damian trujillo: hello and welcome to "comunidad del valle," i'm damian trujillo, and today, "breaking through," the author dr. francisco jiménez, right here on exclusivity on "comunidad del valle." ♪♪♪ cc by aberdeen captioning www.aberdeen.io 1-800-688-6621 damian: we begin today with an effort where everyone can help. we're talking about the united way of the bay area, and with me on "comunidad del valle" is carolina martin, the vice president of development for united way bay area. thank you so much, carolina, for being on our show. carolina martin: thank you so much for having me. damian: so i mean, everybody has seen the united way commercials for decades, since we were growing up, but tell us briefly, if you can, about united way bay area.

carolina: yes. so, thank you for having me. the united way bay area is an organization that envisions a bay area where all people should have equal opportunities and resources to thrive. and with the community support we mobilize in the bay area to dismantle the root cause of poverty and we focus on creating an equitable place for all bay area residents; and we do this through initiatives, whether they're policy changes. we provide immediate and long-term support in terms of employment, housing, financial stability, and helping people find basic needs. and what's exciting is united way bay area just launched a new strategic plan this year, and we have a roadmap and that roadmap we hope will help over 1 million people--residents of the bay area over the next 5 years. another fun fact is we are celebrating our 100 years this year. so we are just thrilled to be a part of the bay area and

continuing to serve communities. damian: and basically when it comes to community service, when it comes to all these nonprofits that need the assistance to help those who are in need, they come to the united way. i mean, that's where it all begins, i would imagine. carolina: yes, and this year as we launch our strategic plan, we're also excited to say to the public if you're someone that wants to be a leader in your community and you think, "okay, i really want to join a board. i want to be on the board of directors, focus on governance, focus on strategy of what's happening with our communities in the bay area," i hope you will consider joining our board or recruiting or helping us find people. or if you are considering being an advisory board member and you think about, "i am a key stakeholder in my community," we are also looking for advisory board members at this moment. and if you're ready to fight the root cause of poverty and find an equitable way to help people, i hope you

will consider this opportunity. damian: yeah, i mean, now is the time to put our money where our mouths are, if you will. but we'll get into both of those aspects, the executive board and also the advisory board that you mentioned. what are the qualifications? because some people might think, "well, i don't qualify. i don't have the credentials to be on the board of united way." what are those qualifications? carolina: well, if you're looking at someone that wants to be on the board of directors, we will be working with governance, fiduciary. i mean, whether you are an executive or you're a community leader or you know some of the root challenges in the bay area, you should think of yourself as, you know, "i can do that. i want to raise my hand and i want to nominate myself." so you can go to our website and nominate yourself or nominate someone else. if you're someone that just wants to be more of an advisory capacity and you're--you know, you might be a community leader in your neighborhood and you're like, "you know what? i know what's happening here in santa clara county. i want to raise my hand for this opportunity." so i think you could go on our website, look exactly at what

the terms are, and just see where you might fit. or if you don't, please think of other people in your community. we need equal representation. we're a diverse community here in the bay area. damian: because some people might think maybe erroneously, "well, you know, i'm not a ceo, i can't come to the board and donate $10,000 on a whim to the board of united way." but that's not part of it, right? it's about community commitment. carolina: exactly, it's not about the check that you can write, it's about your commitment to the community and, you know, what value can you bring. we need voices. we need ideas. we need strategies. so don't think of yourself as, "i just need to write a check." we need people to show up. we need visionary. we need ideas. so thank you for asking that question. united way bay area is looking for our community at large to raise their hand and join us in this challenge. damian: and here's our chance because, you know, a lot of people complain to me as a news reporter, "they're not doing

this, they're not doing that." and we're talk--by them i mean the community as a whole, whether it's city hall, the county, or whatever. they're, "we need this. we need that. they need to do this. they need to do that." here's your chance to do something about that. carolina: no, exactly, and one of the things that united way bay area does is we need individuals to say to us, "i'm in san jose. have you ever partnered with these other organizations?" 'cause one of the things that's so great about united way bay area is we don't do it alone. we partner with many organizations, and we need to hear about those organizations. so if you're that individual that has those great strategies, those great ideas, we need your voice and we need your talent. damian: all right, well, let's show you how you can get involved; the web address for united way of the bay area. this is your chance to roll up your sleeves and do something about it. there is the web address for more information. next week--ha, next week. next segment we'll talk about the advisory board and what that's all about here on "comunidad del valle." so stay with us.

