Christian Solorzano [00:01]

Hello, you are listening to Underscore, a show by the Chicago Graphic Design Club. I am your host, Christian Solorzano, and on today's episode I will be speaking with JJ, a designer, a recent graduate of Columbia College and their graphic design program, and most recently he's also joined the Chicago Graphic Design Club team. Where he's going to be assisting in developing social media content. And one of the things that really inspires me about JJ is his ability to connect with people in real life.

And the first time that I met JJ, which was earlier this year, the impression that he made was a very warm and welcoming impression. So if you come to our in-person events, you'll definitely find him there documenting the people that come. So definitely come check that out. And in this episode, JJ is going to be walking us through his transition from student to professional. And today he's a graphic designer at a church here in the city.

So if you've ever been curious about what goes into designing for a church, He's going to be talking to us about that. We're also going to get a little bit vulnerable in this conversation. He's going to be sharing his origin story and everything that has happened to him, or that he felt comfortable sharing, that's happened to him that has made him the person that he is today.

And I think in design, it's so important to go beneath the surface to scratch the surface to really understand the things that make up the people that we become. And for JJ, connection and creative— creating spaces of belonging definitely mean a lot to him. And we're also going to talk about stillness and this notion of presence of mind and the ways that JJ cultivates that in this world. Where it's so fast, everything is just thrown at you, and it's so busy and chaotic.

So it's a great conversation both for younger designers that are just coming up and entering this industry, and then also for more seasoned designers. It's a good opportunity to get insight into how a new generation of designers are thinking and perceiving the world so great conversation as usual. Thank you so much for tuning in. If you enjoy conversations like this, I would appreciate a subscribe or a like or a rating, whatever you want to do to this podcast. It helps us expand our reach.

So thank you and enjoy the conversation. Good evening, JJ. How's it going?

JJ Salgado [03:07]

Good evening, Christian. It's going good. I'm excited.

Christian Solorzano [03:10]

So we're recording this right now. It is 5:37. If people are watching, it looks like it's midnight where we're at. And we just, we recently had daylight savings, like we, the hour changed. So how do you, how do you feel about the daylight savings? And does the how do you feel about winter in general and just darkness?

JJ Salgado [03:36]

Bro, well, you said winter. That's one question. I love the winter. I just love— we're in Chicago, we're in the Midwest. So if that gust of wind in the morning is hitting me in the face, that's my coffee.

Christian Solorzano [03:50]

Really?

JJ Salgado [03:51]

That's what wakes me up and I enjoy it. And I purposely don't wear a beanie or a hat. It's like I got to be out there and just feel it. But the darkness, I like it. I think I take more walks in the darkness and that sounds kind of like mysterious and weird, but late at night when I wind down, because I have a wind-down hour, if I'm not watching a show to wind down, I go outside and I just walk the neighborhood.

That's the usual thing to do in the dark.

Christian Solorzano [04:22]

So when you're walking in the dark, are you listening to anything or what's— Or just in silence.

JJ Salgado [04:27]

I've been, I've been trying to not wear headphones, and that's something that was very hard for me 2 years ago because I, I'm a runner, so I feel like every runner has headphones in. But one of my buddies actually told me to not wear them for just for running's sake, because when you're running, you have to track your heart, you have to hear your breathing. So it actually is better if you don't wear headphones.

And I tried it for that reason, but I ended up loving it for other reasons. I ended up loving it because I hear sounds, and I think we live in a world where too many people wear headphones and they forget about sounds around them. I live in the Wicker Park area, and I feel like it's always hustle and bustle.

If you're not walking past a bar and hearing like music, you're walking in on Milwaukee Avenue and there are a lot of people and you hear, someone on a trumpet. And you hear like that truck with that needs its due a change of brakes. And like you hear all those squeaks and those. So I've learned that running and walking without headphones just brings you back to the real world. So I try not to wear headphones. So it is just silence. Yes, that's my answer.

Christian Solorzano [05:38]

There's so much. I feel like every place has its own like sonic DNA. And like Wicker Park or like any densely populated place, there is like an audible identity that it carries. I live across the street from a school. So like in the mornings, like it's always children and like buses. And there's like some— like whenever I travel somewhere and I like come back, like that sound makes me feel like I'm at home. So.

JJ Salgado [06:15]

Yeah, I was— I don't want to call out where you live, but I was in your neighborhood last week. And I think somewhere down the line, and by down the line, I mean like maybe 5 to 8 years, I want to go back to that type of environment where it's like city and suburb meshed into one.

And your place has it. I know Evanston is kind of like one of those Suburb city type places. So I love, I love Wicker Park right now and I'm happy with it, but I can see myself moving out there someday.

Christian Solorzano [06:49]

And it's Oak Park. I don't mind if you share where I'm— Okay. Yeah, there's one of the recent episodes that I recorded was with someone, another designer that lives in Oak Park. So we talked a lot about Oak Park.

JJ Salgado [07:03]

Actually, I know exactly what designer you're talking about because he's a mentor of mine and I love him.

Christian Solorzano [07:08]

Yeah, you wouldn't— yeah, you would know him.

JJ Salgado [07:10]

Yeah, Dave Pabellon. Yeah, genius.

Christian Solorzano [07:12]

So let's talk about JJ. So I first came into contact with you in person earlier this year. Yeah, it was— you came to one of our early cold style events and we talked, but then you also mentioned that you were at one of— you were at the Chicago Design Archive talks like a few years ago as well.

JJ Salgado [07:41]

Oh yeah, I would— I was Chicago— yeah, Graphic Design Archive Past, Present, or Past, Present, and Future, correct? And Carlos Segura was there. Were you there?

Christian Solorzano [07:53]

I was there.

JJ Salgado [07:54]

Oh wow. Yeah, several people were there. I was there. My good friend Amira Hegazy was there. Yeah. And yeah, just a lot of people I look up to and new names as well. So yeah, I remember that I was still in my undergrad, being one of my first few moments where I realized I need to be around designers more because this is where it's at. My— I loved it when they were speaking.

I was blown away a few times, but the true memories there were when I, you walked out to get a drink and oh my goodness, I'm standing next to Carlos Segura. He doesn't really care that I'm here, but it's just a normal conversation. So.

Christian Solorzano [08:34]

Yeah. So we met earlier this year and then your face, kept showing up. I went to your show when you graduated at Columbia College and you like, I saw your work and then you also walked us through some of the extra work that you did for that event, which was designing the space for the fashion program.

