damian trujillo: hello, we "comunidad del valle" with damian trujillo. damian: we begin today wi t it's out of the east bay, but it's helping folks all over the bay area and across the country. felix flores is the executive director, and mwapagha mkonu is also with the imentor program. welcome to the show. mwapagha mkonu: thanks for having us. damian: i hope i didn't butcher your name. mwapagha: no, you did a great job. damian: so, tell us about the imentor program, its purpose, who you're helping, and how successful-- felix flores: yeah, we're a national nonprofit to help students who are excited to be the first in their family to go to college by partnering them with professionals and college graduates to help them reach their ambitions. and so, the organization's been around for about 20 years, first in new york and then chicago, and most recently we opened up here in the bay three years ago. damian: so, i've been a mentor, but before that

i was a mentee as well. and there is an intimidation factor because if you're coming from, like myself, coming from a small agricultural town to not have an idea what the word "mentor" even meant. so, there is a--i'm assuming you get a lot of kids who fall in the same category, that it's their first mentorship program. felix: for sure, yeah. and i would say and a lot of times, it's first exposure to any type of environments that are different than their own, excuse me. and so, i think we work really hard to have our students work on kind of what their ambitions and excitements are for their career post-graduation. and by understanding that, and we have an awesome staff that works them through that, we're able to find mentors, we're able to relate to our students. and so, about 30% or so of our mentors actually are first generation college graduates themselves, who are able to share and explain those experiences as well. and for those that are not, they see themselves as kind of supporters and cheerleaders for those students to reach their ambitions. and so, that is where they can empathize pretty quickly. damian: and i'm assuming t

the more students you are able to help. talk about the efforts to get more professionals out there to step into the mentorship program. mwapagha: yeah, again, thanks for having us here. we spent a lot of time really collaborating with a lot of the local corporate partners and organizations that engage their employees to become as mentors. so, my role in the organization is to really build these partnerships in the community both here in the south bay and in the east bay, and get more companies involved to get the employees to become mentors. the work that we do is really helping we provide them with trainings tthrough our orientations. and show them about the program, and give the tools that they need to become great mentors. damian: how difficult or easy is it to recruit those mentors? there's a slight time commitment, but at the end, the reward, the gifts that you're offering your students are immeasurable.

mwapagha: yeah, no, it's a tough--it's tough. i think in the bay area, one of the challenges we face is recruiting male mentors because we match by identified gender. we match every student if they identify as female with a female mentor. if they identify as male, we match them male mentors. and so, we've had a tough time really recruiting more male mentors, especially male mentors of color has been the challenge. so, what we try to do is really, as we go out, really talk to the community. and our mentors themselves have been really great advocates for the program because they come in and they really see what we want to do, and they want to help us bring their friends, their colleagues, and their families to become mentors as well. damian: all right, do you--so, i'm assuming the model is you go into a high school and you adopt a high school and everybody there. youit lget a mentor. you get a mentor. you get a mentor." felix: yeah, and i would even go one step further and say 's so, we work with the schools to find out kind of who have a college mindset, that want to see their students succeed, and figure out, all right, how can we do that? and i think our biggest platform is the power of relationships.

how can we get the work to--for students to be able to see that they can achieve the things they want and have a cheerleader along the way? i think kind of--when i think about the work that we have, there's four things that come to mind. one is that we have right now in california a ratio of 1,000 students per college counselor. and so, we know we have teachers that are working extremely hard to help their students succeed, but need that type of support. you have parents that want better for their kids, and they don't necessarily know what path to be able to direct their students to do that. and then lastly, what we've seen over years is that the college graduation, the bachelor's degree is a successful economic empowerment opportunity. an lin u find a school that's willing to kind of integrate us, you have parents that are supporting this type of work, and you've got teachers that are doing their em out with the work, imentore basically is there to partner with that school to say, "okay, let's find a professional who's gone through it, who they can relate to the students and be

able to help them guide through the process," to help with those things you mentioned earlier, that intimidation, that confidence, even just the exposure that some of this is normal, that not all of us have it all figured out right away, you know? that many of us changed our major, didn't know what school to go to, or have concerns about financial aid. all of those are very real things that our mentors have gone through that are able to explain that to our students. damian: and i'm sure that sometimes mentors learn a lot from the mentees as well. what is the time commitment for those who volunteer? mwapagha: yeah, so our time commitment is--we match students starting the 11th grade year. so, mentors stay with the students for three years, work with them from 11th grade all the way through their first year of college. damian: and so, there is one saturday the month i think is when they meet or? mwapagha: yeah, so, to come in, we know we work with busy professionals, we understand that, but we want to make the program effective and also work with everyone's schedule. so, the commitment works as most of the communication is happening online once a week.

