Community History

Interview Description Wilbert E. Sanchez (71) talks with wife Luisa Sanchez (68) about living in San Luis, CO and their marriage. Facilitator Subject Log 01:13 Luisa describes how she met Wilbert in a San Luis, CO variety store. She was the clerk and he was there to buy tissue. They chatted briefly and then went on to date. 04:40 Wilbert talks about being raised on a farm in San Luis, CO. The farm was purchased by his family and he remembers there was...

Interview Description Felix Sepúlveda (77) is interviewed by his son, Carl Sepúlveda about coming to the United States from Perú to do his medical residency in Florida. Facilitator Subject Log 1:25 Felix landed in Miami as a medical student working as a intern in the emergency room 12:16 moving to Houston from Florida; loved Florida because it was similar to Perú; finished residency in pediatrics 19:34 Felix's mother encouraged him to stay...

Interview Description Thelma Perales Shelton (59) talks with daughter Vanessa Reyes Vara (38) & granddaughter Valencia Vara (12) about her childhood. Facilitator Subject Log 01:10 Thelma talks about her family's ancestral roots in Guanajuato, Mexico. She has also traced her family's history back to Spain and the Moorish Empire. 09:00 Thelma talks about her mother working for a cigar company when she was 9-years-old. There weren't child labor laws...

Interview Description Michelle Souza (58) talks to her friend Laura Richarz (58) about her mother Blase Camacho Souza. Facilitator Subject Log 01:00 Michelle's mother Blase was born in Hawaii but was of Puerto-Rican descent. She talks about her mother's parents and her birth. 01:50 Michelle talks about the origins of her mother's name "Blase. " 07:20 Michelle talks about her mother moving from Hawaii to New York City to attend the Pratt...

Interview Description Coulette Takach (62) talks with coworker Crystal Velez (21) about being a librarian. Facilitator Subject Log 00:50 Coulette talks about working Crystal's mother at her previous library. She has been a librarian for over 30 years. 10:55 Coulette talks about what brought her to Texas from Iowa. She talks about the first library she worked at. She was there for over 20 years. 15:00 Crystal talks about how she ended up at...

Interview Description Emma Torres y su compañera de trabajo Maria Chavoya platican sobre la vida laboral de Emma, su papel dentro del sindicato de trabajadores campesinos (UFW, por sus siglas en Ingles), el declive del sindicato y sus logros y aspiraciones educativas. [Emma Torres and her coworker Maria Chavoya talk about Emma's work life, her role in the United Farm Workers union (UFW), the union's decline, and Emma's educational achievements and aspirations.] ...

Interview Description Facilitator, Jorge Rios (24) interviews Emma Torres (52) about her experiences in farmworking, her involvement in the United Farm Workers and the Cesar Chavez movement, and her education and work today. Facilitator Subject Log 00:53 Emma talks about Campesinos Sin Fronteras, of which she is the founder and Executive Director. CSF advocates for farmworkers. 02:23 Emma talks about her childhood as a migrant farmworker, and her...

Interview Description Gladys Torres (54) talks with her son Juan Pablo Martinez (31) about leaving Colombia to be a nurse in the United States. Facilitator Subject Log 02:30 Gladys talks about the conversation she had with Juan Pablo when he was ten years old about coming to the United States to be a nurse. 11:00 Juan Pablo remembers when his mother would sell brownies on the bus in Colombia in order to save money for her trip to the United States....

Interview Description Corina Ulloa (33) and niece Camila Martinez (10) talk with sister/mom Brenda Martinez (35) and daughter Isabella Martinez (9) about life in Los Angeles. Facilitator Subject Log 01:00 Corina talks about how East LA has changed over the years. Brenda says the area has gotten safer over the years. 03:00 Brenda and Corina remembers riding the RTD buses alone in Los Angeles, Ca. 05:40 Brenda tells a funny story about...

Interview Description Amelia Alice Vara (87) talks with daughter Mary Hernandez (65) and granddaughter Dawn Leal (37) about her service to her community. Facilitator Subject Log 02:30 Amelia talks about her mother and her father. Her father was a Spanish translator. 04:50 Amelia talks about her experiences in school. She remembers being segregated at school from her sister because they had differing skin tones. 16:10 Amelia talks about...