SDSU COVID-19 Cases Not Excluded From County Totals, Fact-Checking SB 145, Task Force Looking Into Systemic Racism In Navy, Latino Film Fest And Summer Concert Series Ends

Speaker 1: 00:01 Bad news on San Diego's COVID-19 numbers, which could mean the imposition of tighter restrictions on businesses here. I'm Mark Sauer in for Maureen Kavanaugh. This is KPBS midday edition. A misinformation campaign surrounds a newly updated state law with the controversy affecting the San Diego mayor's race. Plus why there are so few black admirals and what the Navy is doing about it. And our summer music series concludes with the hopeful lyrics of Indian Kay let's ahead on midday edition. But first this news, Speaker 1: 01:00 Our top story today, a classic good news, bad news situation with the latest COVID-19 numbers and their impact on everyday life. Coronavirus cases are down significantly in California, but they are up in San Diego County, largely due to a spike among students back on campus at San Diego state and governor Gavin Newsome is not keen on the idea of discounting, the number of student infections here to discuss what it all means as reporter Paul Sisson of the San Diego union Tribune. Paul, welcome back to the program. Thanks for having me. Now, let's start with these COVID-19 numbers in San Diego. Things were bright enough a couple of weeks ago for state restrictions on certain indoor businesses to be eased explain what's happened since that jeopardizes, that tear status, right? This is the new tier system that governor came out with a few weeks ago. And every Tuesday, now we get a new report from the California department of public health that notifies each County, which tier they are in this Tuesday's report showed San Diego dropping a tier from red to purple, which would mean that, uh, they would see the, uh, the rights to reopen that are currently enjoyed by many businesses and business types in San Diego County reduced. Speaker 1: 02:17 If we are in that category for another second straight week, next Tuesday, uh, these tiers are governed by your number of cases per a hundred thousand residents. And also the percentage of COVID tests that are coming back positive. Now, Connie fishers argue that cases among SDSU students should be isolated and that they were about to send a letter to the state to that effect. What's the reasoning among County supervisors. Uh, the County, uh, you know, relying on their epidemiology department is indicating that they feel like these SDSU students largely associated with other students and the outbreaks in cases that they have confirmed so far have been really focused in on people who are either living on campus or adjacent to campus within walking distance. And that they haven't really had a lot of spillover, uh, in terms of transmission of the virus, to people who aren't students. So they're saying, you know, this is relatively contained in a bubble, uh, with students generally talking to students, we haven't, for example, uh, seen businesses, uh, and, and other, uh, organizations used by students in the college area actually see outbreaks the outbreaks. We have seen have been generally associated with parties or, or places where many students live together. Speaker 2: 03:36 So there were hoping for a waiver, but governor Gavin Newsome shut that argument down yesterday, what did he say? Speaker 1: 03:42 Right? He, uh, he came out in his press conference yesterday at noon. And during the question and answer, period of it, uh, was asked very pointedly, uh, whether or not he supported such a carve out where the next round of calculations for the tiers would basically just pull out or subtract out the SDSU cases. And he said, no, there's really no way to separate a university from its community. Uh, the students live in need in the community, obviously many of them. Uh, and, and so, no, I don't support that. He was a rather firm and direct in answering that question. Speaker 2: 04:17 Where does that leave the County of San Diego County defies the state guidelines? There's gotta be consequence, Speaker 1: 04:22 Right? That was the other thing, uh, that came out in yesterday's a state press conference. So dr. Mark Gailey that secretary of the health and human services agency made it very clear that, uh, they expect, uh, these guidelines to be followed and counties to drop a tear. If their numbers are indeed a bad two weeks in a row. So it leaves the County, you know, on the side, still trying to make some arguments with the state to try to get them to change their minds. Uh, they have this, uh, this meeting with, uh, with one of their executives, uh, with some other, uh, state level, um, executives later this week that might, I guess, uh, still change their mind based on a lot of the data that they have and the arguments that they're making. Uh, and then they're having a closed session meeting tonight at five o'clock to discuss with their lawyers, what their other options are. Speaker 1: 05:15 Um, there, there was some talk at the board meeting on Tuesday that, that some supervisors are very, um, emphatic that they are not dropping debt back down to purple, and they are not going to go along with the notion of restricting businesses again, uh, in a situation where it's pretty clear that the additional cases from SDSU, which the state allowed to reopen our, our, what is pushing us from the red tier down to the purple tube. So will they Sue them, will they just refuse to enforce, uh, these, uh, reductions in openings? Uh, it's