Vocalo Storytellers

Alexander Rojas

Why did you want to become a Vocalo Storyteller?

Vocalo provides a great platform to share stories that would otherwise never have the opportunity to reach a wider audience. I wanted to share a story from a community that is often overlooked and undervalued.
 
Your piece in 20 seconds:

As several youth subcultures were clinging to their existence amongst a gang riddled neighborhood, a group of young punk kids broke through with a fast, loud and confrontational style of music that connected with a disenfranchised community.
 
Why did you decide to tell this story?

I wanted to explore how this particular style of music came to be in a community that was riddled with gangs and consumed with dance music and ultimately the effect it had on the community.
 
 
In what ways are you a better storyteller and/or producer?

Coming from a background that’s very dependent on the visual form, I found myself trying to find dialogue and sounds that created a sense of place and time that would enable the listener to visualize the words, the descriptions and the voices through their imagination.

People’s stories are fascinating and say so much about the human condition. I want to help people share their stories as a way of building bridges and creating understanding.

Your piece in 20 seconds:

Ruben Aguilar is a larger than life character. He’s got stories to tell and he’s not going to let anything get in the way of him telling them.
 

Why did you decide to tell this story?

I wanted to tell this story because Ruben’s story captures facets of history and demonstrates how they form a personality.

In what ways are you a better storyteller and/or producer?

I’m a better storyteller now because I understand that telling stories is complex and multifaceted.