News

By Karen Wang and Xinwen Chen

Bouncing from one job to another, Jazzmone is trying to explore the unlimited possibility of life. But cooking, as he envisions, will be indispensable in his future.

Fifteen years ago, Jazzmone entered Peace4Kids, a non-profit organization that provides programs and services for youth in foster care – also a place he called home. Through Peace4Kids, he found a passion for cooking.

“I come here every Saturday to cook for different kids and cook for myself,” Jazzmone said. “[Peace4Kids] gave me a different outcome than most black youths … they show me a different way to make money, and I actually have fun doing it. And just seeing that different outcome that I can provide myself with was pretty amazing.”

Cooking gives Jazzmone a different view on life and a different way of seeing himself as an African American. But Jazzmone does not only cook for fun. When he was turning 19, he was recruited by L.A. Kitchen as a chef and started to cook seriously and professionally.

“I remember waking up at four just to get to the kitchen around 6:30,” he said. “[L.A. Kitchen] taught me how to be independent, [have] more time management [skill] and take my adult life more seriously.”

It was the lesson Jazzmone learned from school that made him decide to go to L.A. Kitchen. “I ditched a lot because I didn’t take school seriously at the time,” he said. Later, Jazzmone had to go to the adult school, where he spent a lot of time rethinking his life and work.

“In adult school, I started learning that I needed to take my work and my actual life more seriously, instead of playing around all the time. So that’s what made me go to L.A. Kitchen,” he said.

Jazzmone went on to cook for SpaceX and cater for business, during which he also visited Texas and worked for Nordstrom. Working three part-time jobs, Jazzmone is heading toward financial independence.

“Currently, the thing I’m trying to work on is time management because my schedule has never been this crazy before,” Jazzmone said.

“I’m very optimistic about my future. I feel like if I just keep going, eventually I will get to my goal,” he said.

As part of this project, JOVRNALISM used emerging technology to tell different aspects of the stories through innovative ways.

Using photogrammetry to make models of certain objects, we used the 3D assets and Snapchat Lens Studio to create unique augmented reality experiences.

Through this technology, you can now step into one of Miriam’s paintings; examine and play Issac’s prized VHS cassette; get a closer look at a foster care teddy bear and hear its controversy.

DIRECTIONS: To load any of these Snapchat Lenses, click on the linked snapcode or relative link. You can also load it directly from Snapchat by pointing your device at the snapcode and pressing it, like a button.

Controversial Bear

When a child is separated from their birthparent and put into foster care, they are given a teddy bear in hopes of soothing and reducing the trauma. For some, this gesture is welcomed, but for others this act is an insult.

In this experience, place one of these teddy bears into your reality and hear opposing views on what the bear meant to them.

Step into Miriam’s Art

Miriam Cortez, Peace4Kids program coordinator, uses art to find her place and voice. As an artist, she seamlessly transitioned creating in 3D space, through tools like Google’s Tilt Brush and Oculus’ Quill.

Watch Issac’s VHS Tape

Among Issac St. Romain III‘s most prized possessions is an old VHS cassette tape that has moments from his childhood, recorded by his birth father. They offer a glimpse into his happy life before losing his dad and going into the system.