Immigration Stories

Interview Description Juan Carlos Padilla, 34, shares with his wife Cindy Saavedra, 31, the story of how he migrated to the United States and, after many years of attending school while working, he obtained his engineering degree. Facilitator Subject Log 0:40 JP remembers his grandfather and the fun memories he has of the "rancho "where his grandfather lived. At the rancho, he chased cows, played with his bothers, and rode horses. 6:50 JP talks about...

Interview Description Victor Padilla y su esposa Patricia Padilla dialogan sobre sus experiencias matrimoniales y brindan consejos sobre como mantener una buena relación. [Victor Padilla and his wife, Patricia Padilla, talk about their marriage experiences and give advice about how to have a good relationship.] Facilitator Subject Log 0:20 PP explica porque quisieron hacer esta grabación. 4:00 VP y PP habla de la importancia de tener buena...

Interview Description Xavier Padilla, 76, tell his daughter Lisa Padilla, 47, about his childhood, his different occupations, his family, and his former neighborhood East Los Angeles. Facilitator Subject Log 0:50 XP talks about how his parents migrated to the United States, in the 1920s. 3:20 XP recalls some of the occupations his father had. Most of the jobs were in manufacturing, and during the Depression, XP's father Jerónimo (or Jerome) worked for...

Interview Description Gilberto Peña (73) talks with his daughter Carmen Peña Abrego about his life in Brownsville, TX, joining the Army and meeting his wife. Facilitator Subject Log 01:10 Gilberto moved to the outskirts of Brownsville, TX with his parents and family when he was nine. He talks about the "Smitty "boys, his neighbors, who became his friends. 03:55 Gilberto talks about his friend Dale Smitty teaching him to speak English, while he taught...

Interview Description Lucas Perez (38) is interviewed by facilitator, Whitney Henry-Lester (26) about his work as a poet, writer and composer. Facilitator Subject Log :59 nació en San Luis Potosí; describe sus padres 3:29 escuchaba música; escribir música; como empezaste a escribir versos? 10:46 como Lucas vino aca en Houston; vino para trabajo; fue dificíl para encontrar trabajo 18:00 la persona más importante en su vida es...

Interview Description Inez Perez tells her grandchildren, Tony Estrada and Christy Rios about their family history, her life growing up and meeting and marrying her husband, Tony Perez. Facilitator Subject Log 01:12 Inez's parents' names and her family name, Najar. Their emigration from Mexico to El Paso and then Pasadena. 06:24 Inez remembers meeting Tony Perez, her future husband at a restaurant. They were married two weeks later with an El Paso...

Interview Description José Perez (85) is interviewed by his daughter, Norma Perez about coming to the United States from Mexico to work on the railroad, about his marriage, and his children. Facilitator Subject Log 2:00 decision a venir a EEUU; EEUU durante WWII; trabajo en ferocarriil 6:05 vivimos sin preocupacion; tenia planos de regresar; Norma remembers su padre y madre fueron a los clases de ingles; ciudano Americano 18:35 fueron a...

Interview Description Maria Elena Perez (67) habla con su hija Liliana Perez (39) de su vida. [Maria Elena Perez (67) talks to her daughter Liliana Perez (39) about her life.] Facilitator Subject Log 03:10 Maria cuenta la historia de cuando vino a los Estados Unidos cuando tenia 37 años. 07:15 Maria habla de su papa y la novia que tuvo. Su mama murio cuando tenia 3 años. 19:50 Maria cuenta la historia de cuando se hizo ciudadana de los...

Interview Description Esther Phillips, 69, conversa con su hija Alicia Z. Aguirre, 52, acerca de su niñez, su vida laboral, sus anécdotas y los logros de su hija. [Esther Phillips, 69, talks to her daughter Alicia Z. Aguirre, 52, about her childhood, different job experiences, anecdotes from different times of her life, and Alicia's achievements.] Facilitator Subject Log 2:10 Familia deja el pueblo donde nació EP. Mudanza a Sonora. Muerte de madre de...

Interview Description Agustín Quijano (79) habla con su enfermera, Ana Waldo (61) sobre su familia y sus experiencias trabajando con su papá. Facilitator Subject Log 01:55 Para Agustín, el momento más feliz de su vida fue cuando su papá le llevó para los Estados Unidos a trabajar. Aprendió a trabajar de su papá, un hombre alto y fuerte. 06:27 Agustín esta más orgulloso de no haber gastado dinero en si, sino en la familia. 15:30 La amistad...