Zip It Zimmerman

The Religious Society of Friends, also known as the Quakers, is a unique religious group. It’s also one that I didn’t know still existed in our modern world. They are a vibrant, active community that strives for equality, justice, peace, and hearing the “still small voice” of God. This audio, part of a story I did for San Eli News, is from my visit with the Quakers of El Paso. After the service, I was able to sit down with Cyndi Rains, Vona Van Cleef and John Russell. The article this audio is part of can be read at www.SanEliNews.com Pax, Steven

Did the first Thanksgiving happen in San Elizario, Texas? Did it happen on the East Coast? In 1989 the City and County of El Paso, Texas attempted to push the narrative that the first Thanksgiving did happen here. This is my interview with Al Borrego, a historian in San Elizario. You can also read the article this interview is part of San Eli News below: https://sanelinews.com/2019/11/26/firstthanksgiving/ {will post when runs}

The City of San Elizario has a solution to the encroaching concrete and the ideas we have about not being able to create any new green spaces, or even grow food. I met with Maya Sanchez, City Administrator for San Elizario and Octavio Hernandez, who works with the City of San Elizario and the University of Auburn in Alabama. This is that conversation. This audio is part of an article found at San Eli News at www.SanEliNews.com

A native El Pasoan, Kieran Johnson was born with a rare genetic disorder known as Williams Syndrome. This developmental disorder affects many parts of the body. Typically characterized by mild to moderate intellectual or learning problems, unique personality characteristics, and heart and blood vessel (cardiovascular) problems, it only affects 1 in 10,000 people worldwide. This is his story. This audio is part of a larger article at San Eli News: News, Sports and More from San Elizario, Texas.

I have often wondered about the Church of Scientology, who they are and what they believe. I know a little, but I wanted to know more. So, I reached out to the Scientology Mission of El Paso, Texas, where I met with the Mission Holder, Joni Superville and Dr Jose Alverez. This audio is part of an article I've written for the El Paso Herald-Post, ANS, and Medium. To read the article, simply click on any link below. https://sanelinews.com/2019/11/05/faithscientology/ Medium https://medium.com/@apoetsroad/meeting-scientology-dbc495a5411a?sk=7638035e43e171b2234f2feb885c6a33 HVY https://www.hvy.com/sgsfilms/meeting-scientology A Poet's Path https://apoetspath.com/2019/10/08/meeting-scientology/

How do you find hope after a massacre in your city? Since Saturday I’ve been struggling. I’ve begun to lose all hope in humanity. A man, who I will not dignify by using his name, came to our city, to El Paso, and murdered twenty-two people, and injured over two dozen more. El Paso has been a very safe city for long time. Then, one person with ill intent, changed that. I was born in El Paso, entered the world at Hotel Dieu back in 1970. Born and raised here. No matter what part of town I’ve been in – the Segundo Barrio, the Devils Triangle, anywhere really – I’ve felt safe. I’ve never worried for my safety. Why should I? El Paso is a town of respect, love, caring, compassion, kindness. Now, since August 3rd, we are in pain, and I’m looking for hope. I don’t have the answers on reigniting hope, or even where to find hope for myself. However, I will share with you what others have said. Maybe, just maybe, we can find hope together. This audio is part of an article I wrote for the El Paso Herald-Post. To read that article, click here: https://elpasoheraldpost.com/storygalleryaudio-finding-hope-amid-the-sorrow-and-loss/ How do you find hope? Let me know at steven@epheraldpost.com

I’m a bit of an odd duck; I love cemeteries. When I need to get away from a world that demands every moment of my time, leaving nothing for myself, I will take time out to visit one of the many cemeteries we have our area. For my first time out with Chantilly, we visited and photographed the cemetery out in Socorro. We walked amongst the headstones and wondered about the lives lived by those buried beneath. When something caught our attention, we would take a few photos. This is my interview with Willie Cordero and Maria Elena Griffith. They are working with other volunteers to clean the Smeltertown Cemetery. This is part of an article I've written over at the El Paso Herald-Post. To read that article, click the link below: https://elpasoheraldpost.com/audiogallerystory-saving-the-smeltertown-cemetery/

There is a new scam going around, and it's a twist on the old IRS phone calls. This time around you receive a call from "Social Security" informing you that other federal law enforcement agencies have placed a hold on and cancel order for your social security number. Yet, in the end, if you send them all your money, they will safeguard it for you and give it back once you meet with federal law enforcement officers. This audio is part of an article for the El Paso Herald-Post. To read that article, just follow the link below: https://elpasoheraldpost.com/audiostory-new-social-security-number-scam-springs-up/

