Despite lack of Watsonville City support, concert takes place at the Brown Beret's Space.

On November 14, 2009 the students of the EA Hall MEChA Club held an event in Watsonville California. This event was initially supposed to be held at the city owned Youth Center. City Staff were opposed to a fee waiver for this event due to the "political nature" of the bands lined up to perform at this FREE and COMMUNITY BASED event. This has created a tiny stir in the local conservative community of small-minded people who are afraid of anything that promotes Mexican or Xicana/o identity.

Boca Floja, Para La Gente, Poetic Stimulator, Shannon Michelle, the Guerrilla Queenz AND the young MC's from EA Hall held their show anyway at the Brown Berets Bike Shack warehouse. It brought together folks of all ages from the community. Parents, students, teachers, and others came out to do graffiti art, listen to music, eat and build solidarity with the MEChISTAS from EA Hall. It was a positive, powerful and peaceful event.

Listen to interviews with the local young artists, artitsts Boca Floja, Sensi & Irye (Guerilla Queenz), Poetic S., and Cris (El Fuser).

BOCAFLOJA: (born in Coyoacán, Mexico City in 1978). MC, poet, and panelist with five solo albums released and one book published. Bocafloja is a pioneer of the utilization of hip hop culture as an alternative tool to create awareness and political participation in Mexico and one of the most recognized hip hop icons in Latin America. The artist is both founder and member of the Quilomboarte Collective.

PARA LA GENTE: is gaining new fans everyday with debut album “People Living Growing.” Led by Cambio’s smooth and playful flows, the quintet recently released a hot video for single "Synth Love," a track that challenges the notion of "he/she is not your type" with a banging club beat.

GUERRILLA QUEENS: are out to infiltrate hip hop & reggae with Revolutionary But Gangsta lyrics that seek to elevate and motivate the masses by bringing awareness to all types of community issues. From love to politics, roots and culture, these mujeres are overflowing in musical messages which stem from an ever-present resistance & solidarity for all indigenous struggles through-out the world.

POETIC S: aka Patricia has been a performer since the age of 5. Music and the arts have always been in her family for generations. She has been writing poetry since she was 13 and got her start in music doing open mic's at her college. Soon after she was a founding member of her group DobaDoza an all female hip hop Quartet.

MACHETERO: AKA Rob is a Santa Cruz local and dedicated member of the Watsonville Brown Berets. His music is highly reflective of his cultural roots of Puerto Rico and the Philippines. Rob currently works with students at a local high school.