2 50 130 https://latinolorain.oberlincollegelibrary.org/files/original/1cfd972edb0a3f86edd0be1a9c63258b.png 61057c5966580f52699f80320d660cc0 Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Kahtia Moyotl Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Anabel Barron-Sanchez OHMS Object This field contains the OHMS Hyperlink (link to the XML file within the OHMS viewer) https://oberlincollegelibrary.org/ohms-viewer/render.php?cachefile=LL_Barron_Anabel.xml OHMS Object Text The field contains the OHMS Index and/or Transcript and is what makes the contents of the OHMS object searchable within Omeka 5.4 Anabel Barron-Sanchez Latino Lorain Fall 2020 Oberlin College Library Anabel Barron-Sanchez Kahtia Moyotl 0 https://youtu.be/9V-bgWkaLTU YouTube video 0 Introduction Moyotl: So hi my name is Kahtia Moyotl, and I'm going to be interviewing Ms.Barron-Sanchez for our Latino Lorain Oral History Project. So thank you Ms.Barron-Sanchez for agreeing to have me interview you. Can you just state your age please? Kahtia Moyotl introduces Anabel Barron-Sanchez as her interviewee for the Latino Lorain Oral History project. Latino ; Lorain ; Oral History 39 Early Childhood Moyotl: So I'm just going to start off by asking you a little bit about how you grew up and where your life began basically. Barron-Sanchez: Okay, well I grew up between two countries, Mexico and the United States... Anabel Barron-Sanchez gives a brief summary of the beginning of her life journey, growing up in two countries, Mexico and the U.S. Specifically, Anabel speaks of living in Guanajuato, Mexico, as well as San Antonio, Texas. She discusses the feelings of loneliness that this unstable childhood experience has left her with as well as the financial difficulties her parents faced which prompted such a mobile lifestyle. Border ; Childhood ; Friendship ; Guanajuato ; Immigration ; Mexico ; San Antonio ; Texas 288 Family Employment Moyotl: So what did your parents do specifically, For work? Barron-Sanchez: Well my mom was a homestay mom, she never worked, she didn't know how to read or write... Here Anabel Barron-Sanchez describes her parents occupations growing up. Her mother was a stay at home mom who raised 8 children. Her father was a carpenter in Mexico but a landscaper in Texas. His labor was exploited in Texas by fellow Mexicans, Mexican-Americans, and paid $20 a day for his work. Ms.Barron-Sanchez describes how watching her father be exploited by his own people has shaped her view of immigrants and feuled her motivation for activism. Immigration ; Labor ; Landscaper ; Mexican ; Stay at home mom ; Undocumented 486 Involvement at Sacred Heart and El Centro Moyotl: I know that you do work to achieve that goal, to help other immigrants ; what specifically do you do or have you done? Barron-Sanchez: A little bit of everything ; I cannot put a title to it, to be honest... Anabel Barron-Sanchez has been involved with the immigrant services at El Centro and Sacred Heart Chapel in Lorain. She recounts how she used to drive undocumented immigrants and translate English to Spanish for them. She also delves into the pressing issue of inaccessibility to health care that undocumented immigrants face. El Centro ; Health Care ; Immigrants ; Lorain ; Sacred Heart ; Undocumented Immigrants 969 Coming to Lorain Moyotl: Who brought you to Lorain? Who came with you? How did you end up here? Barron-Sanchez: Yes, I was 19 years old when I came here to Lorain... Ms.Baron-Sanchez describes how she first found herself in Lorain with her ex partner and two young daughters. Her sister prompted the whole family to move here by explaining how there were a lot of job opportunities in Northeast Ohio. She explains how Lorain became her home through the unique community she found here. Lastly, she also describes how the undocumented experience has shaped her experience in Lorain. Latina ; Lorain ; Motherhood ; Northeast Ohio 1210 Motherhood, Employment and Machismo Moyotl: Where did you start your professional life here? What were your first jobs? Barron-Sanchez: Well my first job was flipping burgers... Anabel Barron-Sanchez goes into detail about her employment history as well as motherhood within Latino culture and how it has effected her professional life. She explains how motherhood is an unrecognized, full-time occupation specifically within Mexican culture. Lastly, she uncovers her ex partners alcoholism and abuse, leading to a transformation of her notion of family and motherhood as she took over the provider role for her family. Alcoholism ; Depression ; Employment ; Latinidad ; Lorain ; Machista ; Mexican ; Motherhood ; Single Mother ; Undocumented 1866 Getting Detained and Mental Health Barron-Sanchez: I remember thinking the day that I got stopped by the police officer in Sheffield Village was the worst day of my life... Anabel Barron-Sanchez describes the traumatic experience of getting detained by ICE after being stopped by the police while driving to work. She discusses the mental health issues she has experienced as a result of this event. Depression ; Detainment ; ICE ; Police ; Religion ; Spirituality 2137 Changes in 2020 Anabel Barron-Sanchez discusses some of the achievements shes made in 2020. 2020 ; Homeowner ; Undocumented ; Visa 2344 Lorain Mentors Moyotl: I just wanted to ask if there are any people you can think of that you saw as the most influential to your journey here in Lorain to get you to that light at the end of the tunnel? Barron-Sanchez: Oh so many people! Ms.Barron-Sanchez lists the mentors shes met here in Lorain that have guided her professionally, as well as personally, specifically in her fight against ICE and deportation. She mentions Jose Mendiola, Deb Klein, Celestino Rivera and more. El Centro ; ICE ; Immigration ; Lorain ; Northeast Ohio ; Undocumented 2795 Undocumented Activism Moyotl: Can you also share some of your most proudest moments in Lorain as a community activist? Ms.Barron-Sanchez has done a lot for the undocumented community in Lorain as an activist. Here, she describes one of the proudest achievements she made as an activist, when she and some fellow activists from El Centro came to an ICE raid to help the children left behind when their parents were detained by ICE. El Centro ; ICE ; Immigration ; Northeast Ohio ; Raids ; Undocumented 3478 Challenges for Lorain today Moyotl: So you were talking about for the undocumented community, differences in Lorain. I was just wondering if you saw any great differences in your time being here for the larger community? In this last segment Ms.Barron-Sanchez states the biggest challenge Lorain faces today from her perspective, violence. This violence includes domestic violence, but also youth violence. She also discusses some of the city's reactionary measures to this increase in violence. Domestic Violence ; East Lorain ; Lorain ; Violence ; Youth Oral history interview with Anabel Barron-Sanchez for Latino Lorain Oral History Project. video 0 https://oberlincollegelibrary.org/ohms-viewer/render.php?cachefile=LL_Barron_Anabel.xml LL_Barron_Anabel.xml Sort Priority This field should be added if you are using the Philly Theme with your OHMSPlugin Suite 0005 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Anabel Barron-Sanchez Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2020-10-29 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video https://latinolorain.oberlincollegelibrary.org/files/original/5bab15f161a5af5f1be47bdbcad4ee30.jpg c15caf5c2eee94e2a2e2111674a515f5 Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Zoe Jasper Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Maria Carrion OHMS Object This field contains the OHMS Hyperlink (link to the XML file within the OHMS viewer) https://oberlincollegelibrary.org/ohms-viewer/render.php?cachefile=LL_Carrion_Maria.xml OHMS Object Text The field contains the OHMS Index and/or Transcript and is what makes the contents of the OHMS object searchable within Omeka 5.4 Maria Carrion 01:02:36 Latino Lorain Fall 2020 Oberlin College Library Maria Carrion Zoe Jasper 0 https://youtu.be/9zBUmy7ezeE YouTube video 15 Introduction My name is Zoe Jasper, I'm a fourth year student at Oberlin College, and I'm here today interviewing Maria Carrion for the Latino Lorain oral history project, which is a collaboration between the Lorain Historical Society, El Centro, and Oberlin College. Thank you Maria for taking the time to speak with me and for contributing to this archive. Could you please state your full name and age? Interviewer and Carrion introduce themselves and establish that this interview is part of a collaboration between Oberlin College, El Centro de Servicios Sociales and the Lorain Historical Society, conducted online through Zoom due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Coronavirus ; COVID-19 ; El Centro ; El Centro de Servicios Sociales ; Latino Lorain ; Lorain Historical Society ; Oberlin ; Oberlin College ; Zoom 72 Immediate Family Could you tell me a little bit about your family and where you grew up? Carrion shares the story of how her parents met, when her father was working at the steel mill in Lorain and her mother was living in Mexico. She also talks about her six siblings, where they have each ended up, and what it was like growing up in a big family. big family ; family ; growing up ; Lorain ; Mexico ; parents ; seven children ; siblings ; U.S. Steel plant 273 Puerto Rican and Mexican Heritage Last time we talked, you spoke a little bit about how your dad being Puerto Rican and your mom being Mexican had a big impact on you growing up and sort of your sense of yourself. Would you want to talk more about that? Carrion talks about how her Mexican and Puerto Rican heritage impacted her growing up. She also talks about balancing Latino and American cultural differences. She then delves into her parents' respective families and experiences of migration. American culture ; assimilation ; brother ; cultural differences ; culture ; culture at home ; diversity ; early life ; English ; ethnicity ; family ; food ; Ford Motor Company ; grandparents ; Hispanic ; identity issues ; language ; Latino ; Latino ethnic groups ; Mexican ; Mexico ; migration ; parents ; Puerto Rican ; Puerto Rico ; school ; siblings ; Spanish ; tradition 756 Higher Education and Career Path So, speaking of jobs actually, what kinds of jobs did you have, or where did you work when you were growing up? Carrion recalls working her first jobs as a high schooler and in her college years switching schools a few times because she was passionate about teaching but also interested in being able to make more money through secretarial and corporate jobs. Carrion talks about ultimately getting her degree in business, finding success in corporate jobs, but feeling unfulfilled. She discusses going to graduate school for a degree in health and human services before ending up at El Centro. She feels now that the stepping stones of her life have led her to a rewarding second career where she gets to teach and work with people of her ethnic background. 1970s ; Bachelor of Science in Business Administration ; Baldwin Wallace ; Baldwin Wallace University ; Boston ; Bristol Myers Squibb ; BSBA ; business ; career ; Caribbean ; college ; corporate jobs ; El Centro ; El Centro de Servicios Sociales ; executive assistant program ; Ford Motor Company ; fulfillment ; graduate school ; health and human services ; helping people ; hospital towel supply company ; jobs ; LCCC ; Lorain County Community College ; making own money ; money ; Northeastern ; Northeastern University ; pharmaceuticals ; secretary ; social services ; switched career path ; teacher ; thinking about retiring ; women's careers ; work 1180 El Centro and Religion Could you tell me more about the work you're doing at El Centro and how you got this job specifically? Carrion talks about returning to Lorain to care for her mother before she passed away and realizing she wanted to give back to her community through work in health and human services. Growing up, Carrion says that she had fewer interactions with the clients and community of El Centro because she did not go to high school in South Lorain. However, she says that church was the most important community institution for her during her early life. Since she felt limited by her family's religious lifestyle, religion is no longer a major part of Carrion's life. adding value ; Catholic ; church ; Clearview High School ; community ; community development ; El Centro ; El Centro de Servicios Sociales ; faith ; family ; giving back ; health and human services ; high school ; Housing and Physical Development Manager ; mortality ; mother passed away ; Princeton, NJ ; religion ; Sacred Heart Chapel ; South Lorain ; spirituality 1685 Changes to Lorain Over the Years This is sort of an unrelated question, but if you were to sort of think back to Lorain as a city more generally when you were growing up, how do you think you would describe it to young people today? Carrion describes how Lorain has changed since she grew up there and the core values that are still important to the city. She also talks about how perspectives on race and ethnicity have changed. community feeling ; core values ; early life ; education ; family ; helping each other ; industry ; kids ; Lorain ; Lorain, OH ; melting pot ; public transportation ; race ; racism ; respect ; The International City 1934 Personally and Historically Significant Moments in Lorain Could you share with me your proudest moment growing up in Lorain that you can think of? Carrion shares her proudest and most challenging moments growing up in Lorain. She also recalls moments and transitions she witnessed that were historically significant to the city. challenges ; changes ; Cleveland ; college ; degree ; education ; expectations for women ; family ties ; first gen ; first generation ; Ford Motor Company ; graduation ; high school ; independent ; industry ; industry moving out ; jobs ; leaving Lorain ; Lorain ; neighborhoods ; Northeastern ; Northeastern University ; proudest moment ; revenue ; self sufficient ; shipbuilding company ; transition 2409 Experiences Living in Other Cities Could you talk more about your experience first going to Boston and how that was different than what you might have been used to and what it was like to come home and see how things had changed? Carrion talks about her many positive experiences living in cities outside of Lorain, including Boston, Chicago, and San Juan. She also discusses the challenge of transitioning from life in Puerto Rico to Princeton. Boston ; career driven moves ; Caribbean ; Chicago ; college ; expatriate ; international experience ; job opportunities ; network ; new experiences ; positive experiences ; Princeton ; Puerto Rican ; Puerto Rico ; returning to US ; San Juan ; transitions 2803 Lorain Today and Plans for the Future So now that you are back in Lorain, what do you see as the greatest challenge facing people in the city right now? Carrion shares what she sees as the greatest challenging facing Lorain today as well as the city's greatest strengths. She then talks about her plans to live outside the US again in the future and the value of her international travels over the years. adding value ; adventure ; Barcelona ; community ; consulting ; culture ; dreaming ; Europe ; human race ; independent ; learning ; Lorain ; making a difference ; motivation ; narrow minded ; open minded ; outside the US ; pride in your city ; race ; retirement ; Spain ; travel 3228 Favorite Foods and Conclusion I was thinking back to earlier, about how you said there were sort of really different cultural differences between your Puerto Rican and Mexican sides and I was wondering if you had any specific foods from either side of the family that you remember fondly from your childhood. Carrion describes her favorite foods that she ate growing up, as well as her favorite places to eat in and outside of Lorain today. She dispels stereotypes and misconceptions about the foods of different Latino cultures. At the close of the interview, she expresses gratitude for the opportunities she has gotten in life and for her own work ethic and drive to succeed. bakery ; blessings ; Caribbean ; childhood ; Creole ; food ; giving back ; hard work ; Latino ; Lorain ; Mexican ; mother ; opportunities in life ; pastries ; Puerto Rican ; restaurants ; rice and beans ; school ; seasoning ; South American ; spicy food ; stereotypes ; success ; Tex Mex ; Thai food ; tortillas ; tostadas ; West Lake Oral History video 0 https://oberlincollegelibrary.org/ohms-viewer/render.php?cachefile=LL_Carrion_Maria.xml LL_Carrion_Maria.xml Sort Priority This field should be added if you are using the Philly Theme with your OHMSPlugin Suite 0007 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Maria Carrion Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2020-10-27 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video https://latinolorain.oberlincollegelibrary.org/files/original/43f7039c2a67416f1e8a400e485f5c58.png 7e3aade3341bce861c3f6afe03113010 Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Pearl Puzak Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Lourdes Bennett OHMS Object This field contains the OHMS Hyperlink (link to the XML file within the OHMS viewer) https://oberlincollegelibrary.org/ohms-viewer/render.php?cachefile=LL_Bennett_Lourdes.xml OHMS Object Text The field contains the OHMS Index and/or Transcript and is what makes the contents of the OHMS object searchable within Omeka 5.4 Lourdes Bennett Latino Lorain Fall 2020 Oberlin College Library Lourdes Bennett Pearl Puzak 0 https://youtu.be/HiFHYxy6hNc YouTube video 0 Lede Hi, my name is Pearl Puzak and I'm with Lourdes Bennett for the Latino Lorain Oral History Project. Thank you for being with me. Today is Saturday November 14, 2020. Pearl gives an introduction to contextualize the oral history. latino lorain ; lede ; oral history 24 Childhood and Growing up in South Lorain Pearl: &quot ; Would you be able to tell me about what your life was like growing up in Lorain?&quot ; Lourdes: &quot ; Where do I begin? It was for me, I'm lucky number 13 out of 14 siblings, so things were a little different for be from when my parents came. I loved South Lorain, I love the diversity of it. We had all our friends, we played, it's nothing like it is now. We had friends from school and church. It was a great childhood, not perfect, but a good upbringing&quot ; family ; siblings ; South Lorain ; upbringing 245 The Steel Mill Pearl: &quot ; You mentioned that your father worked at the steel mill. Could you contextual the steel mill, Puerto Rican immigrants, and your own family's story?&quot ; Lourdes: &quot ; Absolutely. My dad was having a hard time finding a job in Puerto Rico. Before he came here, he was selling oranges. He heard through the grapevine that there were jobs in the USA. He and his brother - they were the youngest - were hesitant to tell my abuelo that they wanted to come to the US, but when they finally did, he saw that both of them weren't able to find jobs.&quot ; Lourdes speaks about how her dad and uncle came to move to the USA from Puerto Rico and eventually to Lorain. They moved to New Jersey first, went back to Puerto Rico, and eventually landed in Lorain in 1950. Her dad was also married in 1950, and permanently moved in 1952. They didn't want to live in a boarding house with other steel mill workers, so they lived in an apartment and eventually a house as the family expanded. Lourdes uses the word 'sacrifice' to think about the price of a better life. boarding house ; childhood ; family ; immigrant ; Lorain ; Puerto Rico ; sacrifice ; steel mill 786 Family in Puerto Rico Pearl: &quot ; Is your family still in contact with anyone in Puerto Rico?&quot ; Lourdes: &quot ; Yes, a lot of our uncles and aunts are gone. I think my mom still has one sister still alive. My mom passed with she was 94, but their kids - we do stay in touch. There are certain members that we are more in contact with than others&quot ; Lourdes speaks about her family that is still in Puerto Rico, and the extent to which they're still in contact. She speaks about current events that effect travels, such as hurricanes and the Puerto Rican economy. Lourdes also discusses the difficulties of having aging family that are overseas. cousin ; economy ; family ; hurricane ; Puerto Rico 987 Schooling and Childhood Memories Pearl: &quot ; Do you have any memories that exemplify what it was like growing up in Lorain?&quot ; Lourdes: &quot ; A lot of great memories. School - I went to Lowell elementary, Whittier Junior High and Southview High School. None of those are still there, they've all been demolished over the last few years. I had great teachers, and the diversity of Lorain was amazing. I don't know why, but I recall having students in my classes who's names were just so different from my. It was a Greek name - there were all different types of nationalities. We all learned, we all struggled, especially those of us that had a hard time in school but I didn't feel any bad thoughts as far as there are now in terms of school.&quot ; Lourdes discusses her schooling and the diversity of her schools. She also discusses the cohesive atmosphere of South Lorain, the house she grew up in, and spending time with her siblings as a child. diversity ; family ; house ; Lorain ; school 1306 Relationships with Siblings Pearl: &quot ; Growing up in family of 14 siblings, do you want to speak about how you relationships have changed with your siblings from childhood to now, especially as they've gotten married and had kids?&quot ; Lourdes:&quot ; Sure, well it's funny because the younger ones - that's who I was closest to. My brother and I would make fun of my older sister because she was valedictorian, and here my brother and I came, we were way different. There were those expectation, kind of thing. We were more like pests to the older ones, growing up. But now, it's different. With the pandemic, we decided that we'd have weekly zoom calls with the siblings. The majority of the time it's the eight sisters that are on.&quot ; Lourdes speaks on her relationships with her siblings and how they've changed over time. Some siblings have moved away from Lorain. Lourdes was closer to the siblings her age as a kid, but have grown closer with the older ones as time has gone on. She also references divided political opinions in 2020, but emphasizes the importance of putting differences aside and loving her family. brother ; family ; Lorain ; siblings ; sister 1826 Professional Life Pearl: You went to school in Lorain all through high school, what happened when you graduated high school? Lourdes: I graduated high school and shortly after that, I got pregnant. So I worked. I have a 33 year old son, and a 22 year old son. Pretty much worked right after that, took classes here and there, we had to work at that point. Did a little bit of nonprofit work, then went into the legal field. I worked as an administrative assistant, executive assistant for a while, then went over to office assistant. I lived in Lorain my whole life, but I worked in Cleveland. Commuting back and forth&quot ; Lourdes speaks about her professional life and its progression. She began working as an administrative assistant in nonprofits and law firms in Cleveland before finding work at El Centro a few years ago. Lourdes always has known about El Centro, as she grew up nearby. She speaks about the meaning in doing work in her community. Cleveland ; community ; El Centro ; Latino ; Lorain ; nonprofit ; work 2337 El Centro and Collaboration Pearl: &quot ; In addition to El Centro, do you have any other institutions that you think have been really crucial to Lorain and have effected your life or the people's lives around you?&quot ; Lourdes: [hard to hear] &quot ; ... organizations or corporations that partner with El Centro. There's a lot of organizations, and that's one great thing about El Centro and Victor, he loves to partner. Why recreate the wheel if United Ways is already doing something similar and we can replicate that.&quot ; Lourdes speaks about other social services organizations that work with El Centro in Lorain, and praises Victor Leandry (director of El Centro) for his collaborative approach. collaboration ; El Centro ; Lorain ; nonprofit ; organization ; partnership 2517 Community in Lorain and the Future Pearl: &quot ; What do you think of when you think of your community in Lorain? Could you characterize that? Lourdes: &quot ; Resilient, probably when I was younger it was.. I'd use the word family. For the last few years, South Lorain is resilient, hopeful. Knowing what Lorain was at the high of the steel mill, the 50s and 60s, just knowing the history of it.. hopefully one day we'll get back to that, but I think it will be a different type of community. Seeing the collaboration with different councilmen and whatnot, they're trying to think out of the box.&quot ; Lourdes thinks about her the resiliency and hope she sees in her community to the future, and seeing how Lorain will develop. She talks about political collaboration and the advantages of having a lakefront for technology while reflecting on Lorain's past. community ; downtown ; history ; hope ; lake ; Latino Lorain ; Lorain ; Lorain Historical Society ; resilient ; steel mill ; technology 3168 Lorain's Community Pearl: &quot ; Can I ask you what your proudest moment of living in Lorain has been?&quot ; Lourdes: &quot ; I would say, being a member of the International City - but also looking back at the community and the people, and how we all came together when needed for various reason. It seems like we're still doing that. Again, there's been some rough times but being part of the International City and a community that comes together when needed - well when needed, not needed, but especially when needed. We have such a diverse community, and it's awesome to see that diversity coming together. Lourdes speaks about how the Lorain comes together as a community, and how unique it is due to the city's diversity. She discusses the strengths and weaknesses of Lorain's community over her lifetime. community ; diversity ; help ; International City ; Lorain ; resiliency ; sacrifice ; strength 3532 Lorain and COVID 19 Pearl: &quot ; I'm interested to hear how being in a pandemic and social distancing has impacted Lorain's cohesive community. Do you see the effects of the pandemic and how are people adapting? Lourdes: &quot ; We have. In terms of the numbers, Latinos in Lorain County, the numbers are a lot higher than others. We're doing great at work, at school, wearing a mask at the stores, but when it's Sunday afternoon and you go to your abuela's house, your aunt, your guard comes down, that's where a lot of the numbers are rising. I'm sure they're all asymptomatic and don't know it. In our culture, we hug and kiss every person who walks through the door. In my family, we do the fist bump or the elbow bump. It's weird, it's wrong, but we know we have to.&quot ; Lourdes talks about how Lorain is navigating the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, and how her family is adjusting. She also speaks about the effects on El Centro programming. community ; coronavirus ; COVID 19 ; Latino ; Lorain ; Lorain County ; pandemic 4077 Lorain's Importance to Lourdes' Family Pearl: &quot ; It seems like Lorain has a very important history to you and your family, and I guess I'm wondering what makes it home? How do you see that developing in the future?