and we've created and built a platform that really helps to put through our curriculum that we're teaching the students, and the mentor's able to engage with the students like that way through the online platform. and then once a month, they meet in person. and that happens at the school location that they're mentoring. and i mentioned earlier we are supporting a school in san jose, which is james lick. and we're also working with a school in the east bay, which is lionel wilson. damian: all right, well, just imagine the impact that y'all can have on the young minds up and down the bay area. there is their web address and phone number for more information. they are the imentor program located here in oakland, but they're helping folks all across the bay area. any final thoughts before we let you go? felix: i just want to say, and i think mkonu mentioned this a little bit about our mentors, is that we ha ve great communities that felix: i just want to say, andwe're woto tg s.entioned and being it national mentor month this month, i think there's a great opportunity for people to get involved. so, we recommend that people sign up as soon as they can to be able to help a student that's similar like them. damian: awesome, thank you for the work that you're doing. mwapagha: yeah, thanks for having us. damian: thank you, and up next here on "comunidad del valle," little jackie in our studio, stay with us.

♪ tell me have you seen a, know this ain't a weave ♪ ♪ -- ♪ sí, soy latina. damian: that's little jackie, that's the next beyoncé. she's here in our studio, she's from san jose, and she's going big time. welcome to the show, jackie. lil jackie: thank you. damian: how does it feel, you just saw yourself on the tv screen, so how does it feel to see yourself doing what you love to do? lil jackie: i feel really good because i've always, ever since i was like before i started kinder, i've always wanted to be on tv. damian: well, so it takes a lot of commitment, right? because i know that your parents take you to different places all the time for rehearsals, for practice, for tv shoots and whatnot. talk about everything that you have to do, the sacrifices your parents have to make in order for you

to be where you want to be one day. lil jackie: well, my mom, she has to take me to la. and she's still working on her laptop, so that's pretty hard. and my dad, he has to work too, but he still helps me, yeah. and i have to do my independent studies when i go to la, so i'm still working while i'm doing my work too. damian: let's talk about that because you're bilingual, you speak spanish as well. tell us where you learned how to speak spanish, and how your school helps you do what you need to do. lil jackie: well, i learned how to speak spanish at school because my school is adelante, it's like a spanish school. so, when i was in kinder, i didn't know, like, sí or no, i didn't know nothing about spanish. but i always had to talk it. like, i didn't even know my kindergarten teacher knew how to speak english until like two years ago 'cause-- damian: 'cause you couldn't speak english in class.

lil jackie: yeah, mm-hmm. damian: and how do you think that has helped you or is going to help you when you become a big star on the big stage, the fact that you're able to speak spanish as well? lil jackie: well, i think it's going to help me because now i don't have to do only english stuff, like movies or something. now, i could do stuff in spanish too. damian: and i saw on the video clip that you said, "i'm the little selena." who is it that you look up to that you want to be like one day? lil jackie: well, i want to be like selena obviously, and beyoncé. beyoncé, i love doing her dances, i like her outfits, i love her songs, yeah. damian: so, you do a lot of things. you sing, you dance, and you also you act. which is your favorite do you think? lil jackie: dancing. damian: dancing? lil jackie: mm-hmm. damian: which one requires more work? because it's not just about getting up on the stage and doing your moves. it requires rehearsals and knowing steps and different steps. which one's harder, acting or dancing or singing?

lil jackie: well, i'm not sure, they're like equal because like dancing, like you have to go on stage, you have to sing and dance at the same time. and then for acting, you have to do auditions and practice your acting a lot. so it's--yeah, they're like equal. they're both pretty hard. damian: what about your acting resume? what have you been on? any films, any clips, any videos? what have you been on so far? lil jackie: so, i don't know if you know, but kevin hart has this like studio, and he does this lol network. i've been on some of his clips. and then i've done some movies like one, "perfectly single," that's a movie that's going to be coming out. so, mm-hmm. damian: but your grades are good in school, how do you manage to keep up your grades, at the same time develop your voice and develop your acting skills? lil jackie: so, it's because when i go to la, i take all my books and i do independent studies, as you know.

and i like--i still go to school, i just have to do school at la. but when i'm here, i go and i got honor roll and stuff, and i still do good in school. well, yeah, i get like as. damian: all right, good for you. well, we saw the music video clip. what is this video clip about, the song, what is it about? and where have you sung it publicly, or tell us about this music video we're looking at right here. lil jackie: so, the music video, i did it with my cousin, ally. she sings really good. and then some of my cousins were in my video. my video is actually shot like--so, we went to la and we--me and my cousins, we went in this big old van, it's like 12 seats. and we did a rehearsal for the video. and all the girls came that were in my video 'cause some of my cousins were dancing with me, and some were just acting in the video too.