kind of unclear at the moment. Speaker 2: 05:51 Yeah. So a lot of followup on the story to be sure. Now it's easy to imagine an uproar here among business owners and customers, Speaker 1: 05:58 If restaurants, hair, salons, gyms, et cetera, have to close down again, right? Oh yeah. I mean, if you listen to the County meeting on Tuesday, there were over 60 folks who called in many of them business owners who are just, you know, one after another, they just called us a government overreach. And, and, and they say they're fed up and are just not going to tolerate this anymore. So, so the notion that you could just get businesses that are now allowed to have some level of indoor operation to, to move back outdoors again, is a really untested idea. And one that I'm just not quite sure it's short of sending law enforcement now and, and, uh, you know, forcibly closing these businesses. I don't know that anybody's going to go along with this voluntarily at this point, right? Let's turn back to SDSU for a moment more testing plan. Speaker 1: 06:49 There means probably more cases, but the numbers so far are looking a little better. Our students finally getting the message on campus. I think so. I mean, it seems like the university has really, you've been using all of its channels to try to pound this message home, uh, to the students in terms of, you know, gosh, guys, you really need to take this seriously. You really need to wear your mask. You really need to stay in your dorms. Um, you know, so it seems like they have seen, uh, some reduction in the case rate. That's what dr. Eric McDonald, the county's epidemiology director said yesterday was when he was looking on a week by week basis. There have been fewer cases detected this week than there were last. So there are some signs that it's dropping, but not, not yet gone. And finally, the good news here, what a California statewide numbers show regarding COVID-19. Speaker 1: 07:36 And, but what the what's the caution that we should be aware of there, right? Uh, you know, at the moment overall, the state numbers are dropping and really that there's a more, the most encouraging thing that we've seen is, uh, overall hospitalizations dropping. It seems like hospitals are learning better how to treat, uh, folks who have a severe version of this disease, uh, where it attacks our cardiovascular system and their lungs. Uh, you know, they're treating earlier with steroids and they're doing other things to ramp down that immune response and that's to be trickling out to the overall hospitalization rate. Uh, you know, the, the big caveat there is we, you know, we just finished a big labor day weekend, and the incubation period, this disease, uh, can be as long as two weeks, uh, and a supervisor Fletcher has formed in a couple of meetings. Now, uh, the, you know, guys, don't just get too focused on what's going on at SDSU. Uh, you know, even if it would be exempt the SDSU numbers, we may still be likely to see a big surge based on whatever people got up to over labor day weekend. Right? And the annual flu season is looming too as well. I've been speaking with reporter Paul Sisson of the San Diego union Tribune. Thanks Paul. Thank you, Speaker 2: 08:57 Governor Gavin Newsome signed SB one 45 into law without comment last week, but it's generated plenty of comment in San Diego. It started with a tweet that went viral by mayor Kevin Faulkner quote, as a parent. I'm appalled that last night, our governor signed a law maintaining a 24 year old can have sex with a 14 year old, and it not be considered predatory, but that's not the law's intent. The controversy has spilled into the race for mayor between Barbara Brie and Todd Gloria, and among criticisms of Faulkner is that he is echoing the conspiracy theory, Q Anon, which also spreads lies about baby killing and cannibalism by prominent figures. Joining me to discuss all this is KPBS Metro reporter, Andrew Bowen. Welcome back to midday edition. Andrew, thank you, Mark. Let's start with SB one 45. What does the law say? Speaker 3: 09:50 So Mark current law treats adults convicted of statutory rape of a victim between 14 and 17 differently, depending on the sexual act that takes place. And essentially the sexual orientation of the two parties involved when a victim is between 14 and 17. And the perpetrator is within 10 years of the victim's age, a judge can decide whether to require that perpetrator to register as a sex offender. In cases of ENS, a warning to listeners, we're going to be talking about some sexual acts here, so it's somewhat uncomfortable, but in cases of vaginal penetration, a judge can decide whether or not to place the perpetrator on the sex offender registry in cases of other sex acts, anal oral or digital penetration, which are the main types of sex acts involved that that same sex couples do. A judge has no discretion. So whereas an 18 year old could have sex with his 17 year old girlfriends and potentially not be placed on the sex offender registry an 18 year old having sex with his 17 year old boyfriend would be placed on the registry. No matter what, um, what this law changes is it treats LGBT convicts of statutory rape. The same as heterosexual convicts. It has been endorsed by equality, California, the LGBT civil rights group, um, the California district attorneys association that California police chiefs association, it has wide street, uh, widespread mainstream support from these organizations. And many of them not known for being soft on child sexual