&quot ; Lourdes: &quot ; Lorain definitely has a special place in my heart and my family's. There would be times when, what if Mami and Papi went to Chicago? What if.. whatever. They came to Lorain, and Lorain will always have a special place in our hearts. Whenever we see an article with Lorain, OH in it, my siblings will text it to us. My niece is in school in Colorado, and she was reading a book that mentioned Lorain, OH, so she took a picture of it and sent it. So even my nieces and nephews, they know how special Lorain is to us and will always be, because it formed us into who we are today, with my mom and dad, and their sacrifices. They came to Lorain to do it, and thank goodness that others came and they were able to relate to those people and have those other people to help out.&quot ; Lourdes speaks about why Lorain is important to her family and how she feels it has formed her family. Her nieces and nephews who don't live in Lorain still know the importance of the city to the family. community ; family ; home ; Lorain ; special place 4347 The Importance of Lorain's History Pearl: &quot ; Is there anything we haven't spoken about that you'd like to add?&quot ; Lourdes: &quot ; This is for the Latino Lorain History Project. Lorain - just thinking of the families that came for the hobs, we know a lot of them, my parents knew a lot of them, and we know the sacrifices that our mom and dad went through to come here, not knowing the language. There were probably some days they regretted it, but I think that kind of helped my mom and dad, knowing they were not alone. There were hundreds of other Puerto Ricans and Mexicans that came here, and it's a part of history from the late 40s to today that no other city can say what we did, they didn't do that. It's important that we capture that, it's important that the steel mill was a big part of Lorain and will always be a big part of Lorain for many families, for many generations. They wouldn't have come to Lorain without that steel mill, without Ford. Lorain is special, it's not perfect, just like any community. but all the sacrifices that were made, to see where the familes are now, and to see the hard work their parents did, it brings joy to my heart to see that and to see a lot of them still here in Lorain, trying to get it to another special place that it will one day become.&quot ; Lourdes speaks about the importance of capturing Lorain's history and unique story through the Latino Lorain Oral History Project. She finds joy in the close community of immigrants, and how many are still in Lorain. Lastly, Lourdes looks to the future of Lorain and is excited to see what it will become in the hands of a caring community. community ; family ; hard work ; history ; Latino Lorain History Project ; Lorain ; Puerto Rican ; sacrifice ; steel mill Lourdes Bennett's oral history narration for the Latino Lorain Oral History Project. video 0 https://oberlincollegelibrary.org/ohms-viewer/render.php?cachefile=LL_Bennett_Lourdes.xml LL_Bennett_Lourdes.xml Sort Priority This field should be added if you are using the Philly Theme with your OHMSPlugin Suite 0006 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Lourdes Bennett Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2020-11-14 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video https://latinolorain.oberlincollegelibrary.org/files/original/0200c3b704624570522d967e7e1d2c2c.m4a 5d92c1943d8184b540271659af49ae42 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Barrios_audio_only.m4a https://latinolorain.oberlincollegelibrary.org/files/original/552538bf80462fd7a53669d7d5da3e89.JPG b6bd333b77f3a0a05d770f78d72814b7 Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Jane Rissover-Plotke Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Antonio Barrios OHMS Object This field contains the OHMS Hyperlink (link to the XML file within the OHMS viewer) https://oberlincollegelibrary.org/ohms-viewer/render.php?cachefile=LL_Barrios_Antonio.xml Interview Keyword This field adds keywords to the Omeka Oral History item type. Keywords areincluded in the OHMS XML, this field in Omeka will allow for full data migrationbetween OHMS XML and the Omeka Record. This field does not impact theOHMS / Omeka integration and is optional if you do not need to map the“keywords” field in the OHMS XML to the corresponding Omeka record. Lorain Ohio Puerto Rican Puerto Ricans Politics Model Art Photography Interview Oral history OHMS Object Text The field contains the OHMS Index and/or Transcript and is what makes the contents of the OHMS object searchable within Omeka 5.4 Unknown Date Antonio Barrios Latino Lorain Fall 2020 Oberlin College Library Lorain Ohio Puerto Rican Puerto Ricans Politics Model Art Photography Interview Oral history Antonio Barrios Jane Rissover-Plotke 0 https://latinolorain.oberlincollegelibrary.org/plugins/Dropbox/files/Barrios_audio_only.m4a Other audio 0 Introduction to interview with Antonio Barrios JRP: Hello, my name is Jane Rissover-Plotke and I am here with Mr. Antonio Barrios and I am going to interview him for our Latino Lorain Oral History Project. Thank you Mr. Antonio Barrios for agreeing to do this interview with me. Could you please state your name and age? Rissover-Plotke introduces Antonio Barrios who is being interviewed for the Latino Lorain History Project which is a collaboration between the Lorain Historical Society, El Centro de Servicios Sociales, and Oberlin College. The interview is taking place over Zoom due to the Coronavirus global pandemic. Barrios is 74 years old and currently situated in Lorain, Ohio. Antonio Barrios ; El Centro de Servicios Sociales ; Latino Lorain Oral History Project ; Lorain ; Lorain Historical Society ; Lorain, Ohio ; Ohio 37 Early life, recollections from living in Puerto Rico as a young child JRP: Could you tell me a little bit about your family and where you grew up? AB: Yes, definitely! Well, the family unit started out in Puerto Rico, it was just my older brother and myself and my mom. And my father left for the United States to work here at the Steel Mill. Barrios was born in Santurce, Puerto Rico and spent the first 4-5 years of his life in PR. His father was one of the &quot ; First 500&quot ; men who left Puerto Rico for the United States to work in the Steel Mill. This left himself along with his older brother and mother in Puerto Rico for about 2 years while his dad settled into Lorain and worked to save up money for plane tickets for the rest of his family to join him there. In order to qualify for the program with the Johnson Steel Company, the men chosen had to provide a copy of their police record if they had one, a recommendation from the Chief of Police, a recommendation from the mayor of their city, as well as a recommendation from their local priest or a moral character witness. His father along with the rest of the men sent to Lorain with him lived in the barracks on company property until about a year or two later they petitioned to be able to go out into the community and find their own lodging. He recalls living in a makeshift shelter with a tin roof, wooden sides, and cement floor in Barrio Obrero where he lived for the first 5 years of his life. They had very few things but his father would send money back to help support them in addition to her mother doing a variety of work to support their family. At this time--the early '40s and '50s--things were very hard for a lot of people in Puerto Rico and work was very hard to find. Barrio Obrero ; Johnson Steel Company ; Puerto Rico ; Santurce ; Santurce, Puerto Rico ; Steel Mill ; United States ; US Steel Corporation 274 The journey from Puerto Rico to Lorain, Ohio JRP: So, when you got to Lorain, how did things change for you and your family? It was a traumatic experience for Barrios to board and ride on the plane from Puerto Rico to Lorain, Ohio. He had never been anywhere besides his mother's house, and the huge, loud TWA Constellation Aircraft (the biggest 4-propellor airplane in existence) was terrifying for him as a 5 year old. He likens the experience of boarding the plane to Jonas going into the belly of the whale. He describes it as somewhat of a traumatic introduction to the United States, being uprooted from the only place he knew and boarding a monstrous contraption, only to arrive in a totally different place that did not feel familiar to him at all. He was mute and spellbound by it all, trying to do what his parents wanted him to do, without really understanding what was going on or why he was in a new location. Lorain ; Lorain, Ohio ; Plane ; Puerto Rico ; TWA Constellation Aircraft 398 Friends growing up JRP: Who were your friends, mentors, or teachers growing up? Growing up in Lorain, his friends were all kids from the other families that moved from Puerto Rico to Lorain. It was a very close-knit community. Him and his friends weren't born in Lorain so they were the &quot ; first kids on the block&quot ; . None of them could speak English so they navigated their new world together, protecting and looking after each other. Friends ; Learning English ; Second Language ; Self Preservation 459 Early memories and the reception of Puerto Ricans in Lorain by the previous residents JRP: Do you have an earliest memory that you remember? When his family arrived in Lorain, he can remember waking up in bed and looking up at the ceiling of the place where they were living. They lived in a basement and the ceiling was the floor of the people living above them, so there weren't any coverings and you could see the pipes and wires coming out from the ceiling. When the young Puerto Rican men were allowed to look for housing, there was a lot of resistance to the Puerto Rican people being in Lorain. The locals didn't quite understand that it was the Steel Company that brought them there, and that they hadn't known about Lorain prior and wanted to come there to &quot ; take their jobs&quot ; . At first things were mostly calm with the residents of Lorain, although they were being ostracized as the &quot ; Cesar Romero's&quot ; and the &quot ; Latinos in town&quot ; , but then things got ugly. They were painted as a &quot ; Brown wave of invasion&quot ; and people began to be very angry that they were there. Now that he has grown up and understands the full situation more, he resents this hatred that him and his family and friends faced. He is thankful that his father and the other forefathers that brought Puerto Ricans over to Lorain had the strength to prevail and provide himself and others with a better life. Antonio Barrios ; Brown wave ; Brown wave of invasion ; Lorain ; Lorain, Ohio ; Ohio ; Ostracization 628 Schooling in Lorain JRP: What was your schooling like in Lorain? Barrios started out going to public school in his neighborhood. He was terrified of school at first because he didn't speak the language, but luckily he was able to stick with some of the other Puerto Rican kids so they all tried to pick up the language and understand what other people were saying. He would get into difficult situations because he was having a hard time assimilating, so his father took him out of public school and put him in private school. He went to a Catholic school that was right down the corner by where they lived. This was also a traumatic experience for him because &quot ; nuns don't play and they will definitely use the ruler&quot ; , but in the end he had a better education than his peers. He's thankful for his father that he took this chance in moving to Lorain so that he could grow up in a better situation than they had in Puerto Rico and get a great education. But he does feel torn about this because he didn't get a chance to really sink into his roots in Puerto Rico. He is very thankful that they were able to bring their community with them. Assimilation ; Catholic school ; Community ; Education ; Nuns ; Private school ; Public school ; School 860 Making a home for themselves in Lorain on the &quot ; wrong side of the tracks&quot ; AB: Well in fact--another anecdotal story--when our forefathers were trying to get out of company property and out of the barracks, they had difficulty finding lodging because many of the residents refused to sell them homes or rent them properties. When the US Steel Corporation allowed the Puerto Rican men to get out of the barracks on company property, they had difficulty finding lodging because many of the residents refused to sell them homes or rent them properties. Instead they began to buy land at the &quot ; bad place across the tracks&quot ; . They got together and built homes for themselves. This is the true beginning to this area of Lorain called Campito, or the countryside. They were very entrepreneurial and determined to build a better future for their kids, and that's what they did. He describes them as hard-working people and very determined once they make their mind up to do something. He is very proud of them and of his father for having brought them to Lorain. Building homes ; Campito ; Homes ; Lorain ; Ohio ; US Steel Corporation ; Wrong side of the tracks 965 Working in Lorain and the beginning of Vine Ave. and South Lorain JRP: Yeah, that's a great story and he's a very strong man for being able to do everything that he did and so are all of the people that came with him. AB: Yeah! I mean that was incredible I think if I get my years right he retired with about 32 years of service to the US Steel Corporation. His father retired with about 32 years of service to the US Steel Corporation, and then Barrios went to work there after high school. Here is where he first saw that his father's courage and determination were something to admire because it was extremely challenging, laborious work. He learned that he had to go out of his comfort zone and do work that felt very scary and dangerous to him in order to succeed at this job. His and the other kids in the neighborhood's parents had built a community that was known as South Lorain. There always was a South Lorain, but when they tended to migrate closely with each other so when they moved into the area there was a street called Vine Ave., that had only Hispanic owners that owned the buildings and the businesses, so it helped him meld into the American society by having all of their parents, friends, and family be a part of those growing businesses. It was a very thriving community back then in their little apartment in Lorain. Ever since he was little, they had a work ethic that everyone in the family had to do something to help the family get along. Back then there was a lot of agriculture in Lorain. So when he was 8, him and a bunch of the other kids in the neighborhood would try to help out with farm work by going to the Office of the Farm Bureau. The kids would all head over at about 4 or 5 in the morning and line up for the farmers to pick who they wanted to work with them. For the first year or so, all of the farmers would tell him that he was too little and too young, and then finally he was allowed to go and help. He would pick tomatoes, strawberries, cherries as well so doing weeding. He's grown up ever since he was 8 years old, working and bringing something to help with the family's needs, so he thinks that without realizing it that was a very pivotal moment for him. At 8 years old he was bringing money and food to the family, which gave him a profound sense for making it on his own--going out there and helping yourself--and he's been doing that ever since. Community ; Farm ; Farm work ; Hispanic business owners ; Office of the Farm Bureau ; South Lorain ; US Steel Corporation ; Work ethic ; Working 1474 How Lorain has changed since Barrios first arrived AB: Now we have what we call &quot ; El Barrio&quot ; . El barrio was South Lorain, and that's where most of us--and I'm sure you're going to interview them--grew up in this neighborhood where everybody owned their own home--which is different and I have to say kind of tragic because they had an urban renewal program that kind of disintegrated our community, and although they said it was for the best, I have my feelings about that--because before, everybody owned their own home. Then there was &quot ; El Barrio&quot ; . El barrio was South Lorain, the neighborhood where most of the Puerto Rican migrants grew up. Here, everybody owned their own home, dissimilar to how things are now, ever since they implemented an urban renewal program that kind of disintegrated their community, something that he notes is tragic. Although the city said it was for the best, he feels a bit differently. Before, it was a true community where everyone wanted to do their best to keep the streets and public areas clean. They were poor but they still had clean clothes and food on the table. The change in the city has been traumatic and dramatic. When they first arrived, the city was bustling. The holidays were like a Christmas card. There were cars and people everywhere, the economy was going and there was So Much work. There was a common saying that you could quit a job in the morning and have another, well-paying job by afternoon. And all of the work was based on manufacturing. Originally in Lorain they were ship makers. Then they worked on Ford Automobile cars. There were so many different manufacturing jobs available throughout the years. He didn't live through the time when things in the city were really falling apart because he spent some time in Europe, but over time he would see less and less activity and more closed stores. Everything became a bit gloomy. Life became hard for the folks in Lorain. Unfortunately, manufacturing was dying out in the whole country, not just in Lorain. Economic downturn ; Ford ; Manufacturing ; Manufacturing work ; Urban renewal 1936 Proudest moments growing up in Lorain JRP: Do you think that you could share with me your proudest moment growing up in Lorain? One of Barrios' most proudest and fundamental aspects of growing up in Lorain was being 8 years old and a breadwinner for his family. He was also very proud of being an honor roll student in high school--he took to books and studying. The first in his family to enroll in college, he didn't end up completing his schooling. He studied Electrical Engineering at Lorain County Community College but didn't particularly enjoy the subject. Community college ; Electrical engineering ; Honor roll ; Lorain County ; Lorain County Community College ; Student 2048 Greatest challenges growing up and living in Lorain JRP: Yeah, I have another question I think we might have touched on it a little bit, but would you mind sharing with me some of the greatest challenges that you faced growing up and living in Lorain? One of the greatest challenges he faced living in Lorain was how poorly received the Puerto Rican community as a whole was in the area. On top of that, they were at a disadvantage because they didn't speak the language. Many times they were in public speaking their language, people would come by and intervene saying &quot ; You're living in America now, you should be speaking English&quot ; , and they would not even know what they had just said, just that they seemed to be angry. Life was tough for young Puerto Ricans--they had to be a part of some traumatic confrontations with the other youth in the area because they were the new guys on the block. But as determined and resilient people, they would sometimes get into physical altercations to prove a point with mean-spirited youth in order to protect each other. It was traumatic for them because they did not feel a part of this country yet. He did not know who he was or what he was doing. He was trying to--not knowingly--maintain his culture as a Puerto Rican. But here in America everybody is telling him not to speak Spanish and to instead speak English. He thinks that this is probably why him and a lot of his friends don't speak the language very well or at all, because they felt this force to amalgamate and make them only speak English. He has always thought that this viewpoint of the &quot ; melting pot&quot ; of America was misconceived and instead it should be more like a stew, with everyone retaining their individuality and culture, adding all sorts of flavors to the soup creating one amazing taste while each flavor remains identifiable. Despite all of the hostilities that were pointed towards them, they created a community. Now he thinks that Lorain has changed and come to realize that they didn't come to take anything--they came to give what they knew how to do and help the community move along. The US Steel Corporation had a need for good, strong workers, and they saw that in Puerto Ricans. So they went to Puerto Rico and recruited many men from there, and the men were happy to go to get out of the situation of abject poverty that they were experiencing in Puerto Rico at the time. The Puerto Rican youth then grew up and became who they are, and that is thanks also to the United States of America that they are here and able to continue and do things which would probably be a lot different had they stayed in Puerto Rico, but they don't know for certain. Even though they had these obstacles in their way, they stuck with it--they stayed and showed they were good, hard-working people and after some time he thinks the community just accepted them and now the Historical Society is one of the first institutions to now be interested in what they've done and what are their contributions to the community, and for that he is grateful to the Lorain Historical Society for helping to kick this off. Challenges ; Community ; Creating community ; Lorain Historical Society ; Melting pot ; Resilient ; Traumatic ; US Steel Corporation 2593 Impacting other people and his community in Lorain JRP: Another question that we kind of touched on before a little bit: I'm wondering what some of the most important institutions that you've been involved with in Lorain are? Barrios' finishing high school was really important to his family. Both of his parents were uneducated. His mother never went to school and his father was pulled out of school in 5th grade to take care of his mom so he did a lot of manual labor growing up--one of the reasons why he admires his dad so much. Even when he and his siblings were teenagers his father was still sending money to Puerto Rico to help his mom stay alive and be well--he even went so far as to buy her a house. His father accomplished a lot of things that people like him were not expected to be able to do. One of the accomplishments that Barrios is most proud of is getting an arts program started in the city of Lorain--the Lorain Arts Council. He spoke up at City Council and tried to convince the leaders of that time that the arts could transform the city. He notes that the arts weren't seen as something that people who didn't have money could be interested in, so he tried to explain to them that if you bring the arts in then you will bring people with money into the city of Lorain. He spoke up at City Council another time and petitioned for an ordinance to be put in place that would allow folks to live and work in the same place. It was approved and this further helped artists by allowing them to be able to work on their art in the same place where they live. The biggest honor of his life was to be on the committee that successfully petitioned for the 65th battalion to receive the Congressional Gold Medal for their valiant work as soldiers. Then, upon further investigation he found that there were 4 local men who were also in this unit that did not receive the medal because they couldn't make the trip. So him and his friends came up with the idea to make bronze copies (painted gold) of the gold medals and award them to the 4 men in town. They got Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur to come down and award the medals to the men in person--they made a big thing of it and it was a really special event at the Lorain Historical Society. They also got a video from Senator Sherrod Brown talking about how he was happy to sign the petition and was proud of these men. Arts ; City Council ; Congressional Gold Medal ; Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur ; Lorain Arts Council ; Lorain Historical Society ; Manual labor ; Marcy Kaptur ; Petition ; Senator Sherrod Brown ; Sherrod Brown 3592 Time in Europe AB: One of the things that I think is outstanding is that I managed to survive on my own in Europe for 15, 20 years almost, really not knowing anything, and just being out there to see what the rest of the world was like. After leaving the military where he served in the Vietnam War, he decided to change his life and moved to New York. Suffering from PTSD, he had a breakdown after arriving in New York. He sought help at Bellevue Hospital, a place that he ended up leaving shortly after checking in, since, at the time, the hospital wasn't capable of giving him any tools to deal with his disorder--instead they just drugged up all of the patients. He then stayed at his aunt's house in New York until he was faced with the opportunity of moving to Europe. Barrios says that his adaptability is his biggest survival tool that has always helped him keep going wherever he finds himself. In New York he ended up being considered for a modeling job. When things started to not work out as much for him in the city, his agent Zoli--an icon in the fashion industry--suggested that he try modeling in Europe because back then Puerto Ricans did not have buying power in the states, and he might have a better chance of making a more livable wage in Europe. Barrios did not think he would actually go to Europe to pursue this modeling career, but he ended up getting a job as a flight attendant where he would fly back and forth to Europe. After that job ended, he took his clothes, a one-way ticket, and a hundred dollars and went to Europe. He managed to live there with great success for almost 20 years. He learned French and Italian during his time abroad. Barrios can speak Italian better than Spanish because he made a conscious effort to learn the language. With Spanish, the reason he can speak it is because his mother refused to learn any other language, but he never made a conscious effort to learn it--he would just speak with his mom. Bellevue Hospital ; Europe ; Flight attendant ; French ; Italian ; Language ; Languages ; Learning languages ; Military ; Model ; Modeling ; Modeling career ; New York ; Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ; PTSD ; Puerto Ricans ; Spanish ; Vietnam War ; Zoli 4119 Coming back to Lorain and thoughts on how the city can flourish JRP: Yeah. So, you spent a lot of time abroad, and then... AB: Yeah! That's why a lot of things that happened in town I wasn't really privy to because they were happening while I was gone. Before Barrios left Lorain for his stint in New York and Europe, Lorain was still flourishing and manufacturing was king, but there were no steps being taken to be able to do something different. Although manufacturing is not currently a happening business in Lorain nor in the rest of the country, Barrios thinks there are many other things about Lorain that aren't being given enough attention. He lists the lakefront and the natural river as a couple aspects of Lorain that could be really amazing