i'm damian trujillo, and today a local film, a true story, and today we take a look at that film, just a short clip on your "comunidad del valle." male announcer: nbc bay area presents "comunidad del valle" with damian trujillo. damian: we begin today with the monthly visit of the mexican consul general right here in san jose. juan manuel calderon is my guest here on the show. welcome back. when you were here the last time, you were only here for a few weeks. now, you've been here for a couple of months, give us an assessment. how has it gone for you? juan manuel calderon: we're working very hard. first of all, thank you very much for the invitation, damian. it's a pleasure to be here, for the mexican consulate to be in this important program. it's very, very, very, very important. damian: thank you very much. it's important to have you here. juan: yes, and we're working very hard to--we have many

things to do at the office, and also we have many, many things to do in this area for the mexican community in san jose. damian: there are several topics that we'd like to talk about today. one is everybody's talking about daca, and nobody knows at this point what's going to happen to daca. what can you tell us? what can you update us on? maybe the services that you're providing for someone-- juan: well, it's a topic very, very, very important for the mexican community, especially for the young people that they have already the daca documents. if they are going to have a renovation, the last in this month in 13 of january. damian: yeah, 'cause the clock is ticking, time is running out. juan: yes, yes; if you are benefiting for daca, you can renew the papers for daca. if you have some question for this process that the daca needs, please contact with the mexican consulate.

we're going to have some kind of "talleres." damian: workshop. juan: workshop for the mexican people, for the mexican community to explain to them what's mean today, daca, how can i get information for especially for documents that they required. and also, you know, we have lawyers, immigration lawyers that are going to have this information directly to the mexican people that are going to have this workshop. damian: this sounds like it's a very important topic in your office. juan: yes, yes, it's very important to explain to them that the people that already have daca, please go to the mexican consulate, we're going to have some information. and we have some immigration lawyers to explain to them how can i renew my papers for daca. damian: another thing that your consulate is doing at this

time is--or the entire mexico is allowing you to do is allow "el voto al extranjero." foreigners to vote. explain to that-- juan: okay, already, all the mexican consulate around the world, especially in the united states, we have 15 mexican consulate, we issue--we process the paper that to present that we are going to get--how can i get my voter registration card. we don't issue the voter registration card, but we register the people. and the mexican, we call ine, instituto nacional electoral, they are going to issue these voter registration card, and they send directly to the house. if you go to the mexican consulate to register with your birth certificate and proof of your identity, like a mexican

matricula, mexican passport, mexican id, or driver's license, and prove that you have address that belongs to the mexican consulate in san jose, we register you for get the voter registration card. we send this information to mexico city. and ine, instituto nacional electoral, issue the voter registration, send to you, directly to you. damian: wow, that's interesting. because here there's a big debate, should we issue voter registration or voter cards, voter id cards? you do it in mexico and we just--there's a big problem about doing it here. that's kind of interesting. the mexican consulate in san jose, there it is, it's on enzo drive, and there's a number to call for more information. we'll be back and wrap it up with the mexican consul general here in san jose, stay with us. ♪

you're going to participate over in your area, cabrillo college,

in an important event. it's a-- juan: yes, we call--we call latino role model conference. this event, we invite all the mexican, all the mexican community, all the people they want to know, how can i make easy my life, make easy to get education, financial aid? we are going to have leaders in this location, and it's going to be the third of february in cabrillo college in the city aptos. damian: aptos, yes. juan: and we're going to open 9 to 1 p.m. it's free, the entrance. we're going to have the admission director of university of santa clara, lorenzo gamboa, he's a mexican leader. he's like, "if you want to be a lawyer, you want

to be a doctor, how can i go? how can i be a lawyer? how can i be a doctor, an engineer?" and also, we're going to have one mexican lady, yolisa espinosa. they're going to explain to you-- damian: she's from facebook. juan: yes, and they're going to explain to you how can i be a lawyer, how can i get financial aid in a university. if you have any question, please, we invite all the mexican community, especially to young people that want to get some information for education, get a degree, for everything. damian: and i think that junior high students and high school students, it's important for them to go because, to share a personal story, i didn't know what a role model was until i went to college 'cause no one ever brought that term to my attention. so, it's important for the younger kids to start learning. juan: the young people all, you're a mexican, you're a

