Soledad High School Students inside the SoMoCoCAT mobile audio recording studio.

Grassroots organization, South Monterey County Center for Arts & Technology (SoMoCoCAT), is offering digital media workshops for the first time in Monterey County’s ‘salad bowl of the world.” A ‘lettuce curtain’ isolates residents of rural Salinas Valley from opportunities in a 21st century creative workforce.  SoMoCoCAT has therefore started a movement to cross the a ‘digital divide’ and part the ‘lettuce curtain” to bring free arts and technology training to underserved, mostly Latino, agricultural communities in South Monterey County.

SoMoCoCAT recently crossed the ‘digital divide’ to introduce arts and technology training to residents in Monterey County’s rural communities south of the ‘lettuce curtain.’ Until now there were no outlets where local residents could learn the digital media technology skills that are increasingly in demand among employers.

Communities in South Monterey County suffer from problems such as poverty, drug use, high unemployment and school dropout rates, gang violence, and few employment and education options. Lack of transportation and limited English skills further prevent many South County residents from attending training programs that are located 25-35 miles away.

Director of SoMoCoCAT (http://www.SoMoCoCAT.org) Megan Heath, works for L-3 GS&ES Language Technology Services in Monterey, California, a company that employs artists and designers who use digital technology to create instructional materials.   Heath is also involved in Monterey County economic development efforts that capitalize on local creativity and technology (http://www.cfmco.org/CAA/pdfs/mntry_cult_plan01.pdf). “I know first hand that there are viable career opportunities for people who know how to blend art and technology to earn a living, but we have a hard time finding well-qualified candidates in [the Monterey] area,” says Heath.  She believes that “if we really want to develop a strong creative economy in Monterey County, we must invest in the tremendous human potential that lies in the oft neglected South County.”

Heath created SoMoCoCAT in 2008 after she produced a media project that explored the socioeconomic division between the Salinas Valley and the rest of Monterey County that is sometimes referred to as the ‘lettuce curtain.”  She vowed to bring digital media training with an emphasis on career development, directly to these communities at no cost to the students.

Sara Papineau, from the Gonzales Parks and Recreation Department sees SoMoCoCAT  as good for the community.  “Anytime we can offer free quality programs to our residents both young and old we enhance the quality of their life.  The classes that SoMoCoCAT are offering in South Monterey County are opening people’s minds through creativity and diversifying their interests,” she says.

Among South County’s farmworker communities many do not have computers, or if so they often find the unfamiliar technology intimidating.  Dr. Drew Waters at California State University Monterey Bay’s Music and Performing Arts Department, volunteered to teach a SoMoCoCAT audio recording workshop for South County teens.  He believes this project “demystifies the technology and literally puts it under the hands for those people that can be most creative with it and benefit most from it in their future.”

SoMoCoCAT has already implemented several workshops–in Spanish and in English–and they are planning more.  So far the workshops have been possible due to many volunteer hours, two small grants, and modest corporate support from technology training firm, QuarterPoint, Inc., and L-3.

SoMoCoCAT’s current workshops in South Monterey County include:

• Digital Photography for adults in Gonzales;
• Animation for students of Frank Ledesma Elementary School in Soledad;
• Audio and Video Production for South County youth at the California State University Monterey Bay;
• Mobile Audio Recording Studio Workshop at Greenfield High School;
• PowerPoint and Microsoft Word Workshops in Gonzales.

Principal of Greenfield High, Rudy Garcia, allowed SoMoCoCAT to extend its mobile audio workshop for a week after he saw great interest among his students.  “It was amazing how excited the kids were when they stepped in the studio and heard themselves on the headphones,” said Peter Meuse, owner and instructor of the mobile recording studio.

Tara Vikjord, the 21st Century and After School Programs coordinator for the Soledad Unified School district in South County said of the animation workshop that SoMoCoCAT brought to one of her elementary schools:  “It was wonderful.  The kids were very engaged and the parents were happy.”  Animation teacher and artist, Andrew Dolan, said the experience was “awesome” and he thought the students seemed “so hungry for something creative to do.”  Jacob Ruelas, Director of the Center for Employment training in Soledad agreed when he said, “let’s get these kids off the street and doing art.”

Simon Salinas, Monterey County Third District Supervisor sees the benefit that SoMoCoCAT offfers South County, especially for  young people.  “Investing in our youth today will return great dividends by strengthening our community in the future,” says Salinas.

For Heath, SoMoCoCAT’s future is a self-sufficient social enterprise that is a pillar of Monterey County’s thriving creative economy. In the mean time they continue to seek ‘investors’ and community supporters who believe in that same future.

