With tats from his fingers up to his neck, Andrew Miller, 30, may look like he’s more at home in a tattoo shop than a salon, but he knows hair. “I see myself as an artist, and haircutting is my medium,” Miller said. “I didn’t want there to be anything I didn’t know how to do.”
Lifestyle News - page 15
Ken Burns is no stranger to storytelling. Burns has shared the rich history of America as a documentary filmmaker for over three decades, and it’s this work that landed him as the recipient of the 2013 “John Steinbeck Award: ‘In The Souls of the People.‘”
Most low-income college students—four out of five—won’t earn a bachelor’s degree by their mid-twenties. Life gets in the way, especially for poor and first-generation college students. Stephanie Bravo, the first in her own family to attend college, set out to change that.
While enrolled in the Stanford University Minority Medical Alliance Medical Mentorship Program as an undergrad at San Jose State University, the Bravo founded a free online mentorship network. StudentMentor.org connects thousands of students across the country with professionals willing to mentor them. Below, we ask the South Bay native about her inspiration and her favorite spots around town.
Nevermind the top-story window. Catch a view of San Jose from tallest building in the city by scaling down the side of it. A fundraiser for Shatterproof, an organization dedicated to fighting childhood addiction to drugs and alcohol, gives the public a chance to rappel down the side of the San Jose Marriott downtown.
Abraham Menor appreciates the power of a good story, especially one previously untold. In his early twenties, he picked up a camera to document some of the stories he stumbled upon during his volunteer work or the ones he saw in the form of street art and the culture surrounding it. Combining his interests in sociology and art, he took portraits of forgotten war veterans and community volunteers, pictures of hip-hop artists and other local subcultures. Eventually, he amassed a volume of images documenting life in the South Bay, a collection of experiences he plans to compile in a book due out next year.
Good beer in the South Bay continues its ascent, with many locally made, quality offerings available in bottles to give—or to get together and share.
Chris Reed knew from an early age he wanted to be a musician. Since picking up the miniature accordion as a toddler, he’s become versed on vocals, the saxophone, ukelele, harmonica, melodica and guitar, among other instruments. The 30-year-old South Bay resident began his musical career in blues, funk and reggae before branching out to other genres. His reggae band Aivar (2006-11) was named “Best Band” by Metro in 2010 and performed with international acts such as The English Beat, Collie Buddz, Booker T and The Dirty Heads and on the Vans Warped Tour stage.
Victoria Velasquez first created her clothing line, Petals and Peacocks, as a class project at art school. After teaming up with her fiancé a few years ago, she managed to turn it into a thriving business. You can find her snarky creations on style-makers and trendsetters or nab some for yourself from the flagship store she recently opened close to Santa Clara University.
