Teen Angel Magazine, since its first publication in 1981, quickly became el voz del barrio, The Voice of the Barrio. One artist’s rendition of our humble calles undecidedly spoke volumes of our Chicano culture. A small publication that was meant to portray the art and poetry of the neighborhood was the catalyst that brought together a generation of youth that was in search of an identity. Teen Angel Magazine exposed the beauty of an art form that was once looked at with disdain. It united a generation of lowriders, artists, and Chicanos, revealing our plights as a forgotten people, so that in one voice we could proclaim without shame, Barrio Si, Yonke No!

Teen Angel, for us, has always been an icon of the glory days of lowriding. When people did it for more than just an image, when it was a way of life, a bridge that brought people together, a family affair, of sorts. And yet, just as all good things eventually come to an end, Teen Angel Magazine slowly faded from existence. Gone were the days of cruising Whittier Boulevard, of car clubs coming together to celebrate a culture and an art form that spoke volumes about the beauty of our neighborhoods, of our families, and the rich history that the barrios contained. When Teen Angel fell from existence we lost a vital part of our voice. Our documented history of the beauty of prison arte and the pictures of our gente that told stories in the faces of every person that found themselves on the pages of this magazine ceased to exist. And yet, we are are proud to say that from the hands of a tremendous group of artists Teen Angel Magazine has found its way back, 32 years after its birth.

To open Teen Angel and to find ourselves on the pages of this magazine was but a surreal moment in our lives. One of those moments, though it may be but for a blink of an eye, will forever be impressed in our hearts as a monumental occurrence. A parting of the Red Sea, of sorts. A time in our lives that we will build, as the children of Israel did in the Old Testament, a pile of memorial stones in remembrance of all that the Lord has done for us, "and Joshua said to them: Cross over before the ark of the Lord your God into the midst of the Jordan, and each one of you take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel, that this may be a sign among you when your children ask in time to come, saying, ‘What do these stones mean to you?" (Joshua 4:5-6) This magazine will serve as a memorial stone for us. A remembrance of all that the Lord has done in the past year. As He took us from the filth of this world and transformed us into vessels of honor for His glory. How He has, time and time again, heard the prayers of His saints, us, who He calls His children. How, in a matter of ten months, He birthed Ponte Trucha and not only allowed us to be in Teen Angel Magazine, but gave us a two page spread in which we were able to proclaim the goodness and grace of God. Moreover, not only did He bless us with an article, but He put one of our own on the cover of the magazine. "Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!" (Romans 11:33)

We are humbled and yet very honored. We know that we don't deserve the goodness and kindness of the Lord. We know that it was simply because of the Lord's favor upon our lives that we have been given this opportunity. And so, just as the children of Israel set up memorial stones in remembrance of all that the Lord had done for them, we too will save this magazine as a memorial stone in our lives. So that when our children and children's children open up the pages of Teen Angel and ask us, "What do these stones mean to you?", we can proclaim with humility the wonderful works of the Lord in our own lives. We are living testimonies that God does, in fact, exist and that He has made Himself known in order that He might be found. There are never coincidences in God's presence nor does He ever make mistakes. You have been put here for a reason. You are reading this for a very marked purpose. Quiet your soul now that you too may hear the whispers of God. For He is not dead, but very much alive. And His desire is to commune with you.

This is a short testimony from Chano, one of the founders of Ponte Trucha. You will hear of how God has transformed this man from the inside out, healing him from cancer, and giving him freedom from his burdened soul. Stay tuned for more testimonies coming to a calle near you.

Check our newest video on the Testimonials page. You can also find it on YouTube by searching Ponte Trucha Documentary. We hope you enjoy it. Be sure to check back periodically as we have more projects in the making.

***This video was borrowed from the C/S Project via YouTube***


"If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." (John 8:37)
Freedom is something that we speak of haphazardly here in the United States. We speak of it as a right, rather than a way of life. Living in the United States, we have grown very accustomed to using the word in order to gain that which we believe is our right, something we deserve. Freedom never comes without a price, the shedding of blood, the usurping of a governmental power. Freedom never comes without a fight, nor without loss.

Con Safos, a Chicano term dating back to the 30's and 40's, one that describes a place of complete freedom. In order to have true freedom one must feel totally and completely safe, in a trusted place, without fear or anxiety, lacking nothing. The sense of barrio, the sense of familia, the sense of having a cliqua to back you up, the sense of being part of something bigger than yourself. This freedom, although it does not last forever, can make you a giant of a man. A freedom that can make you feel invincible, if only for a moment. The want of every man is to feel as if he is part of something. Whether it be monumental or life-changing, our desire to be a part is rather innate in each of us. We desire to be part of a whole, never in isolation. We desire to fill a void that has been placed in the heart of mankind. According to Ecclesiastes 3:11, God has placed eternity in the heart of every man. We are constantly in search of that which is lacking in our hearts, to fill the void that we recognize in the quietness of the hour.

Freedom, complete freedom, our ability to live unimpeded, without fear or anxiety, in complete contentment, is nothing that can be attained in this world through our own efforts. It is no wonder that in our search for freedom we have only been left wanting more, with a more poignant recognition of the void that exists within us. It is as if the more we search for the freedom through drugs, alcohol, sex, money, pornography, partying, relationships, children, cars, the attaining of friends and material goods, the larger the void becomes.  And as the void grows, so our search  for the fulfillment of the void intensifies, until we find ourselves at some points completely devoid of the very good we began with.

And so perhaps you find yourself at this point in your life. Devoid of faith, devoid of freedom, devoid of happiness, devoid of peace, devoid of those things that once made you feel human, content, and able to breath. There is in fact hope. That is why you are here. That is why you find yourself reading this. That is why you find yourself browsing a website that is filled with the Word of God. You almost feel like a trader reading it. But at the same time, you cannot take your eyes off of it. You know that there is Truth to be had here. There are no gimmicks. No games. No religion. Just truth. You are tired, wearied, burdened with life. You can scarcely take a breath because of the heaviness you feel from the weight of life, the burden of sin. You have seen religion and you know there are no answers to be had there. Only more burden, only more pain. Christ offers freedom to your wearied soul. He offers a freedom that is eternal, in this life and the next. That is why the Apostle John  was able to proclaim with such certainty, "Whom the Son sets free, he is free indeed." What is it that you can proclaim with such audacity? Such boldness? Such certainty? You know you've found what you have been looking for on these pages. If you ignore it you will be worse off than you were before you read it.
C/S