guatemalan, they are a colombian, or american people, if they want to know this role model, how this person is now important. damian: yeah, that's a--that's on february 3 at cabrillo college in aptos, a latino role model conference. and you will be there, and it's important for the kids to see what your role is. juan: i'm going to be there. we're going to explain to them this important event for them. and well, we're going to have many, many things to do. damian: it sounds like you're bouncing all over the place. you're going from one corner of your district to another corner. i mean, wherever the word needs to get out, i guess you're there. juan: yes, let me just to explain that the mexican consulate in san jose cover four counties, santa clara, santa cruz, san benito, and monterey. if we have to go to monterey, we are going to go to san benito, we go.

damian: because that's a small town named san lucas way south of king city that is still part of your area. and you have to go there-- juan: for example, last week, i know that we have many, many mexicans in soledad. soledad is in monterey county. we have to go to there to explain this kind of role model, to explain to them, especially in education. damian: when you go there, drop about 6 miles south in greenfield and say hi to my mom. she's there in greenfield, so if you don't mind. the mexican consulate, again, they're all over the place, and they're based right here in san jose. they're on enzo drive, and there again is the number to call for more information. any final thoughts, sir, that you'd like to share with us? anything else you'd like to say? juan: okay, just thank you. damian: thank you very much. juan: thank you. damian: and good work, and we appreciate that this is your second visit to the show. we look forward to many more, and "échale ganas," as we say. juan: yes, it's the second visit, this important program, but not the last.

damian: all right, good. all right, thank you, sir. and up next here on "comunidad del valle," a special film about a tragedy here in the bay area. stay with us.

and with me here on "comunidad del valle" is a filmmaker, jay lopez. he's back here to talk about this very important film. and karen gonzales is an actress on the movie, and you play the mom of cecy. karen gonzales: yes. damian: well, welcome back to the show. you've been here before. tell--we're going to show the trailer, but tell us first about cecy. this is a tragedy that happened here in richmond. jay lopez: so, this happened 24 years ago in richmond, and it was huge. and we didn't-- damian: i mean, we all covered it extensively, the news did, because it was that young girl--well, you know what? let's--why don't we have the trailer, have it show, and we'll talk on the other side? ♪ home girls kicking it,

♪ getting ready for the party, ♪ ♪ looking real fit. ♪ what's up, this for y'all. ♪ getting ready for the-- cecy: dear diary, today is a special day. i'm finally 15 years old, and i'm having my quinceañera. i guess this is a milestone in my life, where i'm finally becoming a young woman. to be honest, i'm scared, nervous, but excited for what the future is going to bring, so let this journey begin. ♪ ♪ ♪

damian: i see you getting the chills. it's giving--it gives me the chills when i see that. what happened to cecy? jay: cecy was brutally murdered on march 14, 1994 on her way home from her friend's house from borrowing a film. the perpetrator had followed her, and ever since then, just our community has been really at awes of what happened, and still is, so. damian: and karen, you're playing the role of cecy's mom. how much research do you do? how much do you study the news clips of what happened that one day to kind of involve yourself fully into your character? karen: you know, jay did a great job at actually having pretty much all of the information because i did grow up in the bay area, san jose actually, and i had never heard about her story. so, he actually gave me a lot of the information, and i went back myself and i looked at clips, you know, trying to google.

and there was a lot of media coverage, so i did have some of that information on what the media covered, but it was also great that cecy's family was involved. and so, i can actually talk to her mom and get some information on what she went through. and of course, i'm a mom myself, so you know, you bring that along as well, and you can just imagine what she went through. so, it definitely helped that there was the media coverage, what jay had done, the research and all that. so, you do--the prep work was definitely heavy. and for that particular moment that where cecy's mom found her, that was definitely something that no parent should ever have to go through. but i think having that information did help me prepare for the role. damian: why is-- why the interest?