JJ Salgado [08:57]

Yeah, it was the fine art, yeah, the fashion had an exhibition, but also like a runway. And me and a team of designers, I'll shout them out, India Roberts, Gracie Bloom, and Liz Czech, got together and we designed the entire space. We designed these pillars, we designed a wall full of sketches from these fashion designers. And then we had this huge runway, which— Weren't a part of, but still kind of were there to get inspiration.

Christian Solorzano [09:31]

Yeah. And then you graduate and then you get invited to join the Chicago Graphic Design Club team. So you're like officially the newest team member on our team. And for people that are listening that haven't had a chance to meet you in person, they'll see you at our in-person events. And most recently, you did really fun Instagram social media content for us.

JJ Salgado [10:01]

Yeah, it's crazy how fast— it's crazy that you said it was this year. I feel like it was last year that we might have bumped into each other. But anyways, time is going by fast. Yeah. And the relationships— first off, thank you for throwing me in there because I think the first thing you threw me into were really got me a good feel for the people who are also on the team, Jeff, Alexis, Cheryl, and only the only one I kind of knew of is Sean.

And we had mutual friends, but getting to know them was like, whoa, like the whole team really excited me. And then when you invited me, it was even more honorable and just super humbling and really grateful for that.

Christian Solorzano [10:43]

Yeah. Thank you for joining. So can we talk about your— you have this, and one of the things that I, that I really appreciate about you is that you have this like very energetic, enthusiastic, positive, like just this outgoing vibe about you. And I wanna know where it comes from.

JJ Salgado [11:04]

Yeah, I think, I think that so many things that we experience in life develop us to be the people we are. But if you want the short answer, it's I just love people. I have this huge passion for people.

And one of the reasons I even decided to join the club, why I even didn't have to consider or second guess or think about it, was when I'm in a space with people that are so abnormal and so not what I'm used to, I get excited at any social event.

If I'm at a social event where there are different types of people, I think I told you this the first— I told you this a few weeks back, but my first experience with the Chicago Graphic Design Club, I got into a room and I saw a diverse amount of people. I walked in, there's like some old guy with a scarf indoors, and then I saw this girl like short hair and like a really crop top.

And there's this dude who like had a bicycle helmet on and like a dog shirt. And I'm like, this is the space I want to be in. I want to be in the space where people are oddballs because that's just truly where I feel I came from. Because in high school, it's funny, I don't really think I don't really think I have a childhood best friend or anyone I really was close to. The entirety of my childhood.

In my teenage years, I was kind of like the guy who didn't want to stay in one clique and always find themselves in like the athletic group and oh yeah, every now and then. But I also grew up as a performing artist, so I was in the performing arts group. I was hanging out with the orchestra, the band kids, and the theater kids. So I think it just stems from my love for people. I want to be everywhere.

Christian Solorzano [12:51]

Yeah. So how does— so what made you go into design? What was the push that made you want to pursue this? Because you seem to be like, I feel like you're relatively young. You're a Gen Z. Is that the correct—

JJ Salgado [13:07]

Yeah, I am Gen Z.

Christian Solorzano [13:09]

You're like Gen Z. You grew up in the internet era and you're and I'm just like interested to hear how you got into graphic design and, you yeah, just, I want to hear that story.

JJ Salgado [13:25]

Yeah, I think it— well, one, it starts with I grew up in the church. And while I grew up in the church, it's funny, I always say that when I was a kid and I grew up in the church and there were certain things being designed, I couldn't articulate it, but I just knew that it was hideous. It was laughable. It was laughable and really bad.

Christian Solorzano [13:51]

So I remember that you can articulate it. Maybe what was hideous about it?

JJ Salgado [13:57]

What was hideous about it was there are definitely like more than type, then more than 5 typefaces on one screen. Images are not fully, the best rendered or, churches love gradients. They'll just put a gradient on anything. And I love a good gradient, don't get me wrong, but sometimes it's overused. So just little things like that. The layout's funky, hierarchy isn't there, or like they love to stretch out words.

But I— when done well, I think stretching out words works, but I definitely don't think this was purposeful or intentionally done well. So I couldn't articulate it when I was a kid, but I just remember growing up and thinking, this is laughable.

And then I remember I went to like a higher level church with like a much bigger congregation and I'll never forget, I saw the— they had a media team. So I saw like the level of grandness where I— my mind instantly knew where I'm like, whoa, this is good design. I didn't know what it was, but this is what it is. And fast forward to how I actually started doing it, because I feel like the early part of my life, I was a performing artist.

I was doing theater, I was doing— I was playing the violin and the viola. And it wasn't until I got to high school that I took my very first visual communication course. So I was very interested in it. I grew up in a blue-collar family, and the blue-collar family I grew up in does commercial painting.

So I— my first experience with drawing or ever like just using my hands in any form of visual communication was when my grandfather and my uncle would go out to these enormous houses, right, to go paint. And they would leave blank walls for me to fill in. So I had all the canvas in the world to just paint or draw because eventually they'd paint over it.

And it's just funny, I grew up in a blue-collar family that, oddly enough, really supported me and didn't want that lifestyle for me. So when I got to high school and I'm like, I'm experimenting with visual communication, I like it. The one thing that I didn't know was that I already was practicing it in high school. In high school, I was Twitter fingers. I was on Twitter heavily and I was editing photos, so I was warping them really badly purposefully and making memes.

I had a meme account on Twitter.

It had a pretty big following. And eventually— this is a different story, but I got banned and I just said some really harsh things. But I remember my very first experiences with editing photos and editing type and making these memes, which is— you brought it up, me being a Gen Z kid, was being on social media and like those skills that I was acquiring in my visual communication course in high school, I was utilizing to post every day on Twitter and really more than every day.

I was posting every hour like I was that annoying guy when you were doing this. I was, excuse me, 16 years old.

Christian Solorzano [17:03]

And can you tell us what Twitter fingers was?

JJ Salgado [17:07]

Yeah. So I was actually getting to it, but Twitter fingers, I would say, is you and I are talking right now, Christian, and I would have my phone underneath me and I'm texting about this conversation and I'm tweeting it like I'm tweeting how much I love this conversation while I'm talking to you. Or I've had the thing where I was in bed and I forgot to tweet that day and I would get up, grab my phone and tweet anything.

A lot of it was just really goofy satire things. Yeah. But I got my photo editing and design skills to kind of post and pump some good, some good content that people would click likes on and retweet. But I would say my early stages of designing anything— this is so goofy, but it was on Twitter.

I was just a Twitter kid who liked tweeting stuff, and half the things he tweeted are not appropriate and I don't want to share, but it just— I love being on Twitter. And it's so funny how I was utilizing this to kind of push out content, but eventually that's how it started.