resources for helping Lorain to thrive. According to Barrios, Lorain is a total goldmine. A few things need to be changed but he says that if the city keeps pursuing tourism and the arts, Lorain will flourish. After 12 years he is still working at his art gallery and pushing that idea. Europe ; Lakefront ; Lorain ; Lorain Arts Council ; Manufacturing ; Natural River ; New York 4327 The transformation of South Lorain following the &quot ; urban renewal program&quot ; AB: When they decimated South Lorain--and that's the term I use...they call it urban renewal, I call it decimated--it all became housing! Low-income housing. Whereas before, everybody owned their own property. When the &quot ; urban renewal program&quot ; decimated South Lorain, what used to be individual houses became low-income housing. Vine Ave. used to be clean and tidy, completely full with Hispanic businesses and people ; they were becoming a strong political base. President John F. Kennedy even came to South Lorain to speak to the Puerto Rican community of South Lorain. South Lorain went from being a tight-knit community of Hispanic people to housing for low-income people--something that isn't necessarily bad but effectively drove the community all over the area instead of maintaining that singular, large group of Hispanic folks. Barrios also emphasizes that before the Puerto Ricans came to Lorain, the Mexican community was already established there years before that. They also have the first ethnic, Hispanic Social Club in the city of Lorain and the state of Ohio. Barrios' father told him that they owed a debt of gratitude to the Mexican people because they helped them out in the beginning when they were settling in. Hispanic ; Hispanic businesses ; Hispanic Social Club ; Mexican community ; Ohio ; President John F. Kennedy ; South Lorain ; Urban Renewal Program ; Vine Ave. ; Vine Avenue 4591 Important historical moments: notable industries and the impact of their losses. Thoughts on how to move forward JRP: I'm wondering what have been some of the most important historical moments in the city, according to you. Although a large chunk of Barrios' life was spent outside of Lorain, he still has quite a few notable historical moments that exist for him in the city. One of these is the creation of the shipyards. It helped to create the identity of the city of Lorain and also helped the different industries in Lorain. Another is the US Steel Mill. A third is the Ford Plant. The loss of these industries has impacted the mentality of the people in Lorain as well as the inability of anybody taking leadership and moving the city of Lorain in a different direction. Lorain also lost a lot of people at this time: there was a mass exodus. Barrios hopes that the city of Lorain sees the true value of the land that they own and the sea that they control, and that they build that waterfront and the river up to what other places have done. He says that they don't need a major invention but instead need the collective will to come together and decide that that is where they should be going. Barrios wants to encourage people to believe in and love their city enough to stay and create new and exciting things for the continued growth and benefit of their city. Ford Plant ; Industries ; Industry ; Leadership ; Lorain ; Mass exodus ; Ohio ; River ; Shipyards ; US Steel Mill ; Waterfront 5040 Challenges facing the people of Lorain today JRP: That brings me to my next question which is what do you see as the greatest challenge facing people in the city of Lorain today? Barrios thinks that identity is the biggest challenge facing the people of Lorain today. There are of course other problems such as financial and political issues, but he thinks that the deepest problem for the city of Lorain is an identity problem because they lost that manufacturing base and people are still clinging on to that manufacturing base instead of moving forward. Barrios thinks that the city of Lorain needs to find people with good ideas to help the city and then aid them in executing these ideas. Barrios says that the city of Lorain has to shed the shackles of the past and embrace the vision of tomorrow. Having traveled the world, he believes that the city of Lorain has a huge chance of becoming a destination point. Identity ; Identity crisis ; Lorain ; Lorain, Ohio ; Manufacturing ; Ohio 5599 Lorain's greatest strengths JRP: What do you see as Lorain's greatest strengths? One of Lorain's greatest strengths is that they've tried only to maintain the identity of the international city. This identity was, however, stronger in years past, but Barrios states that Lorain is still a beautiful melting pot of nationalities. He says that you do not have to lose your cultural background to become American. You can be many things at the same time. He says that he has no problem being both Puerto Rican and American, it is other people that have a problem with it. American ; Culture ; International City ; Lorain ; Lorain, Ohio ; Melting pot ; Ohio ; Puerto Rican 5884 How the city of Lorain fits into his future JRP: Do you see Lorain as continuing to be home to you and your family? Barrios thinks that for his family Lorain will likely continue to be home for them. He is not so sure about himself, however. He is trying to establish something and set some goals for himself, but once he does that he thinks there's a lot more out there in the rest of the world for him to explore. He's not saying that he will move away from Lorain, but he definitely wants to enjoy the rest of the world if that is possible. He is struggling, however, to make a base that will keep him in Lorain. Goals ; Homebase ; Lorain ; Lorain, Ohio ; Ohio ; Travel 5952 Showcasing some of the fun items in Barrios' room JRP: Well I have to ask about the vest on your chair and also the jersey you're wearing. Barrios' jersey is for a Puerto Rican baseball team. It serves as a symbol of Puerto Rico and their baseball history. The vest symbolizes a recent change in his life. It is from an organization that he belongs to--a motorcycle organization. It is a worldwide organization called LAMA (Latin American Motorcycle Organization). It says &quot ; Latin American&quot ; on the back, and has a USA and Puerto Rican flag on the front. He only bought his motorcycle 6 months prior to this interview, so he is the newest full member of the LAMA organization. There is an accompanying hat that goes with the vest. Barrios also has a Puerto Rican flag hanging behind him. Baseball ; Flag ; Hat ; Jersey ; LAMA ; Latin America ; Latin American ; Latin American Motorcycle Organization ; Lorain ; Lorain, Ohio ; Motorcycle ; Motorcyclist ; Ohio ; Puerto Rican baseball ; Puerto Rican Flag ; Vest 6278 Barrios' involvement in politics and his hopes for the future of politics AB: Actually I got involved in politics during, um...it was a freshman Congresswoman by the name of Betty Sutton who came to Lorain trying to become a Congresswoman and I had just finished a project that was brought in by Father Bill at Sacred Heart Church it was called &quot ; Reclaim Lorain&quot ; . Barrios describes how he has been involved politically in the past and got his ward of South Lorain's voting average by 50% percent, much more than the majority of neighboring wards. He also describes how he ran for office and didn't win, but he will probably do it again. He hopes that the younger generation will get even more involved in politics. Barrios thinks that Lorain is going to be OK, and that it is just a matter of some of the older voices dying down and some of the newer voices rising up, which hasn't happened yet. &quot ; You don't grow with status quo&quot ; . Barrios doesn't want to lose himself and who he is in what somebody else wants him to be or for another idle or title. He wants to remain who he is and grow. Look at him! At 74 years old he just started riding motorcycles! And there's more out there for him as well as for the city of Lorain. Generations ; Lorain ; Motorcycles ; Ohio ; Politics ; South Lorain ; Status quo ; Ward ; Wards Oral history interview with Antonio Barrios for Latino Lorain Oral History Project. audio 0 https://oberlincollegelibrary.org/ohms-viewer/render.php?cachefile=LL_Barrios_Antonio.xml LL_Barrios_Antonio.xml Sort Priority This field should be added if you are using the Philly Theme with your OHMSPlugin Suite 0004 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Antonio Barrios Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2020-11-15 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio https://latinolorain.oberlincollegelibrary.org/files/original/7b115ba859945f6c86ca339b5df50edd.png d82f42f478a5494e93061f9190873859 Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Brendan Aleman Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Joel Arredondo OHMS Object This field contains the OHMS Hyperlink (link to the XML file within the OHMS viewer) https://oberlincollegelibrary.org/ohms-viewer/render.php?cachefile=LL_Arredondo_Joel.xml OHMS Object Text The field contains the OHMS Index and/or Transcript and is what makes the contents of the OHMS object searchable within Omeka 5.4 Joel Arredondo Latino Lorain Fall2020 Oberlin College Library Joel Arredondo Brendan Aleman 0 https://youtu.be/GTxzBxW9CmQ YouTube video 22 Introduction/Early life Here, Joel Arredondo Introduces himself and gives his date of birth, before transitioning to talking about his early life. He also discusses how his family came to Lorain Ohio. Mr. Arredondo also mentions Lorain's unique history as a diverse city he shares what is like being the son of Mexican immigrants growing up with with diverse people in his community. Early childhood life ; International city ; Introduction ; Joel Arredondo ; Lorain childhood ; Family ; Family values ; Immigration 229 Building a sense of community in Lorain Joel Arredondo begins to describe the unconventional methods in which his father built a community for them which included aspects of passing such has changing his name, developing an understanding of language. We then begin to transition to one of his earliest happy memories which was how he met his wife's brother and eventually his wife. Community ; Education ; Passing ; Racism 602 Politics and beyond Here Mr. Arredondo discusses his first experience as candidate running for 8th grade class president. In addition, we discuss ab mentors and friends who guided him to politics. He also talks about how his brother was more politically involved and he wouldn't become as involve until later on in his life. In 2007, Joel Arredondo was considered the position of President of Lorain City Council along with five other people to which he was appointed and served two year term before winning re-election 6 more times. Colorism ; Early life ; Family Tree ; Lorain City Council ; Politics 1351 The international City then vs. Now Mr. Arredondo's father and grandfather came to Lorain to work at the steel mill. He even briefly mentions how the shipping yards and other small manufacturing jobs were abundant and thats when the city of Lorain began to grow. He recalls the emergence of mega shopping malls and creation of highway roads destroyed certain neighborhoods. When discussing how education shifted, it was clear that when jobs were at a surplus Lorain was thriving. However, when they began to close and move bussiness away from Lorain schools closed education ; Lorain City ; School closings ; steel mill 1680 Lorain's workforce and school system Mr. Arredondo discussed how Lorain employed people from all over the managed to make their way to Lorain. He speaks about Puerto Ricans, Mexican, Dominicans etc, came to lorain and were easily able to find job. As he does mention, COVID has impacted many of these jobs. We then began to discuss school closings which was linked to the shipyards and steel mill jobs being closed down. Now, Lorain currently has one school opened. He also speaks about how the school had the &quot ; industrial arts&quot ; that was eventually shutdown. CHIPP ; Jobs ; Lorain city ; Puerto RIcans ; School closings ; Small school initiative ; Steel mill 2635 A trip down memory lane Joel Arredondo shares that being asked and serving his 7th term as the president of Lorain City Council. He then recalls an activity he did in school which included having a family, becoming a college graduate, and having grandchildren. He pridefully shares that his daughter has recently became a mother. As a follow up question is asked, Mr. Arredondo emphasizes the importance of education and family structure which stems from his parents telling him &quot ; Do the right thing.&quot ; Achievements ; Family ; Family dynamic ; Goals 3113 Overcoming adversity One of challenges Mr. Arredondo shared, was one that familiar working class families were familiar with. Given the massive layoffs especially from those in the steel industry, many families began to struggle to make ends me. The Arredondo family was no exception. Mr. Arredondo learned the meaning of hard work early on and sought employment when his father was unemployed. He also recalls his father's words of advice of and emphasis of perseverance. He's talk about about struggling in college and then being turned away from the Air force. He also share his experience as restaurant manager and owner until he became an auto salesman. Adversity ; Perseverance ; Work Experience 3673 Highlight Important Institutions As Joel Arredondo recalls important institutions, he mentions the Boy Scouts, Holy Name Society at his church (which he has been involved with on/off since 1977), Committee foundation of Lorain county (was asked takeover board member Armstrong's remaining term). Mr. Arredondo credits his wife for actually taken on the position. for He was also part of the Hispanic Fund's board to which then we transition to talk about CHIP (Coalition for hispanic issues of Progress). This organization originated because the of school integration bussing program. He later became VP of Chip and re-elected for five subsequent terms. Career ; CHIP ; Institutions in Lorain ; Religious Organizations ; Sacred Heart Church 4310 Lorain&quot ; s Historical Moments Mr. Arredondo recalls attending events a sacred Heart Chapel with family where he'd often times find himself playing baseball with his friends. Eventually, the boys would attend mass so they can enjoy the food that was offered afterwords. In doing so he became part of a larger community there. He then recalls how his grandmother home was rented out to Puerto RIcan men who would work in the steel mill in the 1950s. A personal historical moment has been seen their children become college graduates. He also recalls becoming the first elected (not appointed) Mexican-American President of Lorain CIty Council and he also became Mayor of Lorain for 9 days. Board housing ; Lorain ; Lorain history 4706 Challenges In Lorain ; The City's strength Mr. Arredondo states that Covid-19 has made thing very difficult for everyone. He also says that small businesses and workers are struggling to make ends meet. He then highlights his relationships with his constituents as a salesman and says his honesty and empathy is keeps people coming back to his business. He later speaks about the systematic racism within Lorain city Police Department. He then highlights Lorain's strength being inclusion along with diversity. He then shared a story about how CHIP only allowed Latinos with memberships to vote. This meant biracial-spouses were unable to vote despite paying for a membership. This later changed when Mr. Arredondo became President. CHIP ; Covid-19 ; Diversity ; Inclusion ; Lorain Police Department ; Mexican Mutual Society 5411 Recapping the interview As they are wrapping up the interview, Brendan ask Mr. Arredondo about his time in Kentucky State in relation to the Ken State riots. He recalls going to campus to take an exam but then having the exam cancelled due to the riots. All students were told to leave campus and go home. To which he left and made his way to his brother college before eventually going home. Mr. Arredondo says his take away from this experience was to have courage to change the things deemed incorrectly and that violence is never the answer. Mr. Arredondo then ask Brendan about his political interest comes from before giving him some final words of wisdom. Ken State riots ; Recap Oral history Interview with Joel Arredondo for the Lorain Oral history Project video 0 https://oberlincollegelibrary.org/ohms-viewer/render.php?cachefile=LL_Arredondo_Joel.xml LL_Arredondo_Joel.xml Sort Priority This field should be added if you are using the Philly Theme with your OHMSPlugin Suite 0001 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Joel Arredondo Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2020-11-01 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video https://latinolorain.oberlincollegelibrary.org/files/original/27290123e472a139b58d89e3686f9ad9.png 735c4023ae15a5f7bacc3c61763e22fe Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Maria Carrion Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Virginia (Tolento) Montville OHMS Object This field contains the OHMS Hyperlink (link to the XML file within the OHMS viewer) https://oberlincollegelibrary.org/ohms-viewer/render.php?cachefile=LL_Montville_Virginia.xml OHMS Object Text The field contains the OHMS Index and/or Transcript and is what makes the contents of the OHMS object searchable within Omeka 5.4 Virginia (Tolento) Montville Latino Lorain Fall 2020 Oberlin College Library Virginia (Tolento) Montville Maria Carrion 0 https://youtu.be/OmAwZB4p-m4 YouTube video 12 Introduction of Virginia (Tolento) Montville interviewed by Maria Carrion I am going to begin by introducing myself. My name is Maria Carrion and I'm part of the group that's conducting oral history interviews for the Latino Lorain History Project. I have with me one of our interviewees and I'll have her introduce herself. Virginia introduces herself and says she goes by Ginny and her maiden name is Tolento, last name Montville. El Centro de Servicios Sociales ; Lorain Historical Society ; Oberlin College 122 Virginia talks about her early life growing up in Lorain So, let's begin. Ginny, you sent me some articles and I went through those articles and I just am so fascinated with your background. So I was wondering if you could just start off telling me a little bit about your life. I know you were born and raised in Lorain. So if you want to tell me a little bit about where did you actually grow up and a little bit of history about your Lorain history because I know you're not in Lorain now. Virginia talks about how she was born in Lorain in 1950 and lived on E. 30th Street right off of Vine Ave. As the daughter of a Mexican father and a Native American mother, she talked about how she grew up speaking Spanglish at home and had a diverse group of friends who, like her, didn't have a lot of economic means. But she describes a lively and diverse community. 1950 ; Mexicans in Lorain ; Native Americans in Lorain ; Spanglish ; Vine Ave 224 Speaking Spanglish and challenges growing up You were talking a little bit about speaking Spanglish. Tell me a little more about that. How did you learn Spanglish, from your mother or your father? Virginia talks about how her mother learned Spanish as time went on and how they all spoke Spanglish. Her father's English wasn't good, but they communicated. She also talks about being loved by her father and great memories growing up with him, even though they were poor. He worked at the railroad and in the summer worked on farms in Sandusky County. As the oldest of 7 brothers and sisters, she describes how she took on a lot of responsibility and was protective of her younger brothers and sisters given her mother's struggles with mental health and her father's absence because of work. Eventually, she and her siblings were removed from their home and placed in Green Acres Children's Home, where her own mother had begun her life as well. She also discussed Neighborhood House and other organizations like Puerto Rican Home that provided her and other young kids structure and a sense of community. Cozy Corner ; Farm labor ; Green Acres Chldren's Home ; Lincoln Elementary School ; mental health ; Neighborhood House ; Poverty ; Puerto Rican Home ; Railraod ; Sandusky County ; Spanglish ; Vine Ave 584 Ethnic diversity and leaving Lorain When you were growing up in Lorain at that time...you said your father was Mexican, so you are half Mexican. What about some of the other ethnic groups that lived there that you associated with? Virginia talks about the diverse group of friends she had growing up. Many of them had different lives and family structures, and they maintained contact for a long time. After two years at Green Acres, she met the Presti family in Oberlin through church who supported Tolento as she prepared to accept a scholarship to attend the Andrews School for Girls in Willoughby, Ohio. She lived with the Presti family and helped care for Mrs. Presti's young children the summer before attending the Andrews School and enjoyed the family structure and described how it was a model of what she wanted for her life. Andrews School for Girls, Willoughby ; Ethnic and racial diversity ; Family life ; Green Acres ; Oberlin City ; Oberlin High School 881 Experiences in school and a new home and family in Oberlin How was that experience of, there's this girl from Lorain, you grew up on Vine Avenue, and you say that you grew up on the streets of Vine, you're in and out with no structure, and then you get this scholarship to go to this exclusive girls' school on the east side of Cleveland, tell me a little bit about what did it feel like for you? Virginia talks about how she fit into the elite girls' school, even though she came from a very different background than most of the girls. She also talks about her second grade teacher who mentored her and told her that she was smart and visited her when she was in Green Acres Children's home and how that made an impression on her. She also talked about the transition from the Andrews school to live with the Presti family in Oberlin and how much she loved being in a home with a family. While she loved living with her foster family, she describes some of the challenges being one of the only Hispanics in Oberlin and being mistaken for being Puerto Rican. She experienced prejudice and describes how she surrounded herself with people worthy of her and the life-long friendships she developed. Andrews School for Girls ; Foster home ; Italians and Hispanics in Oberin ; Life-long friendships ; Mentors at school ; Oberlin ; Prejudice ; Presti's Restaurant 1261 Connection to Lorain today Is Lorain part of your life today? Virginia talks about how even though she spent her teenage years in Oberlin, she is still connected to Lorain through her sisters and family who still live in Lorain. She also describes the challenges her family has faced living in Lorain, including losing family members to gun violence and how, for her, it seems part of a larger cycle familiar to her when she was growing up. She also began to discuss the changes she saw in Lorain, but also the fear and sadness of some of the problems in Lorain. Oakwood Park ; Sherriff's Department, Oberlin ; Violence in Lorain 1391 A career in law enforcement Once you graduated from high school, when did you become interested in law enforcement? Virginia discusses the different mentors and influences she had that led her to consider law enforcement as a career. The new police chief in Oberlin, who she describes as progressive and from Michigan, played a particularly important role in pursuing her interest in law enforcement. After a ride-along in 1968, she worked as a dispatcher in Oberlin and then worked at the Ohio State Highway Patrol, Post 47 in Elyria, as she continued to take classes at LCCC. She was then recruited by the Sheriff's Department as the first woman to help diversify the department in 1973 at the age of 23. She was the first woman on the force of 80 men. She describes how she was not received well in the Sheriff's Department where she was competing with men who saw her as a threat to their jobs. She eventually left that position where it was clear she was not welcome to the Marshal Service that was much more professional and respected her position. In all these instances, she talked about how she consistently used her typing skills to help out in different positions in law enforcement across the county. First female marshal ; First woman sheriff ; Lorain County Community College (LCCC) ; Marshall Service ; Mentors ; Oberlin News Tribune ; Oberlin police chief ; Oberlin Police Department ; Ohio State Highway Patrol ; Recruiting women sheriffs ; Secretarial work ; Sexism at work ; Sheriff's Department ; U.S. Marshal 2010 Proudest moment in Lorain Tell me a little bit about if you can think of a moment in Lorain that made you feel really proud or maybe even on visits when you came back, was there anything significant or any experience you think you could say that you were really proud of in terms of your Lorain experience? Virginia describes her proudest moment as her swearing in ceremony with her foster parents as her witnesses for the Sheriff's Department job. Her father also was there at her swearing in ceremony and was very proud of her. She also discussed how even when she was with her foster family and in the home, he visited her regularly and would bring food to share with the kids from the home. She had two sisters living with her at Green Acres and never felt neglected by her father. Children's home (Green Acres) ; Foster family ; Mexican food ; Proudest moment ; Relaionship with her father ; Swearing in ceremony 2312 Relationship with Puerto Ricans in Lorain in the past and returning to Lorain today You've talked about the tamales, you've talked about the tortillas, what about your experiences with the Puerto Rican ethnic food? Virginia discusses how she grew up loving Puerto Rican food and the culture. When they lived in an apartment on Seneca, she could smell the Puerto Rican food and her father resented that she liked Puerto Rican rice and beans better than Mexican rice and beans. Many of her friends growing up were Puerto Rican and she enjoyed being at her friends' homes sharing their food. She also talks about what life is like for her in Hughesville, PA, and how things have changed in her town recently. She also discusses returning to Lorain when she can to see her sister and family and friends. She ends her interview reflecting on her observations of challenges and changes in Lorain. Challenges in Lorain ; Crime ; Hughesville, PA ; Mexicans in Hughesville ; Puerto Rican food ; Revitalization downtown Lorain ; Seneca Ave. 2767 Final reflections Before we close, is there anything we haven't talked about or anything you want to share, it doesn't have to be about Lorain. I can be about Oberlin, it can be about your experience in Hughesville or anything you can talk about as a Latina woman who at one time was accepted because they thought you were Italian...anything you want to talk about. Virginia ends her interview reflecting on experiences of prejudice as a woman and as a Mexican in law enforcement. She didn't take the prejudice to heart and is proud of her Mexican and Native American heritage. Her final thoughts on the problems in the country