Starting Your Dreams Later In Life and Embracing the Detour

Jenee Darden speaking at Creative Mornings I know it's been a while since I've posted anything but that's because of my job. I'm working as a reporter covering Oakland and I host an arts segment on the radio where I get to interview amazing artists from around the Bay Area. Plus I'm publicizing my book  and building my speaking career!  You know what's funny? I thought this would all happen by the time I was 27-30.  Nope. That wasn't God's plan for me. I'm finally beginning to do the things I've wanted to do and I'm almost 40 years old. Some people reading this who are 40 will say 40 is still young. But some younger people reading may think 40 is nearly ancient. But I'm writing this post for those who like me, thought their career and personal dreams would come true much early in life. I'm here to tell you not to give up.  You know, death inspires life. A number of my relatives and friends have passed away, ranging in
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Laughs and Real Talk on Race, Bordertown and Disney with
Lalo Alcaraz


Lalo Alacraz speaking to the Oakland audience
at Sole Space. They sell shoes and open their
space to nonprofits to host events. 
Can you imagine being offered a gig by the producers of Family Guy? Can you imagine getting a call from Disney’s Pixar for a gig too? Political cartoonist Lalo Alcaraz, creator of the national syndicated comic strip La Cucaracha, will be contributing his talents to these mega hitters in animation.

He’s writing for the FOX series Bordertown, a funny and edgy cartoon that takes on immigration. In the fictional town Mexifornia, white border agent Bud Buckwald is struggling with the change of racial demographics in the United States.  By 2020 a majority of children in the U.S.will be children of color. Eventually whites will no longer be the majority.

“The Mexican has become the man and I’ve become the Mexican,” said Buckwald in the pilot screening I watched in Downtown Oakland. Buckwald was comparing himself to his neighbor Ernesto Gonzalez, a successful landscaper and Mexican immigrant.




I interviewed Lalo Alcaraz for my podcast when he came to Oakland to screen Bordertown. We talked about the FOX series, race, Black Twitter and police brutality. I love the piece he made in reaction to the assault of Texas teen Dajerria Becton, by police at
a pool party while she was in a bikini. Of course we spoke on the backlash he received when it was announced that he was working for Disney Pixar on the film Coco, about the beautiful Mexican holiday that honors the deceased called Diรก de los Muertos or Day of the Dead.  The backlash was due to Alcaraz being heavily critical of Disney in the past.

I had too much fun in this interview. Lalo and I were cutting up. I hope you enjoy it! Listen below! 

Shout out to Sole Space in Oakland for housing the event. Please support them. They provide a free space to nonprofits to host events.


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