abuse. Speaker 2: 11:24 Now, what has the Bill's author state Senator Scott Wiener said in response to the mayor's tweet and similar criticism? Speaker 3: 11:31 Well, he's always said that this bill was about equal treatment under the law. A judge does have been allowed this discretion in cases of a statutory rape between a man and a woman since 1944. So for the past 76 years, he says, judges have been deciding whether those convicted of statutory rape in those cases should be on the sex offender registry or not. And no one was crying out for reform. And in fact, uh, critics of this bill, at least as far as I've heard, have not been able to point to a case where, um, a judge made the wrong decision and somebody should have been placed on the registry when they were not. Um, and he says, then the only problem was when LGBT Californians asked for equal treatment under the law. Um, that's when people have said, no, this bill is, you know, there are many, many different lives and disinfect information spread about it saying that it legalizes pedophilia or that it, um, legalizes any sexual acts. When in fact it doesn't, it doesn't change the criminality of these acts. It only changes whether a judge has discretion to place the offender on the sex offender registry. Speaker 2: 12:39 Well, KSI has been criticized for inflaming the issue in giving opponents a platform on its air. Here's Kevin Faulkner on Kao aside this week, terrible bill, the governor should not have signed it. And I think you're seeing that opposition, and this is bipartisan. This is Republicans have voted against it. Democrats who voted against it, the absolute terrible thing to do it should have repealed the existing law. Lauren not make it worse. And to say under any circumstances that you could have a 24 year old adult with a 14 year old and call that consensual, that's just crazy that defies logic. And let's hear how council woman, Barbara Bree, who again, is running for mayor has run with the mayor's remarks in her campaign against former Councilman Todd, Gloria. Speaker 4: 13:23 This is another IRA in which mr. Gloria and I disagree. I agree with assembly member Loraina, Gonzalez Fletcher, and with mayor Faulkner. And I'm opposed to SB one 45. Listen, I'm a mom, and there's no case in which there is consensual sex between a 14 year old and a 24 year old, whether it's a girl, a boy gay sex, straight sex, Speaker 2: 13:48 And Andrew, of course, they're taking the extreme tenure gap there in the comments. What's been the response to these comments and KSI his role in this controversy. Speaker 3: 13:57 So KSI has coverage of this. Bill has used the word pedophilia, which should really be, be banished from this discussion altogether. Pedophilia is a psychiatric disorder, um, which you cannot criminalize. You can criminalize sexual acts. So that is really a red herring to begin with. Um, the other problem with mayor Faulkner's and council member breeze comments, there is they use the word consensual, and this law does not change, uh, whether or not any sex act is considered consensual. It simply allows, again, it allows judges discretion in cases of, um, same sex sexual activity. Um, it is still considered statutory rape. It does not change, uh, the criminality involved and it is still considered not consensual. So, you know, it's difficult to have a rational discussion around this bill when is so much disinformation and that this information is being amplified by elected officials and people running for office. Um, I do also want to note that at quality California, which was a sponsor of this bill, put out a statement yesterday evening. And, um, they said in part, the rise of dangerous conspiracy theories and homophobic tropes about gay men is not a partisan or political issue. It is an issue of public safety. The disinformation campaign about this legislation was started on social media websites by Q Anon, a group that the FBI has labeled conspiracy theory driven domestic extremists. Speaker 2: 15:26 So Q Anon becomes a part of this conspiracy theory and it's part of their talking points now, Speaker 3: 15:32 Yes, at some point during the debate over this bill, um, this community of, of trolls and conspiracy theorists started spreading the lie that California was legalizing pedophilia, Scott Wiener, the Senator, the author of the bill received some really viral, homophobic and antisemitic attacks. And that was what equality California was alluding to. Um, as they also mentioned the statement Q Alon Anon has been, um, labeled a potential domestic terrorist threat by the FBI and, um, their lies and didn't disinformation have trickled up into the mainstream, um, to some extent, and I will acknowledge that neither Faulkner nor Bree said anything about legalizing pedophilia. Um, however their statements did, uh, spread some misinformation about this bill through, um, suggestion and innuendo. And I think it's rather convenient that they can claim distance from Q Anon, um, but still sound like, um, you know, giving what sounded like legitimate reasons for opposing this law. When in fact, um, the language that they're using is simply not based. In fact, Speaker 2: 16:35 Now Senator Wiener notes, the bill is supported by organizations, including the California district attorneys association, the California police chiefs association, and children. Now, what about this controversy in the mayor's race? What's Todd Gloria got to say now, Speaker 3: 16:49 Well, he's defended his support for the bill. He said he