today make her think of the value of diversity, something she learned from her daughter and how a teacher can make a big difference in someone's life like hers. At the very end, she returned on what she learned at Green Acres and how she adjusted. Ethnic pride ; Green Acres ; Lincoln Elementary School ; Prejudice as Mexican ; Teachers video 0 https://oberlincollegelibrary.org/ohms-viewer/render.php?cachefile=LL_Montville_Virginia.xml LL_Montville_Virginia.xml Sort Priority This field should be added if you are using the Philly Theme with your OHMSPlugin Suite 0014 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Virginia (Tolento) Montville Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2020-10-30 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video https://latinolorain.oberlincollegelibrary.org/files/original/f009bd22b6d897ef6b7e5006b1b8f2f1.png b2078978cde01aff20ab1739533705cc Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Julia Rohde Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Elba Rosario Armstrong OHMS Object This field contains the OHMS Hyperlink (link to the XML file within the OHMS viewer) https://oberlincollegelibrary.org/ohms-viewer/render.php?cachefile=LL_Rosario-Armstrong_Elba_2.xml OHMS Object Text The field contains the OHMS Index and/or Transcript and is what makes the contents of the OHMS object searchable within Omeka 5.4 Elba Rosario Armstrong Part 2 Latino Lorain Oberlin College Library Elba Rosario Armstrong Julia Rohde 0 https://youtu.be/FtsM8XcQmjQ YouTube video 0 Introduction My name is Julia Rohde. I am a fourth year student at Oberlin College interviewing Elba Rosario Armstrong for the Latino Lorain Oral History Project. Latino Lorain Oral History Project 47 Advocacy committee of the Coalition for Hispanic Issues and Progress (C.H.I.P.) So to get started, Elba, I would love to hear more about the early years of C.H.I.P.. Elba discusses the role of the advocacy committee of C.H.I.P.. advocacy committee ; C.H.I.P ; Coalition for Hispanic Issues and Progress ; hispanic community ; Lorain, Ohio 142 C.H.I.P.'s involvement with the desegregation lawsuit against the Lorain City Schools and the English-only legislation by the Lorain City Council The biggest issue was, I think, a combination of two issues: the desegregation lawsuit against the Lorain City Schools and the English-only legislation by the Lorain City Council. Elba discusses how C.H.I.P.'s advocacy committee was involved in the lawsuit regarding the desegregation of the Lorain City Schools and the English-only legislation passed by the Lorain City Council. African American ; African American teachers ; bilingual program ; busing ; C.H.I.P. ; Coalition for Hispanic Issues and Progress ; desegregation ; desegregation consent decree ; Education committee ; English-only ; English-only legislation ; foreign languages ; Hispanic teachers ; Hispanics ; lawsuit ; legal ; Lorain City Council ; Lorain City Schools ; magnet schools ; N.A.A.C.P. ; National Association for the Advancement of Colored People ; school choice ; Spanish ; teacher recruitment 739 C.H.I.P's work against language discrimination towards Hispanic staff at the Cleveland Clinic Another issue that we dealt with was with the Cleveland Clinic. And I don't know if I mentioned it in the first interview... Elba describes how C.H.I.P. got involved with discrimination at Cleveland Clinic, where Hispanic staff were told they were no longer allowed to speak Spanish during their breaks and were asked to provide translation services without additional pay. advocacy committee ; C.H.I.P. ; Cleveland ; Cleveland Clinic ; Coalition for Hispanic Issues and Progress ; discrimination ; English-only ; Hispanic Month ; language discrimination ; Lorain County ; Lorain, Ohio ; Spanish ; translation services ; workplace discrimination 918 C.H.I.P.'s advocacy work at Lorain County Community College (L.C.C.C.) Another issue that we dealt with was with Lorain County Community College and it was in reference to an employee that had been denied promotion due to his ethnicity and also the lack of representation in the workforce, specifically the faculty and administration... Elba discusses C.H.I.P.'s advocacy work at L.C.C.C., where a Hispanic man was denied promotion due to his ethnicity. This case revealed a larger trend of lack of minority representation in the L.C.C.C. staff. C.H.I.P. ; Coalition for Hispanic Issues and Progress ; Hispanic community ; L.C.C.C. ; Lorain County ; Lorain County Community College ; Lorain, Ohio ; minority representation ; promotion ; representation ; workplace discrimination 1194 C.H.I.P.'s advocacy work at Lorain County Board of Mental Health to hire bilingual therapists Then we had another...because there were quite a few, if that is okay, there were quite a few that we dealt with. Another one was with the Lorain County Board of Mental Health and therapy actually was being provided through interpreters because of the lack of bilingual counselors and therapists, and so actually we just went in and talked with them. You know, they were very understanding... Elba discusses C.H.I.P.'s success asking the Lorain County Board of Health to hire bilingual therapists and counselors. bilingual ; bilingual services ; C.H.I.P. ; Coalition of Hispanic Issues and Progress ; Lorain County ; Lorain County Board of Mental Health ; medical ; mental health 1278 C.H.I.P.'s advocacy work at Lorain County Alcohol and Drug Addiction Board And then we had an issue with Lorain County Alcohol and Drug Addiction Board. And basically what had been happening was that El Centro had been providing services for persons who needed counseling as out-patients and for residential services which including 30 days or more stay. They didn't have those capabilities to do it, so they went to Cleveland... Elba discusses C.H.I.P.'s advocacy work at Lorain County Alcohol and Drug Addiction Board, where there were issues with funding addiction services for the citizens of Lorain. A.D.A.S. Board ; addiction services ; bilingual ; bilingual staff ; C.H.I.P. ; Cleveland ; Coalition of Hispanic Issues and Progress ; Cuyahoga ; Cuyahoga County ; El Centro ; health services ; Lorain County ; Lorain County Alcohol and Drug Addiction Board ; Lorain, Ohio ; public health ; Sacred Heart Chapel 1572 C.H.I.P.'s work against racial harassment in Lorain city government office Then also we had a situation with the city of Lorain--the government. We had a Black Puerto Rican male employee who said that he was being racially harassed. Elba describes how C.H.I.P. got involved with the Lorain city government when a Black Puerto Rican employee was being racially harassed in the workplace. Black Puerto Rican ; C.H.I.P. ; Coalition of Hispanic Issues and Progress ; Lorain City Government ; Lorain, OH ; racial harassment ; workplace harassment 1710 C.H.I.P.'s work against harassment of Hispanic family reunion in Lorain County Metroparks We had an issue with the Lorain County Metroparks and I don't know if I mentioned this one or not, but a Hispanic family had their family reunion in one of the Metroparks. and they had quite a few of their family members there, and one of the park rangers had been walking around, walking around, and he noticed that a motorcycle was parked near the pavilion area... Elba describes an incident in the Lorain County Metroparks, where a park ranger harassed a Hispanic family who was celebrating a reunion. C.H.I.P. ultimately got involved, as one member of those celebrating was given a citation. C.H.I.P. ; Coalition of Hispanic Issues and Progress ; harassment ; Lorain County ; Lorain County Metroparks ; Lorain, Ohio 2015 C.H.I.P.'s advocacy for Hispanic single mother evicted by Lorain Metropolitan Housing Board Then we had, another issue occurred. It was with the Lorain Metropolitan Housing Board. This was regarding a Hispanic mom, a single mom, who had nowhere to go and no family here in Lorain and was being evicted from the apartment in February, one of our coldest months. Elba describes a situation with the Lorain Metropolitan Housing Board where a Hispanic single mother was going to be evicted until C.H.I.P. was able to step in and assist with her rent. C.H.I.P. ; Coalition of Hispanic Issues and Progress ; eviction ; Hispanic single mother ; housing discrimination ; Lorain County ; Lorain Metropolitan Housing Board ; Lorain, OH 2207 C.H.I.P.'s strategies for community-building and reason for its establishment So those were the type of issues that we had dealt with as an advocate organization. And then what we did also was C.H.I.P. reached out with all institutions and we spoke with them to develop relationships with them and let them know who we were, what we were all about so that they understood, and we initiated some dialogue about mutual interest we would have... Elba details how C.H.I.P. established relationships with Lorain institutions in order to be successful in their advocacy work. C.H.I.P. ; Coalition of Hispanic Issues and Progress ; community-building ; Hispanic issues ; Lorain City Schools ; Lorain County Police Department ; Lorain mayor's office ; Lorain, OH 2375 The Revival of C.H.I.P. And in the last interview you had mentioned there was a brief time where C.H.I.P. died down a little bit and then you revitalized and served as President, and I'm wondering why you think there was that time where it wasn't as active? Elba describes how the same people were involved in different Hispanic organizations in Lorain, leading to people getting tired of being involved. She believes that this led to a period of decline for C.H.I.P., where it was recommended that the organization be disbanded. C.H.I.P. ; Coalition of Hispanic Issues and Progress ; community-buidling ; Lorain, OH 2606 Origins of the Hispanic Fund And you had also mentioned wanting to talk more about the origins of the Hispanic Fund... Elba explains that there had been a fund of $300 through the Lorain Community Foundation to honor Dr. Jose Rivera. When the Community Foundation decided to start a Hispanic Fund and an African American Fund, Elba and other members of C.H.I.P. were invited to become a part of the philanthropy process. Community Foundation ; Hispanic Fund ; Lorain Community Foundation ; Lorain County ; Lorain, OH ; philanthropy 2970 Establishment of the Lincoln Center in South Lorain I also wanted, because I know I talked a little bit about the Coalition for South Lorain, the Lincoln Center. This was formed, well actually the Coalition was the police, the Metropolitan Housing, the Lorain City Schools, El Centro, and Sacred Heart... Elba describes how Lincoln Elementary School--during school rebuilding--was temporarily leased to the Coalition for South Lorain to house the Lincoln Center, a community center where institutions in Lorain held offices, ESL classes were held, and other services were provided to the community of South Lorain. Boy's and Girl's club ; Coalition for South Lorain ; community center ; computer classes ; El Centro ; ESL classes ; food pantry ; Lincoln Center ; Lincoln Elementary School ; Lorain City Schools ; Lorain Police Department ; Lorain, OH ; Metropolitan Housing Board ; Sacred Heart Chapel ; school rebuilding ; South Lorain ; youth coordinaters 3304 C.H.I.P.'s work to place Hispanics on institutional boards And then one other thing that C.H.I.P. did that I wanted to talk about was that we, we wanted to--as I had talked about we would meet with institutions to tell them what we were about--we also wanted to get as many people involved, Hispanics, on boards for these organizations... Elba explains that C.H.I.P. also worked with institutional boards in Lorain to increase representation and place Hispanic people on the boards. C.H.I.P. ; Coalition for Hispanic Issues and Progress ; Hispanic board members ; Hispanic representation ; Hispanics ; Lorain County ; Lorain, OH Oral history interview of Elba Rosario Armstrong for the Latino Lorain Oral History Project. video 0 https://oberlincollegelibrary.org/ohms-viewer/render.php?cachefile=LL_Rosario-Armstrong_Elba_2.xml LL_Rosario-Armstrong_Elba_2.xml Sort Priority This field should be added if you are using the Philly Theme with your OHMSPlugin Suite 0025 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Elba Armstrong-Rivera Part 2 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2020-10-29 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video https://latinolorain.oberlincollegelibrary.org/files/original/bd3cf2da88a8f088727fd21e23386889.png 51b656fb10806e2a0adbc056862552f2 Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Gabriela Linares Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Eugene "Gene" Rivera OHMS Object This field contains the OHMS Hyperlink (link to the XML file within the OHMS viewer) https://oberlincollegelibrary.org/ohms-viewer/render.php?cachefile=LL_Rivera_Eugene.xml Interview Keyword This field adds keywords to the Omeka Oral History item type. Keywords areincluded in the OHMS XML, this field in Omeka will allow for full data migrationbetween OHMS XML and the Omeka Record. This field does not impact theOHMS / Omeka integration and is optional if you do not need to map the“keywords” field in the OHMS XML to the corresponding Omeka record. Ponce Lorain Trios Latin Jazz Puerto Rican Home OHMS Object Text The field contains the OHMS Index and/or Transcript and is what makes the contents of the OHMS object searchable within Omeka 5.4 Eugene &quot ; Gene&quot ; Rivera 2:08:17 Latino Lorain Fall 2020 Oberlin College Library Ponce Lorain Trios Latin Jazz Puerto Rican Home Eugene &quot ; Gene&quot ; Rivera Gabriela Linares 0 https://youtu.be/6JIJuTUoKbM YouTube video English 71 Music as integral to Gene's Childhood It's difficult to say, &quot ; the first time&quot ; because there was alway music at our house. Records, because we had no radio and no television programing that was in Spanish. However, I can tell you an interesting story... Mr. Rivera narrates the time when his dad had just found an apartment, amongst such difficult times to find a home as a Puerto Rican family due to discrimination. Rivera goes on to discuss how he attended many music performances in Lorain since the city was in a central spot in relation to Chicago and New York which are two hot spots for music and latin jazz.The Rivera's family downstairs neighbor, knew a Trio musician, Johnny Rodriguez who stayed at their apartment after a gig in Chicago. Due to this connection, the Rivera family who were performing a Baptism in Lorain. Johnny Rodriguez got to perform trio music for the baptism after party. This was the first time Mr. Riviera saw a reel to reel tape recorder which was integral to the performance. Later on in this section, Mr. Rivera talks about the complexities of the parrandas. He mentions how there had to be some cultural negotiation between the Puerto Rican community in Lorain and other communities that may have been unfamiliar with these musical celebrations. Chicago ; Gig ; Guitars ; Housing ; Interstate ; Maracas ; Music ; New York ; Puerto Rico ; Radio ; Record Player ; Recordings ; Reel to Reel Tape ; Tape Recorder ; Trio Albums ; Baptism Party ; Clubs ; Cuba ; Johnny Rodriguez ; Latin Jazz ; Lorain Housing ; Mambo Kings ; Puerto Rico ; Records ; Tito Rodriguez ; Trio Music 1155 El Gran Combo in Lorain: A Memorable Experience By now it is 1964 and I am already a teenager, maybe a junior in High School. They had announced that they were bringing El Gran Combo to the Puerto Rican Home. Now, as you know El Gran Combo is a huge institution in Puerto Rico and plays around the world. At that time they were starting. Cortijo y su Combo was a musical group that represented the beginnings of salsa and brought Afro-Puerto Rican influences from the genres bomba and plena to latin jazz. Cortijo and his group were the first Afro Puerto Ricans to appear on TV. When this group broke up, El Gran Combo emerged. Mr Rivera, has experienced many performances but around the year 1964 during his junior year of high school, he was impacted by the visit of El Gran Combo at the Puerto Rican Home in Lorain. 500 años ; Afro-Puerto Rican ; Boogalu ; Cortijo y su Combo ; Dance ; Humor ; La Taverna India ; Mario Hernandez ; Political Songs ; Salsa ; Suit ; Television ; Vietnam El Gran Combo ; Performance ; Puerto Rican Home 2056 A Friendly Performer: Yomo Toro Yomo Toro, cuatrista, he would just talk to you. He would sit down and talk like a jibarito from the mountains. Very humble, nice, talking about jokes. He reminded me of my uncle. Mr Rivera recalls his experience meeting the artist Yomo Toro. Toro was an amazing cuatro player that reminded Mr. Rivera about his family and the jibarito personality. Cuatro ; Humble ; Jibarito 2263 The Founding of The Puerto Rican Home The Puerto Rican Home was a project of the entire community. We call ourselves La Colonia. I say we because I was part of it as a child and as a teenager but my parents where the adults, the beginners that put together the Puerto Rican Home. The older generation of La Colonia used to have a lot of dances that would be shut down before midnight. In search of a venue and place where the community could get together to celebrate their music, they found a bowling alley which then became The Puerto Rican Home and center for music and the latino community in Lorain. Codes ; Police ; Stock Dances ; Puerto Rican Home 2526 La Liga Puertorriqueña La Liga Puertorriqueña was formed to meet the socio political needs of the Puerto Rican community. They were accussed of having communist connections, an acusation that they denied. The Puerto Rican Home became the center for smaller organizations such as La Liga Puertorriqueña who was accused of being communist during Senator McCarthy's time. After these accusations the organization had to deal with these pressures and look for legal help to certify that they were not enforcing communist ideas during these meetings. Accusations ; Communism ; Meetings Civil Rights ; Communism 2749 Inauguration of the Puerto Rican Home That is how it emerged and in 1956 it was it inaugurated. According to the new paper there was a congressman, a county commissioner, the mayor... After all of the communist accusations that La Liga Puertorriqueña and other smaller organizations faced during this time, The Puerto Rican Home was inaugurated under the promise and that there would be no communist involved in this new organization. This inauguration marked the beginning of what would become a politically and community involved organization for latinos in Lorain. As we learned earlier in the interview, this bowling alley was radically transformed to meet the needs of the community. These needs varied from meetings to concerts to regional domino tournaments to softball events. In terms of the dances, these attract people from Youngstown, Buffalo, Detroit and Chicago. Boogalu ; Bowling Alley ; Communist ; Concerts ; Congressman ; County Commissioner ; Dominoes ; El Gran Combo ; Lares Carpenters ; Mayor ; Meetings ; Softball Community Events ; Inauguration 3306 Police Brutality We had sadder events. Sadder because it was the first time that the police killed a Puerto Rican from our community. Amongst the dances, there were brutal incidents that would then be commemorated at the Puerto Rican Home. Mr. Rivera narrates different occasions in which the police got involved with the Puerto Rican community and it ended in death and legal issues. Funeral ; Handcuffs ; Police Police Brutality 3517 Meetings at The Puerto Rican Home In the smaller homes there were meetings such as Las Damas, The Women's Club met there. Other meetings like political meetings, &quot ; meet the candidate&quot ; type of thing. Whatever issue you wanted to be aware you could go there for free. The Puerto Rican Home hosted many meetings. Mr. Rivera recalls one of his favorite moments at The Puerto Rican Home. He recalls being on his bicycle and knowing that Nelson Rockefeller was at an event there when he was running for President as well as the baseball player, Jackie Robinson. Bicycle ; Governors ; Meetings ; Rockefeller ; Vine Ave Meetings ; Nelson Rockefeller 3695 Johnson and Johnson Foundation Meetings It became the center of the midwest. I was in a meeting in the midwest, years later, of a group of people who met at the Johnson and Johnson Foundation wingspan living in Wisconsin. That foundation had conversations that would take on differnet issues in the United States. Due to the political involvement that Mr. Rivera took part in The Puerto Rican Home, he participated in meetings hosted by the Johnson and Johnson Foundation. During one of the meetings that took place in Wisconsin, a man from Chicago stopped Mr. Rivera once he knew that he was from Lorain. This man remembers traveling to Lorain as a child where his father would participate in cock fights. This is an example of how central Lorain city became for the latino community all around the midwest. Center ; Chicago ; Midwest Cock fights ; Johnson and Johnson Foundation ; The Puerto Rican Home 4009 Years in Kent State: A Visit to The Puerto Rican Home The college thing is that I did go there (The Puerto Rican Home) on another occasion and I took a couple of students. Mr. Rivera decides to bring some of his peers from Kent state to have a beer at The Puerto Rican Home, but he did not have a lot of money at the time. Skeptical of this visit, a leader and friend of the family who worked there called him over. In this small conversation he asked what this visit was about and gave him a life lesson. Drinks ; Leader ; Life Lesson Kent State ; The Puerto Rican Home 4158 Political Power: Elections at The Puerto Rican Home This guy, Lule Medina, who was the president of the Puerto Rican Home at this time Lule Medina, who was president of The Puerto Rican Home at the time, took the task of counting the votes that had gotten him elected. Medina compared them to the amount of votes that had gotten the councilman Elected and noticed that he had gotten a greater number of votes on behalf of the Puerto Rican community. This was a revelatory and empowering moment for the Puerto Rican community because they realize the great say that they had in their community. By 1962, Lorain had elected Evelio Rosario as their first Puerto Rican councilman. Councilman ; Democrat ; Major ; Republican ; Threat ; Votes Evelio Rosario ; Lule Medina ; Mayor 4439 Music and Political Movements There was always music. In 1959 we brought Mon Rivera to The Puerto Rican Home. In 1959, Mon Rivera visited Lorain and brought plena to the community. Rivera talks about plena and how this genre is rooted in narratives that talk about the diaspora and events that may have affected people from Puerto Rico. These songs include &quot ; Me dieron Lay off&quot ; which Mon Rivera performed. This song represents the common misfortune of Puerto Ricans being laid off from work and what this impacts their life economically (a story that we unfortunately often encounter). Mon Rivera 4612 Protests and Music What happened though, in the 60's. I was college age and the civil rights movement was happening. The Puerto Rican Home, for example, sponsored a bus for the NAACP organization to take people to the protests. The I have a dream protests. The Puerto Rican Home and the NAACP had arranged buses for the latino community to Travel to New York and participate in the &quot ; I Have a Dream'' protests. Mr. Rivera's Parents were able to go and participate in the civil rights movement. Mr Rivera then connects this narrative to the 2nd generation of Puerto Ricans and Lorain and their musical taste. During this time, motown, soul, jazz, and rock and roll attracted the young community. Songs of Protests included &quot ; We Shall Overcome&quot ; and &quot ; I'm Black and I'm Proud.&quot ; This is also the time where the musical group Los Nombres was formed, a group that was influenced by these genres and movements Influence ; Jazz ; Motown ; New York ; Protest ; Soul Civil Rights Movement ; I Have a Dream ; Los Nombres ; NAACP ; The Puerto Rican Home 5003 The First Generation and The Civil Rights Movement The language got on the way but hundred percent, all of them were on the side of the more progressive thinkers and the civil rights. They have had terrible experiences. Mr Rivera recalls stories involving racial discrimination against dark skinned Puerto Ricans upon their arrival in Lorain. He then connects these stories to many songs that spoke about these issues as they related to the community. The use of humor served as a coping mechanism in these songs as they narrate racial narrative that often deal with discrimination and the effects of it. Mr. Rivera also discusses how the first generation was often silent due to fear and how they were thought to fear protest with the use of propaganda. Bobby Capo ; Cortijo ; Fear ; Humor ; Progressive 500 Años ; Civil Rights ; Levanta Borinken ; Pedro Albizu Campos ; Racial Songs 5526 Afro Puerto Rican Music: Embracing Blackness Rafael Cepeda, he at that time was writing music for Cortijo y su combo. You had Bobby Capo, but Rafael Cepeda should be credited. He was a musician and writer from Loiza Aldea in Puerto Rico. This section focuses on Rafael Cepeda, an Afro-Puerto Rican composer who performed bomba and plena. Cepeda focused on blackness and embracing his identity and race through music. Blackness ; Poet ; Race Bomberos ; Juan Boria ; Rafael Cepeda 5654 A Confrontational Generation: Musical Fusion Our generation was more confrontational. You had the Young Lords that sprung up when we go to the 60's and the 70's in New York. You had the music. There began to be a fusion in music. Songs such as &quot ; Sabre Olvidar&quot ; by the band TNT, represent the beginning of musical fusion. This salsa song had a soulful piano solo which then was rare but spoke to the interest and experience of the second generation. This section also touches on songs that spoke to his generation during that time. Bilingual ; Cleveland ; Soul Musical Fusion 5853 Kent State Protest I was one of the students that was in the protest where the National Guard killed four students at Kent State University. Mr. Rivera was part of the protest where the Kent State Massacre took place. 300 yards away from the National Guard, gunshots were heard and seconds later student protesters cried. Four students had just been killed while peacefully protesting at their university. One of these students was a man from Lorain who was running from a class to the other when the bullets were released. Mr. Rivera then talks about the song &quot ; Ohio&quot ; by Neil Young and how it validates the feelings of being angry and what it meant to be a political activist. Gunshots ; National News ; Radio Bemba ; Teargas Kent State Protest ; Massacre ; Students 6232 Salsa, Race, and Pride. I think that the whole salsa songs. Again, they tuned up the volume on the issues but they continued the tradition of being very &quot ; lets not speak to loud here, about these issues.