Christian Solorzano [18:07]

Yeah, that's funny. Yeah, the internet, for me, it wasn't Twitter, but it was MySpace. And MySpace was like my— I mean, I wasn't waking up in the middle of the night to like make art, but I remember I would get so obsessed about like customizing your MySpace page and there's like early HTML and you can have a song play when you visit us. Someone's profile. And I think for a lot of designers, that sparked an interest in making things.

And then, and then going back to those, church designs that you consider to be hideous, I recently got a little— I get these things in the mail sometimes where it's like a church wanting me to join them.

And I, and I usually just, throw them out, but I kept this one because it's so bad, but it's so bad that it looks like it was made— it looks like it was hard to make that bad. Yeah. They try, went out of their way to make decisions that would make it be very bad, that it's kind of good. And I had— and I kept it and it's like downstairs, like with all my design books. It's like—

JJ Salgado [19:18]

Oh my goodness. No, I, I've done my homework. And I know a few of the creative directors around the city at different churches. I've gone around and just visited churches. I'm telling you, from a grander mega-scale church size like Willow Creek that has thousands of people on a Sunday, and also the church that averages a span of maybe 50 people.

And it's so crazy how sometimes all it takes is someone in that 50-person congregation that actually is somewhat interested in aesthetics to make something nicer than a megachurch would. So I— it's funny. Yeah, a lot of the church is built on volunteers. So people who aren't getting paid. And I think it's just any random Jim who wants to, make something. I'm really curious to see what that looks like. But I've seen a lot of bad church design in my life.

And it's funny how now I'm doing, I'm doing the church design and I've been doing it for some time, but I definitely surround myself around a community where there are church creatives that are trying to elevate it and actually, which is a really small percentage if I'm being completely honest with you. I would say 20 of the 100% of Christian creatives could do a lot better. But that's just because a lot of them aren't getting paid for it.

So if you are, you have the time to actually think. And explore. But I've been exposed to too much bad design that now I'm surrounded by a lot of good design.

Christian Solorzano [20:52]

So that's your call to action for all church designers is do a better job.

JJ Salgado [20:58]

Yeah. No, seriously, actually it is. But with love too. I think, I think it also a big part of why I'm doing it too is like my job requires that I'm empowering and also helping other young designers or aspiring designers who are part of churches that, or maybe students or maybe like the pattern I see are a lot of illustrators who attend church or like interested in designing stuff, and I'm all for it.

So we have an in-house freelance designer here who, who's a tattoo artist, a pretty well-known one here in Chicago. And she picked up graphic design in the past year and has been absolutely killing it. So I think, I think a better way of approaching elevating church design is not, hey, let's hire more people, but hey, let's get, let's hire people and then let's teach people so that the church who doesn't have someone who's on staff can just have, someone who knows basic design.

Christian Solorzano [21:58]

Yeah. So yeah, that makes sense. So with, so one of the things that I've learned about you is one, community is very important to you. And when you were in college, you were, you were very involved beyond the— beyond your expectations. I feel like as a, someone that teaches, I always find it really fascinating how that, designers— there, there's, students that are, there to do the homework and to, meet their requirements.

And then there's the students that are, a little bit insane and just, want to do the extra stuff.

And I'm always obviously like very impressed with the students that are always just like annoying, annoyingly wanting to just do more and just, they're just, they're passionate and it's like, it's to me, it's so inspiring. And then eventually, as years go on, you see what they're up to and you're like, oh man, like I knew that they were going to do something great because you could just tell. So.

JJ Salgado [22:58]

Oh man.

Christian Solorzano [23:00]

In your case, like given that you and I have some mutuals, like we both know Sean, we both know Robert, who's been on this podcast as well. So like just to shout out a few of our mutuals that have been on this show, there's Sean, who was on the show, Robert, Rob Robbins, Dave recently. And then Guy also. And I mean, I'm curious about like men and Amira as well.

So talk to us about mentorship, because I feel like you're— even though you're young and you're Gen Z, I feel like you have, even in some of the exchanges that we have with the Chicago Graphic Design Club team, you have this mentor-like quality about you that is encouraging and that is—

JJ Salgado [23:51]

Thank you.

Christian Solorzano [23:53]

That's just encouraging and aspirational. So can you talk us through maybe some of the lessons that you've learned from some of the names that I've listed, or just in general, maybe not those, just, I'm curious about what have been some key lessons that you feel like would go a long way in helping a listener that maybe is a freshman in college?

JJ Salgado [24:16]

Yeah, I mean, there's so much there because all the people you just named have taught me so much. Like Robert Robbins, the creative director of City Church, has taught me to endure hardship. Like he's seen me through hard times and I call him a brother and he's seen me completely break down and cry on the spot 'cause I'm an emotional person. And has looked at me, kind of giggled and been like, pick your head up. Like you'll be fine. And giving me, best word he can.

Amira Hegazy got me to stay into design because I wanted to switch to illustration, and in the middle of college years, and she had lunch with me and was like, JJ, I'm gonna be completely honest with you. I've seen your illustration. Because I actually would bring a sketchpad to her class and I would draw either her or I would draw the room in perspective.

It just I always needed a Micron pen in my hand and a sketchbook. So she noticed, but I paid attention and she loved that about me. I always made really close eye contact to her. It almost kind of freaked her out. And then Amira convinced me and told me, hey, I love that you want to pursue illustration now, but I think your illustrations are so solidified that you should just continue to design and make yourself a more diverse artist.

And to hear that from someone I love and I call a hero, Made me keep going, but also pursue something I was uncomfortable in. So Amira taught me to be uncomfortable, similar to Robert. Dave Pabellon just taught me a lot of the basics of design, but also, I think of him like the Dr. Reeds of design, of the people I know. He's like a Marvel character. He's so genius. I love him so much.

Guy just told me to— Guy kind of just taught me to be myself because Guy is totally himself. And he'll flip you off and he'll cuss in class. But what I love about Guy is that seemingly unnaturally, he's taught me to just be myself in class. And I've been able to break out of my shell.

Because when you're in a group of designers, you almost kind of want to put on a front because you know that you'll be judged or you know that somewhere in your core, and this is not like the great I don't like this, but in design school you're taught that everyone you're around is your competitor, which truthfully— but I've learned to flip that switch and be like, you know what? Yes, everyone here is also looking for a job and, also in the field.

But if I can make the person next to me my friend, how much better would that be? And how much more could I learn? How much more could we do things together? So Guy taught me to be myself in those type of situations. In a group of designers, I've been able to break out of my shell, just be myself.

