Safe Passage | Camino Seguro

Seventeen-year-old Junior Perez, known as “Rolling Stone” at Camino Seguro, is a guitar enthusiast whose skill lives up to his rock-and-roll name. Less than one year ago, he began learning guitar at church, and since then, he has spent countless hours practicing in his free time. His days are full between attending Safe Passage in the morning, school in the afternoon, and church in the evening, but he has a guitar at home now with which he can practice after church. He takes guitar lessons at Safe Passage from volunteers and teachers who are impressed by his obvious musical talent.

Junior originally started playing guitar as a way of expressing himself and a way of bettering himself. He plays with a group in church that includes a bassist, a keyboard player, and a congo drum player. You can often hear him playing out in the Peace Garden at the Educational Reinforcement Center after he has finished his homework.

Sometimes he sings along to his own playing, but for Rolling Stone, “it is more about playing an instrument.” When he does sing along, it is in Spanish, but Junior says he would like to improve his English so that one day he can sing in English as well. Right now, his favorite song to play is a rock song called “Miedo” by the Mexican group Sevna. In general, though, his favorite genre to play on guitar is flattering romantic songs. He says he would like to learn how to play Jazz and Country music next.

Junior is still in high school, but after graduation he plans to go to university to study small business management like his father, who owns a shop where he sells plastics recycled from the garbage dump. Right now, Junior would also like to study to be a teacher. Junior is also considering applying to the National Conservatory to study music. Safe Passage, for him, is a place to learn, to practice playing music, and to find ways that his education and natural talent can open doors to the future.