This is Bruin Life

UCLA is a brave space full of excitement, transformation, self-discovery, and also challenges. This is Bruin Life is a selection of stories from Bruins like you, sharing what they have learned, how they have grown, intervened, spoken up, and worked to create the Bruin Life they want to see—and the UCLA they believe ought to be. As we witness real stories by true Bruins, we invite you to step outside your comfort zone and understand your personal power to contribute to Bruin Life.

2018 Production Details

This is Bruin Life

Sunday, September 23, 2018 - 2pm-4pm

UCLA Pauley Pavilion

Featuring

Alex Almaraz

Alex Almaraz aka Swift began training in Hip-Hop dance at the age of 13! His dance form training consists of Hip-Hop, House, Salsa, Chicago Footwork, Modern and other various dance forms. He is also an educator and teaches people Hip-Hop as an action to create agency within their own community. Alex since 2011 has been apart of Versa-Style Dance Company, a Hip-Hop theatre company that tours around the world performing in various well known theatres and also serving the underprivileged communities of Los Angeles. Their mentorship has helped him use his dance to steer away from his harsh community which led him to pursue his education. Alex now apart of Chicago Footwork Crew Creation Global as well as graduated from UCLA obtaining his degree in Dance now teaches Hip-Hop Dance in the correctional facilities and different schools all around Los Angeles. He wishes to give back to his immediate community while training, battling, and performing in House, Hip-Hop, and Chicago Footwork that will create agency.

Aman Batra

Aman K. Batra is an Indian-American poet from Artesia, CA. She graduated from UCLA with a degree in Creative Writing, and has since built her career in written and performance poetry. Aman’s writing is heavily tied to her work as an educator, activist, and intersectional feminist. As a National Poetry Slam finalist and member of the Hollywood Slam Team, her work as been featured on All Def Poetry, Button Poetry, and The Huffington Post.

Bobby Gordon

Bobby Gordon is a participatory arts practitioner, lecturer, and performance artist with a B.A. from the UCLA Department of World Arts and Cultures. With a focus on Theatre of the Oppressed and performance poetry, Gordon has coordinated and directed multiple arts-based programs to intervene on various health issues. He is a co-founder of the Melrose Poetry Bureau, and the AMP! program for adolescent sexual health, founder of the UCLA Sex Squad, and co-directs AMP! adaptations. As a poet and performer he has taken stages across the United States, at the 2011 Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the Drama For Life Festival in Johannesburg, and at the 2016 Bushfire Festival in Swaziland.

Jasmine Leah-Ni’Cole Hubbard

I am a class of 2018 UCLA Alumna and I currently work as a medical research assistant. I am a first generation college student who has overcome homelessness, domestic violence, sexual abuse, suicidal thoughts, and severe PTSD. I aspire to become an oncologist and advocate for equal healthcare accessibility. Music and dance are two of my favorite hobbies that allow me to creatively share deep stories about life experiences.

Caleb Yang

Caleb Yang is currently pursuing a degree in cello performance at UCLA under Professor Antonio Lysy. In 2017 he premiered three pieces by Hao-Yuan Chiu for cello and piano for USIMC’s J&V Commission, and performed the Suite for Violoncello and Harp to mark Lou Harrison’s centennial tribute at the REDCAT theater. In his free time he enjoys listening to a wide variety of music ranging from jazz to country and playing basketball.

Claire Fieldman

Claire Fieldman is honored to serve as the Undergraduate Students Association Council President for the 2018-19 year. Claire is a fourth-year English major and Spanish minor from Danville, CA. In addition to student government, Claire is involved with the Pediatric AIDS Coalition, Hillel at UCLA, and her sorority, Alpha Delta Pi. After graduation, Claire plans to attend law school and pursue a career in criminal law and justice policy.

Janice Montecillo

Janice is a second-year Linguistics and Computer Science student at UCLA, an older sister, and a pawn in the simulation. Inspired by the nuances of word play and its interaction with emotion, she hopes to explore her own stories and vulnerabilities as a means of teaching and at the same time, learn from the voices around her to better understand the world as she sees it.

