Alex Darocy Photography

Idle No More supporters gathered at City Plaza Park on Main Street in Watsonville, Ca. on April 19, 2013. "Thank you for coming together and standing up for justice, for all Nations, South of the border, North of the border, and North, North of the border." -- Tomas Alejo These words describe an Idle No More perspective as seen from those who live in Watsonville, Ca, where for most people, the Mexican/American border dynamic plays a role in everyday life. From the event Announcement: "Communities of Watsonville will be gathering at the Watsonville Plaza in solidarity with the Idle No More movement from Canada and First Nations People. "Please join the Communities of Watsonville as we gather with songs and prayers in an act of solidarity with our Northern Brothers and Sisters and all Indigenous People. "Bring your Families, Children, Elders, Friends and Neighbors. Bring your Drums, Prayers, Songs, Medicine and Good Energy. "I...

On April 6 the organization Sin Barras, which means "without prison bars" in Spanish, held a rally and march to the Santa Cruz County Jail in response to the four recent deaths of individuals while in custody at the facility. Approximately 100 community members rallied and listened to speeches which were first held at the Town Clock. Courtney Hanson of Sin Barras spoke, stating, "We don't want anymore people dying in that building right down the street on our watch." The group then marched to the County Jail, by way of Pacific Avenue and Ocean Street, where more speakers were heard and a noise demonstration was held. Organizers announced they had gotten word that inmates were aware of the demonstration and were excited to hear it from inside. This was confirmed as marchers neared the women's wing of the facility, and individuals inside banged on the walls and flashed lights through the opaque windows.  Earlier at the Town Clock, Tash Nguyen of Sin ...

On March 23, Idle No More supporters gathered for prayers, songs, speeches, and round dances in front of the Federal Building in San Francisco as part of the "Next Step to Stop Keystone XL." Wicahpiluta Candelaria, a Rumsen Ohlone cultural presenter, sang and gave the opening prayer.  Speakers included Pennie Opal Plant, Norman "Wounded Knee" DeOcampo, and Paul Flores, who all picked up on the theme of "water" and its relation to The Keystone XL pipeline.  Following the round dances, community members joined together for a singing of the American Indian Movement anthem.  Shortly after the Idle No More event, bay area activists gathered in front of the San Francisco Federal Building for nonviolent direct action training in preparation for a yet to be announced action to stop the Keystone XL pipeline. 

A recent trip to downtown Santa Cruz revealed how difficult it can be for street musicians to navigate the many different city ordinances that affect them, some of them unfairly. The downtown is patrolled by officers from the Santa Cruz Police Department, both on foot and in vehicles, and also by private security forces which include uniformed guards employed by First Alarm. The Downtown (business) Association's own representatives, who are called "hospitality guides" dress in bright yellow and also enforce city ordinances by threatening to call the police if individuals do not comply with their demands. On the Friday evening of November 9, a group of four musicians who were playing in front of the New Leaf Market, located on the corner of Pacific Avenue and Soquel Avenue, were told by two Downtown Hospitality guides to stop playing because the crowd listening to them had become too large. The band did not argue and they moved across Soquel Avenue to resume playing i...

Rick Walker digitally samples and "plays" brushes and other found object instruments. Walker is an experimental looping musician, and this performance is part of a set he played during a benefit for Desiree Foster of the Santa Cruz Eleven  on July 1, 2012. For more information about the benefit, see: Benefit at India Joze Held for Desiree Foster of the Santa Cruz Eleven http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2012/07/03/18716804.php Rick Walker

A man named Lucky plays saxophone in front of the Rittenhouse building on a quiet night in downtown Santa Cruz.

Pale Robin Mathew of Matador "Crickets" by Wesley Mathew of Matador The Gembrokers As the sun began to set on May 4, community members and students made their way to a "secret" location north of Kresge College at UC Santa Cruz for a "Forest Show" that was organized to raise awareness about the university's planned expansion. Presently, 240 acres of upper campus forest is threatened, as is the Porter Meadow, and also the location of the evening's show. Musical acts Matador, Pale Robin, and The Gembrokers played acoustic sets around a campfire in the middle of an open portion of the mixed evergreen forest, surrounded by tall Redwoods and Douglas Fir trees. A flier for the show announced that the event was an opportunity for people to, "connect with the land proposed to be destroyed by UCSC's Long Range Development Plan." At the height of the evening appro...

On stage: George Galvis, J.R. Laiwa, his son Kaashun Laiwa, and Manuel La Fontaine sing the American Indian Movement (AIM) theme song at the National Occupy Day in Support of Prisoners, which was held outside of the east gate at San Quentin State Prison on February 20, 2012. Joining them onstage were several younger singers, including Mikaela Galvis, Ayacaxtli Galvis, and Talissa Gali. Morning Star Gali, who spoke just prior to the songs, can be seen as well.

The Brass Liberation Orchestra plays during the march to the port in Oakland for the West Coast Port Shutdown on December 12, 2011.

Occupy Santa Cruz on Black Friday featured performances by DJs from Raindance Presents. Notice the post-Thanksgiving pumpkin occupie.

The Occupy Oakland Sound Truck live and in action during the march on November 19, 2011.

On Friday, September 2 in the alleyway next to Tampico Kitchen in downtown Santa Cruz, I photographed officers from the SCPD searching the bass guitar case of local musician Joe Munda. When I first arrived at the scene, people on Pacific Avenue told me that "two ladies" had called the police on Munda, warning them that he was carrying a machine gun downtown. Closer to where Munda was being searched, a man I had seen playing music a few blocks down on Pacific earlier in the day was yelling at the police, saying, "It's only a bass! What are you guys doing!!!!" or words to that effect. Two Downtown Hospitality Hosts looked on from Pacific Avenue, sharing in the excitement, and I wondered if they were the "two ladies" that phoned this in, but I never found out. As I photographed the scene, the interviewing officer waved at me, and at that time I heard him politely apologizing to Munda, hoping he understood that they had to respond to the call. I ca...