Xavier the X-Man: Yeah, there's barriers, but I'm here to break them down so that people like you could continue to do the great work that you do in the showcase art community, whether it be social media or doing your own program on TV.

We're only going to be able to understand different people in different communities with you telling your story or I--me telling my story and then we'll be able to break down those barriers that people don't understand.

We have a lot to tell who we are and how we make up part of the American fabric.

It's who I am.

I tell people all the time, you know, I'm not half of something and half of another.

It's--no.

I'm a whole person and I'm 100% of each of my cultures; and I love being Filipino, I love being Mexican.

Jay Jay Maniquis: Magic 92.5 headquarters, a radio channel on air since the '70s.

I can't express how excited I was to meet with my guest today, a well-known and loved radio DJ whose voice most San Diegans recognize.

But through our talk in his studio, I learned a lot more about who he is and what fuels his voice.

Jay Jay: Xavier the X-Man, what's going on?

Xavier: What's going on?

Welcome.

Jay Jay: Thank you.

This is where all the Magic 92.5 happens, huh?

Xavier: Yep, this is it.

This is the radio station studio.

I'm Xavier the X-Man, a radio DJ on Magic 92.5 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily.

I'm Filipino Mexican.

Dad is from the Philippines.

Mom is from Mexico.

And I was born on an army base.

My dad was a World War II, Korean War veteran, was part of the first wave of Filipinos that come to America and worked on the plantations in Hawaii and then made his way to the United States working in the agriculture industry as a field worker.

Jay Jay: And in terms of identity you're half Filipino, you're half Mexican, but you were telling me off camera that--you said you feel you're full Filipino, full Mexican.

Can you elaborate on that?

Xavier: Absolutely.

I tell people all the time I'm not-- I'm 100% Filipino, 100% Mexican.

I'm prideful of both my cultures.

I love the combination and the mix of each culture.

It's who I am.

I tell people all the time, you know, I'm not, you know, half of something and half of another.

It's--no.

I'm a whole person and I'm 100% of each of my cultures; and I love being Filipino, I love being Mexican.

Jay Jay: And what got you into the radio industry?

Xavier: You know, I've always loved music.

From rap to hip hop to jazz to fusion to house music, I love it all, but of course the stuff that I grew up listening to happens to be more of the R&B and soul music.

It's always been a part of my life growing up.

Mom always played music and so it was a part of my upbringing, and dancing and things like that, just being a joyful family enjoying music.

You know, I think when I look back when I was a kid trying to do this, equipment was super expensive, being a DJ, 'cause that's what I wanted to do.

I wanted two turntables and a microphone and mix at parties and weddings, and you couldn't afford that.

And mom and dad were always there regardless supporting me, you know, leading me to buying records, you know.

So I as a child was able to collect records little by little.

Jay Jay: It's great to have parents with musical taste, right?

My parents, same thing.

They--I grew up listening to everything.

So I'm very well-versed, and it sounds like you are too.

For me, growing up I used to pretend I was a radio host.

So I was the J-Man Jammer.

"Hey, welcome.

You know, I'm the J-Man Jammer."

How did you come up with Xavier the X-Man?

Xavier: Well, my name is spelled with an X, not with a J.

So Javier is usually said Javier with a J, but it's an X.

And so my mom always pronounced it that way.

So when I got my first radio job, my boss said one day, "Your name doesn't really sound good, just a little bit too ethnic for the audience."

And I was a little offended 'cause I really wanted to just be who I am.

And so a co-worker saw that I was upset about that, and she said, "Why don't you just call yourself Xavier the X-Man?

Your name is spelled with an X, and you could add the X-Man and sound like a superhero."

And so I was like, "Hey, that's a great idea."

And so from having to deal with I got to change my name to changing my name to something that I really, you know, could appreciate and enjoy and keep my real name, it stuck for all those years.

Jay Jay: How did you come up with your radio voice?

Xavier: You know, this is natural.

There's nothing--this is years of practice, years of training.

I really don't think I got a radio voice.

I just--this is me.

When people meet me, they're like, "Hey, you sound like the guy on the radio."

I'm like, "'Cause this is my radio voice.

I don't change anything.

This is it.

This is the real deal."

And so I always want to be real with my audience and I want to be real out there in person.

So, you know, this is who I am and this is my voice.

I'd say radio has always been my teacher, and I'm always thankful for the other radio DJs that have done this--that have inspired me, that I've learned from them by listening to them.

♪♪♪ Jay Jay: So who is Xavier the X-Man outside these four walls?

Xavier: You know what?

Just a dad, a husband, hardworking, who loves to eat.

I like to say I'm a foodie.

I like to eat all kinds of foods.

I'm just a guy who loves to fall in love with music.

I love discovering music.

That's one thing that I love to do on my own, is listening to new artists, listening to the writing skills, hearing the melodies, but also at the same time I like to turn wrenches.

