{"id":3393,"date":"2014-06-12T19:02:31","date_gmt":"2014-06-12T19:02:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/lbpost.com\/articles\/life\/music\/poly-student-organizes-mini-coachella-of-long-beach-to-raise-funds-for-cancer-research\/"},"modified":"2014-06-12T19:02:31","modified_gmt":"2014-06-12T19:02:31","slug":"poly-student-organizes-mini-coachella-of-long-beach-to-raise-funds-for-cancer-research","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/hi-lo\/music\/poly-student-organizes-mini-coachella-of-long-beach-to-raise-funds-for-cancer-research","title":{"rendered":"Poly Student Organizes ‘Mini-Coachella of Long Beach’ to Raise Funds for Cancer Research"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

When Poly student Marcos Mena heard that his grandmother was diagnosed with mesothelioma\u2014a rare and aggressive cancer affecting the membrane lining of the lungs and abdomen\u2014he didn\u2019t wallow in his sadness, but rather, he stood up and decided to do something about it, and make some money for cancer research.<\/p>\n

\"ScreenDubbed the “Mini-Coachella of Long Beach,” Mena\u2019s [pictured right] love and talent for music\u2014his work as a jazz guitarist for Poly\u2019s jazz band has won him accolades, including most recently at the Reno Jazz Festival.\u2014inspired him to follow the model of the well-known festival and translate it into a charity event. On the last day of school. For as cheap as possible. With little more than his own connections.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wanted to bring together great local talent and do something, anything, as my personal answer to my grandmother\u2019s recent cancer diagnosis,\u201d said Mena<\/p>\n

But what resources does a teenager have? In this case Mena has his sister, Zoe, a charity drive guru who’s collected socks, coats, canned goods, books and more in six campaigns across Lon Beach. Then he has the PR talent that is Jennifer Delson, and last but not least, Mena looked to longtime family friend Michelle Molina to help him not only organize the event but do the most important thing of all, which was to finding a place to host the Mini-chella.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe came looking for a venue,\u201d Molina said. \u201cSo we put him through the ringer with a rigorous Q&A\u2014and then we knew he was up for the task. I connected him with MADHaus and now we have ourselves a concert.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"ScreenWith the venue at no cost, the bands all playing pro bono, and a bargain-basement $3 admission price, this nearly seven-hour long mini-music-fest is shaping up to be an array of local awesomeness, which will include:<\/p>\n