I'm not happy that we think only one opinion matters and that's our opinion to the exclusion of all else. It saddens me. It hurts me. My hope going forward from here is that everyone who was involved in this protest will reflect on their actions and realise there are two sides to every coin. Two voices need to be heard, and maybe we can mature a little bit, grow up and come to the table and find a bipartisan solution to this problem and stop blaming everybody else out there. It's our problem. It's your problem. It's mine. It's everyone's, let's solve it in a way that doesn't cause more division. The Border Network for Human Rights mounted a protest at the Border Patrol Station in Clint, Texas. I was about to speak with people on both sides of the border issue - in hopes of presenting a whole vies of the situation. I would like to host a larger discussion on the issues of immigration, the arrest and detention of children, and more. If you ware willing to be a part of this, and you are in El Paso, send me an email at steven@stillgoingsomewhere.com This audio is part of an article at the El Paso Herald-Post. I do hope you'll take the time to read the article and view the photos. https://elpasoheraldpost.com/gallerystory-dueling-protests-held-outside-of-clint-border-patrol-station/

I’ve written about Ysleta Lutheran Mission Human Care (YLM), and what they do. I’ve written about their outreach to the community, and their needs so that they may continue to do so. As school is out and the summer is upon us, I thought I would catch up with the happenings at YLM and the newest member to the family, Luz Soto Luz Soto is an El Pasoan who graduated from Concordia University, in Texas. Her involvement with the Mission goes back to when she was seventeen years old, both providing service to those in need as well as receiving life-changing service from the Mission. Now, taking over for Chris Hill, Luz is the communications director for YLM. This is my interview with Luz Soto and Rev Dr Karl Heimer of Ysleta Lutheran Mission Human Care. This is part of an article I've written for the El Paso Herald-Post. You can read that article and see the photos by following the link below: https://elpasoheraldpost.com/audiogallerystory-new-team-member-renews-focus-purpose-at-ysleta-lutheran-mission/

We often think that if we are hurt, injured or sick that we will be able to see a doctor. Visit a doctor’s office, go to an emergency clinic, even a trip to the hospital. It is a fact of life that there is going to be a doctor for us to see. Even without medical insurance, or the ability to pay, there are still places like the RotoCare Clinic at Ysleta Lutheran Mission Human Care that will see you. Yet, we never stop and think about what would happen if there wasn’t a doctor to see you. This is my conversation with Dr Sudheer R Gorla about the future shortage of doctors, as well as those who have come to this country to practice medicine. This audio is part of an article I've written for the El Paso Herald-Post. To read that article, click below: https://elpasoheraldpost.com/audiostory-doctors-visas-and-the-coming-shortage/

“I don’t care who you are,” says Travis Washington. “I don’t want anybody shot unarmed.” There are some good police officers out there. However, like any profession, there are those bad apples in the bunch. When you are a police officer who is on the wrong side of the law, then you tend to make the rest of the force look as bad as you. Travis Washington has created the Hands Up Act. A very much needed bill. “The whole purpose of this bill is to protect individuals who are being shot, unarmed, by the police. Because right now the United States is the number one country across the whole globe leading in most police shootings,” says Travis Washington. “Like the United Nations has already declared that police shooting unarmed people as a form of lynching in the United States of America.” To sign the petition, click the link below: https://www.change.org/p/us-senate-hands-up-act To read my article, click the link below: https://apoetspath.com/2019/10/09/one-mans-journey-to-make-the-hands-up-act-law/

"There's other stories to be told as well," said José. "I want to be able to add those other stories." This is my interview with José Montoya, an artivist living and working in El Paso, Texas. This is an interview that needs to be heard and taken to heart. This is part of an article I've written. To read that article, click below: https://apoetspath.com/2019/10/07/the-art-and-artivism-of-jose-montoya/

Clowns scare the hell out of me. I see a clown and I want to do one of two things: run and hide; or run and get a baseball bat and beat it. I just don’t like clowns. So, a conversation that Chantilly began with two guys in Walmart the other day sort of left me unnerved. But, hey, what the heck, right? In the Walmart on Alameda, in the self-checkout right next to us, was this guy buying a lot of artificial flowers. Chantilly asked him what they were for, as one of them was huge, and he told her he was a clown and attending an event this Friday. Little did I know that I would finally find a clown I wouldn’t want to run from. So, who is this clown? I’m glad you asked. It’s Fish the Clown. This is part of a photo-filled article at the El Paso Herald-Post. To check out that article and photos, just follow the link below: https://elpasoheraldpost.com/gallerystory-visual-artist-fish-the-clown-entertains-inspires-el-pasoans/

