News@11: Members Speak Out – SoFi Stadium Project
IBEW 11 members speak out on their experiences working on the SoFi Stadium Complex and the union.
Working here has been fun and challenging. It’s really stretching me. I’m learning a lot about different wires, cables and terminations, plus TV monitors and AV systems. I’m doing something new every day. I started out at the Performance Theater last September, and now I’m working at the NFL Media Center. My high school buddies are all big football fans and they think it’s really cool that I’m working on this project. I started out in residential non-union work, where I wasn’t valued or paid very well. Things are so much better since I joined IBEW 11 four years ago.
Cameron Garbayo
Journeyman Sound Installer
Joining the union was one of the best decisions I ever made. It was a leap of faith to try something new — a friend in the trades convinced me to sign up. There are challenges being a woman in this trade. It’s a very male-dominated culture, so you have to have a tough skin. But so many of the people I work with are so welcoming and willing to mentor me. I love going to the different job sites and learning brand-new technology. There’s always something new. It’s so fun working at SoFi. I’m a big football fan, so it’s so fun to see how things work behind the scenes at the NFL Media Center. I’m part of history.
Lali Castillo
Journeyman Sound Installer
I’m from Texas originally, and my whole career has been in construction. I worked as a low-voltage inside wireman. I was in the union in Texas, but it’s a right-to-work state and there’s no comparison. When I got married, I moved to California and joined IBEW 11. What a difference! IBEW 11 really takes care of their members. Now I want to get more members into low-voltage work. It’s the future. I have a work Instagram account to talk up the work and get more people to join: #dr_sound_fire.
Dillon Rico
Journeyman Sound Installer
SoFi is one of the coolest jobs I’ve ever worked on. The aesthetics and sheer size of the job are great. I’ve always known I wanted to be an electrician — I like to build things and work with my hands. There’s lots of opportunity in the union. I just got promoted to Foreman on this job — I’m in charge of quality checks and working with my crew of 10 people at the NFL Media Center. I really like the responsibility. We all look out for each other. Safety is something I stress to my crew every day. Joining the union was really a good career choice for me and my family. I always have a future-looking trade to rely on. Everyone will always need power.
Zack Jasper
JSI Foreman
All my friends tell my how lucky I am to be working here at SoFi at the NFL Media Center. I’m a second-year apprentice and I’m learning every day. I really like that. As a woman in this field, I feel like I’m a good role model for kids, especially for my 10-year-old daughter — she can do whatever she puts her mind to. I’ve gained so much confidence since I joined the union. I had been a stay-at-home mom when I saw an ad for a pre-apprenticeship program aimed at women in construction. I applied and got in. It’s the best thing I’ve ever done for myself and my family.
Ariana Perez
Sound & Comm Apprentice