I like to work on my lowrider.

Jay Jay: Speaking of lowriders, Xavier gave me a tour of the station.

Surprisingly, his lowrider was waiting.

We hopped into the front seats to chat about lowriding culture before going on a perfect sunny day cruise.

Jay Jay: Xavier, first time for me in a lowrider.

Thanks for having me in here.

Xavier: What do you think?

Jay Jay: Dude, this is awesome.

This is so you.

Can you talk a little bit about how you got into lowriding?

Xavier: Ever since I was a kid, lowriders were part of my neighborhood growing up.

The first lowrider I saw I was probably 6 years old playing baseball at a ballpark, and I seen this lowrider just cruise by and I instantly fell in love with the way it looked, the style.

It had the paint, the music coming out of the speakers.

Instantly fell in love, and I said, "One day I'm going to have a lowrider of my own."

Jay Jay: Can you talk a little bit about the lowrider scene here in San Diego and just what it's all about?

Xavier: You know, lowriding has been a part of San Diego for a very long time.

They have a place called Highland Boulevard in National City, and they've been cruising that strip for many, many years.

Of course, Chicano Park.

If you look at that park, that's also a part of the lowriding culture here in San Diego.

It's a huge culture here in San Diego, very rich history.

Jay Jay: So I heard there's people trying to ban lowriders in San Diego.

Why is that?

Xavier: It specifically has to do with cruising.

You know, back in the '90s there was a ban on cruising.

And so a lot of the people that used to cruise these cars used to get pulled over.

A lot of times they used to get their cars impounded.

They get tickets.

You know, now we're trying to repeal that law so that people can cruise in peace and enjoy their cars and enjoy their culture-- their car culture in San Diego.

And I'm so glad that you're able to jump in here, and we got to go cruising.

We got to do it.

Jay Jay: Definitely.

I'm excited.

Xavier: Here we go.

Jay Jay: Nice.

I like it.

♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ Jay Jay: You being from the Bay Area and then coming down to San Diego, what's the experience like just seeing the Filipino-American experience through your eyes?

Xavier: You know, I love the community here.

That's been here for generations.

And to be able to see that when-- you know, when I came to San Diego, I was like, "Wow."

You know, being a Filipino Mexican I got the best of both worlds here; and we're talking good food, good cultural celebrations, good representation.

And that makes me feel good to be a part of this community here in San Diego, to see that.

Jay Jay: What are some obstacles that you've had to endure personally or even professionally?

Xavier: I think people that don't look like me or understand where I come from tend to kind of ignore who I am and what I could bring to the table as far as my input in the community.

There's a lot of people that will look at me and see, "Well, he doesn't really fit a mold of a radio DJ or a person that's out in the community."

But when you speak to me and you talk to me, you know, you're able to understand my passion and my love for the community or representing my people.

Those are obstacles that I think people tend to have to deal with on a daily basis, especially when you're a person of color, having to have to share your culture and your upbringing with other people who don't know.

Yeah, there's barriers, but I'm here to break them down so that people like you could continue to do the great work that you do in the showcase art community, you know, whether it be social media or doing your own program on TV.

We're only going to be able to understand different people in different communities with you telling your story or I-- me telling my story and then we'll be able to break down those barriers that people don't understand.

We have a lot to tell people our stories and who we are and how we make up part of the American fabric.

Jay Jay: And when it comes to the radio, what do you see the future of radio as in the coming years?

Xavier: Radio is always evolving.

You know, there's now streaming.

People have their own podcasts.

People are doing their own radio.

The internet has opened the doors for anybody with the dream of being on the radio to have their own show.

And so I think radio continues to evolve.

You could stream, and people could listen to my show.

I get calls from New Mexico and Texas and New York and Chicago and I'm in San Diego because of the internet.

So, you know, radio continues to evolve and, you know, just like any old medium--or older medium it has to evolve in order to continue to grow or to be relevant, and I think that's where radio is at right now.

Jay Jay: What type of advice would you give a person that's aspiring to become a radio host someday?

Xavier: Don't ever give up.

You know, always keep your eye on the prize.

Don't let anybody tell you you can't do it.

I've been told many times in my career that I would never make it on the radio and here I am 23 years in one radio station.

But there's always people that are going to be downing your ability, not believing in who you are and what you could bring to the table.

Believe in yourself and continue to stay focused on what you want to do.

You know, my mom and dad, they never said I was, you know, crazy for thinking that I would want to do this for a living, but here I am, you know.

Thanks to my mom and dad for always supporting me and have--always having that family support, which I think is so important.

♪♪♪ Jay Jay: Well, Xavier, thank you so much for telling us about your story and showing us the studio and letting me in the passenger side even just for a few minutes.

It was a great time talking to you, man, and hopefully we can do this again sometime and go cruising.

