Well I'm trying something new. These are strange and interesting times and I find it necessary to change and adapt my approach when it comes to my work. I have had questions about commissions, freelance work and different ways of supporting my creative endeavors. Its all been very flattering and humbling to know that there are people that actually care about what I do that much. Big virtual-socially distanced hug to you all that reached out. Patreon, Gofundme and Deviant Art came up.  While I like all those sites and many others, they all seem a bit too convoluted for my tastes and even with this (my personal) website it gets a bit complex. So I have been on the look for something simpler and more streamline to use on both ends (for the consumer and the producer). Then I noticed some fellow online creators talking about an alternative to Patreon that was easier to use called BuyMeACoffee.com. So I looked into it and really liked it. It's fairly new and not as established, but way easier to use especially if like me all you want to do is post your art and move on to other projects. Or if you have different kinds of projects and products that you want to offer. I may eventually let go of my website altogether and just post over there. Besides, its 2021 not 2001, websites are kind of dated ways to reach an audience at this point. I fell like the guy with a lemonade stand off the side of the information superhighway. So, if you like my work and want to support it with minimal commitment you can now...

Mark Stegeman busted up TUSD real good, then bailed after there was very little left to break anymore. Here's my cartoon on the matter which can be seen at the Tucson Sentinel.

I know I'm a little late on this one but, here it is anyways. It was a monumental moment in Tucson history to see the first Latina Mayor get elected. Moreover, she hails form my neck of the desert, the Yuma area of Arizona. Best of luck to her, I can't wait to see what she does with the Old Pueblo!

I've never understood anti-Semitism. As a Mexican-American man with little exposure to Jewish people up until college, that hate always seemed like one group of white people discriminating another group of white people for no good reason. I never understood why if our country went to war against the Nazi's in World War II to save Jewish folks from genocide, we would have Americans that would act like the enemy. We are supposed to be the heroes not the villains. So it never made sense why ANY American would hate or promote hatred or fear towards the same group of people our soldiers died to save. It seems to me like a betrayal of our values and what our ancestors fought for. Why save a group only to hate them and persecute them later? It seems to me at that point we become our enemy. 

 In the wake of The Tree of Life Synagogue shooting  the words "I'm sorry", "that's horrible" and "what a tragedy" don't seem enough. No words seem adequate to express the terrible feelings around this unfortunate event. Presently, I have many close friends and loved ones that are Jewish. Any of them could have been in attendance. Although I am not religious myself I personally have accompanied many of them to their place of worship for festivities or ceremonies. It could have been me. Any one of us.
 
Then to add insult to injury President Trump shows up in an attempt to, let's say pay his respects or console people. Both of which he failed to do as his response to this atrocity was that all they needed was an armed guard inside the place of worship to stop the gunman. The degree of disconnect in our commander in chief is astronomical.  I later learned through a friend that the dinner on Air Force One on the return from the visit to the Tree of Life synagogue for Jewish staffers onboard was pork ribs. One would assume that for a man who's son-in-law is Jewish as well as his daughter (whom converted) and grandkids, he would have a greater sensitivity towards the Jewish faith and culture.  However, it's not surprising. His track record shows the opposite. His failure to decry racism, sexism, anti-Semitism and his penchant for promoting fringe ideologies as well as violence towards those that disagree with him have led us here.  In the span of a week two Trump supporters attempted to carry out their own schemes with the intent to kill people that Trump has in the past blamed or demonized. Words do indeed matter. Especially when they come from a man that is supposed to be a leader and a role model. Words can influence and inspire as can silence. In this case what Trump is saying is just as important as what he is not. By not taking action and not denouncing these vile behaviors he is basically silently condoning them.  
"Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. " -Elie Wiesel