So there's just too many lessons. But yeah, I think, I think for me, just mentorship is so important. I haven't really gotten to talk too much about my childhood around with you, but I don't have a mom or a dad, and that impacted me all my life. And I'll admit that even today it still does. I don't celebrate Mother's or Father's Day. It's actually the one time or the 2 times of the year I don't like to go to church.

It's a, it's a time I just don't want to be around anyone. And it's very difficult to reach out to me. And I'm just a lot quieter because I'm just, I'm just kind of mourning it. I never really knew what it felt like to have a mom or dad. But in the best of ways, I think that all was purposeful.

And I think God kind of placed that in my life so I could learn the absence of a parent while also welcoming people in my life that could teach me things. I grew up seeking a parent. As kind of dark as that sounds, I grew up seeking someone who could fill that gap in my life. So I got to college, and you'll find out more about me as time goes on, but I admire my mentors and my teachers so much.

Oddly enough, and they all will tell you how much I admire them. Guy is one of those mentors of mine who's like, get away from me, you kind of know me too much. But I just always want to know more. And I think if you don't acknowledge your lack of wisdom or knowledge, you're in a really bad spot. So I think that's been on my mind lately. I've just been trying to, admit that I don't know anything. Yeah, very little. Yeah.

Christian Solorzano [28:52]

I grew up without a dad, and I feel like I've also I'm like always searching for a dad throughout my life. So I can like relate to like searching for like this figure that like you just never had. And so I understand where you're coming from.

JJ Salgado [29:11]

Yeah, totally. And definitely my faith has helped a lot in that. So I like my relationship with God has definitely filled that gap, but it still doesn't remove the fact that I didn't have someone on Father's Day. It still doesn't, remove the fact that I don't know much about cars. I don't know. I don't know. I only know how to change the oil. And recently—

Christian Solorzano [29:36]

That's a big thing that you know how to change the oil. I don't know how to change the oil. I know how to change a radiator because I had to do it once.

JJ Salgado [29:42]

Okay. So I know how to change the oil and I know how to change a tire and that's it. And after that, you lost me. So it's just, it's unfortunate. I didn't— I wasn't— so I did like sports at one point, but, I feel like people who have dads in their life kind of go into that direction, and I never really was a big sporty kid. I ended up again finding myself in the performing art and the visual art world.

So yeah, I totally get what you mean. I think even today I still feel it, but I try to be grateful that there actually are people in your— in our lives, I'm sure you can resonate to, that you could maybe somewhat call dad.

Christian Solorzano [30:24]

Yeah, definitely. I want to spend— since we're getting a little vulnerable, I feel like the world is obviously a very crazy— we're in a crazy moment right now. And I try to be very understanding of what younger people are going through. Especially graduating and entering a job market that is constantly changing and is being threatened with AI. And just there's so much ambiguity and difficulty today for young designers or just young professionals in general.

So from your point of view, given that you went to school, you spent years in college, and you were working alongside other people, other peers, what do you feel is like the most, like one of the biggest obstacles right now that is like facing, that like the youth is facing? And yeah, I just, I just want to, I want to hear from someone that's—

JJ Salgado [31:26]

Yeah, I definitely, that's so good. I love that you're starting this conversation because I'm the, I'm like one of the youngest people in the office easily by a stretch. I think it throws people off, but I feel for all my peers because I think, and this is just a fact, there's more distractions than there ever was.

And I think, and not to say I don't get distracted, I get distracted a lot. I get distracted at work. I, I'm known notoriously for getting up and wanting to talk to someone when I shouldn't be. I should just sit down and be working. So I more so think it's— we talked about it and it just, it's a given, but social media is just super big now.

It's different when like you find that interest in social media and you completely take over it and you let your craft be exposed or whatever you're passionate about. But aside from that, as a young adult, as a— yeah, as a 20-year-old, there's so many more things you want to be doing right now than— we'll speak on designers, right? 20-year-old.

Designers. Why not? Why wouldn't I want to be elsewhere? Why wouldn't I want to be somewhere that's more secure? Right? You said you talked about the job market. I know I could get a job at Starbucks, so why shouldn't I go do that? And I'm not calling it a distraction, but I, I'm just validating the young youth of designers who want to go the safe route.

I took a big sacrifice after college and I decided I'm going for unemployment. I, I'm just gonna look for a job and I'm gonna land one.

I had full— I had people around me to really help me through that, but it was a total of maybe 3, 4 months of not having any stable work cuz I freelanced, but I didn't have a full-time job. And ultimately I had not only my family invest in me, but I had a lot of friends who trusted and were like, JJ, you're looking and we trust that you're betting on yourself. So there's one thing that a lot of youth, I think, lack a little bit sometimes.

And I see it and I'm speaking for the peers I know who are so mega talented and aren't willing to bet on themselves. Yeah, it breaks my heart. And aside from distraction, because there is so much distraction, right? There's so much comparison. Like all you see in college is not only you comparing yourself to your peer at your right and your left, but you're going online on Instagram and you're like, oh man, I don't compare to this. Yeah, do this.

And I almost love like a philosophy that you kind of shared with me while we were on a phone call about designing something. And you were like, how about you just don't look at inspiration?

Christian Solorzano [34:11]

Yeah.

JJ Salgado [34:12]

And why don't you just design something that is either has been on your mind or that is around you and just like allow this project to just be completely you. So I think right now the youth is really battling with a lot of distraction and unfortunately just lack of self-belief. And I struggle with that. And I think it's a little easier to struggle with it in today's day and age because who doesn't compare themselves?

Christian Solorzano [34:41]

Yeah.

JJ Salgado [34:41]

So I'd say those 2 are big.

Christian Solorzano [34:44]

Yeah, there is definitely a big— I feel like the mind and like just our attention has become like a type of economy where there's, I mean, I'm not making this up. Like this is, so many people are saying this, that there's so much stuff every single day that's like fighting for our attention.

And it's not only that, but also I think as a designer, like we wanna stay up to date with everything. So we feel like obligated to, keep the feed on all day and just see what's going on. Because it also feels like it's so easy to just like fall behind what's happening. Yeah, so it's difficult. And I, and I like, I'm trying to understand like, what's the one thing that like you talked about, like believing in yourself? What do you, what, how do you cultivate that?

What's the thing to because even not just for younger people, but for everyone of all ages, I feel like there's just this perpetual sense of feeling like there's— like we're either comparing ourselves or there feels like there's something missing or like just this angst that is just always there and it never goes away. So what's your— like, how do you deal with it?