Xavier: Thank you.

It's an honor.

I appreciate it.

Thank you so much.

Melissa Mecija: When you look on TV and you see someone that looks like you, you get excited, right?

And growing up, I only remember one newscaster.

Being able to tell stories of people who don't know where to turn, you know, vulnerable communities that have turned to us, that have trusted us to tell their stories, to get their issues out; being able to help them is one of my favorite parts of the job.

Rio Villa Ezell: Being from San Diego, I was thrilled to walk into a news station that I watched on TV since childhood.

I met with an ABC 10 news anchor who tells important stories from her perspective as a Filipino American.

I learned that news anchors like her don't only provide news but also help find solutions for those in need and guide viewers toward clarity when things get cloudy.

Melissa: My name is Melissa Mecija, and I'm a anchoring reporter here at ABC 10.

I grew up in Southern California.

My parents were born in the Philippines.

They moved here, and then I've been here in San Diego for 13 years now.

And how I got into news, I think it honestly came from-- my interest came from my dad.

So as young as I can remember, my dad always-- he read the newspaper every day.

On the way to school, we would listen to news radio all the time and then we would always watch the news in the evening.

So I think my interest in news came from my dad.

Rio: When you were growing up and getting interested in the news, did you see a lot of Filipino-American newscasters or was it very diverse?

Melissa: No.

I remember growing up one; and I think that was also the challenge in trying to navigate this industry early on, is when you look on TV and you see someone that looks like you you get excited, right?

And growing up I only remember one newscaster.

As time went on, there's more of a presence.

There's more of an AAPI presence.

There's more of a Filipino presence, which I also think is important here in San Diego.

Rio: What are your favorite stories to tell on the news?

Melissa: It's so hard to narrow it down to just one.

I would say some of my favorite stories are when I get to help people and it gets a result.

So I've done stories where I've been able to get people their money back, get their products fixed.

I'm working on one now that hopefully my interview will help push legislation forward.

So whenever there is a result that is so gratifying to me and being able to tell stories of people who don't know where to turn, you know, vulnerable communities that have turned to us, that have trusted us to tell their stories, to get their issues out.

Being able to help them is one of my favorite parts of the job.

Rio: So you telling these stories helps a lot of people out directly by just bringing awareness?

Melissa: At minimum I think it brings awareness to an issue.

Best-case scenario, I'm able to help somebody get a result.

Rio: Wow, that's amazing.

What is one of the coolest stories that you were able to help with by doing that kind of investigation?

Melissa: Lately I've been doing a lot of stories about elderly people getting scammed in various different ways, and unfortunately it hit so many people.

There are so many scams there.

You see the people that I've interviewed, a lot of them are retired.

They've worked their entire lives to save this money, to build a nest egg to enjoy their lives; and I've interviewed several people for various stories who have lost their life savings.

So bringing awareness to the issue so that maybe other people won't fall victim, that I find gratifying.

Rio: As a Filipino-American news anchor, are you able to highlight Asian American Pacific Islander stories?

Melissa: Yes, yeah.

I think I'm fortunate that I work for a station that really values telling stories for all different communities, and I think that being a Filipino-American you understand some of the stories that you tell and you want these stories to be told.

So fortunately I've been able to tell stories from, you know, the World War II veterans from the Philippines that were not recognized by the American government.

That was one that I did recently that--you know, that had an impact on me because you realize looking back in history some of the injustice that our relatives faced when dealing and--or coming to America.

So I've been fortunate that our station really does value diversity and values telling stories from all different perspectives.

Rio: How do you read the prompter and keep up with it as it's rolling?

Melissa: So we have a floor director, who you met.

You see the prompter and I want to adlib something, then he'll pause it.

We've worked with each other for a really long time.

I think we can kind of--we have a little bit of a sense of what he knows I'm going to do.

Rio: Yeah, so he goes off of your cues?

Melissa: Correct, yeah.

Rio: Okay, can we have you do a little bit of prompter reading for us?

Melissa: Is there something that--yeah.

Here at home the Palm Avenue overcrossing bridge is getting $24 million to make improvements.

It's part of President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

Deputy Federal Highway Administrator Andrew Rogers was in San Diego this morning.

You see the video there.

He was highlighting the funding.

Rio: Awesome.

Melissa: You can read the second half.

Rio: Okay, will do.

Go slow for me, okay?

All right, the Biden administration's investing in America plan brings nearly $300 million in funding for nine projects, including the one in San Diego.

Over 4,600 bridge repairs or replacement projects are already underway.

Ooh, that was like a-- that was so hard.

Rio: And besides telling other people's stories, how often do you get to tell like your own personal stories?

This is the first time you kind of getting to get interviewed.

Melissa: This is a little nerve-wracking being on the flip side of it.

I'm so used to asking the questions so having to talk about myself is a little weird, but you're doing a great job and making me feel comfortable.