&quot ; Mr Rivera talks about salsa during the 70's and how it was not explicit and vocal about rights and social justice. An artist that pushed these boundaries was Eddie Palmieri with his album &quot ; Justicia&quot ; , as well as The Lebron Brothers who talk about blackness. During this time, Mr. Rivera was living in Puerto Rico and realized that there was a negative perception towards Puerto Ricans and how music served as a reminder of his value and pride. Radio Eddie Palmieri ; Puerto Rico ; Salsa 6471 Trio Music Trio music and Felipe Rodriguez... The words to the songs talked about love but they exaggerated it so much that they were just incredibly funny. Mr. Rivera focused on trio music and how the lyrics often exaggerated romantic feelings to the extent that they became funny. He provides the example, &quot ; Copas Rotas&quot ; a trio song that he heard at the barber shop and is a great example of this type of writing. As a young man who did not hear or realize the sarcasm of these lyrics, Mr. Rivera understood that falling in love was a torture. Barber ; Jukebox ; Love Trio Music 6757 The Barber Shop: La Fortuna We would go to the barber shop and of course there was only one Puerto Rican barbershop. La Fortuna, he called it. Due to segregation, Puerto Ricans had no other choice but to get a haircut at Luis' barber shop called La Fortuna. The name of this barbershop, &quot ; The Fortune '' meant that Luis had the advantage of being the only Puerto Rican barber. Luis had a lot of records that people would listen to in a jukebox. Every once in a while some romantic trio songs such as &quot ; Amor en el campo&quot ; would start playing and people would immediately label that request as a sign of being in love. Jukebox ; Segregation ; Trio Music Barber Shop 6857 Musical Division Among the Community There was somewhat of a division among the community in terms of music. This is due to the selection of the first Puerto Ricans to go to Lorain. They were selected to work at the steel mill. The recruitment of Puerto Ricans to work at the steel mill was not a simple narrative. This was a highly selective process due to the political turmoil that was going on in the coastal areas of Puerto Rico in the late 20's and 30's. These events included strikes on the sugar cane fields. Because of these political situations, they decided to recruit men from the center of the Island. Now, this is an important factor since it will have an impact in the type of music that travelled to Lorain. Music from the internal part of the island was very different from coastal music which is where enslaved peoples disembarked during the 15th c. This affected the taste and the musical divide between the first and second generation of Puerto Ricans in Lorain. Cayey ; Coast ; Diaspora ; El Gran Combo ; Pete Rodriguez ; Ponce ; Salsa Genres ; Mon Rivera ; Recruitment 7298 Radio Program I had a radio program on Sunday mornings in WEOL from 9:00-11:00 in the morning. Mr. Rivera found himself going back to the music that his parents enjoyed during his radio segment at WEOL. In a way this was a nostalgic sentiment that brought a sense of identity. Trio ; WEOL Radio Program 7472 Mr Rivera's Advice I think you have to be open minded. Mr. Rivera encourages musicians to be open to fusion and change. He talks about the importance of being able to go back to the old music while embracing the future. An Advice video 0 https://oberlincollegelibrary.org/ohms-viewer/render.php?cachefile=LL_Rivera_Eugene.xml LL_Rivera_Eugene.xml Sort Priority This field should be added if you are using the Philly Theme with your OHMSPlugin Suite 0020 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Eugene "Gene" Rivera Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2020-11-06 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video https://latinolorain.oberlincollegelibrary.org/files/original/ebf2b25c084719129608a55c848c952f.png ffa047241343a616c90d42e63f67067c Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Gabriela Linares Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Jose "Pepe" Rivera OHMS Object This field contains the OHMS Hyperlink (link to the XML file within the OHMS viewer) https://oberlincollegelibrary.org/ohms-viewer/render.php?cachefile=LL_Rivera_Pepe.xml OHMS Object Text The field contains the OHMS Index and/or Transcript and is what makes the contents of the OHMS object searchable within Omeka 5.4 Jose &quot ; Pepe&quot ; Rivera Latino Lorain Latino Lorain Fall 2020 Oberlin College Library Jose &quot ; Pepe&quot ; Rivera Gabriela Linares 0 https://youtu.be/LNdUX-l8cP8 YouTube video English 39 Born into Music When my dad migrated here to Lorain back in 1948. My father came to work at the steel mill when the steel was hiring people from Puerto Rico. There was a big migration of Puerto Ricans that came. At that time, there was a lot of the musicians that my dad knew in Puerto Rico that came along with him. Pepe Rivera's father built a home for 3 families who had recently migrated from Puerto Rico. The house's basement served as a rehearsal room where most of the musicians that Pepe Riveras' dad knew from P.R. would come together to play music. Young Pepe would hang around on his walker and enjoy music. After a few years Pepe's love for music and skills grew to the extent that he and 2 other musicians created a trio called Los Príncipes the first latino recording artist from Lorain. Bands ; Construction ; Fiestas ; Migration ; Musicans ; Rehearsals ; Steel Mill ; Trio Puerto Rico ; Vine Avenue Dances ; Los Principes ; Migration ; Music Rehearsals ; Sammy de Leon 290 Los Nombres and The International City Los nombres was bilingual. We did both Spanish and English. Los nombres where Puerto Ricans, Mexicans, Dominicanos. We had a little bit of everything. The city of Lorain which is referred to as the international city is home to many communities of latinos that came together besides their differences. Mr. Rivera describes this as the melting pot. The idea that this small city could contain so many different communities and identities. Band ; Bilingual ; International Los Nombres ; The International City 386 Musical Influences The music developed. They used to do a lot of parrandas and that is how I got introduce o it. Mr Rivera describes the parrandas which is where he started playing the cuatro constantly. He recalls the music that he grew up with and remembers how important the folkloric music was during the holidays. These folkloric genres developed into so many genres that are still alive in Lorain such as merengue, salsa, and bachata. Boleros ; Develop ; Salsa Cuatro ; Parrandas 572 The Puerto Rican Home That was the go to place. It was more family oriented. The Puerto Rican Home is a two story building where Pepe go to perform and visit many dances. This place was a great mingling and community building center for the latino groups in Lorain. Now, after its lock down, other organizations such as the Mexican Mutual Society still hold similar events and dances. Bands ; Barra ; Dances ; Mingling The Puerto Rican Home 722 Mexican and Puerto Rican Musical Collaboration Actually, it was a joint venture. As far as my experiences. The Mexican community at that time was the MACC which is the Mexican community society. They used to sponsor a lot of the dances. The Mexican and Puerto Rican community collaborated and sponsored each other's dances and concerts. There was not as much separation as there is now between communities. Jose Rivera compares these times to a melting pot. Dances ; Melting pot ; Sponsor ; Workers Los Nombres ; Mexican Dances ; The Puerto Rican Home 863 Concerts in Lorain We had promotors here in Lorain that would contract groups out of Puerto Rico. During this time, it was more affordable to bring big names such as Hector Lavoe and Ismael Miranda to Lorain. There were a lot of amazing concerts that took place in the city. Jose recalls the time when his first group Los Principes became the main act of these dances. Due to the lack of venues that there is now in Lorain, artists are normally booked in the Cleveland area. Concerts ; Dances ; Venues Ismael Miranda ; Los Principes ; Sammy De Leon 1023 Parrandas Being one of the three cuatro players in Lorain, Jose Rivera would participate in about seventeen parrandas during one season. Because of the demand of parrandas during Christmas time, Jose Rivera put together a group &quot ; El Ritmo del Sabor&quot ; which would take care of bringing music to different houses during the season. Cuatro Parrandas 1138 Radio Show Im proud to say that today I work for WDRW Radio Sabor Latino. We are now bringing a new format. We call it Café Colao'. With his new radio show Café Colao', Jose Rivera is hoping to bring back Puerto Rican Music from the 30's, 40's, 50's, and 60's. Mr Rivera's friend Albert Aponte loaned a library of Puerto Rican music from those eras. People in Lorain and in Puerto Rico are excited and looking forward to tuning in and enjoying the show. Later on this section Jose Rivera discusses the beginnings of the show and the incorporation of latino music in the radio. Mike, a radio host, developed a show that was dedicated to the latino community on Sundays. He also mentions how today, he dedicates a portion of his Sunday shows to inform the latino community about various topics. He interviews community leaders, keeping them informed of what is going on in Lorain. El Centro ; Lorain ; Music ; Puerto Rico ; Tim Carrion ; Victor Leandry Cafe Colao' ; Radio Show 1535 Growth and Change For example with our new councilman, Rey Carrion, he is now with the 6th Ward, in the latino community which is the South Lorain community. Lorain is growing as a city. New businesses are starting, people are coming together to clean the streets and claim parks. These efforts are making the community stronger while fostering creativity and growth for them. Accesibility ; Business ; Community ; Envolvement Change ; Growth ; Town Hall Meetings 1814 Upcoming Musicians in Lorain The up and coming musicians... It used to be more like playing by ear. When I grew up it was more playing by ear but I think today the younger musicians have moved ahead where they now read music. By doing that it develops into a whole different atmosphere. Jose Rivera talks about the new generation of musicians and how Jackie Warren who graduated from Oberlin College is now playing with Sammy de Leon. Jackie and Sammy de Leon did a drive up concert during COVID which was an amazing experience for the Lorain community. Mr. Rivera then explains how the new generation of musicians is being trained to read music which is opening doors into the professional world. Jackie Warren ; Oberlin College ; Professional ; Sammy De Leon Drive-up Concert ; New Generation 1953 Music Group: Latin City Soul Latin City Soul is a mixture of a mixture of the group of that we were developing when we were growing up back in 1968. The group Latin City Soul has become a mixture of all of the musicians from Jose Rivera's Childhood as well as the younger generation of musicians in Lorain. They are now performing all sorts of genres like: merengue, salsa, and bachata. It is incredible how these two generations have come together keeping these genres alive. Bachata ; Generations ; Hit ; Merengue ; Salsa Latin City Soul 2106 The Black River Landing and &quot ; The New Normal&quot ; The city of Lorain does have a format. They have a place that they developed called The Black River Landing. The Black River Landing venue at Lorain became a social attraction. Jose Rivera recalls a time where there was an audience of about five thousand people. Now, during the pandemic things have changed. Internet ; Pandemic ; Social Pandemic ; The Black River Landing 2443 New Beginnings Cafe Colao' and what is happening today, that is what is developing. We want to give everybody an opportunity. During this section Jose Rivera connects the radio show Café Colao' with what we are living today in relation to the pandemic. His efforts are aiming towards giving the older generation to experience some sense of normalcy by going back to music and bringing people together by listening to the show. This show also gives Jose Rivera the opportunity of keeping the community informed about what is currently happening. Colador ; Community ; Radio Cafe Colao' 2623 Music: Growing Up Where I grew up as a kid the homes were close together and there was always music. Jose Rivera remembers the time in his childhood when he got together with his friends, picked up a broomstick, and used that broomstick as an imaginary guitar for their band in the garage. Because his dad was a musician, his house was always filled with music. His father would hold rehearsals in the basement and the radio would always be playing in his house. Bands ; Basement ; Radio ; Rehearsals Garage Performances ; Growing up 2774 Racism and Division Unfortunately this country has developed all this racism and the bigotry that is going on. Jose Rivera talks about the division that has been growing over the years. This is something that affects the community, yet Lorain keeps the community alive and fosters unity. Mr. Rivera ties this to restaurants and diversity and the role of businesses on creating community. Administration ; Community ; Morality Division ; Racism 3211 Lorain in Song The Nombres wrote a song called, Lady Lorain. Now, Lady Lorain became the official song of the city of Lorain. The group The Nombres wrote many songs that carried the history of the city of Lorain. These included Lady Lorain, which became the official song of the city, songs about a flea market, as well as a song called &quot ; These Colors Don't Run&quot ; dedicated to the United States Flag. Lady Lorain ; Los Nombres ; These Colors Don't Run Lorain ; Songs 3491 Jose Rivera's Advice Continue to stay strong. Keep developing your art. Make sure that you develop your craft. Mr. Rivera encourages the younger generations of musicians to stay strong, develop their craft, and to educate themselves. Change ; Growth ; Pandemic Advice video 0 https://oberlincollegelibrary.org/ohms-viewer/render.php?cachefile=LL_Rivera_Pepe.xml LL_Rivera_Pepe.xml Sort Priority This field should be added if you are using the Philly Theme with your OHMSPlugin Suite 0021 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Jose "Pepe" Rivera Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2020-10-13 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video https://latinolorain.oberlincollegelibrary.org/files/original/176db6cd6be729eced049ae579100701.png 737c075c1a826d22b96739d4b0231cfb Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Victor Leandry Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Juanita Senquiz OHMS Object This field contains the OHMS Hyperlink (link to the XML file within the OHMS viewer) https://oberlincollegelibrary.org/ohms-viewer/render.php?cachefile=LL_Senquiz_Juanita.xml OHMS Object Text The field contains the OHMS Index and/or Transcript and is what makes the contents of the OHMS object searchable within Omeka 5.4 Juanita Senquiz Latino Lorain Fall 2020 Oberlin College Library Juanita Senquiz Victor Leandry 0 https://youtu.be/TunF2Ut1SNs YouTube video 0 Introduction and membership in Latino organizations in Lorain Today is Thursday November 5, 2020...My name is Victor Leandry, I am the Executive Director of El Centro in Lorain, Ohio, and I am here to interview, and have the pleasure to interview, Juanita Senquiz. And I am going to have her introduce herself. This interview is part of the Latino Lorain History Project, it is a collaboration of the Lorain Historical Society, Oberlin College, El Centro and many, many other partnerships in the community. So, Juanita could you tell us your name. Senquiz introduces herself and begins talking about her affiliations and membership in key Latino organizations in Lorain. She is currently the President of CHIP (Coalition of Hispanic Issues and Progress) and she describes how Elba Armstrong, in her capacity working as a principal in the Lorain City Schools, recruited Senquz to join CHIP since 1988. After working for more than 30 years in Lorain City Schools, she retired and returned to work in Human Resources where she has worked for 7 more years. CHIP (Coalition for Hispanic Issues and Progress) ; El Centro de Servicios Sociales ; Elba Armstrong ; Lorain City Schools ; Lorain Historical Society ; Oberlin College 216 Her father's journey and early life in Lorain First of all, let me ask you about your parents...they came from Puerto Rico, or they stayed in Puerto Rico and you were the one who came? Senquiz explains that her maiden name is Irizarry and how her father is from Utuado and mother is from Coamo, Puerto Rico. Her dad went to Lorain first in the late 1940s for work and met Senquiz's mother's brother who was already living and working in Lorain. After getting married in Puerto Rico, they both returned to Northeast Ohio and first lived in Bay Village before moving to Lorain. Senquiz was born in Lorain at St. Joseph hospital in Lorain which is currently being torn down and has a lot of sentimental value to people in Lorain. She also discusses growing up on the west side of Lorain and attending Irving Elementary School before moving to the east side where her father bought a home in the 1960s which was a less diverse neighborhood. She continue to live in her home on the east side of Lorain. Bay Vlllage, Ohio ; Coamo, Puerto Rico ; Compadres ; East and West Side of Lorain ; Irving Elementary School ; Labor migration ; Lorain neighborhoods ; Love letters ; Railroad ; Residential segregation ; Sacred Heart Chapel ; St. Joseph Hospital, Lorain ; Utuado, Puerto Rico ; Vine Ave 622 Growing up and raising her family in Lorain So is there anything you remember from your teenage years or any special dances or groups or special Latin clubs--did you participate in any of those things? Senquiz describes her upbringing as strict and how they were not allowed to participate in many things. After graduating from high school she attended dances with her girlfriends. Because she lived on the East Side with strict parents, besides church and El Club Utuado and Club Coameño, she didn't have a lot of interactions with the Hispanic community in Lorain growing up. She also discusses religious classes at Sacred Heart and the importance of the hometown associations in Lorain as part of a connection of friends and families. After graduating from high school she began working for Lorain City Schools where she typed for the Board of Education while she worked while still in high school. As someone who has worked for Lorain City Schools since they age of 16, she has a great knowledge of Lorain City Schools. Her husband, Pablo Senquiz, came to Lorain from Puerto Rico when he was 18 where he worked at Ford and they were married when she was 22 years old. They have been married for 44 years and have two children. Board of Education ; Club Coameño ; Club Utuado ; Dances ; Ford ; Georgia ; Job training at Lorain City Schools ; Latinos and housing ; Lorain City Schools ; Mexican Mutual ; Mother-daughter relations ; Ohio State University ; PSR classes Sacred Heart Chapel ; Puerto Rican Home ; Sacred Heart Chapel ; Strict parents 1273 Becoming a leader in the Latino community in Lorain So if you can think back about your life...When did you develop this interest to be involved in the Latino community? Senquiz talks about how part of her involvement in the Latino community in Lorain began with her family's involvement in organization like Esperanza Inc. in Cleveland. She was inspired by how involved Willy Senquiz was involved in Cleveland and how that led to be more involved in Lorain with organizations like CHIP, the Hispanic Fund, and other Hispanic and non-Hispanic boards. They also discussed the important role of Latinas in CHIP--Elba Armstrong, Angie Martinez and Juanita Senquiz were all presidents--and other organizations in Lorain. She speaks at length of busing in Lorain and CHIP's role in advocating for Latinos and busing and the other way CHIP helps out Latinos in Lorain. She also discusses the UAW's role in the beginning of the Hispanic Leadership Conference and how with the closing of the Lorain Ford plant how CHIP took over the annual conference. She also discusses CHIP's candidates night and the important role it plays in local politics and voter education for the community, as well as the way the Hispanic Leadership Conference has developed over time. Angie Martinez ; Busing in Lorain ; CHIP ; CHIP and Hispanic Leadership Conference ; CHIP candidates night ; CHIP Scholarship Fund ; Cleveland, Ohio ; Closing Ford Plant ; COVID-19 ; Esperanza Inc, Cleveland, Ohio ; Ford ; Girl Scout Concil Board ; Latina leadership in CHIP ; Lorain County Community College ; The Hispanic Fund ; United Auto Workers (UAW) and HIspanic Leadership Conference ; Willy Senquiz 1943 Final thoughts on leadership Is there anything else you would like to talk about that we haven't talked about or anything you want to tell us? She ends saying that she is quiet and Victor affirms her important leadership role and how she is well-respected. She also reflects on the value of respecting each other and how important that is in community. CHIP ; Leadership ; Respect video 0 https://oberlincollegelibrary.org/ohms-viewer/render.php?cachefile=LL_Senquiz_Juanita.xml LL_Senquiz_Juanita.xml Sort Priority This field should be added if you are using the Philly Theme with your OHMSPlugin Suite 0026 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Juanita Senquiz Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2020-11-05 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video https://latinolorain.oberlincollegelibrary.org/files/original/15f4f56660715755f7220912e94f95b6.jpg 559924c507b91bc14f483c694a5f7686 Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data photo Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Maria and her six siblings at Lakeview Park Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Maria Carrion https://latinolorain.oberlincollegelibrary.org/files/original/fdd6830849b0df5e715cf5f3354db980.jpg c0f07bcdf48bc615c836416c4791544e Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data photo Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Vincente and Andres Rivera Description An account of the resource Photograph of Vincente and Andres Rivera, Lourdes Bennett's father and uncle, taken in 1950-2 in an unknown location Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Lourdes Bennett Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1950-2 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource jpg Type The nature or genre of the resource photograph https://latinolorain.oberlincollegelibrary.org/files/original/3fc4af925d502a774a5ed46497bb43e1.png 8e48ce87e38a4e5f66f68642fc01e7de Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data photo Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Lourdes Bennett Family Photo Description An account of the resource Photograph of Ms. Bennett's mom (Juana Rivera), dad (Vicente Rivera left of my mom), uncle (Andres Rivera) and oldest sister Jenny Rivera Koinis taken around 1952. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Lourdes Bennett Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1952 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource png Type The nature or genre of the resource photograph https://latinolorain.oberlincollegelibrary.org/files/original/64be9c2c4ed3572e656eb12da0baf037.jpg 7294f83835f0fe48417a1d290020da4f Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data photo Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource 2014 Rivera Family Reunion Description An account of the resource Photograph of the Rivera Family Reunion from 2014. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Lourdes Bennett Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource jpg Type The nature or genre of the resource photo https://latinolorain.oberlincollegelibrary.org/files/original/a78b8e91d8683b47fcdce581fc9a201f.jpg 2b0b9bdc544c20f695eabae61e9d255e Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Victor Leandry at NCLR Conference with Vice President Joe Biden Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Victor Leandry Description An account of the resource Photograph of Victor Leandry at a National Council of La Raza/UnidosUS conference with Vice President Joe Biden. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource jpg Type The nature or genre of the resource photo https://latinolorain.oberlincollegelibrary.org/files/original/30bb4ea1b77e19ff6c7654aa6674efb9.jpg 9807020c1d5957b80a436d8ec6b3f86b Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Victor Leandry at NCLR conference with President Barack Obama Description An account of the resource Photograph of Victor Leandry at a National Council of La Raza/UnidosUS conference with President Barack Obama. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Victor Leandry Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource jpg Type The nature or genre of the resource photo https://latinolorain.oberlincollegelibrary.org/files/original/96ef4764cdd6a839d3daf15fa7358a44.jpg 001412e2bcf2cdc69e8026e8561e04af Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Victor Leandry Description An account of the resource Professional photo of Victor Leandry. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Victor Leandry Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource jpg Type The nature or genre of the resource photo https://latinolorain.oberlincollegelibrary.org/files/original/b29e62eed3db09264b047b043eb5db4a.jpg 30d1d2d3543af95c8e56dd02a7f84cc7 Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data photo Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Victor Leandry's Graduation Description An account of the resource Photograph of Victor Leandry in his graduation robe and cap alongside an older woman. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Victor Leandry Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource jpg Type The nature or genre of the resource photo https://latinolorain.oberlincollegelibrary.org/files/original/eb66347736f6ca973a4e0e8cb6923e50.jpg f30c4e866b8a232442c9a8af55ba8bec Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data photo Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Volleyball Team Description An account of the resource Photo of Victor's volleyball teammates in Puerto Rico. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Victor Leandry Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource jpg Type The nature or genre of the resource photo https://latinolorain.oberlincollegelibrary.org/files/original/023ae657d8278e7f93b2a7244f12ed9f.JPG 9fa6ce84150be239ba86ea33d604d381 Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data photo Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Young Victor Leandry Ready for School Description An account of the resource Photo of a young Victor Leandry all dressed up to go to school. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Victor Leandry Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource jpg Type The nature or genre of the resource photo https://latinolorain.oberlincollegelibrary.org/files/original/c938005e65fa77fa149543b7e483a75e.jpg 31645db85cd4ec7aab21c8ab33590423 Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data photo Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Victor Leandry on Rollerskates Description An account of the resource Photo of Victor Leandry rollerskating. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Victor Leandry Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource jpg Type The nature or genre of the resource photo https://latinolorain.oberlincollegelibrary.org/files/original/954096557b14814e0c8e02190ca6a273.jpg 8e9cf5d9a81ea84f5319cc4b61d3f198 Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data photo Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Victor Leandry Opening a UnidosUS Conference Description An account of the resource Photo of Victor Leandry getting ready to open a UnidosUS conference in front of thousands of people. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Victor Leandry Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource jpg Type The nature or genre of the resource photo https://latinolorain.oberlincollegelibrary.org/files/original/901d5a5d0c8b0ec0c7799d9790588a48.jpg 86ad4c9c5210a536a94979c6dfd2c60d Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data photo Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Victor Leandry on a Bike Ride Description An account of the resource Photo of Victor Leandry taking a bike ride through the forest. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Victor Leandry Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource jpg Type The nature or genre of the resource photo Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Elba Rosario Armstrong named president of C.H.I.P. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Julia Rohde Type The nature or genre of the resource image https://latinolorain.oberlincollegelibrary.org/files/original/bf50aae23d2bbd61e5ebf40eb50e95d2.png aec13066eeec1d80388a7fe505658eee Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Amherst news-times. (Amherst, Ohio), 1990-10-03 Description An account of the resource C.H.I.P. president Dr. Saris E. Sagarra Jr. is honored with a citation from Governor Richard Celeste as a Distinguished Hispanic Ohioan. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Amherst Public Library Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1990-10-03 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Julia Rohde Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Online access is provided for research purposes only. For rights and reproduction requests to more information, go to http://www.ohiohistory.org/images/information https://latinolorain.oberlincollegelibrary.org/files/original/0d0ad8ad354e2115e4ebe2be3d8d1b18.png 34e2abe340afd1f2c8c1ebf97a9642fe Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Segarra honored with leadership recognition award Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Amherst Public Library Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1990-05-23 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Julia Rohde Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Online access is provided for research purposes only. For rights and reproduction requests or more information, go to http://www.ohiohistory.org/images/information https://latinolorain.oberlincollegelibrary.org/files/original/6c5ab259648c4422833a1d3c5ff5583d.jpg 9732c0823ec69899b7e14be30cf88aab Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Antonio Barrios was invited to attend a dinner with Mexican Ambassador at the Consulate in Detroit. He had organized the temporary ID cards for Mexican immigrants. https://latinolorain.oberlincollegelibrary.org/files/original/48b3f9fdac1f50c2fa808c8701f15d33.png 0296922dee00d6f36e73a5fc6176141a Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Antonio Barrios' IMDB page Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Jane Rissover-Plotke Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived IMDB https://latinolorain.oberlincollegelibrary.org/files/original/caa8d2d8100656fc869f6bd35baf8e55.pdf cd8357b7ad9d6c9dce6cc2b47a7b5a1f Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Lorain Arts Council Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Jane Rissover-Plotke Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived LorainCounty.com https://latinolorain.oberlincollegelibrary.org/files/original/56f649ba710fa71cfb905185e0e057a4.jpg 83ea96116f05aa8d26ca7527634134dc Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Marty Martinez's Military service from December 1964-May 1969 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Marty Martinez https://latinolorain.oberlincollegelibrary.org/files/original/217bbefcf67ab8c90538d29c6394e424.PNG 249ad611bbb93407ee1a11714aefea59 Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. OHMS Object This field contains the OHMS Hyperlink (link to the XML file within the OHMS viewer) https://oberlincollegelibrary.org/ohms-viewer/render.php?cachefile=LL_Baez_Antonio.xml OHMS Object Text The field contains the OHMS Index and/or Transcript and is what makes the contents of the OHMS object searchable within Omeka 5.4 Unknown Date Antonio Baez Latino Lorain Fall 2022 Oberlin College Library 0 https://media.lib.oberlin.edu/media_objects/r781wg04p Avalon https://media.lib.oberlin.edu/ video &lt ; iframe title=&quot ; Antonio Baez&quot ; src=&quot ; //media.lib.oberlin.edu:443/master_files/3r074t937/embed&quot ; width=&quot ; 600&quot ; height=&quot ; 337&quot ; frameborder=&quot ; 0&quot ; webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen allowfullscreen&gt ; &lt ; /iframe&gt ; 31 Birthplace and Early Life Please begin by telling me where you were born and where you grew up. So I was born here, in the city of Lorain Ohio, born in St. Josephs, 1984, to Maria and Jose Baez. Antonio Baez speaks about his childhood and early life in Lorain Ohio, recalling memories of his family, neighborhood and childhood friends. Family ; Financial struggles ; Neighborhood 471 High School and Young Adulthood Could you tell me a little bit about your time in high school, and then also when did you start thinking about the military or when did that become an option for you. So high school was pretty interesting, in all of school I was, every grade I was kicked out of school. Antonio Baez speaks about his teenage years and time in high school in Lorain. He recalls getting in trouble with law enforcement, problems with drugs and alcohol, and a short time in a juvenile detention center. He talks about meeting his girlfriend in high school, getting pregnant with their first child, and their decision to keep the baby and get married. Drugs and Alcohol ; Juvenile Detention ; Marriage ; Pregnancy 874 Military Enlistment Reverse a little bit, what caused me to join the military is my brother was in the military. I didn't really want to do it but after I had my son, I was like, you know, this would be a good chance for me to get out of this environment. Antonio Baez talks about the process of his enlistment and his decision making process. He describes the long hours he worked at the Elyria Foundry while completing his high school diploma. He talks about his decision to join the military, his experiences with recruiters, and consulting his brothers in the military for advice along with his wife and mother. Delayed Entry Program ; Elyria Foundry ; Enlistment ; Family in Military ; Recruiter ; Steel Mill 1319 Entrance into the Marines and Basic Training Well I'd love to hear about your initial moments in the military and these decisions that you made, the advice of your brother, how that helped you entering. Yeah, so, with his advice in mind, we were all pretty extroverted in terms of we never really cared about other people's decisions or opinions of us because of how we grew up. You know, everyone was always pointing their fingers, so all of us built this tolerance and reactive responses to stuff like that. So what that means, and I'm trying to explain it, is when I went to the recruiter, they did exactly what he told me they were going to try to do, like &quot ; hey, yeah, you can just do this, and because of your record you're not going to be able to do this.&quot ; And I'd already heard it from him, so I'm like, well that's not going to happen, this is what I want. That's more of that attitude, I'm going to do this, or I'm not going to do it, so if you want me there it is, other than that I gotta be at work at two. Antonio Baez recalls his first days in the military at basic training and the hardships that he endured. He talks about the environment and culture of boot camp and the ways enlisted members of the military are broken down so that they can be reformed into soldiers. Boot camp ; Cleveland MEPS ; Discrimination ; Drill Sergeant ; Military police ; Parris Island ; U.S. Marines 1981 Transition into the Military and First Base Assignment Well I'd love to move on to after basic training, what were your, where did you go first after you graduated basic training? So I graduated basic training, you have to go through and infantry school that teaches every marine how to be, just like we were talking about, every marine how to be an infantry person. So it doesn't matter if you're a book person, an accountant in the marine corp, you learn how to shoot your weapon, you learn battle drills, how to respond and attack enemy forces, how to move, how to low crawl, how to go through rooms, how to go through tunnels, how to use different weapon systems, and how to just be a marine. Every marine is a rifleman, that's their quote. Antonio Baez talks about his life after graduation from basic training ; in infantry school and as a military police officer on his first base assignment. He talks about his experiences responding to calls and incidents on base. He discusses the effects of PTSD that he observed in soldiers returning from combat and their families that remained on base. Camp Johnson ; Camp Lejeune ; Deployment ; Infantry School ; Military families ; Military police ; PTSD ; U.S. Marines 2552 Deployment to Kuwait and Iraq So when I finally get the opportunity to deploy, it was uneasy because I have children, I already had my son. So I'm like, man, what am I going to do with, where do I send her, does she go back with my parents? Because we moved to North Carolina together, do I send her home? Does she stay here? and then she becomes like all these other parents that have lost their mind because their husbands are gone. Antonio Baez speaks about his time in Kuwait and Iraq while deployed with the Marine Corp and his experiences in combat. He describes his interactions with locals and how he was taught to hate the local civilians by the military. Combat ; Deployment ; Iraq ; Kuwait ; Mental Health 2931 Position at the Pentagon So fast forward, returning home I was provided an opportunity. I'd seen an email come across on my military email that said they were looking for infantry or an MP to go work in DC for the office of legislative affairs. And that job entailed working for a one star general. And I was like, that will get me out of this grind the same thing all the time. Antonio Baez speaks about the time he spent working at the Pentagon for the office of legislative affairs and how he was offered this opportunity. He talks about the the generals and other officers he worked with and the levels of security clearance he was granted which made him privy to a great deal of classified information and conversations. Office of Legislative Affairs ; Return from deployment ; Separation from family ; Washington DC 3453 Life After Active Service Fast forward we decide to call it quits and move back home, and when I moved back home I had a void so I decided to join the reserves, the Marine Corp had just got hit, Brook Park had just got hit with a bad, while they were deployed they lost a lot of guys, a lot of guys were killed in that unit so the moral was... Antonio Baez speaks about his time in the reserves after leaving active service, and reflects on the impacts of military service on the rest of his life. 82nd Airborne Division ; Discipline ; Respect ; Service ; Suicide ; U.S. Army Reserves In copyright. video All rights reserved. 0 https://oberlincollegelibrary.org/ohms-viewer/render.php?cachefile=LL_Baez_Antonio.xml LL_Baez_Antonio.xml Sort Priority This field should be added if you are using the Philly Theme with your OHMSPlugin Suite 0002 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Antonio Baez Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video https://latinolorain.oberlincollegelibrary.org/files/original/b171fc100a11dfb696a113f859a28008.PNG fca81fbf1af1579828e1f47641ba3a6a Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Minerva Macarrulla Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Erica Baez OHMS Object This field contains the OHMS Hyperlink (link to the XML file within the OHMS viewer) https://oberlincollegelibrary.org/ohms-viewer/render.php?cachefile=LL_Baez_Erica.xml OHMS Object Text The field contains the OHMS Index and/or Transcript and is what makes the contents of the OHMS object searchable within Omeka 5.4 Erica Baez Latino Lorain Fall 2022 Oberlin College Library Erica Baez Minerva Macarrulla 0 https://media.lib.oberlin.edu/media_objects/rr171x25z Avalon https://media.lib.oberlin.edu/ video &lt ; iframe title=&quot ; Erica Baez&quot ; src=&quot ; //media.lib.oberlin.edu:443/master_files/rx913p922/embed&quot ; width=&quot ; 600&quot ; height=&quot ; 400&quot ; frameborder=&quot ; 0&quot ; webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen allowfullscreen&gt ; &lt ; /iframe&gt ; 0 Introduction, Early Life and Family Can you please state your name and date of birth? Erica Baez introduces herself and talks about her early life in Puerto Rico, her relationship with her sister, and her parents' jobs. She then gives an overview of how her family came to Northeast Ohio, beginning with her father coming to his family in Cleveland and then sending for them. Childhood ; Cleveland ; Early life ; Family ; Migration ; Puerto Rico ; Secretary 227 High School JROTC, Meeting Antonio Baez, Military Outlook Could you talk about how and when you met your husband? Erica discusses meeting her husband, Antonio, through her high school JROTC class. Erica's father was a big influence on her outlook towards the military because he always emphasized the advantages of working for it. She didn't have any concerns about the idea of being in the military growing up. Coming from a strict household made for an easy transition into the structured JROTC environment. Antonio Baez ; High school ; JROTC ; South Lorain School ; Spouse ; U.S. Navy 623 Living with Antonio's Parents While he was enlisted, did you stay here? What was that like for you? Erica recounts how she lived with Antonio's parents at the start of his military service. At the time, she wanted more independence. Family ; Housing 712 Emotional Pressures of Antonio's Service How long was he in the military for? Erica discusses the emotional pressures of having an active duty military spouse, emphasizing the anguish of not being able to hear from her husband and having to explain where he was to her kids. Bootcamp ; Children ; Deployment ; Rank ; U.S. Army Reserves ; U.S. Marines ; U.S. National Guard 1071 Antonio's Second Chance, Accepting Military Hardships Were there any positives of being a military wife? Erica explains how Antonio was seen as a troublemaker in high school and how people didn't expect him to be &quot ; successful,&quot ; but the military gave him a second chance to commit to his job, travel, and achieve more financial stability. Erica expresses acceptance of the ways that the military &quot ; breaks them down to create US marines.&quot ; Bootcamp ; High school ; Travel ; U.S. Marines 1245 Becoming a Military Mother Now, I'm not just a marine corps wife ; I'm a marine corps mother. Erica talks about the journey that her son took entering the marine corps after high school. Children ; Family ; Georgia ; Recruitment ; U.S. Marines 1413 Life &amp ; Raising Kids During Antonio's Military Service While your husband was enlisted for those seven years, what was your life like and how did you spend most of your time? Erica remembers her time living off-base with Antonio as he was stationed in North Carolina and Maryland. Her oldest son had a hard time being separated from his grandfather, but she's also grateful that her kids got to see so many places and sights. Friendship ; Living off-base ; Maryland ; North Carolina ; Station 1748 Nursing School, Home Health Job And what did you say you went to school for? Erica mentions that she completed nursing school and worked as a home health aid for a few months while Antonio was in bootcamp. Career ; Employment ; Healthcare ; Nursing school 1791 Friendships with Other Military Wives You mentioned living in North Carolina and Maryland and spending time with other families on base— what were those friendships like? Erica remembers her friendships with other women in North Carolina and Maryland who were also military spouses. Alcohol ; Friendship ; Substances 2019 Letting Go of Her Own Military Aspirations After you had your son, did you ever reconsider going into the military? Erica says that once she had her children, military service was off the table for her. She wanted to make sure that someone was always there for her children. Career ; Children 2055 Antonio Ending His Service, Cherishing Elders Do you remember when Antonio decided not to continue his military service? Erica tells the story of Antonio ending his active duty military service because of Erica's concern for their viejitos, who had begun to pass away more often and needed to be cared for. Caring for elders ; Death ; Elders 2320 Transition Back to Lorain, Antonio's Service Changing Erica What was life like when you got back here? Erica describes what it was like to get back to Lorain having been changed by her experiences in North Carolina and Maryland. Friendship ; Military families ; Respect 2540 Advice for Military Families, Changing Family Structure What message would you want to leave for future generations who could hear this interview? Erica emphasizes that people should have more respect for military families. She discusses how being a military family changes family structure and creates trauma. Advice ; Children ; Family structure ; PTSD ; Trauma 2823 Erica's Career I remember you said that you went to nursing school. Have you become a nurse since then? Erica discusses her home health job that she had after she went to nursing school. She stopped working as a home health aid when she left Ohio with Antonio, but found out later that she could have continued. She also speaks affectionately of Antonio's grandmother. She then describes her current job with Clearview District Schools, where she translates for Spanish-speaking parents. Career ; Clearview District Schools ; Elders ; Employment ; Lorain City Schools ; Nursing 3144 Outro Is there anything we haven't spoken about that you'd like to speak about? We close out the interview by thanking one another. In copyright. video All rights reserved. 0 https://oberlincollegelibrary.org/ohms-viewer/render.php?cachefile=LL_Baez_Erica.xml LL_Baez_Erica.xml Sort Priority This field should be added if you are using the Philly Theme with your OHMSPlugin Suite 0003 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Erica Baez Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2022-11-05 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video https://latinolorain.oberlincollegelibrary.org/files/original/8067329ceef155e2bb79bd5ced00ece5.PNG 6988b74cd5fedb34de19e79b910db480 Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Becky Trigo Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Hector Garcia OHMS Object This field contains the OHMS Hyperlink (link to the XML file within the OHMS viewer) https://oberlincollegelibrary.org/ohms-viewer/render.php?cachefile=LL_Garcia_Hector.xml OHMS Object Text The field contains the OHMS Index and/or Transcript and is what makes the contents of the OHMS object searchable within Omeka 5.4 Hector Garcia Latino Lorain Fall 2022 Oberlin College Library Hector Garcia Becky Trigo 0 https://media.lib.oberlin.edu/media_objects/gq67jr188 Avalon https://media.lib.oberlin.edu/ video &lt ; iframe title=&quot ; Hector Garcia&quot ; src=&quot ; //media.lib.oberlin.edu:443/master_files/g445cd164/embed&quot ; width=&quot ; 600&quot ; height=&quot ; 337&quot ; frameborder=&quot ; 0&quot ; webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen allowfullscreen&gt ; &lt ; /iframe&gt ; 0 Introduction to interview with Hector Garcia (LEDE) 30 Early Life ; Family, Friends, and Opportunity Can you begin by telling me where you were born and where you grew up? Yeah, so, I was born in the South Bronx, in New York. From there I lived pretty much up until about '92. Then I moved out with my dad down to Brooklyn. Growing up in the 80s in the South Bronx was a little rough... Hector Garcia grew up in the South Bronx in the 1980s. He did not graduate from high school, nor did he think about the military growing up. Instead, his decision to join the military came as a method of survival. Hector dropped out of High School in 9th grade and was placed in a Brooklyn Detention Center. While at the center, a military recruiter approached him and gave him the opportunity to enlist in the military. He enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps and started boot camp in January 2001. He was only 17 at the time, and thus his father had to sign for him. He did boot camp in South Carolina, which he felt like the detention center prepared him for. Bootcamp ; enlistment ; High School ; Juvenile Detention ; opportunity ; Puerto Rico ; Recruitment 652 Going into Training and Military Service Where did you go do your training? Do you have any specific memories from this time? Yeah. Paris Island, South Carolina, Yellow Footprint, you know? That was a... like I said, god moves you and prepares you for a lot of things, right? Me going through that detention home program kind of helped ease the transition because I was already used to having the little correction officers yell at us and treat us in that kind of a manner... During boot camp in South Carolina, he felt like the detention center prepared him for. After boot camp he became a field radio operator in California, and then he was deployed in Okinawa Japan. He states that traveling to Japan changed his life. There, he met his wife, they traveled together in what he says was similar to “free vacations” and they were deployed together. The most challenging part of military service to him was adjustment. He had to adjust to a different work ethic and way of life. He believes that his military service saved his life by getting him out of New York Basic Training ; family ; North Carolina ; service ; travel ; wife 1169 Re-Enlistment Is that when you re-enlisted? After I re-enlisted, we left Okinawa and I got stationed with 1st Battalion 8th Marines in North Carolina. From there I deployed to different parts... Spain, France, Italy, Cyprus, Jordan, Kuwait, Iraq... Hector then re-enlisted in North Carolina. After re-enlistment, he traveled around the world to Spain, France, Italy, Cyprus, Jordan, Kuwait, Iraq (etc). Through his travels, he got to experience different cultures, which made him more humble, and look at life differently. These experiences made him understand the value of his humanitarian work in the Marine Corps. After his experiences growing up, as well as being exposed to different kinds of social inequalities globally, he understood the importance of making a difference in people’s lives, and giving back to less fortunate people. He was in North Carolina for a total of 4.5 years, where he and his wife had 2 children. Marines ; Social Work ; U.S. Marines ; USMC 1397 Becoming a Recruiter and Establishing a Family after Enlistment ... I'm gonna harp on that a little bit. It was a crazy conversation. So, as a recruiter back in New York City, at home in Queens ; I'm in my office and we have this list of high schools. We call seniors and talk to them to try and give them information on the Corp, right? So I talked to this one kid and he said, &quot ; Y'know, I had thought about it.&quot ; And as a recruiter you like... Man, let me go ahead and jump on that. So, and I said, &quot ; What made you think about it?&quot ; And he said, &quot ; When I was a kid... Me and my family were in Lebanon...&quot ; After his time in North Carolina, he became a recruiter in Queens, New York. He worked non-stop as a recruiter, from Sunday to Sunday. In New York, he and his wife had 2 more children. At this point, he wanted to leave the service in order to be a good husband and father to his family. Family ; New York City ; Recruitment ; Relationships ; Transition 2090 Attending the Marine Corp Ball and Reflecting on Friends in the Military Hector reflects on the Marine Corps Ball. This ball gives Marine Corps members a chance to reflect on who they are, what they have accomplished, and feel pride to be part of history and tradition. He remains in touch with some of the kids he has recruited, and he has gotten the opportunity to watch them grow up. Some have joined the military and are still enlisted, while others have gone on to attend college. Celebration ; Marine Corp Ball ; pride ; reflection ; tradition 2477 Going into Social Work Thats what made me want to get my degree in social work... Which I did. I don't want to skip any of your history, as now you work at Lorain Community College, so do you want to talk about how you went into that? Yeah, so, one of the transitions of getting out of the service was, &quot ; Whats the next step? How do Veterans adapt to the civilian life?&quot ; After his service ended, Hector used the benefits from the post 9/11 military to go to school. He received a degree from Youngstown in social work. Veteran programming within Lorain Community College. Civilian life ; GI Bill ; Lorain ; Lorain Community College ; Post 9/11 ; Social Work ; Youngstown 2824 Self-Reflection on experience serving How did your experiences in the military change you? Overall, he believes that his military service changed him for the good, and he is now a better person because of what the military did for him. Speaking about race, he said that he did not see race in the Marine Corps until after getting out. It wasn’t until he got out and went to college that he saw the importance of the Hispanic contribution to the U.S.. He then saw the importance of representation and the importance of Latinos receiving equality. Change ; Future ; Hispanic ; Service ; strength ; War In copyright. video All rights reserved. 