wouldn't have supported it if it weren't for the endorsement of the district attorneys and the police chiefs in California, um, he has clarified a lot of the disinformation about the bill that it doesn't change the criminality, um, that it is, uh, the, you know, the intent of the bill is about just simply treating LGBT Californians equally under the law. And, uh, frankly, Mark, I think that, uh, you know, every time there's a public survey about how San Diego ans, uh, what issues San Diego are concerned about. The top of the list is always homelessness, housing affordability, um, more recently the economy and the Corona virus. So if the mayoral candidates are listening to voters, um, then I think that those are the issues that they'll be focusing on. Speaker 2: 17:35 I've been speaking with KPBS, Metro reporter, Andrew Bowen. Thanks very much, Andrew. Thank you, Mark. I'm Mark Sauer. You're listening. KPBS midday Speaker 5: 17:50 Edition. A Pentagon task force is looking at why the Navy doesn't have more African Americans in top jobs. Only a handful of Navy admirals are black, and none of them is at the two highest ranks KPBS, military reporter, Steve Walsh reports for the American Homefront project. The problem starts at the top out of 268 admirals in the us Navy only 10 are African-American. Most of them are rear admirals like Elvin Halsy who was running the Navy task force. That's pretty small. Yes, it is. Yes. Right now there are no African American admirals at the two highest ranks building. An Admiral is a 20 to 30 year commitment. Halsy says it's not just about test scores and performance reviews. Someone has to be willing to guide that young office as a black officer, an eight out, tell you that I've mentored more people that, that don't look like me. Speaker 5: 18:45 That look like me sheer mathematics. Right? But I'll tell you also because of the first few guys who've come before me, it's small numbers. Uh, someone who don't look like B had to reach out and engage and make a difference in my career, African Americans are 13% of the population, but only 9% of Naval officers. So the pipeline starts off small. Then somewhere along the way, many people just become exhausted, says Keith Green, a Lieutenant commander who retired in the 1990s. He recently wrote the book, black officer white Navy. It is not simply just unconscious bias. There are active behaviors that are happening to people because they don't like working for a black person or a minority. And they don't like having, you know, one be their, uh, their supervisor, not everyone in African American officer encounters is a problem. Greene says, but the extra effort to work around those who are, it takes its toll on their career. Speaker 5: 19:43 Not only do you have to do all the other stressful things that any military person has to do, you have to play that double game of trying to figure out why you're being treated differently or what's happening to you. Why is something happening to you that isn't happening to other people, retired rear Admiral Sinclair Harris heads, the national Naval officers association, which has worked for 50 years to promote diversity in the sea services. He says it takes hundreds events and to eventually make one Admiral or what the Navy calls, flag officers. You gotta bring more people in, in the beginning so that the quality cut that you're going to have, especially when you get to senior officer and get to flight officer, you have enough people in the pot. He calls it death Valley. That point where junior officers opt to end their careers graduating from the Naval Academy is the most well worn path. That role, but less than 6% of the current class at the Naval Academy is African American. The Academy is not the only path Admiral Harris was rejected when he applied at the beginning of his career. Harris says one solution is mentoring officers who come through less traditional Speaker 6: 20:52 When you only have one out of 20, uh, diverse candidates going up for flag officer in a certain community. And they decide, Hey, you know what? I just got this hot band job at IBM. Guess what? Now you're down to zero and you gotta look to that pipeline. And that pipeline is anemic. Speaker 5: 21:10 The Navy is more diverse at lower ranks. 20% of enlisted sailors are African-American Forrest master chief human Phillips is part of the one Navy task force, which is looking at how to end discrimination in the ranks, Speaker 6: 21:23 Uh, throughout my 31 years, uh, where I've seen, uh, racism or discrimination personally against me, uh, I knew what the policy was, right. I knew that it was wrong, but when you're in a minority, just kind of put your head down, right? You kind of figure it out. You think about so preservation, you think about your family. You think about the bigger picture Speaker 5: 21:41 At the moment, the Navy is encouraging, enlisted and officers alike to speak up. When Navy taskforce is scheduled to issue its report in December, Steve Walsh, KPBS news, the story was produced by the American Homefront project, a public media collaboration that reports on American military life and veterans funding comes from the corporation for public broadcasting Speaker 6: 22:09 [inaudible] Speaker 5: 22:10 As November 3rd, nears, many are casting their votes by mail among them are many U S immigrants living in Mexico. And their expectations for this year's election are high as either the reelection or the exit of president. Donald Trump brings a new wave of voters from KJ Z's