Mexican-American Family Continues Legacy of Military Service

November 11, 2015 / We'Ced

The Ortiz family migrated from Mexico to the Coachella Valley in 1915, where the family patriarch, Esabel Parga Ortiz and his wife Maria Montoya Ortiz, first worked as fieldworkers. Esabel Parga’s sons, Pete and Joseph were the first family members to join the armed forces, and since World War II, members of every generation in the Ortiz family have served in the United States military. Now, five generations later, the Ortiz family has built a lasting legacy in the Coachella Valley, boasting more than 50 service members in four different branches of the military.

Merced Youth Drum Corps Brings Music Back to South Merced

November 10, 2015 / We'Ced

Both Trammel and Flores insist that one of the most important things about developing the Drum Corps was to ensure it came to fruition in South Merced, therefore giving youth a safe place away from all the violence plaguing the area. “Of course teaching kids indigenous and contemporary technologies is a major component of our program,” stated Trammell. “But another component was to create a harm free zone.” “Music can be the difference between getting in trouble or not,” added Flores.

President of Gay-Straight Alliance Speaks Out on Mental Illness

November 9, 2015 / We'Ced

In Brenner’s experience, there are a lot of people who see depression as simply being in a bad mood. They don’t realize that depression is a diagnosable and treatable condition. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, mood disorders like depression are the third most common reason for hospitalization among youth and adults between the ages of 18 and 44.

Using Cosplay to Get Through Anxiety

November 9, 2015 / We'Ced

“Many people think that a person who is depressed is sad all the time, is unable to laugh, is ‘weak’ and/or suicidal. None of these are true of everyone,” Scarlet says. “Many people with depression might not be ‘obviously’ depressed. They might laugh and appear happy while struggling on the inside.”

Aging Trans People Locked Out of U.S. Health Care System

November 9, 2015 / We'Ced

In fact, studies have confirmed that transgender older adults suffer far higher levels of depression, disability and loneliness than nontransgender older adults. Seventy-one percent of transgender older adults have contemplated taking their own lives, compared with just 3.7 percent of the general U.S. population.

Reflections on a Weekend Devoted to Youth Media

October 30, 2015 / We'Ced

I was impressed with every single youth journalist and reporter that I met at the conference, from the way they spoke, to the samples of their newspapers and podcasts. I’m honored and humbled to be a part of the Golden State’s youth media network. Overall, the gathering motivated me to continue spreading information and producing content on issues important to me and my community. I will continue to write as I realize the true meaning of the statement, ‘The Pen is Mightier than the sword.’

Humanity Lacking In War Of Opinion Over Gay Marriage

October 30, 2015 / We'Ced

Allowing any two people who are in love to wed and live the rest of their lives out together is a beautiful thing. It’s about love and togetherness. What it is not is an invitation for an ongoing war of hate between Christians and LGBT allies alike. Whether you love someone who shares your gender or you love to share the word of Jesus, or even both these things, everyone deserves love and acceptance for who they are.

Where Are the Openly Gay Rappers in Hip-Hop?

October 30, 2015 / We'Ced

There’s plenty of queer MCs in the underground. I listen to artists like Cakes Da Killa and Kevin Jz Prodigy, both amazing rappers who happen to be queer. There are countless others like Mykki Blanco, Stose, Chapman, Big Freedia and many more. Maybe if more people reach out and support the LGBT artists who exist below the mainstream, the powers that be will take notice and finally give gay rappers the shine they have earned. Hip-hop is ready for a gay rapper.

#AssaultatSpringValleyHigh–What Is The Role of Police in Schools?

October 28, 2015 / We'Ced

In the wake of a video showing Columbia, South Carolina’s Officer Ben Fields apparently slamming and dragging a young black student at Spring Valley High School, the role of police officers in our schools has become the focus of nation-wide debate. Though Fields was fired, many are blaming the student for supposedly inciting the attack by not complying with teachers and administrators before Fields was called to the classroom, including Fields’ superior Sheriff Leon Lott who said the student “is responsible for initiating this action.” We’Ced Youth Media took the incident as an opportunity to look at the issue locally. According to our city website, at the high school level Merced School Resource Officers (SRO’s) are meant to “maintain order on each of the campuses” and “identify ‘at risk’ juveniles and work with them to try to change their behavior.” Here, We’Ced reporters reflect on their experiences with SRO’s in the past and what they feel the role of SRO’s should be in our local schools.