The South Monterey County Center for Arts & Technology (SoMoCoCAT) is a workforce investment initiative of the Monterey County Business Council’s Creative Technology Competitive Cluster program (http://www.c2.mcbusiness.org/).  SoMoCoCAT provides digital media arts, technology training and access to South Monterey County’s rural Latino communities.  SoMoCoCAT fosters ‘digital inclusion’ and enables equal opportunities for residents to contribute to Monterey County’s emerging creative economy.  For more information visit: http://www.SoMoCoCAT.org Media Contact:  Megan Heath, (831) 869-6055

Monterey, CA (PRWEB) October 30, 2009

Ryan James the Rapper

Mike: Were you always Ryan James the Rapper? Or did you have other names or nicknames?

Ryan James: Well, initially when I started out, I had many different monikers. I went by EZ, The Definition, J-James. All sorts of different meanings to each name, but I’ve just decided to make my official name Ryan James The Rapper, because it is me. No gimmicks.

Mike: When did you start in the Rap and Hip Hop scene?

Ryan James: I started rapping in like 2003, a friend of mine (C.B.) had been rapping for a few years already and I’ve always been in love with music, so he was freestyling one time and wanted me to try it out, so I did, and I really enjoyed it so much that I decided to try and stick with it. Progressively I had gotten better, even just making parodies of songs, or just freestyling it, it advanced to me taking the art form seriously, and I have’nt regretted it one bit.

Mike: When did you decide you wanted to go pro, and really push yourself into the music scene?

Ryan James: I would say around the summer of 2005, I decided that I wanted this to be my future, because ever since I took my first breath I’ve loved music, and I knew I had the drive to get done what I needed to be successful at it.

Mike: What inspired you to start up? Who are some of your current inspirations?

Ryan James: Musical inspirations of mine are always changing, not forgetting where my passion originated, but influence wise I would have to say Kanye West, 2pac, Jay-z, Slaughterhouse, Little Brother, Murs, Slum Village… And even some people that I have worked with closely, like C.B., M3, Klassic, Young Flames, 9-1, Tre, Yung Klue… etc. They’ve all inspired me in at least one way or another.

Mike: Do you do any live shows? If so, where are some of your favorite places to perform?

Ryan James: Performances are a rare thing for me, but I’ve done a few open mics, parties, and what not. Actually in the near future, I’m gonna have alot more opportunities, because another artist I work with has some major things going on and he wants me to be a part of the TAKEOVER.

Mike: How hard is it to come up as a rapper? I know the majority of local musicians are in the Rock, Metal, Acoustic, and Jazz scenes, you don’t see too many, or at least, as many, up and coming Rap and Hip Hop artists in the area.

Ryan James: Well the thing is, you might not notice it but it seems like 1 out of every 3 young guys is “A Rapper”, it’s like they say it to be cool… In reality the only thing “cool” about being a rapper is that you constantly have creative energy. This gimmick you see on TV is just what helps them get marketed to different crowds.All these little horrible dance songs and whatever, are ridiculous. Not one of these “dancers” have a bit of lyrical ability. Now I’m not dissing there music, but seriously, these guys are a waste of record deals.

Mike: What kind of message do you want to get out to your listeners and fans?

Ryan James: The message I’m sending with my music, is as real as it can get. I have a point to my music, but I still know how to appease each audience equally. I can rap about personal issues that I have had, that people can agree with, I can write songs that can get you pumped up, I have club songs, but each song serves a purpose. Just Listen.

Mike: What songs do you hear the most about? Which ones do your fans seem to like more?

Ryan James: Well, I get a mixed reaction. Obviously the ladies love “One thing” and “Ride 4 Me”,while the guys like “Doin’ That” and “Goon Music”, but across the board everybody has given me fair and honest opinions about my music, which motivates me so much, that since I know that I can reach them through it, I can never give up.

Mike: How have you progressed since you first started?

Ryan James: Wow, well I honestly progress every time I write a new song, and it’s strange because I wonder how far this can take me. Before I started really taking it seriously, my songs werent bad, they just were’nt structured correctly, like I would have a hook and 4 verses,or 2 verses and no hook but I would have a bridge… just didnt make sense back then. haha.

Mike: Is there a CD in the works? What can we look forward to in the near future?

Ryan James: My next CD is in the works, it’s gonna be titled “Married To The Music”, its gonna feature… Klassic, Yung Klue, C.B., King Wize, and a few other special guest which I’m excite about. Should be out by the end of the year.

Mike: Where can your fans listen to your music and buy your CD’s?

Ryan James: The fans can come to http://www.myspace.com/ryanjamestheofficial and hear new music constantly.

Mike: Are you local to the area? Where are you from?

Ryan James: Im originally from Akron, Ohio, but I’m living in Soledad, CA. I’ve met some great people here though, and as much as I miss my city. I wouldn’t trade this experience for anything.

Mike: Is there anyone you would like to thank for their help and/or support over the years?

Ryan James: Just all the people that have doubted me… THANK YOU! And of course my closest, M3, C.B., Mike, Jay, Klass, D, Castro, all the people that have been around me and kept everything real with me… and to H.E.R.

Mike: Any last words?

Ryan James: Hit up the myspace and let me know wahtever your thoughts are. also for some really dope music go to http://www.blackdynasty4life.com/