damian: we're back here on "comunidad del valle" with the united way of the bay area. and, carolina, when i was growing up, we had an advisory board at kntv; when i was a young reporter, and it was a hispanic advisory board and that was--so that kntv, now nbc bay area, could get feedback from the latino community: what are we doing wrong, what are we doing right, where do we need to improve. that was our advisory board. tell us what makes up the advisory board for united way bay area. carolina: so our advisory board, you know, has individuals that are youth voices, or entrepreneurs, or corporate executives; it's a range. i mean, what we're really looking for the advisory board to do is look at our 3-year strategic plan, look at our goals, and also think about our partners and socialize where should the united way bay area be thinking strategically. and so that is what--you know, what's bubbling up in each of

the bay area's section and how do we all unite and think about possible next-step strategies. damian: are we talking for each board 1-year commitment, 2-year commitment, 6 months? what are we talking about commitment here? carolina: yes, i mean, we're looking for 3-year commitment or more. i mean, it all depends on what-- you know, when you look at the nomination form, you can fill out what your commitment can be. so i would just recommend if you're considering this opportunity, go to our site, united way bay area, and see kind of what those possible commitments can be for you and yourself. damian: and if there was ever a time to lend a hand, i would imagine it would be now given what we've been through over the last 2 years, who the pandemic has impacted most significantly in the--now would be the time, i would imagine, to really get involved and get involved with something like th

and i think what's exciting is united way bay area has a 3-year their hands and say, "i want to be a part of this path, this" damian: and--i mean, we're talking about giving back, but just think of what it does to your resume when you say on your resume--your virtual resume, 'cause every-- nothing's on paper anymore. but when you say on your resume on your linkedin profile that you are a board member or past board member or advisory board member of the united way bay area. carolina: right, i think now more than ever, you know, when you're looking at your future journey in your career, you know, companies, schools, whatever your path may be, are looking for leadership in a variety of way, not in your day--not just in your day-to-day job, but also how are you showing up for your community, how are you raising your hand? and as i said, we need a lot of ideas and voices that represent

our diverse community here in the bay area. damian: how many thousands of people would you say would be impacted through your service as a board member? in other words, how many people in the bay area do you service as the united way service? carolina: well, as we hit our 100 year this year at united way bay area and our goal for the next 3 years is to impact over 1 million residents of the bay area. so that could be you.what u did thle. carolina: well, one example is i was translating in spanish for a woman that was, you know, losing her rent relief, and through our programs and services she was able to stay in her home. so i know that when i show up at the united way bay area, the work i'm doing is impacting a lot of people. and that was just one example.

and i think that it is the time to build community, it's the time to show up for each other, and it's time to do impactful work. so i really hope people will consider what are you doing on your volunteer time, how can i show up, how can i, you know, help my community. and so i hope people will consider this opportunity. damian: that's very awesome. carolina, thank you so much; with the united way bay area. thank you for that input, and thank you for being on our show. we'll have you back. carolina: thank you so much. thank you so much. damian: thank you, carolina. there's the information on your screen, it's a-- you can be a board member of united way bay area or an advisory board member. they are recruiting. you can log on to the website to find out more information. up next here on "comunidad del valle," dr. francisco jiménez and his new movie project. you won't want to miss it. stay with us.

francisco jiménez: my father decided to seek a better life. i was anxious because i didn't know where we were going to go.

