wˌaɪl ɐ stˈuːdənt æt ðə jˌuːnɪvˈɜːsᵻɾi ʌv sˌæn dɪˈeɪɡoʊ, hiː kɹiːˈeɪɾᵻd ɐn ɔːltˈɜːnətˌɪv pˈoʊɪtɹi vˈɛnjuː ɪnðɪ ˈɜːli nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti z tə hˈaɪlaɪt ðə wˈɜːk ʌv zɪkˈɑːnə ænd zɪkˈɑːnoʊ ˈɑːɹɾɪst, ɪt wʌz kˈɔːld "nˈɑːtʃ də ˈæɾoʊl".
While a student at the University of San Diego, he created an alternative poetry venue in the early 1990s to highlight the work of Xicana and Xicano artist, it was called "Noche de Atole".