JJ Salgado [36:10]

Yeah, I think we touched on it earlier, but the first step to when— whenever you do feel like you don't have that self-confidence is right admitting it and then just talking about it. So mentorship, I think people overcomplicate it. I think people have— feel like they have to email someone and it's like, hey, can you take me under your— can you have your intern and can you mentor me?

I think your mentor could be the guy across the street that— yeah, in the work field a little longer than you have. And as long as you're around them, they're gonna share a tip or two. But I think, again, I revolve myself around people that have done it for so long.

And I see a sense of stillness and peace in their life that encourages me to keep going. At the source of it, I also, for me, right, my relationship with God has helped me a lot. So just, we've talked about faith before, you and I, but that has helped me stay at peace and in stillness.

And ultimately, a part of my faith helps me whenever I genuinely feel like I don't have the ability to do something because I can just fall back on that and be like, all right, well, yeah. Part of my faith is having hope, right? In the future, I'll have what I need. And I'm just so hopeful. I always remain with that hope and that joy. And if I know it's going to come already, then I just have a smile on my face.

I'm not saying to pretend that you're not going through something, but I had many times, like we mentioned a few of the names on the podcast, they've all seen me through rough times. So I kept them close, whether they knew it or not. They were a phone call away, a text. Message away and they were there to pick me up. So it's not a bad thing to feel a lack of confidence. It is when you sit still and you don't do anything about it.

But I think that's the little trampoline to get you to move and talk. So I just would encourage anyone who's losing confidence to talk about it and allow someone to process that with you so that they could put a mirror in your face and be like, here are the many reasons why you're amazing and why I think you're underselling yourself.

Christian Solorzano [38:35]

And there is a sense of like solidarity that comes with having people to share those experiences with. And even if there's no solution that's being searched, there is an advantage to just being able to like talk about it and just like commiserate and realize that like, yeah, like emails suck or—

Or like the client making changes at like the last minute. Just acknowledging that this is like a universal feeling that like we all go through, I find to be very beneficial, especially when you hear from like people that have been doing it for decades and like you hear them go through the same struggles. That like you're going through and you realize that like it just, it never ends, but you just get comfortable or you just accept it and you just you just keep going.

I've had some, I've had like mentors of mine that are like well into like decades into their practice and they tell me stuff that sometimes surprises me. I'm like, come on, you're like, suppose you're like, I had one person and I won't say who, but like they'll ask me questions about like, InDesign. And I'll be like, you're asking me a question about InDesign?

JJ Salgado [39:49]

Yeah.

Christian Solorzano [39:52]

And it's nice because, and then, I'll ask them questions about something else. So I think just acknowledging that no one has it figured out is such a— it's so— it's such a relief to take that pressure off your shoulder of needing to be at a certain level to finally feel like you've made it because. Yeah.

JJ Salgado [40:14]

Yeah, it just— we all, no matter how much wisdom we think we have, there's just some mysteries in this world that we'll never be able to solve.

And it's funny, I think since joining the club and being asked to be a member, I've had the most sense of peace with my design and my process and the feelings and emotions I go through when designing or just working with clients because, well, the group chat will open up and I feel like everyone else is going through the same and these people that on the flip side, I just always looked at and kind of put on a pedestal. I still do.

It just, oh my goodness, it feels good to know that you or Jeff or Sean is going through like a day where it's like, eh, not feeling it today. Or that always humbles me.

Christian Solorzano [41:05]

Yeah, I agree. So today, what's— so now that you're employed, you graduated, you moved to Wicker Park, you recently got engaged. Yeah. Congratulations again.

JJ Salgado [41:20]

Thank you. Thank you.

Christian Solorzano [41:22]

What's inspiring you? Or like, just, I'm curious about when you wake up or when you look around, what's the one thing that or the many things that are keeping you engaged or just inspired? When you look around, what's something that you're finding comfort in?

JJ Salgado [41:43]

This is— I'm gonna sound like a broken radio here, but just people. I live in the neighborhood, in the neighborhood full of artists, and I try to find myself always in one of the local shops. So it's funny, I'll coffee shop hop on Milwaukee Avenue. So I'll start at La Colombe by Damen Blue Line. I'll jump off to Wormhole, then I'll go to Brew, I'll go to Ipsento. I'll go to Third Coffee. I'll pop my head into all these coffee shops and start a conversation.

So I, I've found that just, again, starting a conversation removes all the dryness in your life. There are times where I just let someone completely rant to me and I just am like, all right, I can be a wall to you right now. And you just, you just tell me what you got. You tell me what you're going through.

So I just— it's just really going out and talking to more strangers. So I think it's a daily thing, dude. I always have a blast going out and it's just footsteps away from where I live, but there's always someone new on Milwaukee Avenue or on Damen. And even on Halloween, I just was out there and I just was chopping it up with the neighbors. So I think for me, what's keeping me inspired are the artists around me.

West Town, which is also kind of like— so it's interesting, I'm on the edge of Wicker Park and West Town, so I still consider myself to be a part of the West Town neighborhood as well. And West Town just had an art walk. So there's another source of inspiration that my fiancée and I both do a lot. We go to a lot of art walks.

And you know what, now that I mention her, she keeps me really in the loop because it's funny, she's the fine artist, the painter and the muralist, and I'm the designer. And I think when people get to know us, they think that we're working in the same field. But truthfully, I'm not a fine artist, and truthfully, she doesn't feel like a designer, although I do think she's a good designer.

But anyways, due to that, I'll find myself at exhibitions or galleries with her, and we'll go to these art festivals. The most recent one was, yeah, the West Town Art Walk. On Chicago Avenue and I think on Division, had a few exhibitions opened. And I think when I go to fine art exhibitions, I genuinely— there's a flip that switched in my creative mind because it's so abnormal. It's so interesting.

And not that design isn't like— I do have fun going to design exhibitions too, but I can sit there and just watch Natalia, my fiancée, talk about the fine art that she sees on the wall forever. And I could tell you very little about it, but I can speak on the things I like. And if I'm not, pulling inspiration from Natalia, I'm pulling inspiration from these galleries and exhibitions we're going to. And then of course, see, I'm always having conversation with a stranger. Yeah.

Christian Solorzano [44:44]

Yeah. And what about— so like when it comes to graphic design, is there like a particular thing that you like about it? Is it type? Is it layouts? Is it like, what about it? I feel like every designer has like their thing that they're like crazy about. What's your thing?

JJ Salgado [45:03]

I'm insane about, so the branding of it, because when I think of branding and I think of a family of things coming together, like coming together in unity and forming like this marketing thing. My mind goes crazy. So that's kind of like a, like a big answer there because it isn't one big, one little thing. I love the little things that make the big thing.

