we use cardboard and duct tape, man. we make it work. >> we do. we do. it's very, very much like that. >> seriously. >> talk about picking the staff and the cast and make sure because, i mean, you rely on them, and they rely on you to put up a quality production. i mean, it's a mutual bond. >> it's familia. there's different -- the beauty about the production is it just transcends cultural barriers. we have people on the production that are not latinos, and they feel the story. the story just transcends ages, transcends cultures. everyone is in a sense going through their very own juan

diego story. whether you are male, female, whether you are latino, syrian, or not. >> right. >> it's beautiful. >> i know luiz. >> you started right back in the 1960s. >> i actually joined when they first moved to san juan batista, and i joined in 1970. i was a junior in high school in hollister, but i saw the group performing, and i just fell in love with it. >> never let go. >> when they moved to san juan, i said i have to be pafr thrt o this. i have been with them off and on since then. i have worked with other groups, sharing what i had learned, but then it was time to come back. come back home. >> yeah. >> you know, and i have been

there. since 2002. >> when you first started playing the role of juan diego, you're not juan diego anymore, but when he started that role, he wasn't a saint. he was regular juan diego. >> back in the 1970s, they performed every year. then eventually they incorporated, and we alternated. i had the pleasure and the honor to be asked by luiz to play juan diego in the 1970s, and i did it for four consecutive years. i was young if n my 20s, and th i went away, and i came back in 2002, and now it was every other year. i performed in 2002, 2004, 2006, and then i retired in 2008, and like anybody that retires -- >> you're like jordan. you retired and came back. you're back. >> i came out of retirement in 2012 to do it one last time. now i'm back as a musician

playing native instruments to give that indigenous flavor that it needs. >> talk about the authenticity, if you will, of the music and what not and, i mean, you can't say it enough. when you are performing at the old mission, you can't help but going back to those roots. >> one thing that i'll always trust are goose bumps. >> wow. >> always. there are incorporated new instruments into the underscoring of juan diego that you can't help but feeling the goose bumps. >> wow. >> i don't think there's anything else i can say. >> it's great. >> the performance is happening from november 25th through december 18th at the old mission there in san juan batista. we'll come back, and we'll play the entire song in its entirety when we continue.

♪ ♪ >> here is our contact information. you can follow me on twitter. my handle is at news damien, and you can pick up a copy much our newspaper and support your bilingual weeklies all across the bay area. thank you once again for being a part of our sunday morning. we're going to leave you no with an excerpt.

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