About
I was born and raised in South Gate, California, attended public schools in South Gate, graduated from South Gate High School, and attend Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
I am proud to be a mariachi musician. In May 2003 I co-founded a mariachi, Mariachi Espuela de Plata, with fellow middle school students. Music is a large part of my life. I readily listen to any music in Spanish and always have my radio/iPod set to music in Spanish.
Why is my blog titled soledad en masa? The answer to that question is here.
You can also follow my posts over at L.A. Eastside.
Diego,
I am immensely impressed by your educational portfolio at such a young age.
Congratulations on Harvard! I have a few friends who attended there. One of my fellow college classmates even works there.
By now you’ve seen WatchOurCity.com and its focus on public benefit and public policy issues in the southeast cities.
I am not a journalist, like you intend to study one day. And I am familiar with ZETA and its focus.
The most awkward moment for me with this website was learning that I received the California First Amendment Coalition’s Beacon Award in 2004. This was given at UC Berkeley’s Graduate School of Journalism. I was one of five award recipients on that day. The other four were two seasoned investigative reporters, one city attorney and one council woman. I’ve even lectured at the USC school of Journalism to a class that focuses on reporting on southeast cities of HP, South Gate, etc. I wear my Mexican luchador mask even to the lecture.
I graduated from Huntington Park High School, even played soccer against you guys at South Gate High. This was way too many years ago. Am also from Los Altos de Jalisco.
I any case, I highly encourage you to go on and make tons of money and then come back to make a difference in the Southeast. I still have friends that think i’m crazy for still living in HP.
I could use your contributions if you so desire. I’ve not updated the website for a few months but may do so soon. I was asked recently by a political science student at UCLA for permission to use the website as the focuse of her thesis.
The website is referenced in a class at Cal-State Bakersfield on a course syllabus on Computers and society. pretty nifty for a simple website.
I get emails from soldiers in Irak or some other god-foresaken places telling me that this website keeps them in touch with their community. Some of these guys are even angry at all the crooked stuff that happens here while they are putting their lives at risk over there.
Best of luck and keep in touch. Would like to hear from you and even would like to hear your comments and/or critiques of WatchOurCity.com.
And your Mariachi stuff is incredibly cool! Yes, I go to St. Mathias once in a while; didn’t know it was you playing. Come back and start a mariachi program in the southeast, like Sol de Mexico in East L.A. Fundraising for such a program would be no problem. I highly encourage you to propel your love for Mariachi to the next level.
In the public interest,
The Editor,
WatchOurCity.com
Editor, WatchOurCity.com
August 30, 2007 at 9:14 am
I am very intrigued by your profile and your postings. I’m looking forward to reading about your adventures in Cambridge.
Estrella Luna
October 23, 2007 at 8:52 pm