Mexico city Bureau. Rodrigo's Cervantes brings us this front terrorist report Speaker 6: 22:34 In Mexico. Some might share the benevolent view that precedent, and that is Manuel Lopez. Obrador has a president Trump after making trade security oil and immigration agreements throughout his term and visiting him in Washington, DC. [inaudible] in what essentially is Mexico state of a union speech Lopez, Obrador applauded Trump and said he has treated Mexico respectfully. And most importantly has praised Mexicans living and working in the U S but others remember Trump from his rhetoric against Mexico, threatening to close trade, building a border wall and attacking Mexican immigrants. Like in one of his most noticed 2016 campaign speeches. They're bringing drugs, they're bringing crime, they're rapists. And some I assume are good people. And among those paying close attention in Mexico to the reelection or rejection of Trump this year are more than a million people officially identified as American immigrants. One of them is crease laundry, professor of political science living in Mexico city. Speaker 6: 23:32 He finds it ironic that Mexico tends to be portrayed as dangerous in the U S while tons of American experts like him live, work and thrive in Mexico, laundries and Arizona voter and believes in the importance of his ballot. Arizona is a shifting state with regard to politics. And so I like the fact that I maintain my registration in Arizona. A researcher arrive in Mexico in 2017. He's now in quarantine expecting a child with his Mexican wife, according to data from the us embassy, 10% of Americans have family ties with Mexico. One of the issues that professor has to address with Mexicans is how could someone receive more boats and still lose the election in the U S unlike the Mexican election system figured out a way to explain the sort of archaic system of the electoral college drew says the relationship between Lopez overload and Trump might seem a paradox, but reflects the need to continue bilateral economic and political relations trade between both nations represents almost $2 billion on a daily basis, according to you as data. Speaker 6: 24:28 But laundry says, Trump tends to be perceived as a racist and he's defeat could bring better agreements. Part of this election will be symbolic in the symbolic element, might be the most important part. At least as people would perceive it here. Grecia racer is president of Democrats abroad in Mexico city. And he says, his note is more us immigrants interested in voting. We see a lot of people registering now and to help out with the Democrats abroad organization in Mexico, and we attribute and thank mr. Trump for all of this. And of course now the goal is to get them out of office Democrats in Mexico, help us immigrants vote and promote a nonpartisan website or voters can register before ballots arrived by mid September. Sure. It's one of the most screwed up processes in terms of remote voting in the world. And people need help. Speaker 6: 25:13 Razor says the election itself will not be influenced by the relationship between the Mexican and us precedents, but Mexico won't be a priority for the winning candidate because of many other problems, mainly domestic that need to be, we need to make sure that we are not spending money on stupid walls or that we're separating families. These are the things that the U S will worry about when it comes to a certain extent of part of the population in Mexico. Jerry Rubin represents Republicans in Mexico. He says his party social, trying to attract the expert vote for particularly as they've seen a growing interest, I've seen a lot more Republicans wanting to, uh, send out their vote more than the previous elections. And I think it's a Testament to president Trump's stellar record in achieving a number of accomplishments. Ruben says the big difference between this election and the past one is that people already know how president Trump operates. Speaker 6: 26:01 I am sure that he is not a racist at all. I've had the opportunity to work closely with him and with the parties. So I know the real president Trump, my administration was perceived as distant towards Mexico. Deputations of Mexican nationalist reached one of its highest peaks in history and cross border crime investigations like operation fast and furious became a scandal. Uh, at the end of the day, what I see of Joe Biden is he was a number two for eight years. And the relationship with Mexico could have not been cold. American voters in Mexico are required to deliver or mail their ballots to the us embassy or console, or even directly to the United States. I'm Rodrigo Cervantes in Mexico city. Speaker 7: 26:47 I'm Mark Sauer in for Maureen Kavanaugh. You're listening to midday edition on KPBS. COVID-19 forced the San Diego Latino film festival to cancel its annual event back in March. Today, it kicks off a virtual edition of the festival, KPBS arts reporter. Beth Amando speaks with the festivals, founder and executive director, Ethan van. Tilo about the challenges of moving everything online. Speaker 8: 27:12 Ethan, back in March, I was interviewing you about the start of your festival. And on the day you were supposed to launch the San Diego Latino film festival, California gave out the orders that all public gatherings of that size had to see. So how has this journey been to restaging the festival? Speaker 7: 27:35 It's an incredible flexibility is definitely the key flexibility innovation. Honestly, when we spoke