So thank you.

Rio: What do you think is like the future of the news with a lot of people getting their news on social media?

Like what do you think is going to happen with like news stations like this?

Melissa: I wish I had the answer.

I wish I could look into a crystal ball and figure that out.

What I feel like I can say is that there's always going to be value in news, especially local news.

Local news is a lot different, I believe, than you have your cable news.

The--all my coworkers, the reporters, anchors, we all live in the community here and we want the best for our community.

We report on the community, and without local news there's no one to tell the good stories, the bad stories.

There's no one to hold people accountable.

So I do feel news is not going to go away.

Now, how it's going to be told, I think there's going to be some adjustment.

You're--you know, you're right.

A lot of people get their news from social media, from online, but I also think it's important that people get accurate news.

There's a lot of misinformation, disinformation that gets posted online and I think it's important to still have journalists who know how to fact-check, who know how to make sure to get both sides of a story.

So I think the value in journalists, that's always going to be needed.

The value in local news--we're always going to need local news.

I do think there's going to be more influence, of course, on digital, and we-- our station is continuing to try to evolve with that.

Rio: We leave the studio so that important news can get delivered while Melissa gives me a tour, and we continue our conversation about what drives her.

Rio: So who are you outside of the newsroom?

Melissa: Outside of the newsroom I'm a mom, I'm a wife, I'm a sister.

I love my family.

I love spending time with my family.

My three kids, they're growing up really fast so I want to be able to soak in all the moments with them.

And also my parents don't live too far.

They fortunately help us a lot with the babysitting.

All of our parents do.

I am a family person.

I try to spend as much time with my family as I can.

When I finally decided this was something that I wanted to go into, my parents although they didn't know a lot about the industry in the beginning they're very supportive.

I remember when I first moved to the Imperial Valley, we took the I-8 East and at that time it was snowing on the freeway.

I think my mom was a little nervous about dropping her oldest child off to this town, that--to small town.

Didn't really know where-- you know, what was going to happen.

They are my biggest champions and really I credit them for everything.

Rio: What kind of advice would you offer someone who wants to go into a field that maybe their parents don't know much about kind of like yours?

Melissa: I always think that you should be honest.

You know, be honest about what it is that you want to do and have open conversations.

This is--it's your journey.

But of course everyone wants their family to be supportive of it.

So I think just open those conversations early.

Sometimes conversations are difficult and maybe not always easy, but I think it's better to have those talks than to not.

Rio: And maybe like involving our parents in the process and just letting them know like, "This is what I love.

This is what I do."

And not like keeping them out of it.

'Cause I think that's kind of what scares them, is like not knowing what their child is getting into where they're very like protective often.

Melissa: Oh, yeah.

I--they're very protective, especially Filipino parents, right?

Very protective.

And they just want the best for their kids, which I totally understand.

You just want your kids to be okay, you want your kids to be safe, but you also want your kids to be happy.

Rio: Are they super proud to see their daughter on TV?

Melissa: Yeah, it's funny every once in a while my dad will say, "Oh, my friend saw you on TV."

And I know they're proud of all of their kids.

I ask my mom, "How did I do?"

And every once in a while, "Oh, you should wear a necklace next time."

But they are great.

They're my biggest supporters, and I love them.

Rio: So as someone who's on the news and also as a mom and someone who helps people kind of understand the world, what are your hopes for the world and the place that your children are going to, you know, be a part of?

Melissa: Unfortunately, the way things are it's very polarizing sometimes and I would hope that people are able to have civil debates, be able to talk about different viewpoints because I think differing opinions is important because you bring in all sorts of ideas from different communities, all sorts of thoughts from different people.

And I want my kids to be able to also understand, "Hey, you know what?

Not everyone is going to agree with you all the time, but you as a person should also be able to talk to someone respectfully, be able to listen and be able to have engaging conversations.

It's sad to me sometimes when I see such anger and-- you know, not that there aren't things to be angry about, but I would hope that we start finding a way where we can come up with solutions.

Rio: You are someone who is helping guide those conversations, and I just feel really honored to have been able to talk to you.

Rio: Thank you for showing us your space and for telling our stories.

I just--I really appreciate what you do and you being on TV and representing us and just being a really important part of San Diego.

Melissa: Thank you.

I believe representation matters in all aspects of news.

Jay Jay: This lowrider right here, something to be proud of.

How many have you had in total?

Xavier: Three.

So this is my third one, yeah.

Jay Jay: Maybe future plans for more?

Xavier: Talk to the wife.

Jay Jay: That's a good one.

Great answer.

Rio: Well, I think we're camera-ready.

Do you think I look okay to be on?

Melissa: You do.

It's good, bright colors.

♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ female announcer: Support for this program comes from the KPBS Explore Local Content fund, supporting new ideas and programs for San Diego.