Is what I'm trying to say. So when I sit down at a restaurant, I love that the menu complements the menu behind the cooks. It complements the shirts that they're wearing and it complements, the merch that they're selling. And, it's got like the little hints of personality and flavor. So I just enjoy the whole package. I like it when the whole package comes together and I can see it all come together. So.

Christian Solorzano [45:53]

So you're like into systems, like you love a good— System of things.

JJ Salgado [45:57]

A good system of things, which I think is big, especially in the field I'm in, because I'm doing graphic design, but here at church. And eventually, you're just building an experience for people because you're designing merchandise, you're designing screens, you're designing a website. And if it doesn't all look cohesive, you look like a joke. So you got it. You got it.

Christian Solorzano [46:18]

What's like your, what's your pet peeve? Your pet peeve, like the thing that drives you mad that you're just like annoying about. We all, and again, we all have that. So what's the, what's the thing that you're like a snob about?

JJ Salgado [46:32]

Yeah, it's not so much I'm snobby about. I just, I really dislike that a lot of logos are this. So whenever I see a logo that has a circle stroke around it. It just— by no means am I saying that those logos are terrible. There are some logos that look beautiful and that stroke circle is intentional. But there's so many logos, I think, that if you just were to remove that stroke, you'd realize how much that didn't need to be there.

Anytime I like— I'm around a logo design or I see, a brand or a company or a local business have their logo, whatever it is, an icon, a pictogram, and it has a circle around it. I just, I think about it. I'm like, what would it look like without that silly stroke around it?

Christian Solorzano [47:22]

Yeah.

JJ Salgado [47:23]

Because almost every time it looks better. If you think about every logo that is like really famous, there aren't too many out there that have that stroke. They just stand well on its own. And I think people want to make it official and put a— so I'm talking a little bit more the inexperienced designers because this really happens with them.

But it really bothers me when I'm out and I see a good, decent logo and it was ruined because there is a silly line stroke circle around it. And I'm like, no, I think it just could have looked better without it. So I— it always, it always bugs me when there's something there that people thought was going to bring together the logo. But I don't— I'm not really happy with that stroke.

Christian Solorzano [48:04]

Yeah, I feel that way about when people put a texture over their design.

JJ Salgado [48:09]

Oh no, you're not going to like church designers, Christian. They all put textures on everything. No. Because like, I resonate with that. I actually didn't start putting textures on my stuff until recently, but I had this silly little encounter and a conversation with another designer and she was like, I just do it because if a, my design is low quality and I'm working with like really bad pictures, or B, I just, I'm not really happy with it. Boom, this is what really completes it.

But I'll admit that I've also took that out of my toolbox a few times just to wrap it up.

Christian Solorzano [48:46]

I've done it too. I have like, on my computer, I have a folder of scans that I've— the things that I've scanned. And some of them are just like textures from like a notebook or something. And if I need to use a texture, I'll pull up that folder. And it, and you can always tell when I'm like doing it, 'cause it's always the same texture and there's always like a little string that's like, yeah, it's always there. Yeah. So, but yeah, textures, that's my—

JJ Salgado [49:18]

That's your pet peeve. You know what? I totally get that. 'Cause there are just some things that have been repeated too much. Also, you know what does bug me? And it's been bugging me lately. And I think with the world of AI, we'll see this kind of diminish. But I understand and I admire, people who design type and sell it. It's like, how else will they make a living? I admire people who design maybe even brushstrokes.

All of them online. But I don't know why when I see someone selling a texture pack, it really bugs me. I'm like, dude, that is— you just scan that. You scan that or like that was, I don't know, a smudge on your desk and you scanned it with your phone and called it a day. And I'm just you could totally do that yourself. So it does really annoy me when someone's selling a texture pack. I'm like, that's ridiculous.

Christian Solorzano [50:08]

I feel like it's worse when they're giving it away for free because it's like, oh yeah, it's so bad.

JJ Salgado [50:16]

Oh man.

Christian Solorzano [50:16]

That's funny. So what's next? Like the year is almost over and I feel like you've been on fire recently. So many milestones, like. Graduating, getting engaged, getting your first, job out of college. There's probably more things that you've been doing. You moved to Wicker Park. That's like a new thing, right? That's a recent thing that you've done, right?

JJ Salgado [50:40]

Actually, I was there. I was there for now a little over a year. So close to a year and a half.

Christian Solorzano [50:48]

I thought you moved to a new place in Wicker Park, but you've been at that place?

JJ Salgado [50:52]

Yes, I've been there. Yeah, for some time now.

Christian Solorzano [50:56]

So what's next? As the year turns, what are you looking forward to in 2026? What's next?

JJ Salgado [51:05]

Yeah, really, I'm just big on growing your roots. It feels like, thank God I work here. I'm trying to solidify my roots and my relationships here. We're entering a really big year here at New Life Community Church, and we're entering our 40-year anniversary. So I'll be branding that entire campaign. We're— we have 27 locations and there are, thousands of people who are part of the church and we'll have— we'll rent out this huge venue that will host, I think, a little over 5,000, 6,000 people.

So it's like that entire year, all everyone's going to be talking about is 40-year, 40-year at New Life. And I'm excited to be a part of that and be a part of the family. So, a, there's a huge project and it's like really just curating that, building that. But also I'm excited to like Chicago Graphic Design Club. Yeah. Completely keep on going with all the social media things.

I, I'm not sure how much I've talked about this externally because I think internally I tell everyone this all the time. But the one thing I always wish I saw more at the Chicago Graphic Design Club was all the beautiful faces that make up part of it. So I feel like my calling, my responsibility is to kind of expose that.

I think my responsibility is hopefully, right, with such a big tool that everyone uses being social media, that I simply could just you would open up the page and see all the amazing faces that make up of it, and you could hear them, and they could speak, and they could be themselves and not be distorted and just be them. So how much more would I want to be a part of that community and also just, again, grow my roots in there?

I respect you and love all the people who make up a part of it. And I think also we talked about engagement season. What's next for me in 2026 is getting married. I'm really excited about that. Natalia is my best friend, and we met in undergrad. She's just really special to me.

So her and I are entering a new season, and I'm just really excited for even more of the people I know to get to know her better, because I think everyone in my life knows her, but they'll now start knowing us a little better since we'll be, in union. And we just have a lot of plans together, her and I, that will be on halt for a little bit.