0 https://oberlincollegelibrary.org/ohms-viewer/render.php?cachefile=LL_Garcia_Hector.xml LL_Garcia_Hector.xml Sort Priority This field should be added if you are using the Philly Theme with your OHMSPlugin Suite 0008 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Hector Garcia Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2022-11-05 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video https://latinolorain.oberlincollegelibrary.org/files/original/cd15b7da225aefb19b1dddc601c5f393.PNG cd1bdbae6e47372fa5d1eea1b35d651c Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Cecelia Blake Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Katie Garcia OHMS Object This field contains the OHMS Hyperlink (link to the XML file within the OHMS viewer) https://oberlincollegelibrary.org/ohms-viewer/render.php?cachefile=LL_Garcia_Katie.xml OHMS Object Text The field contains the OHMS Index and/or Transcript and is what makes the contents of the OHMS object searchable within Omeka 5.4 Katie Garcia Latino Lorain Fall 2022 Oberlin College Library Katie Garcia Cecelia Blake 0 https://media.lib.oberlin.edu/media_objects/76537136c Avalon Https://media.lib.oberlin.edu/ video &lt ; iframe title=&quot ; Katie Garcia&quot ; src=&quot ; //media.lib.oberlin.edu:443/master_files/b2773v73c/embed&quot ; width=&quot ; 600&quot ; height=&quot ; 337&quot ; frameborder=&quot ; 0&quot ; webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen allowfullscreen&gt ; &lt ; /iframe&gt ; 33 Questions about Early Life/Childhood Where were you born and where did you grow up? So I was born in Oberlin and I grew up in Lorain, born and raised. When I was 19, that's when I went to the Marine Corps. My Father is from down South, a small town called Whitfield Alabama. Katie begins by talking about where she was born and raised and where he parent's were born and raised as well. She is a one of five siblings, which she not always enjoyed growing up but now appreciates the fact that everyone in her family has remained close. Katie's mother was her primary role model. She explains how her mother always put her children first despite any of the challenges she endured, which was very inspiring to Katie growing up and further allowed her to feel supported to succeed. Family ; Hometown ; Parents ; Siblings 297 Introduction to Military Service How did you first begin to think about military service? I never really thought about the military until she went. And so when I decided to go into the military like you know what I'm going to do the Marine Corps. And I also did it because everyone said I couldn't do it. Katie was first introduced to the military by her sister, who was a part of JROTC and also served in the Marine Corps. Katie explains that when her sister was discharged, she always spoke highly of her experiences which is what initially piqued Katie's interest. Katie also talks about her decision to pick the Marine Corps as the branch of the military that she wanted to join, and says that it was largely attributed to the fact that people said she could not do since people in the Marine Corps needed to be &quot ; butch&quot ; or &quot ; buff&quot ; . Gender ; Reactions ; Sister ; USMC 357 Basic Training Where did you do your basic training? My basic training was in the Marine Corps recruit depot Parris Island. Theres two basic training for the Marine Corps. If you live East of the Mississippi River you go to South Caroline, Parris Island, If you live West of the Mississippi River you go to San Diego. But if you are female, all females go to Parris Island. In this segment Katie talks about her basic training on Parris Island in South Carolina, where all female marine had to complete their training. She was very nervous, although it was not her first time away from home. Her first memory is rushing off the bus, knowing a little bit of what to expect from her sister's experience, but when she went to meet her drill instructors she was greeted by three beautiful women. She initially thought to herself &quot ; oh, it couldnt be that bad&quot ; , however she explains that the minute they closed the door &quot ; hell unleashed&quot ; . Katie also adds that &quot ; these beautiful women are so different from what they look. It was so unexpected.&quot ; Family ; First Memory ; Gender ; Parris Island ; Yellow Footprints 510 After Training Where did you go after your training? After my training I went home to do recruiting assistance, and from there I went to Marine Corps combat training in North Carolina. Katie talks about how everything is earned in bootcamp, &quot ; They strip you down and they build you back up.&quot ; Katie felt confident in boot camp, like a new person and on top of the world. Being a female marine was especially meaningful to her, and she had a set goal for herself to be the best woman that she could be and more, the best woman marine that she could be. She felt that she represented an elite group wearing a uniform and seeing the expressions on peoples' faces. Combat ; Confidence ; Rank ; Representation ; Role Model ; Stability ; Training ; Transformation 694 Meeting Hector Garcia How did you meet your husband? I met my husband at my first duty station, Okinawa, Japan. We worked together and we were friends first, really good friends. Katie talks about meeting her husband in Japan, while on duty for six months traveling different parts of East Asia. East Asia ; Husband ; Japan ; Okinawa ; Travel 743 Challenges of Service/Maintaining an Image What was the most challenging part of your serve? The most challenging part of my service, I think, was the way female Marines were treated. Katie talks about the challenges she faced being a female marine and the treatment she achieved for being a woman. It wasn't always equal and she was often looked at as a detriment. She did not need to be equal with her male marine counterparts, but she wanted the respect that she felt she as well as all female marines deserved. She was trained to be strong but also lady-like, and her drill instructors were very inspiring for her while active duty as she tried to up-hold her image. Discrimination ; Expectations ; Gender ; Inequalities ; Respect ; USMC 1013 International Experiences What were some of your experiences in Japan? It was awesome. It was really cool it was, you know, I had traveled outside the country prior to joining the Marine Corps and that initially made me realize that the world is so much bigger. Katie says that traveling prior to Germany prior joining the Marine Corps had a major influence on her decision to join in the first place. She cried at first going to Okinawa because the she would have to be there for twelve months, although she then ended up staying there for three years. She said at first it was a culture shock, but she got to learn about herself while being there as well. She explains that it was an amazing learning experience and she took advantage of a lot of the things that it had to offer such as tutoring Japanese kids. Culture ; Leaving Home ; Relocating ; Travel 1107 Relocating Where did you go after your service? So I met my husband in Okinawa, we worked together and then started dating for a year, year and a half. Then we got married and I began pregnant with my first son. Katie explains how when she got pregnant with her first son, the rule was changed so that women were only non-deployable for six months now rather than a full year. She talks about how it was a big possibility that she had to go to war in Iraq and give up custody of her son, which terrified. She decided to &quot ; get out&quot ; and only do her four years, which she realized is what she wanted to do with the support of her family because she could not see herself leaving her baby. Children ; Custody ; Deployment ; Family ; Husband ; Iraq War ; Military Wife ; Pregnancy 1230 Transitioning Post Discharge What was the transition like after you were discharged? Katie completed her four years of enlistment, was honorably discharged, and became a military wife. Her husband became a recruiter in New York, so they all moved to New York together. She described that it was a big transition, and that the military felt like a security blanket. She wasn't especially career driven at the time but she was driven to be a mom and was thankful that she was able to raise her son while her husband was deployed in Iraq. She was very happy. Discharge ; Education ; Motherhood ; Security ; Transition ; Wife 1298 Reflecting on Military Experiences/Final Message What are some of your reflections on your time in the military? How did it change your view of military in general and war? My own personal view to be honest... I think its good that women are in the military, but I don't think it's good necessarily that women are in combat. Katie talks about how she feels it is a conflict in war, so to speak, that a man's initial instinct is to protect a woman in a lot of different ways. She explains that it is a man's human nature to protect In emotional physical, as well as sexual ways, and that can sometimes be challenging for women who are trying to accomplish themselves in the military. However, she is so grateful for the second chance and new paths the military gave her and the fact that it instilled so much confident and poise in her, as well as allowing her to become a mother. A final message she leaves for future generations would ultimately be &quot ; don't be afraid to think outside the box. If you have a desire to achieve something or do something, then go for it.&quot ; Challenge ; Education ; Gender ; Military vs. Combat ; Opportunity ; Service ; Women In Copyright. video All rights reserved. 0 https://oberlincollegelibrary.org/ohms-viewer/render.php?cachefile=LL_Garcia_Katie.xml LL_Garcia_Katie.xml Sort Priority This field should be added if you are using the Philly Theme with your OHMSPlugin Suite 0009 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Katie Garcia Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2022-11-05 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video https://latinolorain.oberlincollegelibrary.org/files/original/53dfdad0d36a150c767463a1247ea93b.PNG 0f91cb36ce81de62da18a907d130e17d Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Miriam Entin-Bell Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Ed Garza OHMS Object This field contains the OHMS Hyperlink (link to the XML file within the OHMS viewer) https://oberlincollegelibrary.org/ohms-viewer/render.php?cachefile=LL_Garza_Ed.xml OHMS Object Text The field contains the OHMS Index and/or Transcript and is what makes the contents of the OHMS object searchable within Omeka 5.4 Ed Garza Latino Lorain Fall 2022 Oberlin College Library Ed Garza Miriam Entin-Bell 0 https://media.lib.oberlin.edu/media_objects/0g354f27r Avalon https://media.lib.oberlin.edu/ video &lt ; iframe title=&quot ; Garza, Ed&quot ; src=&quot ; //media.lib.oberlin.edu:443/master_files/2b88qc23w/embed&quot ; width=&quot ; 600&quot ; height=&quot ; 337&quot ; frameborder=&quot ; 0&quot ; webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen allowfullscreen&gt ; &lt ; /iframe&gt ; 31 Early life in Lorain: Childhood, Family Values, Adolescence I was born in Mansfield Ohio, uh, August 18th 1950, and we lived there about a year or so and then moved up here directly, to Lorain, and that's where I was raised. Mainly in South Lorain area, then the West Side, then all over Lorain, what are you gonna do... Mr. Garza speaks about his early life in Lorain, gives background on his parents and siblings, and describes some of the family values imparted on him. His parents are both from Texas, his father working on railroads in Pennsylvania and in shipyards, and his mother cooking and at one point owning a restaurant in South Lorain. He describes his siblings, five brothers and two sisters, and reflects on his early life and how they were raised. Mr. Garza recounts first jobs at a carwash and doing neighborhood errands, and talks about his father's value of hard work to earn a living. He mentions his parents' divorce and how it affected him as a young adult, citing this as one reason he made the decision to go into military service. Finally, he speaks about his first girlfriend, framing it as a formative moment in his life. Family ; Girlfriend ; Railroad ; South Lorain ; Texas Coming of Age ; Family Values ; First Jobs ; Work 351 Pressure to Enlist, Fatherhood, First Love Next thing I know [sigh] I went and told my mom about that, she just stood there, sat there looking at me... she said what you need to do is go into service and take care of business. Mr. Garza describes the situation of his first girlfriend's pregnancy and the reactions of those around him, mainly his mother. He speaks about how she told him to go into service to 'take care of business.&quot ; He briefly describes his path into service, basic training, and returning to Lorain on leave. He explains that on leave, he attempted to see his girlfriend, but she was no longer living in Lorain and had put their son up for adoption. He then tells a more current story about reconnecting with both his first girlfriend and son. Finally he speaks on a few pastimes, such as playing sports, learning guitar, and swimming in Oakwood Park, that were memorable in his early life. Fort Knox ; Oakwood Park ; Uniform Adoption ; Basic Training ; Fatherhood ; Guitar ; Service ; Sports 555 Formative Moments, Mentors, and Friends I never knew anything about well he's different, she's different, or this and that, it didn't even enter my mind. I spoke to whoever I wanted to, got along good, you know just I started seeing the world changing when I came back from 'Nam. We knew about the protests going on, we would hear it on the radio... Mr. Garza talks about what life was like before and after he was stationed in Vietnam. He tells a story about anti-war protesters in Lorain, and a conflict he had with them while in uniform after his return. He then speaks about several friends and role models in his early life including Chief Rivera, his father, and many friends from his time in service. He then tells a story about a good friend who was killed during training at Fort Knox. He reflects on his fathers values towards work and family and how he has realized those values in his life. Finally he lists some jobs he had after returning from Vietnam including police and security work, being a bounty hunter, and working at the courthouse in Elyria. Bootcamp ; Chief Rivera ; Fort Knox ; San Fransisco ; Vietnam Change ; Family Life ; Father ; Protest ; School ; Work 878 Process of Enlisting and Relationship to Military Service My older brother Al, he was in the Air Force for six and a half years, you know. Matter of fact we were in service at the same time together, but he was in the Air Force and I was in the Army, the Army wears green, the Air Force wears blue. And uh, then there was my brother Ernest, he was in Marine Corps, there was my brother Rich, Richie, he passed away a month after he retired, he was in the Marine Corps, my brother Gill he was in the Army, and my brother Henry also. Mr. Garza explains his family's history with military service and lists the branches his brothers were involved in. After saying a little about each of his brothers, he talks about the role of military service in his community, the draft, and his path towards enlistment. Calling back to the initial story about his first girlfriend's pregnancy, he describes his mother's reaction to his request that she sign his enlistment papers, due to him being a minor at the time. U.S. Air Force ; U.S. Army ; U.S. Marines Brothers ; Draft ; Recruiting 1057 Experiences with Basic Training and Combat Oh yeah, back then 'cause you know, we're talking the late 60s, middle 60s... and by the time '69 rolled around I was already combat coming back home. Didn't take long did it. It takes one day to get killed, you know that, and one second. Mr. Garza recounts his experiences with training and combat during his time in the military. Topics include his relationship with his platoon, reactions after combat, the challenges they faced, and his feelings against war. He then goes into more detail about his training at Fort Knox, mentioning some friends and pictures from that time, and learning new military technology during the war. He concludes with discussing the reality of combat compared to training. Fort Knox ; Glory ; M16 ; Patrol ; Platoon ; Vietnam Combat ; War 1345 Leaving Home Well I would go to Texas, you know, when I was younger, fifteen, sixteen. I used to drive down there, when I was sixteen, I couldn't do it now though, too long. Two and a half days to get there right, to Texas, you think? Mr. Garza speaks about trips to Texas when he was younger, before he went into service. He details his family connections to Texas, saying that he has family that fought in the Alamo. He tells a story about his great-great grandfather who was a captain in a cavalry unit, the history of his surname, and his ancestor deserting his post due to ideological differences with President Santa Anna. He then talks about recent trips to Texas, where he met his oldest son and other relatives. Alamo ; Son ; Texas Family History 1549 Assignments During Service, Reunion I guess my scores came out pretty good, where I could work specialist, a finance specialist. At fort Benjamin Harrison I would take care of all the military's paychecks. So nobody wanted to bother me back then, because I hold your paycheck up. Mr. Garza describes his path during service, his M.O., and a chance reunion between him and his brother. He explains the role of Finance Specialist, saying that his main duties involved dealing with other soldier's paychecks at Fort Benjamin Harrison. He then states that he was moved to Fort Lewis, in Washington state, where he dealt with in-processing of soldiers returning from Vietnam. He recalls them looking unshaven, tired, angry, and disgusted, and that at the time he did not understand why. He then tells the story of a chance reunion with his brother Al, who was in the Air Force stationed in Alaska, and highlights a night out after they were finished with work. Finance Specialist ; Fort Benjamin Harrison ; Fort Lewis, Washington ; Incoming Troops Processing Brother ; M.O. ; Reunion 1757 Receiving Orders of Deployment to Vietnam I think, when I was stationed in Fort Lewis, I got orders to go to 'Nam. I was t'ed off that day, I was mad...I got pictures of me when I was standing on the porch of my uh, barrack where I was at, and my buddies said 'Hey Garza' and took a picture of me. 'You look like you're mad' and I showed him what I had... 'Oh man you're going to 'Nam?' and I said 'Yep, I got my orders.' Mr. Garza describes receiving his orders for deployment in Vietnam, returning to Lorain on leave, the process of traveling to Vietnam, and briefly speaks about what life was like while he was stationed there. He explains how he reacted when he received his orders, and how he was allowed 2-3 weeks of leave before his assignment in Vietnam began. During this time, he returned to Lorain and visited his mother, who was extremely upset to find out about Garza's deployment. He then describes the process of arriving in Vietnam, giving descriptions of the flight and the ground transportation it took to arrive in the rural Cu Chi Province. He then recounts a few pastimes he had while he was not on patrol or in combat, such as listening to music and admiring the scenery. However, he describes the majority of his time in Vietnam as challenging, and had few positive memories about the experience. Agent Orange ; Cam Rahn Bay ; Cu Chi Province Home ; Leave ; Music ; Orders ; Travel ; Uniforms 2050 Challenging Parts of Service and Career Influence &quot ; When you're in combat getting shot at everyday how are you going to have time to write home? Even if they give us half a day, we're too tired to write home.&quot ; &quot ; I learned a lot from the military. I liked looking sharp...combat is not good for anybody. I'll tell you right now the reason this stuff goes on is because the politicians. That's no lie, I'm just telling you like it is.&quot ; Mr. Garza says hand to hand was the most challenging part of service. He didn't want to kill people, but he had to otherwise he &quot ; wouldn't be here&quot ; . He didn't have time to write home during service, but he learned about the &quot ; gig line&quot ; --keeping his uniform buttons, shirt, and belt buckle aligned. Mr. Garza enjoyed having a straight gig line and attributes this to going on to work for security, the court, and the police. Career ; Combat ; Law Enforcement ; Writing Home 2278 Vietnam Discharge and Tunnel Rat Interviewer: &quot ; Do you remember the day that you came home?&quot ; Mr. Garza: &quot ; I felt like a tired old man.&quot ; &quot ; Not just me but anybody, even you ladies, if you were being shot at every day for 365 days, that's no good. It messes your mind up, your body, your feelings, your health, everything.&quot ; Mr. Garza left Vietnam in 1969. He remembers being in the field and having lost three or four friends and getting mad at his platoon leader and saying he wanted to go home. It was complicated to leave friends in the service behind when he left. When he got to Bien Moi airbase on his way home he was offered cash if he re-enlisted. Mr. Garza talks about how being shot at everyday for two years messes up your body, mind, and health. He recalls being a tunnel rat--being tied to a rope and lowered into tunnels in the ground for two and a half weeks and looking for Vietnamese soldiers--as a particularly terrible experience. Mr. Garza realizes that this interview is taking place exactly 53 years after he came home from Vietnam. Bien Moi Air Base ; Discharge ; Mental Health ; Physical Health ; Renlisting ; Tunnel Rat ; Vietnam War 2697 Veteran Discrimination and Experiences in Lorain &quot ; I remember coming home in my class As, that's the uniform itself and I had my duffel bag...waiting for the cab I was sitting in the corner, I see one coming over the hill, he saw me and kept going. You know why he kept going? The uniform, he didn't want no part of me.&quot ; &quot ; As I got older I realized he's just some guy that wants to protest the war. Don't take it out on me. I was just doing my job. Like a cop, like anybody else. If you do your job too good sometimes they don't like it. It's not my fault I made it back alive. God brought me home, I didn't. I was scared every day.&quot ; Mr. Garza talks about returning to Lorain after service and being treated badly because of status as a Vietnam veteran. He was not picked up by a cab at the bus station because he was wearing his Class A uniform. He visited his buddies in his uniform and they were trying to hassle him. They called him names: doper, rapist, murderer, baby killer. He remembers going to his mom's restaurant when he was home in Lorain and drinking. She was a &quot ; short lady&quot ; who worked all her life. When Mr. Garza was 21, he took a trip to California and played with Carlos Santana. Discrimination ; Drinking ; Uniform ; Vietnam War 3018 Discipline and Racial Segregation in Service &quot ; When we go back to main branch we would go back in there and wash up and shower up and relax until you go back out on patrol again. But when we're there everybody individually they stick to their own corners. Mexicans here, Latinos here, Italians here, whites over here, negros here. I don't know why but then when it's time to go back in combat again we marinate real good. You got to otherwise you won't make it. You leave your own self thoughts behind in combat. You either work as a unit or you're not going to make it. Go all Americans.&quot ; Mr. Garza talks about how the military taught him about discipline and how to stand up for himself. He says everyone has their individual likes and dislikes and explains how different racial and cultural groups self-segregated at the military base when not on patrol, but came together across racial and other differences in identity to fight together in combat. Mr. Garza says that politicians these days need to come together in this way and &quot ; go all American.&quot ; He learned to survive in the military--be quiet when you got to and speak up when you got to. Combat ; Discipline ; Politicans ; Politics ; Racism ; Segregation 3237 Reflections on the Politics of War &quot ; Can you imagine what the kids nowadays they see going on they think it's okay for them to be out there when they get older it's no good. if this keeps up we're not going to have no more world. Why not? because these morons from different countries are going to blow it up. We got to put a stop to it. This is why we are a great country--because we don't take no crap from nobody.&quot ; Mr. Garza says that the USA lost a lot of wars, and got beat in Vietnam because of politics. He says that we, as Americans, have got to stay together as a strong unit or else we will fall apart. Talks about being an altar boy with his brother at the original Sacred Heart chapel on Vine Avenue and getting caught sneaking wine from the Priest's office. He offers a message from his experience in the military: be kind to each other. Mr. Garza critiques the United States Government for being run by politicians who think about themselves instead of &quot ; us&quot ; . He hopes for a world better for the youth for his granddaughter and for the interviewer. Altar Boy ; Drinking ; Politicans ; Politics ; Sacred Heart Chapel 3577 Reflectings on Peace, Politics, and Faith &quot ; I pray for God to keep our country intact. Keep everything in peace. Enough of this nonsense already--beating each other up, mugging the old folks, you know putting their lives out. There's no need for that. Who wants to go to war? I came back when I was nineteen years old and I already felt like a tired old man.&quot ; Mr. Garza urges everyone to take care of themselves in terms of their health, keep the faith if you believe in God, keep the peace. When asked if by peace he means no war he says, &quot ; yeah, who wants to go to war?&quot ; He was nineteen years old when he came back from war and he felt like a tired old man. He came back from the service and slept all day because he was so tired. He urges everyone to be who you are, what you are, but don't push around nobody else. You don't have to rob nobody, don't hurt nobody. Anti War Movement ; Faith ; Mental Health ; Politicans ; Politics In copyright. video All rights reserved. 0 https://oberlincollegelibrary.org/ohms-viewer/render.php?cachefile=LL_Garza_Ed.xml LL_Garza_Ed.xml Sort Priority This field should be added if you are using the Philly Theme with your OHMSPlugin Suite 0010 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Ed Garza Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2022-10-29 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video https://latinolorain.oberlincollegelibrary.org/files/original/b4c7501007f42a321027d5ee8eba87dc.PNG e35dbf9a0066fd9b81657ea267b37194 Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Stephanie Shugert Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Alicia Marquez OHMS Object This field contains the OHMS Hyperlink (link to the XML file within the OHMS viewer) https://oberlincollegelibrary.org/ohms-viewer/render.php?cachefile=LL_Marquez_Alicia.xml OHMS Object Text The field contains the OHMS Index and/or Transcript and is what makes the contents of the OHMS object searchable within Omeka 5.4 Alicia Marquez Latino Lorain Fall 2022 Oberlin College Library Alicia Marquez Stephanie Shugert 0 https://media.lib.oberlin.edu/media_objects/mw22v549p Avalon https://media.lib.oberlin.edu/ video &lt ; iframe title=&quot ; Alicia Marquez&quot ; src=&quot ; //media.lib.oberlin.edu:443/master_files/kw52j810t/embed&quot ; width=&quot ; 600&quot ; height=&quot ; 337&quot ; frameborder=&quot ; 0&quot ; webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen allowfullscreen&gt ; &lt ; /iframe&gt ; English 0 Introduction &amp ; Welcome I am Stephanie Shugert and I am interviewing Ms. Marquez to talk about her life as part of the Latino Lorain Veteran Historical Project. Thank you Ms. Marquez for agreeing to be interviewed today. Can you please state your name and birthday? Shugert introduces Alicia Marquez who is being interviewed for the Latino Lorain Veteran History Project, which is a collaboration between the Lorain Historical Society and Oberlin College. The interview takes place in the Lorain Historical Society. 