personal experiences

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 Candy Maria Torres (56) talks with Whitney Henry-Lester about her Puerto Rican ancestry. Facilitator Subject Log 00:45 Candy's parents grew up in Puerto Rico, but both moved to Harlem and lived there during the Great Depression. 09:30 Candy talks about how her mother and father met. She also recalls how her mother got into fights when she was younger and how her father really loved the feistiness in her mother. 15:35...

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 Henry and Ben remember growing up in Colorado and discuss their family history. Facilitator Subject Log 1:00 Ben and Henry's family came from Spain via Mexico to Colorado. 3:30 Both Ben and Henry were born and raised in Fountain CO, where everyone knew everybody. 7:10 Spent time of the ranch, helping their family farm cattle and sheep. They were poor and only had their family to rely on. 18:00 Ben...

Interview Description Rick Palmer (57) interviews Claudia Tutt (36) about her life, and the recent challenges she has overcome since coming to Partners in Housing. Rick is Claudia's case worker. Facilitator Subject Log 01:10 Claudia explains how she came to the United States, and what brought her to Partners in Housing, specifically. 07:30 Claudia reflects on what she sees for her future. 08:18 Claudia talks about her various work...

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 Jorge Valdez (26) interviews his wife, Jesusita Valdez (28) about her work and life passion as a teacher. Facilitator Subject Log 01:09 Jesusita talks about some of her role models growing up that inspired her to become a teacher. Her basketball coach gave her an MVP award. 04:05 Jesusita always worked hard in college to succeed. She learned through teaching that there are some things she can't control everything for her students...

Interview Description Jorge Valdez (26) talks to his wife, Jesusita Valdez (28) about his love of family, his experiences in the Marine Corps, and his relationship with Jesusita. Facilitator Subject Log 00:45 Family is very important to Jorge. He shares childhood memories from growing up in Texas. 05:30 Jorge recalls being in boot camp on September 11, 2001. 07:30 Jorge was deployed to Iraq 4 times. He shares memories of those times,...