while walking through El Paso ComicCon on April 18th, I overheard a conversation between a vendor and someone looking at his art. The vendor was asked why he was drawing African-American superheroes. His answer was what pushed me to stop and interview him. “If we don’t represent ourselves,” he said, “who will do it?” That vendor is Terry Huddleston, an artist with a great style. I told him what I had overheard. “Really the nuance of that is important for us to represent ourselves correctly. Because I mean, there's a lot of outcry about how we're misrepresented by other cultures, but at the same time in every culture is guilty of this, we always put our best foot forward, and it's always, here's the cream of the crop. In the other 99% of the culture don't get represented at all," says Terry Huddleston. "I kinda noticed that inverse where like, you know, nobody is representing heavyset women in ComicCon and they're not representing certain types of body types and other aspects. It's almost like, hey, let's bring that to ComicCon and see what that does to the pop-culture sphere. And it has really been received very well." This interview is part of an article I've written. To read that article, click the link below: https://apoetspath.com/2019/10/07/an-artists-quest-for-representation/

“The first one is very Mortal Kombat meets hunger games. It's a very action pack story. It's a live adaption from my comic book series, the Vanquishers,” says Joe Lujan. “Now the squeal picks up in the exact last scene of the Immortal Wars in the sequel. So, this one, it's now a little bit more dark, a little bit more intense. I like to say that the Immortal Wars 2 is now like Resident Evil meets Mad Max type of style film.” In this episode of Still Going Somewhere we talk with Joe Lujan about his newest movie - Immortal Wars: Resurgence. This is the sequal to Immortal Wars. Both are great movies from and upandcoming independent filmmaker. This episode is made in colaberation with the El Paso Hearld-Post. For news, sport, opinion and more for the El Paso Borderland - with no pop-ups or paywalls - the El Paso Herald-Post is the place to go. Visit them at www.ElPasoHeraldPost.com To read the article that this podcast is part of, simply follow the link below: {will post when it runs at the Herald-Post)

So, who is David Morales and what qualifies him for the school board? “I'm an educator. I served as a teacher coach and a middle school principal for 30 years as a career,” says David Morales. “I'm married, but my wife is named Janet Morales. She's also an educator. She's an assistant principal in the Clint independent school district.” This is my interview with David Morales who is running for the Socorro ISD School Board of Trustees. This is part of an article I've written for the El Paso Herald-Post. To read that article, follow the link below: {link to come when piece runs}

We all know who Tony Romo is, right? Past quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys. I’m sure we all know people that can quote his career highlights as if it were scripture: 4× Pro Bowl (2006, 2007, 2009, 2014) Second-team All-Pro (2014) NFL passer rating leader (2014) Walter Payton Award (2002) 2× OVC champion (2001, 2002) 3× OVC Player of the Year (2000–2002) 3× First-team All-OVC (2000–2002) Yet, there are still things to learn about Tony Romo, beyond the stats, highlights, and the fact he didn’t’ win a Superbowl. To be transparent here, I’m not a fan of the Cowboys or Tony Romo. But even I was amazed at some of the things I’ve learned about him from Chris Hanna, Nina Hedberg, and Rebecca Garcia. This is my interview with the filmmakers working on the Now Or Never: A Tony Romo Story. To read my article that this is a part of, simply follow the link below to the El Paso Herald-Post: https://soundcloud.com/sgsfilms/now-or-never-a-tony-romo-story

I've been doing what I do for too many years. I've covered so many elections, I've lost count. Yet, when I covered Beto O'Orouke announcing his 2020 bid for President of the United States, I was met by a group of campaign workers who had no idea what they were doing. Far too often, before and during the event, the rules for media changes. Media was selectively excluded from certain public areas, and the campaigns media directer just felt he had to cow-tow to a select few. After that, I will never cover another Beto event again. Period. At the end of the day, no matter how much a politician spends on campaign ads, it's still the media that get your message out to most of the country. Guess his team forgot that. If you want to read my article about the event and see what people have to say about Beto, the link is below. https://elpasoheraldpost.com/gallerystory-as-beto-orourke-rallied-el-pasoans-visitors-share-their-thoughts/

I like tattoos. Hell, I have seven tattoos and one branding – don’t ask. The art people choose to place on their bodies ranges from the mundane, like Japanese words that may not mean exactly what one thinks, to full body pieces that tell a story or trance family events. I’ve seen memorials to family members who have passed away, to tattoos that cover one’s military service or prison time. I’ve seen some amazing work. This is my conversation with Fabian Cobos of Golden Goose Tattoo in El Paso, Texas. Let me tell you, Golden Goose is a place with great work, art and one hell of a vibe. You should really check it out!