i was born in mexico. we lived in adobe hut, dirt floor. we had no electricity. we were very poor. i was 4 years old when we crossed the border into california. damian: the movie is called "breaking through." and you might remember that name "breaking through" was also the name of a book by my good friend, dr. francisco jiménez. i have a couple of his books here. and i don't have "breaking through" with me, dr. francisco jiménez-- bring you in-- because my daughter has it in her locker. you know, it's a--it's just such a wonderful thing to see with us here dr. francisco jiménez again on "comunidad del valle." also with us is a producer of the new film, normandie ramirez. she's with us on the show. welcome both of you to the show. francisco: thank you so much. normandie ramirez: thank you. ndie, just a brief synopsis, dr. jiménez.

this is a series of four francisco: yes, the series consists of four books. the first one is titled "the circuit: stories from the life of a migrant child," the second one is titled "reaching out," and the fourth one is "taking hold." and the main theme that runs through all the four books is the transformative power of education. and the reason for writing these memoirs is that i wanted to document part of my family's history, but more importantly i wanted to document the experiences of many, many mexican immigrant families from the past and the present who work very, very hard every single day and thanks

to their hard and noble work all of us are able to enjoy our meals every day. and what sustains these families working day in and day out is a and their children's children. better life for their children so these families--our families are an inspiration to me and they inspire my writing, and i think it's important to docume our experiences because our experience is an important part of the american experience. it's part of who we are as a nation. and thanks to all the contributions that our ancestors and our parents have done, thanks to their contributions,

our nation is stronger economically and culturally. so those are the reasons for writing these memoirs. damian: you're not going to get an argument from me on those beautiful words, dr. jiménez, you're absolutely correct. and like me, normandie--i agree completely with you. you feel this should be at least a short film. normandie: yes, there's--you know, i met dr. jiménez 20 years ago and read all of his books, each and every one of them. i fell in love with the story and immediately i saw the movie playing in my mind's eye, and the--one of the hard parts was there's enough material there for a feature film for a netflix series and--but the challenge was how do we develop a project that's doable and actionable that we can actually make out of our own pocket. and so we landed on "breaking through," which resonated with me and really opened my eyes 'cause i'm on the receiving end of it. i'm, you know, the one that has this life, nice car, nice home,

attended university in san francisco. how did i even get that? and it really made me think hard about my roots, my ancestors. so it's a dream project for me. damian: oh, it's wonderful. i can't wait to see a finished product. let's do this, let's show the trailer, and then i think we'll have time to talk about it in our next segment. but this is the trailer from "breaking through." francisco: my father decided to seek a better life. i was anxious because i didn't know where we were going to go. i was born in mexico. we lived in adobe hut, dirt floor. we had no electricity. we were very poor. i was 4 years old when we crossed the border into california.

my father spotted a hole underneath the fence. he dug it larger so that all of us could crawl under. the woman who my father contracted picked us up and then drove us for miles. it seemed forever. the woman said, "here you'll find work picking strawberries." so we spent the night under the eucalyptus trees. we ended up living in the tent. it had dirt floor, no electricity, no running water. my brother roberto says to me, "panchito, is this really california?" and i said, "well, no sé, i don't know," you know. the whole time that we were living as migrant workers and

not knowing english, they used to call me "wetback." we were punished in school if we spoke spanish. damian: boy, some powerful images, some powerful words. the trailer for "breaking through." we're going to talk about the film, again, in our next segment, so stay with us here on "comunidad del valle."

damian: we're back here on "comunidad del valle" after watching not the trailer, i'm told, it was just a clip-- a fundraising clip of "breaking through." and, boy, dr. jiménez, how do you go from crawling under a fence, to sleeping under a eucalyptus tree, to sleeping in a tent with no running water, to being a phd and the son who's also phd? francisco: well, with a lot of help, especially from my parents. thanks to their sacrifices. thanks to my teachers who saw something in me and encouraged

me to continue my education. thank you to the help that i received in scholarships and, you know, i felt that i needed to work hard in my studies because i wanted to honor the sacrifices that my parents were making so that i could have a better life, and i wanted to honor my teachers who believed in me. i didn't want to let them down. and i felt that by getting a good education i would be able to someday impart to my students the beauty of our culture in terms of literature, music, and art because i felt that it was necessary for everyone to appreciate more the

