Java.July.2016

BUZZ
SUMMER BREAK
By Robert Sentinery
Welcome to our annual double summer edition. A long break with no
responsibilities reminds me of those endless summers in elementary school
when we practically lived in swimming pools between family road trips to the
cool pines or California beaches.
Krystle Delgado (aka Miss Krystle) is one of those people who refuse to let
setbacks stop them from reaching their goals. She and her siblings grew up in
a remote area in northern California about an hour from civilization. She was
home-schooled by her mom with a strong emphasis on classical music, art and
creative thinking. It was perhaps this unusual upbringing that gave Krystle her
personal strength and willingness to approach things differently.
When she was still a young teen, Krystle set three goals for herself: 1. To start
her own nonprofit, which she did at age 16, co-founding Young Ones Unlimited
(YOU) for child abuse prevention and awareness; 2. to become an attorney,
which she did, having graduated from ASU and started her own practice
specializing in entertainment law; 3. to become a pop star, which she is doggedly
working toward, having just released her third album. Krystle’s fan base is
growing and she is starting to capture the attention of industry execs, so it
seems like just a matter of time. Frankly, we just don’t know how she does it all
(see “Seeing Miss Krystle Clearly,” p. 8).
The duo of Jenesis Laforcarde and Mabel Cortez are also giving back to those in
need. Their annual Brave Wings Fashion Show donates proceeds to a different
Valley charitable organization every year. Now in its fourth year, this not-bemissed
event will take place in Phoenix’s warehouse district on July 16. Hats off
to these two busy fashion designers who take time from their own lines to help
the community (see “Brave Wings Takes Flight,” p. 34).
Sam Gomez is a Phoenician through and through. He grew up on the mean
streets of west Phoenix, in an area rife with gangs and violence. Sometimes the
toughest conditions produce the most honest forms of expression. Gomez always
found a sense of security in art—not necessarily in making it (although he is a
talented photographer) but in embracing and supporting the work of others. He
started Phoenician Clothing back in 2001 as a way to share the work of artists
he respects and to help get it seen by larger audiences. Over the years, his
collection reads like a list of Valley street art Illuminati, including such names as
El Mac, Lalo Cota, El Moises and more (see “Sam Gomez Forever Rising,” p. 12).
Finally, to add a little more heat to our already sweltering conditions, we’ve
profiled Jacob Cutino, founder of Homeboy’s Hot Sauce. This guy created a
business by pursuing his passion for the perfect hot sauce, and it is building
steam. Some of the Valley’s top chefs, including Cullen Campbell and Bernie
Kantak, have even created special menus around his fiery sauces (see
“Homeboy’s Hot Sauce: Some Like It Hot,” p. 20).
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