We won't share too much, but even her and I have aspirations to do things together because she's the fine artist. I'm the designer, and we're like meshing a lot of what we do together. So I think honestly, that's what 2026 might look like, just deepening the roots I'm already in. Because what's more valuable than longevity, than saying that you've built yourself in this community and that you're a part of it. So I think I see the importance of that, the long run.

So I'm trying to go for the long run here.

Christian Solorzano [53:58]

Yeah. And I think the great thing about showing the faces and like the people behind the club and that are participating is that it's also functioning as a great time capsule of the moment. And if you think about 10 years from now or 20 years from now, it'll be such a nice archive to look back on to see like where we were, like how things were, just what people were thinking about. So I think it's—

JJ Salgado [54:30]

Definitely.

Christian Solorzano [54:30]

It's not only great for our community, but I feel like it's like a civic, responsibility as like just like a human to archive and to record and I think that's— and that's like one of the big driving factors behind this podcast is that I want there to be a recorded archive that outlives all of us?

JJ Salgado [54:53]

Yeah, dude, that's amazing. I had this like kind of vision. I haven't told you about this a few weeks back, but really, we all grow up opening up these history books and you get to college and you're flipping through these articles of designers from the past.

And you're sitting there in awe like, wow, they're all doing these amazing things. And you're always— what people don't think about are the people who are actually recording it, who are witnessing it, who are capturing it. How much more grateful should we be for them? That we got to see glimpses of these other designers when they were young in the process.

Behind the scenes and I had this vision where I, years down the line, like you said, in the books, Chicago Graphic Design Club, just see all these, a wave of people. You see, this is so much more. This is valuable too, a tool that wasn't in the past, like podcasts, videos, social media. But how nostalgic will it be to just see those stills? You take those images whenever we go out to these events, but Wow. Like just seeing all those stills of people.

And I think I'll be even more honored to someday tell my kids someday, or just people I know down the line, yeah, I was part of that community that had the responsibility of pushing design. So no, I'm all for it. I'm all for it.

Christian Solorzano [56:20]

It reminds me of— my brain is so rotted because of social media. I just like see memes all day and there's always like Someone says something and I'm like, oh, I saw a meme about that.

JJ Salgado [56:32]

No, I'm the same way. I'm the same way.

Christian Solorzano [56:36]

And what you just said, I was thinking about, I saw a— sometimes I'll see like a photo of like some person doing like something extraordinary and it's being filmed. And there's always a comment that says like, no one ever thanks the cameraman or like no one ever acknowledges that. The cameraman is like running like next to the person that's like doing stunts.

And I saw one recently and it was, it was like a joke, but it was like a guy and he was like in a car and like the car was like getting flooded and like just the guy was getting more and more submerged. But there was clearly someone there like filming it. And it was just and I don't know, it just, that's where my brain goes. So anyways, but yeah. Everything that you're No, totally.

JJ Salgado [57:26]

There's just so much responsibility in that. One of the— I'll take this with me forever. We've mentioned father figures before, and there is the closest thing to my father figure, I'd say, in this world has to be my grandfather. So my grandparents took me in and they raised me. They totally could have retired and like just not had any more kids. They had 5 kids, but they took my sister and I. We're like, why not? We'll have 7.

And one thing my grandfather grew up telling me all my life was one word, just witness. And I would grow up hating hearing that because I didn't know what it meant. And inwardly, I kind of took it the bad way. I'm like, witness and what, like not do anything about it, be a bystander? But I grew up learning what that meant eventually in my adulthood. And the reason he was putting such an emphasis on witnessing it's because how else will you grow?

How else will you pay attention, slow down and look at things around you? Not even just like what's happening in the political world, what's happening just with social issues, what's happening in the design world. If you just slow down and witness, like I've taken that with me, like just witness. And I think a lot of us, and I'll even call myself out, have sometimes have been in the mentality of I need the spotlight or I need what I'm thinking right now matters.

But what my grandfather taught me is sometimes like the glory and like all the amazing— the light has to be on someone else at this time. But if you learn to witness, watch, not only will like you'll be filled with joy because you're happy with this person, but also when you witness, you see details and things that others don't. So like I at these events, the Chicago Art Design Club, I take a moment and I just witness. I'm not talking to anyone. I'm just watching.

Maybe I look weird and creepy, but I'm just looking. But because it's one of the things I took it from my grandfather where it's just like witness, just go around, witness things and watch things. And whatever way you interpret that, if it's binging, you probably shouldn't binge too much. But if you're not witnessing, if you're not slowing down and paying attention, then that's the call to action. You need to witness so then you could do whatever you're passionate about. So that is big for me.

I always, I always share with my friends, I just sometimes say that word. I'm like, witness, just witness things, dude. And something inside of you, whatever your calling is, will stir you to do that thing because you're witnessing and you're paying attention.

Christian Solorzano [60:03]

Yeah, I like that. Very wise. Yeah, some kind of quote. So as we, as we begin to wrap up, I would love to— one of the questions that I always like to ask people is when it comes to working and like just getting into the zone, what are some things that you can't live without? What are the different ingredients that make up JJ's optimal performance?

JJ Salgado [60:36]

Yeah, that's really good. I think everyone here in this workspace knows that I'm like the DJ, so I need to have— I go on YouTube and most of the time it's like disco pop, jazz pop. It'll always have like some sort of pop or funk. I like funk. So if I'm not having a DJ on my headphones, I feel like out of place, but I have a DJ. One thing I can't live without is definitely my coffee. I think that's a given.

I think most designers need coffee, but I need it there with me. And if it's not coffee, it's tea. Hydration, because I just learned that if you're not drinking water while you're drinking coffee, it's not— the caffeine is not even working. And so I need water. The same way you have a gallon of water next to you is the same way, I'm always walking around with this big guy.

And then lastly, I'd say I'm actually not currently sitting at my desk. My desk is over there, but I need to have design catalogs and mags like just around me that I've acquired in the past or picked up at bookstores. You have many of them. I see them behind you, but I have to keep those near me. And if I don't have them in my backpack, I kind of feel like I lost my what everyone's Pinterest is, that is Pinterest to me.

So I need to have those near me.

Christian Solorzano [61:58]

Yeah. And also you, I just, I learned that you have a MacBook without a case. Like you don't— Yes.

JJ Salgado [62:09]

Yeah. I was at one of the, one of the social hours and I just, yeah, I took the raw dog. I just took the Mac. No case. But I do the same thing with my phone. Phone, no case.

Christian Solorzano [62:21]

Yeah, and it's a new phone too. So maybe we'll put together a little GoFundMe for JJ's computer and iPhone case. No.

JJ Salgado [62:32]

Yeah, I just love it. I love not having a case. I love running the risk and it feels sleeker. It feels cleaner.