D'neice Brittney Mason

D'neice is a fourth-year undergraduate who will graduate this year with a double major in English and Spanish as well as a minor in Asian Languages. She has actively been involved in Residential Life since her freshman year and will begin her 3rd year as a Resident Assistant this upcoming Fall. She hopes to empower marginalized communities to pursue their passions and a higher education, so that future generations are freed of social inequities that they often face. She aspires to generate such change through advocacy and creative writing publications.

Emilio de la Torre

I am a recent graduate from UCLA. While at UCLA I was a student athlete on the Track and Cross Country teams. During my years of undergrad I relished the human connection,personal growth, and physically pushing my body as a student athlete. Having graduated my journey continues as I am pursuing my Masters in Education at Cal State University Los Angeles, practicing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu , and training in Muay Thai kick boxing.

Clementine Bordeaux

Clementine Bordeaux is an enrolled member of the Sicangu Lakota Oyate and was raised on the Pine Ridge Reservation. As a doctoral student in the WAC/D Culture and Performance program she focuses on indigenous methodologies and scholarship more specifically Lakota ontology and epistemology. She sits on the Board for Cornerstone Theatre Company and recently was appointed to serve on the Native American Indian Commission for the City of Los Angeles.

Elena Sternlicht

Elena is a second year Psychology major and Philosophy and Study of Religion double-minor. She plans to pursue a Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy. She is the Workshops Committee Director for Active Minds, a mental health organization on campus, and works at the Campus Photo Studio as a photographer. She feels that, though it took some time and searching, she has found a home away from home at UCLA and is excited to share her story.

Bryonn Bain

Bryonn Bain is a hip hop theater innovator, spoken word poetry champion, prison activist, actor, author and educator. Find his work at: www.LyricsFromLockdown.com. Take his Prison Education course this fall - MICROPHONE FIENDS: Hip Hop and Spoken Word* (Af-Amer C191) Thursdays, 12-3PM (Weeks 3–10, 11AM departure to juvenile camp for girls; transportation provided). Optional section at juvenile hall for boys: Fridays 9-12PM (departs UCLA 8AM). *Requirements: mandatory Prison Ed Orientation Friday, Sept. 28, 9-12PM at the Viewpoint Conference Room in Ackerman Level A. Students must audition with a classic or original hip hop or spoken word piece on Thursday, Sept. 27th 10-1pm in Mathematical Sciences Room #5225. RSVP for both at: rosierios.uclaprisonedu@gmail.com

Joseph Aleshaiker

Joe has been playing guitar since he was nine. He grew up listening to rock bands such as Muse (his favorite) and Queen which pushed him to develop a unique take on the instrument itself. To expand his musical pallet, he taught himself the Spanish flamenco guitar at the age of twelve. His music eventually evolved to the explosive yet calming signature sound we hear today combined with notes of rock and flamenco. The rest, as they say, is history...

Karla Duarte

I am a recent UCLA graduate with a degree in Anthroplogy. Since I was fourteen years old I have been a community organizer and worked on campaigns to decriminalize Black and Brown youth in LA high schools. As well as fighting for clean air buses, lower bus fares, and ending the school to prison pipeline. Art has always been entegrated as a part of the political praxis and I have been exploring my activist voice/vision as a poet and photographer within my leftist, Salvadoran, Queer and Gender queer identities.

Kenny Ramos

Kenny Ramos (Barona Band of Mission Indians) grew up on the Barona Indian Reservation in San Diego, CA before graduating from UCLA with a BA in American Indian Studies. As a theater actor, he has appeared in the world premiere productions of Larissa FastHorse’s Urban Rez (Cornerstone Theater Company), Randy Reinholz’s Off the Rails (Oregon Shakespeare Festival), and Dillon Chitto’s Bingo Hall (Native Voices at the Autry), and workshops of Mary Kathryn Nagle’s Return to Niobrara (Rose Theater, Kennedy Center). Other Regional: Joseph|Dreamcoat, 42nd Street, Cats, Aida (Moonlight Stage Productions). Proud company member of the Native Voices Artist Ensemble and Dancing Earth: Indigenous Contemporary Dance Creations.

