The FIRM Podcast

FIRM Podcast Ep. 15 - “The Breakthrough" (Brandon Quintanilla)

Brandon Quintanilla also known as BQ is an entrepreneur, and the man behind EMLN Exclusive, Any Given Bars, and San Jose’s beloved Culture Night Market. In this episode of the FIRM Podcast, BQ talks about his work ethic, building multiple brands, and how community plays a role in everything he does. Recorded from the EMLN Studio [https://www.emlnexclusive.com/?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAadBBTeDUZ0DNAMXkYrErlerLDEeMBgr_uEFoRoE_qq1ZfkdZrB0ufvO-7SXJw_aem_TcMlc1N_Qmv7GeC83p-WYQ] in Downtown San Jose,  this is episode 15 with BQ.

FIRM Podcast Ep. 14 - “It's Not Good To Quit" (Tricia Creason-Valencia)

Tricia Creason-Valencia is an Emmy-nominated documentary filmmaker, a storyteller, teacher and mentor. In this episode of the FIRM Podcast, we talk about Tricia’s filmmaking journey, her intentions when producing projects, and the importance of telling and owning your own stories.    Disclaimer: This episode was recorded in April 2023, before I took a hiatus to focus on the San Jose Is Not For Sale project. WATCH: Stable Life - https://vimeo.com/674641693?share=copy [https://vimeo.com/674641693?share=copy] * Nominated for a Northern CA Emmy, Documentary Category, 2014 * Winner “Best Documentary” at Cinequest * “Jury Prize” at Cinefestival San Antonio * Aired on KQED Television’s Truly CA series and national broadcast on “America Reframed”/World Channel

FIRM Podcast Ep. 13 - “San José Day" (Haley Cardamon)

Haley Cardamon is the Executive Director and Founder of San Jose Day, an annual festival that celebrates the arts and culture of San Jose every April. In this episode, Haley shares her journey in building the festival, its growth over the years, and what’s in store for this year's 7th annual event. Plus, a special guest makes an appearance — Barry, our roommate’s cat, drops by towards the end. Hope to see you at the 2025 San Jose Day! Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Podcasting and Sound Check 04:02 The Birth of San Jose Day 10:07 Event Production Journey and Community Engagement 16:04 Growth and Evolution of San Jose Day 22:13 Building a Collaborative Team 29:46 Challenges in Event Production 38:41 Navigating Doubts and Responsibilities 41:21 Finding Motivation and Overcoming Challenges 46:45 The Role of Community in San Jose Day 52:58 Cultural Identity and Validation 55:03 Recognition and Its Impact 01:00:09 Innovations for San Jose Day 2025 01:06:42 Personal Growth Through Community Engagement

FIRM Podcast Ep. 12 - "Stay Consistent" Part 2 (Youth Liberation Movement)

The Youth Liberation Movement's mission is to liberate young people from the cycle of generational trauma and oppression by translating their lived experiences into actionable solutions. In this second conversation with YLM, Angie, Meyia and Angel talk about building a youth-led grassroots organization from the ground up, projects that the organization have been working on, and their hopes for YLM's future and the future of our community. If you haven'y listened to the first part of this conversation, please go back to last week's episode for more context. To close out this first season of the FIRM Podcast, this is part two of our finale with Angie, Meyia and Angel from the Youth Liberation Movement. San Jose youth want a seat at the table (San Jose Spotlight article) [https://sanjosespotlight.com/san-jose-youth-want-a-seat-at-the-table-ylm-youth-liberation-movement/]

FIRM Podcast Ep. 12 - "Stay Consistent" Part 1 (Youth Liberation Movement)

The Youth Liberation Movement aka YLM is a group of young leaders who aim to improve San Jose’s approach to housing, education, mental health and criminal justice by partnering with local institutions.  Full disclosure, this episode is a two-part conversation with some of the young leaders. In this first part, I speak with Angelina, Meyia, and Angel about growing up in San Jose and some of their lived experiences that led them to the work they do now with the Youth Liberation Movement. To close out this first season of the FIRM Podcast, this is part one of our finale with Angie, Meyia and Angel from the Youth Liberation Movement. San Jose youth want a seat at the table (San Jose Spotlight article) [https://sanjosespotlight.com/san-jose-youth-want-a-seat-at-the-table-ylm-youth-liberation-movement/]