contributions that our society--that our families have made to this country, with the hope that they would have a better understanding and appreciation for their hard work. and so that's one of the reasons why i feel very grateful to normandie and her husband robin because they believe in the same mission that i have, which is trying to document that experience which is so important for society to know about. and when--and as i mentioned in the clip, you know, when we tell our stories-- 'cause my story is not unique, as i mentioned before. it's a story of many people. it's the story of our--it's our story. when we tell our stories, then we break those walls that

separate us from one another and we can see ourselves reflected in the other and the diversity that exists in our society. and when we do that, we take comfort and we can take joy in the fact that we are all members of the same family: the human family. so that's--to me it's a blessing that normandie and robin decided to make a movie based on this book and my--"breaking through." damian: well, you're controlling the narrative, and you have to take control of that. normandie, so what do we need-- what's your vision for the project, what do we need to get it done? normandie: we're fundraising. we're in the middle of our fundraising campaign. it has been energizing and overwhelming the amount of support that we've received. we're building a community. i see this film as our film. it's a--takes a village; and to get it done we need folks to

visit us on facebook, to give a contribution in dollars if possible, to let us know that they too believe in it, and to jump on board, make this film with us, because it is our film. this is a community effort. we want to and need to own our own narrative. and we're looking for supporters, fans, followers; looking for those who believe in us and believe in the story, and every dollar counts. making movies is like building a building. you need--we need to feed our crew and actors. we're looking for chefs who might want to come and make lunch for us one day. we're looking for locations, artists that want to join us. let's make a movie together. damian: and if you want--if you're going to do it, you got to do it right. normandie: yes, it's a period piece, which means we are creating a world in the 1940s, '50s, '60s, and then 10

years later we're fast forwarding to a different time and place, so props, costumes. i think we have a strawberry field. so there are lots of angels out there who are with us on this, and we're looking for more. damian: yeah, no, i used to have nightmares about strawberry fields and now i love going back to them whenever i can. dr. jiménez, final question. you used--when we did the interview on telemundo, you used the word "coraje." you have to have coraje to a certain extent because-- to say that, "this isn't right, we need to change." when my dad would get a 5-cent raise per hour they were excited, but that was reason to get coraje. but that's one thing that should motivate you to do better. francisco: yes, and coraje can also mean courage, and it also means anger. damian: finally--we have about a minute left. any final thoughts to chavalitos who might not

see that hope or that light? francisco: yes, my advice to young people is to study, get as much education as you can, because education will give you the opportunity to make choices of the kind of work that you want to do and the kind of life that you want to live. unfortunately, my parents did not have a formal education, so their choices were limited. they worked in the fields, and working in the fields is noble work. all work is noble. but when you get a good education, you can make those choices. and hopefully once you get as much education as you can, you can--when you get appointed to different boards and when you become governors and so forth, you will be able

to make decisions that benefit all of us so that we can create a more humane, inclusive, and just world. so that's my recommendation; get as much education as you can. it's--you'll never lose it. it's going to be yours forever. damian: all right, well, i appreciate that you all-- eddie, if you can roll the full screen on there to show the web address on the segment. i appreciate all the work that you're doing. this is a fundraising effort for "breaking through" movie now to be told from the book from dr. francisco jiménez. thank you so much for being on the show. normandie: thank you. francisco: thank you. damian: well, we thank you for joining us again here on "comunidad del valle" for these very special guests. we'll see you again here next week with some more exciting topics. [speaking spanish]

i'm sara gore and this is open house. wait until you see the places we have to show you this week, including the cozy home of this restaurateur in the hamptons. and the curated beverly hills home of a jet setting actress and playwright. plus, we are cliffside in carmel at the former home of vertigo star kim novak. but before all that, famed fashion designer christian siriano shows us around his stylish westport, connecticut retreat. you can see the trees, see the nature. this is just like a need from being in new york city all the time. you have to come out here and get a little escape. right poppy? you love this place.