back in March, uh, you know, I thought, you know, by summer we would have a good in person. Events would have started by then a good rhythm would have happened. We would have been, uh, having our educational programs. And we were even talking about having an in person film festival. Um, but you know, with this band dynamic, as we're all living through it every day, it's, something's different, right? Every new change, a new announcement. And so we decided, yeah, it's best to have a virtual edition of our 20, 20, 27, Sandy will Latino film festival. So yeah, September 17th to 27th, there'll be a virtual Latino film festival. The first one of our kind that said it was, we've been doing virtual screenings and film screenings since March with our digital gym cinema. So we've gotten used to it. Uh, and you know, we've got used to screening movies online, and then also got used to the idea of this, uh, post screening Q and A's getting filmmakers engaged and audience members, uh, via social media sites like YouTube or Facebook. And that's actually been one of the high points of these past few months is engaging people virtually Speaker 8: 28:46 And having to delay the festival. How has that impacted your programming in terms of the kinds of films you can show? Speaker 7: 28:52 So we thought it was just going to be easy, right? Just, Oh, we'll replicate exactly what we did in person in March and September, but no, the realities of, as soon as he starts screening things online, there's issues like geoblocking, you can only screen certain films in certain cities or States or countries. So we can't screen certain films. Also these films have distributors obviously, and those distributors needed to move forward. And so the films are now maybe on Netflix or other platforms. And so, yeah, we've lost a good 30, 40 films, uh, which is amazing, uh, mostly features of course, that said the curatorial team, we say, send one, I've done an amazing job and pivoting and screening what we can. Uh, and then most importantly, to celebrate those thumbs that we are screening, because those are the films that need distribution, right? Those are items that we should as local San Diego be supporting and try to get these more Latino voices, uh, in front of screens and more directors behind the cameras. So it's important that we support these independent, maybe smaller films that we're screening at this upcoming festival. Speaker 8: 29:58 And what is the online experience going to be for people in terms of do all the films become available at one time, and then you get to choose when you watch them or do they become available at specific times during the scheduled festival? Speaker 7: 30:12 Yeah, so we wanted to recreate the festival environment, uh, with the virtual version of the sending Latino film festival. So it's like anything else you, the show time is seven o'clock, for example, or a certain Showtime, you have access to it about an hour before, but then you also have 24 hours to see it. And so yes, every day, different showtimes, different film screenings. So you watch the movie and then also, um, the team has put together a wonderful collection of post Q nays. So we'll have live streams, uh, question and answer sessions with the filmmakers and actors on most of the films. So to check that out too. So watch the film at the Showtime and then participate in a Q and a afterwards, just like you would do it an in person event, Speaker 8: 30:53 We brought up digital gym and there's something that we haven't yet had to talk about, which is the fact that your physical space on alcohol Boulevard was forced to close. And for full disclosure, I've been screening films at digital gym for the past six years as part of film geek San Diego. So I was very sad to see the space closed because it was a really lovely, cozy venue for bringing people together to watch. Speaker 7: 31:18 Yeah, we had a wonderful 10 years at the, uh, digital team cinema space in North park. I mean, converted an old dilapidated building into this thriving movie theater community technology center that was reaching over 15,000 people a year was incredibly, um, what we had done these past few years. So yeah, our 10 year lease was out. Um, anyways. And so it was, it was time for change and we have a great opportunities, but unfortunately we can't announce yet, but we will be moving downtown San Diego. And we have a wonderful partner that will be making the official announcement soon and where we're heading. So we're heading into a state of the art facility where we'll have classrooms, we'll have a movie theater. Um, so yeah, sad to see the North park location leave, but again, the lease was up and it was about change is needed anyways. And then of course we're during this pandemic, we can't screen movies anyways, or we can have in class programs anyway. So it kind of made sense, Oh, well, we'll just wait until the 2021 when the new space is open. Uh, and, uh, you know, have a big celebration when it happens Speaker 8: 32:20 When we had spoken back in March the festival, because it had to cancel on the day, it was supposed to start, you were facing some serious financial issues. Uh, w how has that been recovering from that? Speaker 7: 32:34 The festival was a shock, right? So we had put all this money into putting this festival and boom, it just ended. And, you know, most people don't understand the importance of ticket sales or earned income. And so, yeah, when you can't bring in your earned income with ticket sales, it's a