Keny Sánchez

Keny Sánchez is currently a third year student, pursuing a double major in Spanish and in World Arts and Cultures. He is a tutor and mentor for Bruin Corps and is an active member of Grupo Folklórico de UCLA. He has participated in Noche de Cultura, Legislative Theatre for Racial Justice, and the UCLA Sex Squad. He is passionate about finding modes in which arts and performance can become catalysts for change. He aspires to be an Artivist.

Las Cafeteras

Las Cafeteras are Native and migrant children who are remixing roots music and telling modern day stories with what LA Times has called a "uniquely Angeleno mishmash of punk, hip-hop, beat music, cumbia and rock.” For Las Cafeteras, it was essential to use music as a way to build bridges among different cultures and communities that historically have had tension. Through music, Las Cafeteras were trying to help build ‘a world where many worlds fit.’

LØRELEI

Lorelei is an award winning drag queen musical comedian and activist based in Los Angeles, CA. She just finished producing her one woman show “Lorelei: I’m Coming Out” which featured 6 original songs, tap dancing, and stand up comedy. Along with those projects, she’s been featured across LA hosting and performing at parties and events for Evita, Daddy Issues, Tigerheat, Dragulaworld, Queen Kong, and more. She is pursuing her BA in Theater at UCLA.

Mai-Lin Graves

My name is Mai-Lin Graves. I am a junior World Arts and Culture Major with an interest in studying film. I enjoy writing fiction and poetry.

Nicole Corona Diaz

Nicole Corona Diaz is in her third year at UCLA and she is happily majoring in Film. Nicole has spent the majority of her time advocating for the undocumented community in her previous role serving on USAC as General Representative 1. This year, Nicole is a first year RA and is serving on the Student Fee Advisory Committee. Her greatest wish for all incoming students is that they take advantage of different opportunities offered here, take risks, and find reasons to call UCLA home.

Veline Mojarro

Performing, organizing and shaking things up in Los Angeles, CA since birth, Veline’s Chicana upbringing coupled with her love of performing flourished during her time at UCLA ‘12. Currently working at the UCLA Art and Global Health Center, and as a lecturer in the World Arts and Cultures Department, she is committed to supporting the Bruin community in creating a more racially equitable, safe and inclusive campus and hopes this show is the first of many steps in that direction.

Presented by UCLA Student Affairs and UCLA Art & Global Health Center

Co-Directors

Veline Mojarro and David Gere

Producer

Jenny Byrd

Assistant Director

Gabrielle Bonder

Assistant Producer

Ivy Hurwit

Creative Consultants

Bobby Gordon, Elisabeth Nails, Denise Pacheco, Melrose Poetry Bureau

Stage Manager

Emily Stern

Light and Projection Designer

Cynthia Ayala

Additional Designs

Jesse Herring

Videography

Peter Berger & Emily Perkins Rock

Production Manager

Lorrie Klimoski

Production Advisors

Kelly Aburto, Alfredo Duran, Dennis Koehne

Assistant Stage Manager

Natalie Faye Utria

Stagehands

Olivia Robertson, Charles Han

Finance Manager

Lisa Park

Production Assistant

Zoya Chhabra

Student Advisory Board

Jada Anderson, Natalie Bagaporo, Ashraf Beshay, Cadence Calixto, Emily Guinn, Armando Lizzaraga, Mario Martinez, Jabril Muhammad, Ty Pearson

Special thanks to

Chancellor Gene Block, Vice Chancellor Monroe Gorden, Vice Provost Youlonda Copeland-Morgan, Maria Blandizzi, Suzanne Seplow, Mick Deluca, La’Tonya Rease Miles, Scott Carter, Remy Garcia & UCLA Student Development Operations, and the talented technicians who have provided additional production support.