i mean, it's a tragedy and it gripped a lot of us, but why the interest for you as a filmmaker? jay: because it happened in my community. i was around 9 years old when it happened, and i just was so terrified of how and why this happened in my community. not until later, you know, when i became a filmmaker, my first film, i just really want to tell her story. her story never left richmond, and i wanted to give her the legacy that she deserved. i want to share her story to the whole world, and i figured that this is the best way to do it. damian: yeah, and it involved research on your end as well, i would imagine, to make sure you had all the details to get the story right. jay: it took about a year and a half for me to approach the parents first. i really wanted to do my research first and come in--'cause like i'm an outsider. and you know, of course, this is something, an event that the family can never forget. but they don't want to be reminded. and i'm coming in as like, "hey, you know, i want to tell your daughter's story, but shed it in a good light." and i did my research, i met with her friends,

did the best i could. and i approached them with the idea, and they actually said yes. and then when they said yes, like the ball really got rolling, and then it got serious as well. but i also established a really great relationship with her friends and her family, and that really helped me even push her story even more, so. damian: and how--the pain will never go away. how are mom and dad? i mean, how's the family? jay: they're great. they're great. i just spoke to her mom recently, they're doing fantastic. they have not seen the film yet, yeah, yeah. so, they'll be seeing it on the third on our fundraiser event. damian: well, let's show that information on the screen. they're having a special screening there on february 2 and 3 at the san pablo center for the performing arts. you can log on to that web address for more information. and big puppet, puppet from "american me" will be there to do the q&a. you don't want to miss puppet. we'll be back and we'll have our guests back and wrap this when we continue.

stay with us. ♪

it's a documentary that was just about to be released. and the important people who are making that movie possible are here. karen, you mentioned something during the break about how mom found the daughter and how that still gives you chills. share that story with us. karen: yes, absolutely. in talking to cecy's mother, eva, she had said, you know, when her daughter went to go pick up this video from a friend's house, that her daughter, of course, that's when she disappeared, she didn't come home. and the next--that same day, i mean, they were looking for her and all that, and all she did was just ask, you know, she prayed, "i just really want to find my daughter." and she said that she just had this feeling that her daughter was not alive. and she--as she prayed, it gives me chills when i think about

that, and what she said was that something led her to her body, to where she was found. something led her to exactly where she was murdered. damian: it's kind of a secluded area. i mean, it's not too secluded, but it's not an area where normal people-- karen: right, and it's not a place where you just walk, and you can just all of a sudden get to it from just, you know, like, walking by or whatever. she was somewhere, like, in a stairwell where you had to know exactly where you were going. and she found her in that area, and it just--she said, "something led me to this area." which is--you know, which is just amazing. damian: and it's your job, jay, to bring that out. how difficult or easy is it when stories like that are shared? jay: it's difficult, especially when you take it personal. this story i literally took personal.

and very passionate about it as well just to really tell the truth in the story, and give it the life and the reality of what is. i know films in hollywood will never touch this film, let alone gratitude our community. but you know, i felt like, you know, i've done a good job i hope. [laughing] i really hope so, you know? all that matters to me is that the family approves, and they love it, and they feel like i gave their daughter the legacy that she truly deserved, and that's what my purpose was. damian: and you were in new york and you showed the film. jay: yeah, totally. damian: i mean, new york and richmond. i mean, there's no relation there. you're crossing entire continental united states. jay: so, actually, hbo latino, they called me. they saw the trailer of the film back in august, they said, "wow, we like the trailer. let's see the film and we'll see, you know, what we can do."

i was like, "it's not ready yet." but i showed like a rough cut of the film, they fell in love with the film, and they offered us to screen, have a world premiere in new york city. all of my cast and crew went, even some of cecy's family and her friends went to support. and surprisingly, we had--and the reason why i say surprising, because 'cause total continent, opposite direction. and we had a really good outcome. and a lot of good feedback, and everyone seemed to really enjoyed it. so, i'm just so excited to have our homecoming in richmond, to have the community finally see what my crew and i, my cast have been working on for so many years. damian: and karen, when you auditioned, you were mentioning that you want to make sure that you believe in the script and that it's something that is going somewhere. karen: oh, absolutely. i wanted to make sure that there was--that the director, whoever's making the film, is just as passionate as an actor is because as an actor, you put your time and your energy and

your sweat and all those, you know, days and nights working. and you just want your director to fight for it as well because you're fighting for--to make his vision come to life. and so, it helps when you have somebody who, like jay, he's not just trying to do this for just trying to do this. this is a passion of his, and you can see it, you can feel it, and it's just something that i wanted to be a part of as well. damian: and the screening at the center for performing arts, talk about puppet. i mean, 'cause you have puppet there. jay: oh yeah, okay, so, i'm really cool with danny de la paz. and i hit him up with my fundraiser screening that i'm throwing to support the film. he agreed to do it. i was like, "wow, that'd be pretty dope." told him i'm a huge fan of his. so, he was in one of my favorite movies, "boulevard nights." you should know that, it came out in 1978. damian: yeah, no, i do. i was eight. jay: were you? oh, were you?

