Maldonado, José F.; De La Cruz, Alejandro (other, other). East L.A. Public Library, 2010-03-05T10:30:00

File — Interview-ID: MBY006268

Interview Description

José F. Maldonado, 67, talks to StoryCorps Mobile Facilitator Alejandro De La Cruz, 28, about his childhood, his worklife as an electronics engineers and musician, and his political views.

Facilitator Subject Log

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0:50 JM talks about his parents and siblings and his upbringing as a migrant farm laborer.

5:30 JM remembers traveling the country with his family picking crops and recalls an instance in which his family faced discrimination by law enforcement in Kentucky.

13:03 JM talks about being accepted to Stanford University and coming down with a bad case of appendicitis on the first day of school, dropping out and returning to work.

16:30 JM talks about his switch to work in electronics and his academic achievements. JM talks about his journey towards greater financial stability.

21:23 JM recalls his music career, which lasted for 25 years. He played the accordion ( "la fifarafa ") in Texan music bands ( "conjuntos ") and played in night clubs, bars, weddings, and parties.

26:35 JM remembers meeting his wife Maria De Los Angeles for the first time. He fell in love immediately.

33:30 JM expresses indignation at the every day injustices he sees. He is particularly indignant about the treatment of Latinos and the lack of awareness of the long history of Latinos in the United States.

37:30 JM offers advice for younger generations: get an education.