3 friends return to graffiti decades after a police sting shattered their world cover art

3 friends return to graffiti decades after a police sting shattered their world

3 friends return to graffiti decades after a police sting shattered their world

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 Isauro "Junior" Inocencio, Ron Recaido and Romali Licudan grew up as second-generation Filipino Americans in Southeast San Diego during the 1990s. As violence intensified in their community, they found inspiration in comics, hip-hop and murals. They formed a crew to create large-scale, permission-granted graffiti on a neighborhood wall. Their goal was to express themselves and offer something positive to those around them. But national policing efforts blurred the line between art and crime, and the group came under surveillance. Though only one of them was arrested, all three were affected by the fallout.Years later, they return to the same wall — not to rewrite the past, but to reconnect, repaint and reflect on the power of claiming space through art."In graffiti, the basis of it is putting your name up. But a lot of people don't realize that graffiti can also be used — or it should be used — as a message board, to inspire," Romali said. "And it's also like, we can show the younger generation what they could do with graffiti and what they can do with their art."We first learned about this story from our colleague, KPBS reporter Kori Suzuki. Check out his original reporting here.Guests:Isauro "Junior" InocencioRon RecaidoRomali LicudanThe crew’s influences:“X-Men”“Robotech”NWAA Tribe Called QuestDe La SoulMentioned in this episode:Microsoft Word | A word processing program by Microsoft that replaced the typewriter, used to draft everything from essays to lettersThe Gulf War | A 1990–1991 conflict after Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait, marking a major U.S.-led military operation in the Middle EastParkour | A movement style focused on jumping, climbing and flipping through obstacles, often practiced in urban spacesGrommet | A slang term for a young or inexperienced kid, commonly used in surf and skate culture to describe up-and-coming ridersCIF Championships | High school sports championships governed by the California Interscholastic Federation, representing a pinnacle of athletic achievement for student athletes in the stateCyrus from “The Warriors” | A charismatic gang leader from the 1979 cult classic film, known for his iconic line “Can you dig it?” and for sparking a citywide gang truce in the film’s plotIcarus | A figure from Greek mythology whose wings melted when he flew too close to the sun, often used as a metaphor for overambition or hubris“Star Wars” trap | A reference to the iconic line “It’s a trap!” from “Return of the Jedi,” famously shouted by Admiral Ackbar, often used to signal a sudden ambush or betrayal“The Dukes of Hazzard” | A 1980s American TV show centered on two Southern cousins known for car chases, stunts and the General Lee — a Dodge ChargerCal Arts | Short for California Institute of the Arts, a renowned private arts school in Valencia, Calif., known for producing top talent in animation, visual arts and performance“The Art of Living Consciously” | A 1997 self-help book by psychologist Nathaniel Branden that explores how self-awareness and mindfulness contribute to personal growth and authenticityTagalog | One of the major languages of the Philippines, often spoken at home and passed down through generationsIlocano | A major Filipino ethnolinguistic group and languageAmpalaya | A bitter melon common in Filipino cooking and herbal medicineKamatis | The Tagalog word for tomato, a staple in Filipino dishesCalamansi | A small, sour citrus fruit used in Filipino marinades, dipping sauces and drinksSources:Skyline‑Paradise Hills Community Plan (City of San Diego Planning Department – City of San Diego)The Philippine-American War, 1899–1902 (U.S. Department of State)The Congressional Gold Medal Tribute to Filipino WWII Veterans (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs)July 4, 1946: The Philippines Gained Independence from the United States (The National WWII Museum)Agreement amending the Military Bases Agreement of 14 March 1947 (U.S. Supreme Court E-Library)Navy to Stop Recruiting Filipino Nationals (Los Angeles Times, 1992)In Paradise Hills, a legendary art wall lives again (Kori Suzuki, KPBS, 2025)What Is Redlining? How Residential Segregation Shaped U.S. Cities (Jameelah Nasheed, Teen Vogue, 2021)Modern-Day Impacts of Historical Redlining on Schools (Giving Compass, 2022)Race and the War on Drugs (National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, 2022)Despite the Recent Increase, Crime in San Diego Is Still Well Below Its 1990s Peak (Jesse Marx, Voice of San Diego, 2021)Low Crime Rates Reported In San Diego (KPBS, 2011)43 Years of Crime in the San Diego Region: 1980 Through 2022 (SANDAG, 2023)Gang Prevention: An Overview of Research and Programs (U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs, 2010)Gang Involvement as a Means to Satisfy Basic Needs (New York University’s Applied Psychology Online Publication of Undergraduate Studies, 2016)"The Roots of Rap: 16 Bars on the 4 Pillars of Hip Hop" (Carole Boston ...

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