so, then i had my birthday after the rehearsal. and then after my birthday, my--like my family, they left, some of them. and some of my family stood, and they helped with the music video, and we shot it. and then yeah, it was right after my birthday. damian: how much do you appreciate your mommy and daddy? your mommy's here in the studio. how much do you appreciate everything they do for you? because they take time off of work, they work from home, they make sure that you have a lot of big dreams, lil jackie: i appreciate them 100%. and they're not dreams that are easy to acquire. appreciae i love my parents. i love my family. my family helps me a lot. damian: all right, well, if yoinstagram account.gram,doesn but there is a pr agency, they're out of la. and little jackie's a singer, dancer, and also an actress, and you might see her on the big screen one of these days.

anything else that you want to say, jackie, before we see your video? lil jackie: thanks to my fans have-- who have been helping me out. and thanks to my parents and my family, they've been supporting me a lot. damian: all right, thank you for coming, good luck. lil jackie: thank you. damian: all right, and we'll see that music video in its entirety when we continue, stay with us.

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here is little jackie. lil jackie: you want to be a star? you want to be famous? well, fame costs. and right here is where you start paying in sweat, so let's get it right. ♪ ♪ i'm gonna get it right. ♪ it's me, little jackie, ♪ ♪ different, working the internet. ♪ ♪ i am so magnificent ♪ i like to put on a show,

♪ the girl everybody know with the long hair ♪ ♪ and skin like that-- ♪ i be working, i still working. ♪ ♪ my stacks on stacks, my face be smirking. ♪ ♪ i drop bars, i dance, i go hard. ♪ ♪ i do a dance challenge, no charge. ♪ ♪ when i pull up to the east, my city know me. ♪ ♪ teen vogue magazine. ♪ yeah, you read it right, better get it right. ♪ ♪ when i pull up to the scene, ♪ ♪ i'mma get it right. ♪ stay chilling with my fam, ♪ ♪ yeah, we keep it tight. ♪ why y'all hating on me? i'm just living life. ♪ ♪ got to show you how we get down, ♪ ♪ hit them with that breakdown. ♪ ♪ when i pull up to the scene, ♪ ♪ i'mma get it right. ♪ stay chilling with my friends, ♪ ♪ yeah, we keep it right. ♪ why y'all hating on me? i'm just living life. ♪ ♪ got to show you how we get down, ♪ ♪ hit them with that breakdown. ♪ ♪ yeah, i'm young, ♪ and you know what my name is. ♪ ♪ come on, i'mma show you how i'm getting famous. ♪ ♪ -- ♪ got to do what i desire. ♪ my body sore, my feet on fire, ♪ ♪ burn my hair, i'mma cry. ♪

♪ tell me, have you seen a, know this ain't a weave. ♪ ♪ -- ♪ sí, soy latina ♪ don't matter what you say though, ♪ ♪ we rolling through rodeo. ♪ dance the night away, feeling like i'm j-lo. ♪ ♪ when i pull up to the east, my city know me. ♪ ♪ teen vogue magazine. ♪ yeah, you read it right, better get it right. ♪ ♪ when i pull up to the scene, ♪ ♪ i'mma get it right. ♪ stay chilling with my fam, ♪ ♪ yeah, we keep it tight. ♪ why y'all hating on me? i'm just living life. ♪ ♪ got to show you how we get down, ♪ ♪ hit them with that breakdown. ♪ ♪ when i pull up to the scene, ♪ ♪ i'mma get it right. ♪ stay chilling with my fam, ♪ ♪ yeah, we keep it tight. ♪ why y'all hating on me? i'm just living life. ♪ ♪ got to show you how we get down, ♪atreakdow ♪ yeah, i'm young, ♪ ♪ and you know what my name is. ♪ ♪ little jackie. ♪ little jackie. ♪ little jackie, little jackie, ♪ ♪ little jackie, little jackie. ♪

♪ ♪ got to show you how we get down, ♪ ♪ hit them with that breakdown. ♪ ♪ little jackie. ♪ got to show you how we get down, ♪ ♪ hit them with that breakdown. ♪ ♪ word. ♪ little jackie. ♪ got to show you how we get down, ♪ ♪ hit them with that breakdown. ♪ ♪ little jackie. ♪ all right.

