The Compass of Curiosity: Exploring El Cajon with Josè Rizal Mills
Growing up in the South Bay, Josè Rizal Mills used to circumnavigate the world via Google Earth with the computer’s cursor and keyboard as his helm. With encouragement from his father, Josè enrolled in Digital Gym Cinema’s local filmmaking program at age 14 and soon began equipping himself with film cameras to chronicle the world around him, as if a voyager with a spyglass in hand.
These days, he lets that same curiosity act as his compass as he strives to preserve the anachronistic beauty of the city of El Cajon.
In his late teens, Josè and his family settled in El Cajon, or “the box” — a reference to the mountains that encircle the valley. Once an agrarian landscape with orange groves and vineyards, El Cajon has quickly become a multiracial suburban city, home to one of the most concentrated populations of Chaldean and Arab Iraqi refugees in the nation. The city’s infrastructure, meanwhile, appears to be suspended in time, awaiting the urban renewal that’s approaching.
Josè’s curious nature and compulsion to take pictures have helped him in recent years in a much more personal way.
“Recently, I have been dealing with my issues pertaining to agoraphobia,” he said. “One of the ways that helps me break out of it is through exploring around, taking walks up the street, and taking photos of places.”
With El Cajon — a place with aging storefronts, shifting demographics and gobsmacking vistas — as his muse, his photography demonstrates an intent to stay connected to the world.
El Cajon Transit Center (Orange and Green Lines)
A conduit for rail travel for business and school commuters across the greater San Diego metropolitan area since 1989.
Josè (left photograph): taken around February-March 2023 during my second semester at San Diego State. At that time of the year, the trolley isn’t filled up that much. When I got on, leaving the campus, first thing I see is this person just knocked out…we live in a city where people are constantly trying to work, always doing something.
Josè (right photograph): taken on the green line in 2023, when the green and orange line in El Cajon still used the old trolley cars. The ones from a bygone era. When I took this photo, it was borderline El Cajon-Fletcher Hills. I love how I framed it, frame within a frame. I set my shutter speed to where I could get the motion of the trolley, while having her in focus as the main subject as she remains ambiguous.
A halal-friendly grocery store that caters to all tastes of the levant and mezze tradition.
Josè: Main Street is one of places that I like to walk around and take photos. It’s the pinnacle point of El Cajon. Harvest is a market where my family and I shop for great deals. When I look at historical photos of the county ... how businesses were, and now you see a change. Since the early 2000s, we’ve had quite a bit international markets and businesses pop up that cater to folks from the Middle East, like Chaldeans and Syrians. People from different parts of Africa. A lot of Filipinos.
Artists Barber Shop (2010-present)
Trim, shave, or fade, this barber shop promises to get you cleaned up.
Josè: Always passing by, seeing people get the wildest haircuts. I’ve been in, and they always come in clutch, making sure you leave with a great quality haircut.
The old and the new collide on Main Street. The Cajon Classic Cruise is an El Cajon community car show that harkens back to American cruising culture of the 1950s. The Middle Eastern market Good Old Days Spices demonstrates a steady change in the city’s demographics and cultural influences.
Josè: The Cheverlot Bel Air brings to mind the time when I moved to El Cajon, I found out about the classic car show that happens in Main Street square. In East County, there’s been this rise in international markets. But at the same time, we have stuff from the old. We have people that have been living here for years. We have car shows. For me, a lot of the car show I’ve been to have been in Barrio Logan and other parts of the county. It’s nice to know there are events close by.
Sew Pros (1958-present)
An age-defying retail showroom that specializes in vacuum and sewing home appliances.
Josè: I always pass by this place. At some point, I need to take a picture of the interior. I have a feeling it’s going to close down soon. It’s very much an embodiment of its time.
A second-hand store bursting with a wide array of curiosities, furnishings, and retro gadgets.
Josè: It’s a thrift shop on Main Street owned by a very old Asian couple. They have a great collection of old cameras. It’s interesting to see the dynamics between the owners with the Buddhas and the Bacardi sign. Really cool business.
Carmel Corn (1960-present)
A family-owned specialty popcorn shop situated in the Parking Plaza shopping mall that offers decadent carnival-style concessions to shoppers as they browse.
Josè: As a kid, I used to come to El Cajon with my dad, who worked in social services. When he wasn’t at work, my dad and I would go everywhere together, even here. I was surprised it was still around. I remember loving the food from there.
Yogurt Mill (1977-present)
With a towering facade, built by the previous pizza parlor tenants, to pay homage to the leaning tower of Pisa; yogurt mill is a beloved confectionary haunt that serves up five classic frozen yogurt flavors and five rotating frozen yogurt flavors daily.
Josè: When I tried to take this photo, it was a crazy day. I was trying to walk over to Yogurt Mill the day after my birthday, and it was pretty hot. I almost passed out. Friend picked me up, and I made it to Yogurt Mill. They only take cash, but I am willing to go to the bank every time to take out $5 - $10 just to get yogurt from here.
The El Cajon expanse that stretches to the foothills that press up against the Cuyamaca Mountains.
Josè: Took this last year from Mount Helix. The day was amazing ... the clouds were blooming so nicely. Layered in a way that makes you want to look at every part of the image.
Mount Helix Park (1925-), “Crown Jewel of East County”
The century-old memorial park, dedicated Mary Hawkey White, boasts an east-facing hilltop amphitheater, 360 degree panoramic views, and a 35-foot cross that rivals the scale of its coastal equivalent Mount Soledad Park in La Jolla.
Josè: It’s in a weird spot in East County. On one hand, you can say it’s part of El Cajon, but can also say it’s a singular place. This photo is meant to showcase my perspective of the rest of the county, the rest of Spring Valley, into South Bay. There’s a tiny bird in the image that I perceive as a representation of us, as people: how we’re one tiny piece in a very massive world.
Josè: Photography doesn’t always have to be serious, it should be something that you can enjoy day-to-day.
For more information on Josè Rizal Mill’s photography, check out the links below.
