Rafael Lopez ’07, aka DJ Alf Alpha, is a CHASS alumnus who played at Nooners while a student to now a Coachella performer. His journey shows how if you dream it, you can do it. With his VW Bus as his boombox on wheels, Rafael has been a champion for UC Riverside and the Bold Hearts. Brilliant Minds campaign as a feature on a Coachella Valley billboard and campus street banners entering campus.
Sound Bites
Headlines
- Music Dreams from UCR to Coachella
- Changing Music with a Boombox on Wheels
- Taking Local Roots to the Big Stage
Hooks
- How does a UCR Nooner prepare you for your career? For Rafael Lopez '07, AKA Alf Alpha, it provided all of the experience he needed.
- The love of music, VW buses, and making people smile, is all Rafael needed to start his career.
From playing nooners, to playing Coachella, then back to UCR again. Rafael Lopez '07, aka DJ Alf Alpha, finds his way back to UCR as a performer and opener for Beach Boys and TLC for Homecoming.
Quotes
"I went to UC Riverside, I got the skills I needed in the time that I left UCR, I was asked to play Coachella Fest. That was a huge goal of mine." Rafael Lopez '07, DJ Alf Alpha, Coachella Artist
Narrative
Since third grade, Rafael Lopez ’07, aka Alf Alpha, had a deep love for Volkswagen buses because they made people smile. Combine that love and aspiration for music, and you get a boombox on wheels. Beating the odds and losing his mom at the age of eighteen, Lopez knew he wanted to fulfill his mom's dreams for him and go to UC Riverside.
Making music was his spiritual and therapeutic outlet during this time while he attended school. His dream was to share the love his mom gave him to the world and channel that through music. As a past Coachella artist, Lopez was the perfect alumnus to show Coachella goers and future students that UC Riverside is a place where you can live your dreams and build your full potential at full volume.
Rafael has returned to campus the past two years to open for artists including The Beach Boys and TLC at Homecoming. You can see him on a UCR Bold Hearts. Brilliant Minds billboard on the 10-freeway making your way from the Coachella Valley towards Cabazon. He can also be found featured in our banner campaign lining the streets entering campus. His continued support and involvement with UCR has become one of our favorite stories.Strategy
Ken, a first-generation student deeply impacted by the support offered by the UCR community, is a shining example of the empowering academic community thriving at UCR across generations.
His story and quotes are best used in:
- Magazine Feature
- Brochures
- Social Media
- Alumni Spotlights
- Newsletters
Suggestions:
- When featuring an alumnus in a publication, newsletter, or social post. Highlighting a notable alumni to prospective students, current students, and alumni.
- When promoting the UCR dream.
- When promoting Homecoming and using assets from previous years.
- When telling a story about transformation from local roots to national recognition.
Supporting Assets
Social Media Tags
Hashtags:
- #UCRiverside
- #UCRAlumni
- #UCRNotableAlumni
- #UCRCHASS
Tags:
- @UCRAlumni
- @UCRChass
- @UCRiversideOfficial
Usage Examples
For more information regarding Rafael and his story, please reach out to lisa.tyson@ucr.edu.