huge shock for an organization such as ourselves. Thankfully though we have some vendors that allowed us to give us credit so we can use that credit for future film festivals. So there's some vendors that were very supportive. And then also, thankfully that there were some loan programs that PPP loan has helped us out. And then also a small grants, the commission for arts and culture at a small grant supporting arts organizations, um, the California humanities Academy of motion, picture arts and sciences had a, a surprise grant that helped us out or the past few months. Speaker 7: 33:23 So we've been able to get a kind of infusion of dollars to help us, uh, during this time, uh, you know, when we can't do in person events. So we are, can sell tickets, which is such an important part of our business model for the past 27 years. And do you have any final words about the festival coming up? Well, again, I just want to encourage everyone to come together during this, uh, 11 days, um, celebrate Latino culture, uh, celebrate Latino film, let's get together and talk about these movies. Talk about the issues in the movies, celebrate and support these filmmakers. Cause remember, uh, it's important to support independent artists and filmmakers during this time of crisis. They're the ones that we need to have, keep on creating movies. And so by buying a ticket, you're supporting distributors and supporting the artists themselves. And then maybe you just participate in, um, on the live Q and A's, you know, just encourages them to continue as artists during this difficult time. All right. Well, I want to thank you very much for talking about the San Diego Latino film festival, which is returning. Yay. Thank you very much. We'll see you at the festival. Speaker 2: 34:27 That was Beth Huck. Amando speaking with Ethan van. Tilo the San Diego Latin film festival relaunches today, online and runs through September 27th. The hip hop artists, Indian K is a member of the written con Luiseno tribe of mission Indians. He spent the early part of his childhood in San Diego on his tribe's reservation in con his life has taken him on a long road through foster care in prison and back into the community as a respected musician through it. All Indian Kay's lyrics remained positive and full of hope as part of the last episode of our summer music series. Indian Ks spoke with Alison st. John here's his song go win. Speaker 7: 35:37 [inaudible] Speaker 9: 36:05 Indian K. Welcome to midday edition. Speaker 10: 36:08 Thank you guys. Thank you guys for having me. I appreciate it. Speaker 9: 36:12 You're from the Rincon band of Luiseno mission Indians, and you lived on the reservation till you were 11. How was it to go back and forth between reservation, life and life on the outside as it were? Speaker 10: 36:27 It was just different. Every time I leave there and go to the city, I felt like out of place, but I'm kind of used to it. It was more like a homely, a homely feeling, you know, being on the reds and then in the city, it's like real fast paced. Everything's fast paced. Even back then on the reds, you can feel it fall back. You can feel time not stop, but you feel it like slow down. That was the difference right there for me. Speaker 9: 36:56 Yeah. I'm beginning to realize why two of your albums are called duality and duality too. Does this all have something to do with it? Speaker 10: 37:04 It definitely does. Um, I battle myself. I'm a street guy, but I also know the love of being part of my people. You know? So it's, and it's not a battle of like, I'm trying to choose good or evil. No, I choose good, but it's, I still have a understanding of the other side. You know, Speaker 9: 37:26 We're going to listen to a song now called little Indian boy, which is off your album. Duality. Tell us who it's for. Speaker 10: 37:34 I made that song for my son. I have three kids, two girls, one boy, and I know what it's like to be on the Rez and be part of the crowd. That's like, Oh, they're not Indian enough because they don't live here. And I also know what it's like to be in the city and hear people from the reds be like, they're not Indian enough. You know me? I'm all right. My son though, he, I don't want him to have a hard time. So I made the song for not just him, but it's for all. It's for everybody. Like as long as you find your identity and boy, let me walk with you. I know your city limits, but they lost because people get to hate. When you tell them you wait in home. But those reservations, most of us detached from [inaudible] to the city, like holding on to our products. But because we rock stickies and chucks, we ain't native enough. Kill that noise. It's about respecting the lands, protecting not women racing, Kings and Queens. She's digging. You may feel the way today's society. People get it and hope. You never know. It might just stop the books and keep the ball rolling. So let's keep this in the lab, but we got to see the desk to the times finding the path to spot, but we got to try. Speaker 9: 38:52 That was little Indian boy by San Diego artist, Indian K off his album, duality. You were passing on knowledge to your son, but tell us a little bit about how you grow up. That taught you these lessons. Speaker 10: 39:05 My mother and my father were, you know, were they were involved in a street like my, my father, more so gangs by his own choosing me. I bounced around a lot between family, not really stable by the time I was 11 I'm in Phoenix, Arizona, and group homes. And we're not talking