Category: View From the Street
On the streets of Northern California, it’s more than just a battle over turf and power but an internal issue of struggling with self identity.
May 1st, 2012, San Jose, CA. - De-Bug marched with families and workers on Mayday. We also took pictures, tweeted, and people to do the same using the hashtag SJMayday. This is a collection of tweets and pics from folks using the hashtag, memorialized the march.
Thousands of protesters gathered in the streets of downtown Oakland Wednesday to show solidarity with the city's general strike.
Author Jean Melesaine reflects on how preconceived notions of size and physicality impact her two younger brothers and a generation of Polynesian young men.
"All the Ladies Say" is a film that profiles female street dancers who have carved a niche in the physically challenging, male-dominated breakdance world. One of the featured dancers is Aiko Shirakawa, who held the film's South Bay debut at the De-Bug Center.
T-shirt designers, jewelry-makers, and an assortment of other creative vendors created their own pop-up market in downtown San Jose – giving the community a chance to come together and shop local.
The early months of 2011 have already registered 11 homicides in East San Jose. Young men of color have been both victims and perpetrators of the attacks. De-Bug gathered young men from the Eastside to talk about what they are seeing on the streets, and what can be done to stop the violence.
Read the digital version of De-Bug's print magazine. Entitled "Under the Skin of San Jose," this issue features articles from downtown hustlers, homeless youth and a new generation of cultural entrepreneurs.
David Madrid of Block to Block radio interviews Bea Mendez of the Coalition for Justice and Accountability on the recent selection of the new San Jose Police Chief.
San Jose has already registered seven homicides in 2011, nearly matching half of the total killings from the previous year. The victims are often young and brown. Marcos Reyes, who lives in the same neighborhoods where sidewalk memorials are springing up, describes what it feels like to be a part of a community in peril.
Days before news broke that the City Manager had picked the Interim Chief Moore as the next San Jose Police Chief, CJA sent a letter detailing why Chief Batts was most qualified to meet their community criteria. The City Council is expected to make their decisions regarding Chief Moore on Tuesday.
Music entrepreneur Playa Rae has been a driving force for local artists to be heard and to gain attention in larger markets beyond San Jose.
As 2010 winds down, we asked members of De-Bug to reflect on their most memorable moments of 2010. Through writing and video, they share the moments that defined their year.
With young people desperate for jobs, many have fallen victim to job scams – seemingly great employment opportunities that turn out to be hustles. De-Bug writers share experiences of getting jobs that were, in fact, too good to be true.
The Vietnamese community of San Jose came together to discuss their criteria for the selection of the next San Jose Police Chief. The dialogue centered around officer-involved shootings and building back trust between law enforcement and immigrant communities.
In episode #4 of Message to the New San Jose Police Chief, Richard Babcock, an artist and mental health client, shares his experiences with SJPD, and his hopes for a new training protocols. The Coalition for Justice and Accountability (CJA) has initiated this multimedia project to inform the police chief selection process.
The alcoholic energy drink Four Loko has generated national controversy after a repudiation from the FDA and has been banned in several states. Critics say the drink targets underage youth and offers a dangerous mix of caffeine and potent amount of alcohol. In this article, San Jose youth give their opinion on the drink that has been called "blackout in a can."
Hidden from view in East Side neighborhoods are Vietnamese restaurant bars frequented only by those in the know. De-Bug writer Patrick Thanh An Ngô gives us a rundown of what these establishments are and who goes there.
The Bay Area was draped in orange and black this week as it celebrated the Giants winning the World Series. Videographer Jean Melesaine documented the spirited Giants parade, while Fernando Perez recalls his experience of rooting for the new world champs.
Silicon Valley De-Bug and the Coalition for Justice and Accountability presents a "Message to the New San Jose Police Chief" — an ongoing multimedia project profiling a diversity of San Jose residents offering their advice and hopes for the next San Jose Police chief. This week's feature is on David Madrid, an East San Jose community member.
This October the Coalition for Justice and Accountability began a forum series to bring input from impacted communities to the selection process for the next San Jose Police Chief. The following multi-media coverage is highlights from the Youth and Families Forum held at De-Bug.
Despite the multi-ethnic demographics of the city, San Jose's gay community seems divided among lines of race. One young commentator compares the San Jose gay scene compared to the rest of the Bay Area.
With employment prospects looking grim, some have turned to alternative means to earn income. One young commentator writes about the craft of "scrapping" which allows her to pull in a great income — that is if she doesn't get caught.
With youth unemployment reaching an astounding high, one commentator talks about the feeling of being reborn through finally finding the ever elusive job.
When 19-year-old Steven Powell was shot and killed at the Pink Party in San Francisco during the Gay Pride festivities, there were some unexpected reactions. Commentator Jean Melesaine, who saw a fallen Powell at the event, says the response by some in the gay community reveal underlying tensions around race and class.
Downtown goers may have seen some unusual characters posted up around the Convention Center in late May. This year's Fanime Convention brought to life comic book heroes, video game stars, and thousands of costumed fans to the heart of San Jose' downtown.
The Third Annual SubZERO festival brought over 100 local vendors, street artists, bands, roving performers, high-tech installations, and thousands of people to downtown San Jose. Oh, and plenty of swag.
When the California unemployment rate reached 10.5 percent last year, the rate for black males was 16.3 percent. Writer La Mar Williams talks about the struggles of being young, black and homeless in San Jose.
This short documentary is on popsicle vendors, the people you see pushing carts from sun up to sun down.
When 27-year-old Joshua Moley returned from the war in Iraq, he never anticipated that it would be so difficult to find steady income. Unemployment for his age group is high, but the number only increases for young veterans such as Moley.
Female ex-offenders often struggle to find employment and hope for a new lease on life. A Santa Clara County program called the Ladder Project is giving them a way to accomplish their goals.
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