Christian Solorzano [62:37]

Yeah. I mean, these things are like designed to be appreciated for their physical design and putting a case on it, like covers that. So I agree, but I dropped it. I dropped my phone all the time, so I need— oh no, I have a case. So.

JJ Salgado [62:57]

Yeah, the most I'll do is put a screen protector. I might have good— I just don't drop it. I don't know what to say. I just hold on to it. Yeah, I just hold on to it.

Christian Solorzano [63:06]

Awesome. Well, I just want to say thanks again for taking the time to chat with us. And I'm gonna encourage everyone to reach out to you if they wanna, if they wanna learn or just get in touch with someone that I feel is just aspirational, positive. And I feel like you're someone that a lot of students could benefit from, just speaking with. So I will definitely tell my students to listen to this episode.

JJ Salgado [63:41]

Oh man, yeah, I want to make a visit to DePaul. You're at DePaul? Yeah. I still have such a huge heart for all these institutions some way or another. Obviously Columbia is a given, but I have my connections through professors. I happen to know actually another DePaul professor. Maybe you know him. His name is Austin Watson.

And yeah, I just have like so much love for people my age. I have love for people in general, but people my age too, for the given. I just, I resonate with them. I love them. And if you'll see me around Columbia campus and UIC campus, because I really admire their design program, but I'll— I want to know a little bit more about what's happening at DePaul. So if you ever—

Swam me around, I'd love to just be the annoying little guy who's just Behind people's computers and, hey man, what are you making?

Christian Solorzano [64:36]

Okay. Yeah, we'll make that possible. So thanks again. And everyone that is in the city, in Chicago, Chicagoland area, definitely come to our events and get interviewed by JJ because you've been doing these like little tiny clips. At our events. So.

JJ Salgado [64:56]

Yeah, I hope to do more of them. Again, just putting more beautiful faces on the page. And then I just wanna finish off by just thanking you, man. I don't think I've told you ever or enough, but I admire your drive and love for people. I love people, but I love people that love people. So I know that your love for people to me moves me. I think I told you this once when you visited the exhibition I was a part of that I helped build.

And I told you that day, that night, sorry. I was like, your voice, I can't get it outta my head. I, 'cause my finals, during my finals, all I did was back to back to back to back until like 4 in the morning, listen to Underscore podcast. The guy. So it's kind of humbling and honoring to circle back around and now be on it because I was listening to it while my heroes were speaking.

Now it's like I'm sitting in front of the guy. Who is speaking to them. And to me, I just, I admire you a lot and I just hope you know that. I love what you're doing for the community and just keep doing it in whatever way I can help to help better equip you.

Christian Solorzano [66:06]

Yeah, no, thank you, man. And honestly, if it wasn't for people like yourself, like it would just be one person talking by himself. So like I wouldn't be the person that you admire without you in this moment. So. Thank you.

JJ Salgado [66:22]

Oh man. Oh man. Yeah. Thank you for the opportunity. Yeah. And then I have one last question actually for you. This broke my heart because I was listening to like the past 5 or 6 podcasts, right? And I noticed there was something missing there. What happened to the intro?

Christian Solorzano [66:42]

The intro music?

JJ Salgado [66:43]

The intro music. I love the intro music.

Christian Solorzano [66:46]

Yeah, the intro music.

JJ Salgado [66:48]

Yeah. So I feel like we have to talk about this because I would turn on, I'd play one of the, one of the Underscore podcasts. And once I heard that sound, I'm like, oh, I know I'm getting in. Oh man, let's go. It got me excited and I got ramped up, but I realized that.

Christian Solorzano [67:03]

Yeah, that's a good, that's a good question. I don't have a good answer for that other than ever since I've been doing these video inter— so like now I post the videos on like their video and I post them on YouTube as well. And my editing structure has shifted a little bit where I don't know, like somewhere, like somewhere along the line, something became inconvenient. Oh, I can't find that file. Like there's no deep story behind it.

Like it was probably, yeah, there's no, there's no, I'll bring it back sometimes. Maybe retro, there'll be a retro episode at some point. Maybe I'll bring it back just for this episode.

JJ Salgado [67:45]

If you could bring it back from mine, I would be so happy because there's nothing— I kid you not, yeah, that would— that was the thing for the podcast for me. I'd hear like the door is closing and then I would be like, whoa, it's happening, guys, it's happening. So that really got me excited. And I did not—

Christian Solorzano [68:05]

Thank you for letting me— you're the first person that's told me that, and I'm glad that you— that is missing. That intro was recorded by a Chicago band named 80 Sling.

JJ Salgado [68:17]

And they—

Christian Solorzano [68:18]

And one of the guys in the band, his name is Ryan. And I went to school with him at DePaul. And I one day went to a bar or like a venue called the Burlington in Chicago.

Because I went there like many years ago and I couldn't think of the name. And I'm like, what's the name of this place? And finally I discovered the name and I went there and I was so happy to be there because it's like this very small, tiny venue that's like a bar, and then in the back there's like a very tiny stage. And I ran into Ryan there, and I'm like, hey dude, how you been? We went to school together.

And he's like, my band's about to play. And I went and I saw his band, and I like fell in love with them. They're just incredible.

And then I just kind of became like a big fan, and I would go to their shows a lot. I did one of their album— like, one of their like single artworks for their— one of their and then the exchange for that artwork that I did for that single was them doing that intro for the club. And I've considered in the past, doing— like, if we ever do an event that has some live music, I would love for them to play that live.

JJ Salgado [69:29]

Yes, I love them. I don't know anything about them but that little short intro. I kid you not. I'm sorry for like saying it again, but it's just, it pulls the podcast together. I'm like, whoa, this is amazing. Like it got me excited anytime there's a speaker and I heard. All right.

Christian Solorzano [69:48]

Well, thank you for letting me know that. That's great.

JJ Salgado [69:51]

Great to know.

Christian Solorzano [69:53]

What was I going to say? Yeah. So 80s Slang, definitely check them out. They're a great band. And if you liked that intro, you'll like their other music as well. Yeah. Awesome, man. Well, thank you, JJ, and this was great. And anything else?

JJ Salgado [70:08]

I think that's it.

Christian Solorzano [70:10]

Cool. I will see you around.

JJ Salgado [70:12]

See you around, Christian.

Christian Solorzano [70:14]

What a great conversation that was. As usual, thank you so much for tuning in. If you enjoy shows like this, we encourage you to leave us a rating wherever you are listening. Thank you, and we hope to see you Both in person, hopefully, and online. Talk to you later. Goodbye. Bye.