comunidad on "que pasa." ♪

♪ 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. we thank you once again for sharing a part of your sunday with us. we leave you with a special interview with little joe of little joe y la familia. buenos días. damian: you have an affinity, joe, for the american veteran. i remember "a la guerra ya me llevan." i was never brave enough to sign my name on the dotted line. talk if you will briefly about your honor and respect toward the american veteran. joe hernandez: well, i think my family has been very military,

starting with one of my uncles that fought in world war ii, and then my oldest brother in the korean conflict. my second oldest brother did two tours in vietnam, and it goes down the line. altogether, my family has served the military over 400 years. that's a lot of--my nieces and nephews and cousins. i have one sister that had four kids that were all military. and three boys and a girl, and the girl outranked them all. damian: wow. joe: yeah, and that's-- my mom's father was coronel jose maria de leon, whom i'm named after, jose maria de leon hernandez. but like you, i never served. and i think back in those days, that was one way to break the cycle of poverty.

i read books about so many chicanos that would enlist, you know, just to get out of the fields and you know. and wanted to serve their country. you know, they wanted to make a contribution. since the iraq war broke, i started opening up the show with "america the beautiful," which i still do today. and i said, "i'll do this till the war is over." but you know, unfortunately, there will always be wars, and we need to pay respect. we owe the veterans all--we do the military, period, and their families. but we need to acknowledge the veterans, man, because there's no way to pay them what they've-- what we owe them, you know? and unfortunately, as rich as a country that we are, we're not living up to our promises to them. so, anytime that anybody out there can do anything for

the now--the people in the military now and the veterans, a helping hand is always welcome because they should not be on stamps, food stamps. it's--but that's another story for another time. damian: that's another entire half hour. what is it that's kept you going, joe? because when i first saw you 15, 20 years ago, you sound like you do now. i mean, it's your love with the music and your love of the cultura. joe: it's an old chicano secret. no, the love for the people, the audience. and you know, it's--for me, there's nothing greater in life than to be able to make people happy. you know, to make people--to see their emotions when i perform, you know, they cry because they're happy. and being sad, i guess it touches our soul, and it makes us happy.

but really it's all about the audience, it's all about the people. gracias a dios for that. and i love music and, you know, i have fun with it. i'm not basically trained, i formally-- i didn't go to school for music. but maybe that's kind of what saved me. it's--what is it called? ignorance, bliss. kenny h. damian: and at what point did it become tex-mex or tejano music? was it known as chicano music back when you started? joe: well, that's what i've called it all along. but i really--the latin labels, the record companies started using different terms for it. but for me, it was always chicano music, and that's been 50 years now. damian: but when you use the word "chicano," you have to be able to back it up because that's one of those powerful

words that you can't, "hey, soy chicano." no, what credentials do you have to say that you are a chicano? joe: well, yeah, you're so right. and in so many cases, you know, we've all been painted with hispanics or latinos with same brush, which is, hey, we're all people. but for me, chicano is a way to identify ourselves. you know, you get pulled over by the man and he--you'd say, "well, i'm hispanic." but you could be from argentina or columbia, you could be from peru or mexico or anywhere, you know? but when you say, "i'm chicano," you know you're mexican-american, or you should know. so, you know, in that sense that's an id, way of me to identify myself. and then the music itself is what this mexican-american kid continues to work with and develop. and it's bilingual, you know, bicultural, a lot of times by myself if i don't do it right. but you know, chicano is also a state of mind.

but really it's to identify mexican-american 'cause we're all latinos, hispanics, which could be puerto rican, cuban, or you know, we're all hispanics. damian: do you think there's less of us or fewer of us who are using that word or labeling ourselves as chicano? joe: well, i think back in the '70s, you remember this, when the identity crisis and, you know, the civil rights. and i did a lot of marching behind that because the schools, you know, all the things that happened with schools. and unfortunately, a lot of people think that's derogatory kind of-- damian: my mom didn't like it. my mom didn't want us to use the word "chicano." and it wasn't till i got to college that i realized, "hey, i am chicano." joe: yeah, i mean, what's wrong with knowing who we are, you know? you can call yourself whatever you want, but it's better if you know who you are and be it. but i think a lot of people just really don't understand

the word "chicano," but we should be proud. i mean, just like anybody else, we all should be proud of who we are, where we come from, and what we do, you know? i just have to be chicano like be--people to know that that's what i am. doesn't make me better, worse, or anything other than that's who i am. ♪

for some people here in the bay right now at 4:30 the

weather leads to a warning for some. we'retracking the forecast. >> and shedding the shut down services coming back to normal at popular local tourist attractions. >> and senator kamala harris setting out to make history, we'll squloi the kickoff to her 2020 campaign. first breaking news regarding an iconic figure in the san francisco giants we're following reports that former team owner peter m been . recently into hospice care, wily