blog 10

Richard Ramirez
Photo Essay

Before we walked in not a building or offices we see but a small white house next to a fire department. The house seemed empty, we didn’t know what to expect. I thought we were going to be doing house work. I thought to myself, “What did I get myself into”. I walked up the front porch, pushed the door bell, expecting that I got the wrong directions. My classmates opened the door, I was in luck, and I didn’t receive the awkward “hello”. I took one step and turned my head to my right and saw a row of computers lined up. As I pondered to myself about what this place was about, I assumed I would be stationed at one of these computers. We all sat down, waited for someone to tell us what was going on. A young lady came down no older then 24, greeted us with a big HELLO, my name is Belinda welcome to the Media Arts Center San Diego. Sharing smiles and our names with each other, she gave us a brief explanation of what we would be doing for the next three weeks.

As we took a tour of the house, I saw a poster of the San Diego Latino Film Festival, a notorious film festival known throughout San Diego. I was afraid to ask why they had this, so I stayed quite. This struck me most, my mind wouldn’t let this go maybe they had some sort of sponsorship. As she walked us around showing us things we would be using, and what programs we have used. In the back of my head, I was still thinking about that one poster and the many more I saw as we continued our walk around the room. I was fascinated with this poster, curious if we were going to have anything to do with the San Diego Latino Film Festival. I asked the question. To my surprise, they were the founders; I was excited, but with a blank face and said “oh”. I didn’t want to show my reaction but I knew this was going to be an interesting experience.

It was big, it was flat, and it was the biggest computer/TV I had ever seen. This place had the most electronics in one house that I had ever seen, I felt like I was in Best Buy. Every electronic device could be found here. Though this computer was slow it was just cool to use, we thought we were so cool watching documentaries, and playing YouTube songs. We didn’t know what this computer was used for at first but Belinda said it was an old computer that they only used for meetings. Commenting in my head about everything she said about the computer, I wouldn’t have mind taking it home if they didn’t use it. The room looked old yet kept clean in an antic fashion, from the old oak wood floors to the locks on every door that looked like it could be from an old castle. This was the best room so far, it was a kitchen with a refrigerator, microwave and most importantly of all, a bathroom with a walking of 4 steps. This room had it all; I was nothing less then ready to get started, with anything thrown my way.


At last the day had begun we all gathered down stairs in our new so called offices aka The Kitchen. Working on a table that took up the entire room, with enough space for one person walk one way why another waited for him to get through so they could. As we worked on the Mac pros, being in a kitchen our first thoughts were when are we going to eat and what are we going to eat? Skeptical with what was around this area, other than the 7 11 across the street we were at a lost. Getting insider information, we heard there was a good taco shop downs the street, we decided later to check it out. Before we went out for our hunt of food, we had to go receive our tasks.


The stairs of no return we called them, every step was a pound on our hearts intimidated to walk up felt like it took forever. Every step our it felt like our feet got heavier and heavier and the stairs got longer and longer. However long it took us to get up this stairs we didn’t know where to go next, in confusion of who to talk to or what to do we went as a group at first. Knowing that they were going to assign us all something different going in the group was the best idea. Naming out tasks that had to be done I was able to call out what I wanted to do before anyone else. Though the walk up the stairs were intimidating at first, as time went on it got easier. It was like walking up the stairs was not a punishment but a reward because we were going down the stairs it was exciting to get the work done and ask them if there was more for me to do.

blog 9

Walking into the room i saw my mentor, stressed and irritated with all the work they she had to do, yet calm while listening to her music sooth her mood. wearing glasses and biting on the pen with tasks on her mind. As i got ready to sit down, she moved her paper work of her desk and set her arms on the table with a glare of anticipation and ready to answer any question coming towards her.

1. How did you come across the Media Arts Center of San Diego?

I came across MACSD while I was looking for a job while I was I was attending Cal State San Marcos. I was looking through our career services website and found this place listed there.

2. Knowing that it was a Non- Profit Organization did you know what to expect?

Before working here I had worked for non-profits before so I did now that it would be a lot of work.

3. Before the Media Arts Center what did you work before?

Before working at MACSD I was a research assistant for a for profit company in San Marcos, CA. I worked on an environmental project for Keep America Beautiful, which entailed extensive researching the environmental and smoking laws of 21 cities through out the US, then actually traveling to those cities and doing field observations. And filially compiling the data and getting it ready for data analysis.


4. Is Media Arts Center the job you thought you would end up at?

I am fresh out of college and I want to work in the media industry, so right now it is a great fit. I have learned a lot of valuable skills that I will be very useful for my future career goals.

5. What did you want to do when you were a teenager?

When I was a teenager I wanted to be a fashion designer and or an artist.