ay, dios. and of course, "american me." and he's an awesome dude. he's so talented, and he's all about supporting latino filmmakers, and it's going to be an honor and a pleasure for him to actually host the special, beautiful event, so. damian: so, are you considering it a doc or a film? jay: it's a movie. damian: it's a move. jay: yeah, so, it's a full-length movie. i wrote the script and yeah. damian: and it--does it have a chance of showing at the theaters, or where can people see it if they--obviously, one is if they come to the fundraiser. jay: if they're coming to-- i hope they're coming to-- you all better come to the fundraiser. karen: come to the fundraiser. jay: sorry, so, as an independent filmmaker and as an independent film, there are steps to get your film to theaters. and one of those steps is to make--is to do film festivals around the country. and that's how you get distribution deals, and that's how it gets picked up, and that's how--so, it basically

depends how popular the outcome of it is to even be-- to be considered. it's like there's a lot of films out there who made it to sundance, which is every independent film goal is to get to sundance. it's like you actually made it. you know, pretty thing. but i think my film will make it regardless, without sundance. but so, with that being said, so if we get a distribution deal and et cetera, et cetera, and things move forward, and that's how it comes about. so, the next year and a half, we're doing like a whole film festival run around the country, so yeah. damian: and is this-- where does--where are you going from here, karen? i mean, this is-- karen: so, i just recently joined sag, and so that's definitely a step up for me. and i know that everybody says, you know, you have to move to la to get more work. but i believe that we're getting a lot more work in the bay area as well. and eventually, you know, if i get an opportunity to go to la, that's totally great.

but as of right now, i definitely want to take on roles that can expand my--just my genre or whatever it is because, as you know, you know, i'm hispanic and i play a lot of those hispanic roles. and i think the times are changing to where we're going to get better roles. and one of the ways to do that is to create our own work. the same thing that jay's doing, you know, i like to write, and i try to work with other people here in the bay to either create film or whatever it is. so, as of right now, i just--i'm going to keep on going. i'm going to keep on going. opportunities that come, i gladly take them, and we'll go from there. damian: well, good luck to you. again, the fundraiser screening is at the san pablo center for performing arts. that's "love, cecy." and you can get to meet puppet there. any final thoughts, jay, before we let you go? jay: my whole purpose of this is all about cecy. it's all about her legacy, it's all about sharing her story.

you have to realize that her story never left richmond. so, my goal is to share her story to the whole entire world, and it's going to happen. and i'm so blessed and honored to continue her legacy and give her that. damian: all right, good work. jay: thank you. damian: thank you all for coming and sharing that with us. and now, here's what's happening in your comunidad. ♪ ♪ ♪ damian: and our saludos to those celebrating a special day, felicidades. ♪ ♪ damian: and here's our contact information.

you can follow me on twitter, my handle is @newsdamian. also, pick up a copy of "el observador" newspaper and support your bilingual weeklies all across the bay area. you can also watch us on telemundo canal 48, your "comunidad del valle" in spanish, it's every sunday at 11 a.m., sometimes at 11:30 a.m. just check your local listings for that, that way you can watch telemundo canal 48, your "comunidad del valle." grateful that our guests here on nbc are able to share that platform with telemundo in another language, and a whole new audience, and get the word out even more. we thank you once again for sharing a part of your sunday. do not forget that fundraiser at the san pablo center for the performing arts. we thank you once again. we will see you back here again next week, pase usted, buenos días. ♪ at at&t, we believe in access. the opportunity for everyone to explore a digital world. connecting with the things that matter most. and because nothing keeps us more connected than the internet, we've created access from at&t.

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