like orphan Annie stuff. We're talking like adolescents, I guess, coming out of juvenile prisons, juvenile halls, the misfits, I guess. And we had to make choices to survive. And yeah, Speaker 9: 39:40 You, you grew up in, in a group home and you ended up in the criminal justice system and ended up locked up. But that experience, that prison experience really turned your life around. Didn't it? Tell us what happened in there. Speaker 10: 39:55 I like to tell people, you know, prison is gonna, it's gonna do one or two things for you. You're gonna realize that you're okay with living the life you live. Are you going to say, I don't want to live like this and before I went to prison, but I was still on the run. Uh, I met a beautiful woman, you know, beautiful. And I'm not talking, look, some stocking her soul beautiful woman. And, um, I actually violated my parole at the time she got pregnant. And so I went back on a parole violation. She's pregnant. I'm like, Oh my gosh, I'm gonna miss the birth of my kid dad right there. That was, that was a big moment. That was a big moment. I said, you're done. You're not doing this no more because if I'm not raising my kids, then I'm just like my father and no district of my father. I love my father, but I just repeat the cycle. You know what I'm saying? I just repeat the cycle. Speaker 9: 40:57 Did you meet any other people that you could relate to from your own culture, American Indians also, you know, who, who sort of became brothers for you while you were in there? Speaker 10: 41:08 Yeah. I met a lot of good brothers. Like all my brothers are good. Um, you know, we're allowed to sweat inside and we, you know, we eat together and I won't lie. I wouldn't have known sweat lodge. I wouldn't have, I wouldn't have known a lot of our structure if I didn't go to prison. Like just as being, you know, American, Indian, like I experienced more of my culture being locked up then on the outside, which I always looked at my culture as being proud. Cause my father has always told me that, but experience in it, I was like, yo, we're like, we're better than this. Like, what am I doing? Why, why is my first sweat lodge inside of freaking penitentiary? Like Speaker 9: 41:50 Kind of paradoxical, but Hey, that's what saved you in a way? What makes this thing from your culture? What makes the sweat lodge such a powerful experience for people who don't know what that is? Speaker 10: 42:04 So sweat lodge, it's like, um, if you go to church, I mean, whatever, whatever place you go to worship, you know, uh, Allah, God, I say creator. I w if we're all talking about the same thing, so it's just our place to worship. Speaker 9: 42:22 You know, San Diego actually has more reservations than any other County in the United States. Do you think San Diego fans know enough about, you know, the original peoples who lived for centuries in this area? What would you like them to understand? More of? Speaker 10: 42:39 I don't think they do. I've ran into people that were asked me, you know, where I was from. And when I told them I tried, there were like, where's that? And I had to be like outside of Escondido and they still kind of didn't know. And that's all right, because out here I noticed our residents are pushed back into, you know, the East Valley. And so the mountain. So they're kind of like hidden from the city. But one thing I do want people to know is like, this is all Indian land right here. This is it's good to know. Your surroundings is good to know the original people from here. And we're here. Like, that's, that's it. Like, I, I don't, I don't really push the Indian part as crazy, but you know, just, I just want people to know, man, like even after all this time, we're able to still have intact a culture of belonging, a feeling of, uh, uh, understanding of who we are. Speaker 9: 43:39 What do you think about all the talk of racial justice that's going on right now? Speaker 10: 43:45 I think that if, if people don't see a problem, um, with the quality, then they're blind. If we can't respect one race, then all lives don't matter. I think that, you know, it's an injustice, there's a, there's a divide. There's there's racism. Like there's racism, the same stuff that happens. White people on a lenient level of black person would get killed. A colored person would get killed. That's just facts. It's proven you could look it up. It's not there's no, there's no racial equality. That's why we're fighting for racial equality. Right? Speaker 9: 44:19 Indian K have a fabulous day days. Great to talk with you. Really great. Speaker 10: 44:23 You too. Ma'am I appreciate your time. Thank you so much trust. They didn't take, we make it this far. I hate this big bro. What goes Speaker 11: 44:32 Up? Keeps going us money missions. [inaudible] told me God was different. Top shelf, sipping craft beer. The homies laughing, stepped up. Nah, just don't my talents. And my passions passing these dudes by these dudes. They on bulls time, I switched lanes. Get into the paper, the moves, right? Moonlight. Show me I'm a star, but nobody changed. Show me. God would grab the bigger planet. Saw the foundation. No shame is saying I loved y'all when nights was rough there with just me and big breath. Now nights get rough with cold stone, blow inside flame. It ain't the same job, but we the same dog, but we the same dog. Just go down there. My life, my life. This is dreams me and Graciela reality to reality. [inaudible] my life. This is me being brought to reality to reality.