www.masbakersfield.com

Welcome to the MAS Magazine Web site!

Please check out our site and create a profile so you can network with others who share similiar interests.

We hope you enjoy our web page, as well as our printed publication. If you would like to receive MAS via mail, send me a note.

MAS strives to deliver stories relevant to the U.S.-born Latino who may easily move about in two different worlds, that of our own experience and the other that draws us to our culture/roots.

Our stories look at the positive contributions made by local Latinos, while sharing other pieces that helps them stay connected to their family values/traditions and Hispanic culture/heritage.

We enjoy sharing your stories, whether it's about mija being accepted to three elite schools, Harvard, Yale and Stanford (yes, we had a story about that), or the steps to a successful career through the eyes of our trailblazing local professionals.

Education, business, health and entertainment are among other areas we focus on as well.

We hope you enjoy our publication. Please provide us with feedback. What is important to you is important to us.

Now, a little more about myself:

My name is Olivia Garcia, and I am the Publisher of MAS Magazine, a monthly publication in Bakersfield, Calif.

At MAS Magazine, we focus on the Latino life, from the second- and third-generation perspective.
Many of us live in two worlds.
We love our American culture as well as our Latino heritage.
We can be patriotic about the 4th of July just as we can for el 16 de Septiembre.
Dancing to a cumbia then switching to an alternative rock or Old School song is flawless for us.
We love tamales y arroz, as much as hots dogs and french fries.
Being second generation means we were born here or grew up in the States. If you are third generation, then you already have established ties and history in history.
We care about the advancement of education among our youth. We want to lead healthy lifestyles and control health problems that plagued our Latino community.
We strive in our professions, whether it's law or military or business ownership or teaching.
We care about our community and taking part through our church, community or volunteer involvement.
Our family ties mean a great deal to us. Many of us spend our free time with la familia in the backyard, having some carne asada and listening to Ramon Ayala, WAR, oldies and Carlos Santana.
Above all, we are proud of being bicultural and bilingual.
I know firsthand.

I was born and raised in Bakersfield. My parents and abuelos are proud Tejanos.
English was my first language but I picked up Spanish, thanks to mis abuelos.
I grew up in a small barrio that many know as "the Okie," a name the neighborhood earned from the 1940s when the Dust Bowlers settled into the area.
I learned how to pray the Rosary, first in Spanish, then create an altar to honor deceased loved ones as part of Dia de los Muertos.
In college, I learned that my culture is rich and diverse, with history on both sides of the border.
I value community service. I served on the board of the Kern County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Foundation and the California Chicano News Media Association, Central Valley Chapter. I have also been involved in the American Cancer Society.

I also work with aspiring journalism college students.

Mi familia means a great deal to me. I have a great husband and awesome sons! I love my Godchildren, which I can count on more than one hand. And I have some beautiful German Shepherds that I adore.                                         

I love my job because it is about serving people like me, like yourself.
I encourage you to check out our site and send us feedback.

You can do so by creating a profile of yourself or participating in neighborhood and community discussions on our home page.

We are constantly looking for story ideas, photos and solutions to community problems.  Our goal is to serve our readers in the best manner possible, by telling the stories through their eyes.

Thank you for joining the MAS community!

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