30 Family Background Can you tell me a little bit about where you were born and where you grew up? Marquez discusses where she grew up in Lorain. She talks about her parent's background and how they moved to Lorain from Puerto Rico when her father was recruited to work for the steel mills in 1948. Her mother was a seamstress and worked in a factory in Cleveland. Marquez shares that she has four siblings and reflects on how she is the only surviving member of her family, and how diabetes played a role in her family's health. diabetes ; family ; Puerto Rico ; seamstress ; steel mill 249 Growing up in Lorain Can you talk a little bit about, well you already talked about how you can't complain about your childhood. Did you have any mentors or friends or role models that stand out to you in your childhood or throughout your life? Marquez talks about growing up in the projects and how she became close with her neighbors. She discusses how the racial diversity of the projects made the projects a multicultural space where food, recipes, and music were shared. She describes Lorain at the time as a &quot ; hustle and bustle&quot ; city that was very vibrant. Marquez also explains the importance of Sacred Heart Chapel for the Puerto Rican community as it was a space where people bonded and culture was preserved. Charleston School ; community ; culture ; Ford ; projects ; racial diversity ; Sacred Heart Chapel ; steel mills 466 Sharing Memories of Brothers as Musicians Can you talk a little bit about what you would consider your proudest moment or maybe a fond memory you have from growing up in Lorain? Marquez shares how her brothers started learning to play instruments, ultimately leading her two older brothers to start a band. They would practice on their front lawn in the projects, and the lawn turned into a dance floor as people from the neighborhood joined in and would dance along to the music. Marquez's brother Willie wrote the lyrics for the song &quot ; Lady Lorain,&quot ; and she considers this one of her proudest moments. bass guitar ; dance ; Lady Lorain ; Los Nombres ; music ; musicians ; pride ; projects 569 The Challenging Part of Interpreting for Parents Kinda going in the opposite direction here, but were there any challenges....you faced, either personally or your family, or just in your community in general, while growing up in Lorain? Marquez discusses how she would be a translator for her parents as a young child when they would have doctor visits and other important appointments. She expresses how this was challenging for her and her siblings as they feared they would not properly translate the documents for her parents. challenge ; doctor's office ; education ; interpreter ; legal documents ; paperwork ; Puerto Rico ; Spanish 707 Sharing Memories of Army Veteran Brothers I kinda want to get into your brother's experiences, specifically those who were army veterans. So can you tell me a little bit about them, and I know you mentioned some of your brother's names, but who are the ones who ended up going? Marquez shares how her oldest brother Johnny struggled with school and decided to drop out when he was 16 years old. He decided to join the army and lied about his age to enlist. He ended up doing two tours in Vietnam and caught malaria during his service. Marquez also discusses how her family would try to keep in touch with him while he was away and also when he returned. She describes how her brother never talked about the difficulties he was experiencing, and she says he returned as a different person. His drug addiction heavily impacted Marquez and their family, and she reflects on how she wished she could have supported him more. Her other brother Willie joined the army when he graduated high school, but he only worked as a recruiter and never saw any action. She shares how he followed in Johnny's footsteps and also how becoming a young father and husband influenced his decision to enlist. She also discusses how Willie was a bright person and how her family had high hopes for him in terms of pursuing a successful career. addiction ; army ; Cleveland ; family ; Oberlin College ; PTSD ; recruiting ; substances ; Vietnam War ; youth program 1050 Family Reactions to Brother Joining Army Do you remember your family's or parent's reactions were to (I think especially your brother Johnny) when he decided to go? Marquez discusses how shocked her parents were when Johnny joined the army as her father wanted him to pursue an education. She remembers how emotional and upset her family was initially. Once he was serving in the Vietnam War, Marquez's family would often put out a rosary for him and prayed for him often to come home. This was exacerbated by the fact that Lorain lost many young Latinos in the war, some of which were close friends and neighbors. Marquez says that her family was proud of Johnny, but also they were nervous about how controversial the Vietnam War was. fear ; loss ; praying ; pride ; rosary ; shock ; Vietnam War 1283 Role of Religion in Brother's Army Service You already talked a bit about how he was...when he did come home. You talked a bit earlier about the role of the Sacred Heart Chapel and religion in your family's lives. Do you think your brother Johnny, do you think religion played an influence in his service or how close was he to the church and that religious aspect? Marquez discusses how the church played a crucial in all of her family's lives. Her brother Johnny followed the church's guidance and strongly believed in his Catholic faith. Catholicism ; religion ; Sacred Heart Chapel ; service ; survival ; U.S. Army 1362 Formation of Los Nombres I want to transition into talking a little bit about your brother who was a musician. Can you remind which brother that was again? Marquez shares how her three brothers formed the band Los Nombres. Johnny played the bass guitar, Willie was the singer, and her younger brother Nelson was the drummer. They taught themselves how to play and piano and other instruments. They composed songs and were mostly self-taught overall. Their band was usually hired to perform for the Southerner's Club, a group of guys who would get together and host parties. The band would also perform in churches and host dances to raise money. This was an integral part of Lorain's social scene. music ; parties ; performances ; projects ; raising money ; self-taught ; singing ; social life ; Southerner's Club 1638 How Lady Lorain was Born I want to go back to when you talked about how your brother wrote the lyrics for &quot ; Lady Lorain.&quot ; Do you remember when he did that and the reactions from the community, or when did the song become popular? Marquez remembers how the Lorain International Festival was looking for a song to be featured during the pageant portion of the event. Willie was very excited and proud that he was asked to work on the song, and his parents also were very proud as it revealed their family's contributions to the community. city council ; international ; Los Nombres ; pageant ; pride ; vocals 1758 How Lorain Influenced Ms. Marquez So to reflect on what we talked about, how would you say your experiences growing up in Lorain influence who you are today and your memories of your family? Marquez shares how Lorain's diversity helped her get along with different types of people. She reflects fondly on Lorain and reiterates how safe it was for her. diversity ; family ; multi-cultural city ; Puerto Rico ; race ; safe 1877 Feelings about War &amp ; Military Going back to your brothers, did their military service affect your feelings about war or military in general? Marquez discusses her personal thoughts and feelings about the Vietnam War. She shares how the neglect of veterans makes her not support the military. She believes that although the Vietnam War was controversial and many people did not believe it should have occurred, those people should have nonetheless respected the men serving in it. addiction ; lack of veteran support ; malaria ; Vietnam War 2059 Concluding Thoughts What message would you like to leave for future generations who will view or hear this interview? Marquez discusses how people, specifically Latinos, should take pride in their culture and heritage and talk to their elders to preserve knowledge. She shares how she wishes people would get together more to keep their traditions going for future generations. elders ; ghost town ; home ; Latin culture ; parandas ; self-pride In copyright. video All rights reserved. 0 https://oberlincollegelibrary.org/ohms-viewer/render.php?cachefile=LL_Marquez_Alicia.xml LL_Marquez_Alicia.xml Sort Priority This field should be added if you are using the Philly Theme with your OHMSPlugin Suite 0012 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Alicia Marquez Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2022-10-29 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video https://latinolorain.oberlincollegelibrary.org/files/original/3d2524ab05cd4ab547436a9b3f060065.PNG 0c47e7c56eda596ea623d85dc91641ef Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Jonathan Bruzon Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Marty Martinez OHMS Object This field contains the OHMS Hyperlink (link to the XML file within the OHMS viewer) https://oberlincollegelibrary.org/ohms-viewer/render.php?cachefile=LL_Martinez_Marty.xml OHMS Object Text The field contains the OHMS Index and/or Transcript and is what makes the contents of the OHMS object searchable within Omeka 5.4 Marty Martinez Latino Lorain Fall 2022 Oberlin College Library Marty Martinez Jonathan Bruzon 0 https://media.lib.oberlin.edu/media_objects/tb09j569g Avalon https://media.lib.oberlin.edu/ video &lt ; iframe title=&quot ; Marty Martinez&quot ; src=&quot ; //media.lib.oberlin.edu:443/master_files/mk61rg95s/embed&quot ; width=&quot ; 600&quot ; height=&quot ; 337&quot ; frameborder=&quot ; 0&quot ; webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen allowfullscreen&gt ; &lt ; /iframe&gt ; 0 Introduction to Interview with Marty Martinez 29 Early Life in Lorain &quot ; So could you first begin by telling me a little a bit about where you were born and where you grew up?&quot ; &quot ; I was born and raised in Ohio and uh, I'm an Italian-Mexican so I lived in the Italian section for the first five years, and then we were some of the first to move to Homewood in South Lorain...&quot ; Marty Martinez was born and raised in Lorain in the mid-1940s, first born in the Italian section of Lorain and then moving to Homewood in South Lorain. He discusses his education path, particularly noting his time at junior high as being very influential for being a tough school. He graduated high school and pursued night classes before enlisting in the military. He also details his family, introducing his Mexican father, Italian mother, and younger sister. He emphasizes that all his decisions were made with family in mind, noting his grandfather on his mother's side as being his biggest role-model, with the Lorain community also helping to raise him as well. Education ; Family ; Role-Model 487 Enlistment and Family Reactions &quot ; So talking about decisions and family, you kinda talked already about how you decided to enlist in the military, so when did you start thinking about military service as something you wanted to do?&quot ; &quot ; I started thinking about it in December of that year cause I was lost. I went to night school for computers. I couldn't afford college ; I didn't have the grades to get the scholarships, but I was just lost from the time I graduated, and I just wanted to get it over with cause I knew I was gonna get drafted.&quot ; After graduating high school, Marty pursued night school as he could not afford college at the time. Claiming to feel lost, he decided to enlist in the military mainly since he knew he was going to be drafted anyways and did not want to delay the inevitable. His main reasoning for joining the Air Force was his constant mentality of &quot ; what can I do to survive,&quot ; joining as he knew the odds of surviving there were greater than that of the Army. He also joined the Air Force knowing that his grandfather once served there. He notes that while his mother was angry with him for enlisting and the rest of his family distraught, they knew that he had to go serve. Enlistment ; Survival ; U.S. Air Force 672 Military Service and Experiences in the U.S. Air Force &quot ; What was your most vivid memory that you can remember either in training or in school?&quot ; &quot ; I went to basic training like everybody, and while I was doing guard duty I bumped into a guy I grew up with. It's a small world. And then after basic training, I was transferred to outside Montgomery, Alabama for medical school cause I was in the medics...&quot ; Marty began his service with basic training and guard duty, then being transferred to Alabama for medical school to serve as a patient care medic. He notes that he was there during the Civil Rights Movement in the 60s, having to be cautious because of prejudice and racism there. He then transferred to Tennessee for tactical air command, serving in supply transportation. He was then ordered to a station in the Dominican Republic, serving as a night guard assigned to take care of the labor force. He found his time there to be especially difficult due to the hot weather and dark nights, and even mentioned never being told who the &quot ; enemy&quot ; was. He was then transferred back to Tennessee until 1966, when he was ordered to go to France and then England, and mentions his time in Europe as being his most fond memory of his service. He then ends his description of his service by admitting that he did not wish to come back home once his service was over. Dominican Republic ; Europe ; Medics ; Tactical Air Command 1164 Post-Service: Occupations and Struggles &quot ; I was in England and I stayed 6 months in England because I didn't wanna come home. I would've stayed but I survived the war, it's all about survival. I survived in the first place, why would I wanna stay in when this time I'd go for sure. So I ended up coming home and the only reason I came home was cause of my grandfather Ragnoni, I just loved him dearly...&quot ; Marty reflects on his feelings of not wishing to come home after service, noting that the biggest reason he returned was to see his grandfather, who he ended up staying with when he first returned. He emphasizes the feeling of betrayal he experienced upon his return, noting that veterans are often thanked now upon the basis that the military is now volunteer-based, but he was never given any gratitude at the time of his return. He then goes on to discuss his post-service education and occupations, beginning with his studies at Lorain Community College in computer science while working at Standard Oil of Ohio (SOHIO) in marketing. He then went on to major in business at Baldwin Wallace University while making a living. He recounts the many occupations he's had, including a traveling insurance company, Cleveland Clinic, and multiple banks. He found out very difficult and discouraging to navigate through these, mentioning that despite his hard work he was treated poorly and almost never rewarded with any raises, bonuses, or promotions. He even brings up the psychological troubles he has faced because of these struggles, and he began to question whether his efforts were worth it. Betrayal ; Corporate America ; Higher Education ; Mental Health ; Occupations 2186 Starting a Family: Holding Family as a Core Value &quot ; I met my wife in 1972. I was on a drinking spree, I was at a bar. I met her at Beaver Park, and she was the most beautiful thing I ever saw, and we started dating...&quot ; Marty recounts first meeting his spouse at Beaver Park in Lorain, Ohio, and then marrying her in 1973, also mentioning his two sons who were born in 1974 and 1977. One of their challenges with starting a family involved debt, with his spouse receiving an operation without insurance before they were married, and then giving birth to their first son still without insurance. He shares his admiration and respect for his spouse, claiming both that she and his grandfather were the two most important people in his life. He is grateful of his spouse for having helped him through his toughest times during his life after service. He once again emphasizes that his reasoning behind all his decisions is based around family, and what he can best do to protect them. Debt ; Family ; Spouse 2473 Community and Camaraderie &quot ; What we've learned growing up in South Lorain, we learned to understand you right away, cause I had to know when you come at me, are you gonna stick me, beat the heck out of me, or be nice to me? We all had to learn that...&quot ; Reflecting on the values and lessons his upbringing in Lorain taught him, Marty mentions the importance of helping one another in the community and knowing as many people as possible. He also recalls his time spent in the old neighborhood house and new neighborhood house (modern-day El Centro de Servicios Sociales) for the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and the Chicanos clubs, as well as the work that social workers in Lorain provided him with. He also touches upon the sense of camaraderie during his service, mentioning that has units felt like family to him. He recalls times spent with his friends in military service and the difficulties they would help each other through. Despite the unpleasant conditions during his time in the Dominican Republic, he is very thankful for his officers and comrades, and claims to have been treated very well. Community ; Connection ; Friendship 2912 Coping With Prejudice &quot ; What was that sense of coping with prejudice for you like, if you don't mind me asking?&quot ; &quot ; Growing up in Elyria- Lorain I mean, I was protected a lot but I had to watch myself.&quot ; Marty emphasizes the importance of watching where you went in Lorain, recalling the times where he was kicked out of a past partner's house by her father, and another where his group, the Chicanos, were almost kicked out of a bar by patrons. He also notes how important his association with his family name, the Chicanos, and the VFW all helped him by bringing in a factor of intimidation, emphasizing the importance of intimidation and association as survival tactics at that time. Chicanos ; Prejudice ; Survival ; Veterans of Foreign Wars 3117 Messages for Future Generations and Closing Thoughts &quot ; Are there any other messages that you want future generations to hear from you personally?&quot ; &quot ; Yeah and I brought them up off and on: I'm not used to 'it's all about me,' that's not our generation. And what they need to know, and what I'm seeing it as is they don't know who they are. They need to know who they are, where they come from, and they need to understand our history.&quot ; When asked what messages he would leave with future generations, Marty advises them to be selfless and realize the importance of histories, both their own and those of others. He asserts that the issues we face today are a result of people not learning our understanding our past history, pointing out U.S. history in particular as an example of this. He states that doing so will help people be more understanding of one another and the cultures they bring with them. He also advises future generations to listen to his generation's stories, emphasizing the men who were lost in the war as true martyrs. He closes off by emphasizing how thankful he is to have survived, and that he continues to think positive and give back to the community as much as he can. Advice ; Martyr ; Selfless ; Storytelling In copyright. video All rights reserved. 0 https://oberlincollegelibrary.org/ohms-viewer/render.php?cachefile=LL_Martinez_Marty.xml LL_Martinez_Marty.xml Sort Priority This field should be added if you are using the Philly Theme with your OHMSPlugin Suite 0013 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Marty Martinez Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2022-10-29 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video https://latinolorain.oberlincollegelibrary.org/files/original/e4f70869fc3e56f48230cf2ce067791d.PNG e3b61e9c76a39d77cad8ec90b3018bd8 Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Hannah Behroozi Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Cindy Ortiz OHMS Object This field contains the OHMS Hyperlink (link to the XML file within the OHMS viewer) https://oberlincollegelibrary.org/ohms-viewer/render.php?cachefile=LL_Ortiz_Cindy.xml OHMS Object Text The field contains the OHMS Index and/or Transcript and is what makes the contents of the OHMS object searchable within Omeka 5.4 Cindy Ortiz Latino Lorain Fall 2022 Oberlin College Library Cindy Ortiz Hannah Behroozi 0 https://media.lib.oberlin.edu/media_objects/6682x3973 Avalon Https://media.lib.oberlin.edu/ video &lt ; iframe title=&quot ; Cindy Ortiz&quot ; src=&quot ; //media.lib.oberlin.edu:443/master_files/hd76s0082/embed&quot ; width=&quot ; 600&quot ; height=&quot ; 337&quot ; frameborder=&quot ; 0&quot ; webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen allowfullscreen&gt ; &lt ; /iframe&gt ; 25 Family History and Growing up in Lorain, Ohio Let's start with some questions about your early life. Can you begin by telling me where you were born and where you grew up? Mrs. Ortiz was born in Lorain, Ohio, and lived there until she got married. Both sets of her grandparents were from Puerto Rico and moved to New York, but they moved back to Puerto Rico when they found that the mainland wasn't what they were hoping for. Both of her grandfathers then found jobs at Ford and moved to Lorain, where they sent for their families. It was then that Mrs. Ortiz's parents met. Her parents were married in Lorain, where they raised Cindy and her younger sister. Much of Cindy's life revolved around her Catholic faith and Puerto Rican identity. Catholicism ; culture ; faith ; grandparents ; music ; parents ; Puerto Rico ; role models 381 Meeting Victor and Early Marriage So, kind of turning to your family then, can you talk about how and when you met your husband? Cindy and her future husband, Victor, went to the same church with their families when they were growing up. They started dating in high school, when their two-year age gap wasn't as significant. Victor joined the Navy and left for boot camp the day after Cindy graduated from high school. Once the two got married, they lived in Virginia Beach while Victor was finishing submarine school. They then moved to Charleston, South Carolina, where Victor was stationed. Later, they lived in Washington for the remainder of Victor's military service. Charleston, South Carolina ; Desert Storm ; U.S. Navy ; Virginia Beach 761 Early Military Service So when you were in Virginia Beach, was that the first time you lived someplace different from where you grew up? Although she was a little homesick, Cindy enjoyed living in Virginia Beach. She loved getting to explore the places where Victor was stationed. Since they drove from place to place instead of flying, Cindy got to see parts of the country that were new to her. diversity ; homesickness ; travel 939 Life During Deployment What were some of the most challenging things about being a military wife? While Victor was away, Cindy worked retail jobs to pass the time and make some money. While she was working, Cindy often met other military wives. She always got especially excited when she got to work with someone who was Hispanic because she found that she didn't encounter many other Puerto Ricans once she left Lorain. friends ; military wives ; time apart ; work 1040 Moving on from the Military and Coming Back to Lorain Do you recall when you and your husband decided not to continue with the military service? When the military was downsizing and offered Victor the opportunity to leave with honorable discharge and benefits, he and Cindy decided to move on to a new chapter in their lives. They returned to Lorain to be closer to their parents and family. Once they were back in Lorain, they bought a house and began to have children. Cindy started working in the billing department at The LCADA Way, a nonprofit that helps people who struggle with substance abuse. children ; home ; honorable discharge ; work 1150 Family Vacations and Puerto Rican Heritage How did your experiences in general as a military wife (and family) change you? Cindy's experiences while Victor was in the service made her want to show her kids that there are so many places to explore outside of Lorain. She took her kids on a family vacation each summer, and they went to Puerto Rico a couple of times. As she got older, Cindy realized how much of her family's life was based on Puerto Rican culture, and she shared those traditions with her kids. culture ; family ; motherhood ; Puerto Rico 1257 Service: in the Military and Beyond How has your husband's military service impacted your feelings about war and the military in general? Cindy sees the military as a positive force in her and her family's lives. She knows that many people take the military for granted, but she recognizes that it provides Americans with many freedoms. Cindy also sees service as something not limited to the military but accessible to all. She and her family do volunteer work and group activities in their community to help others. Catholicism ; faith ; freedom ; law enforcement ; service ; volunteer 1472 Closing Thoughts and Looking Back Is there anything we haven't spoken about that you would like to talk about? It can be in relation to military service or just your life in general. Cindy fondly looks back on the time Victor spent in the military as an amazing experience. She and Victor now encourage their kids to go on adventures and find their own way just as they did. Although neither of their older kids had been interested in military service, Cindy and Victor would have encouraged them if they had considered it. adventure ; children ; travel In copyright. video All rights reserved. 0 https://oberlincollegelibrary.org/ohms-viewer/render.php?cachefile=LL_Ortiz_Cindy.xml LL_Ortiz_Cindy.xml Sort Priority This field should be added if you are using the Philly Theme with your OHMSPlugin Suite 0015 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Cindy Ortiz Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2022-11-05 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video https://latinolorain.oberlincollegelibrary.org/files/original/b72dd6823c5dd9da205ecd9a9523d82b.PNG 48629657b8396bd237326f9cf7ea957d Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Trevor Balsely Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Vic Ortiz OHMS Object This field contains the OHMS Hyperlink (link to the XML file within the OHMS viewer) https://oberlincollegelibrary.org/ohms-viewer/render.php?cachefile=LL_Ortiz_Vic.xml OHMS Object Text The field contains the OHMS Index and/or Transcript and is what makes the contents of the OHMS object searchable within Omeka 5.4 Vic Ortiz Latino Lorain Fall 2022 Oberlin College Library Vic Ortiz Trevor Balsely 0 https://media.lib.oberlin.edu/media_objects/2j62s492k Avalon https://media.lib.oberlin.edu/ video &lt ; iframe title=&quot ; Vic Ortiz&quot ; src=&quot ; //media.lib.oberlin.edu:443/master_files/2v23vt362/embed&quot ; width=&quot ; 600&quot ; height=&quot ; 337&quot ; frameborder=&quot ; 0&quot ; webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen allowfullscreen&gt ; &lt ; /iframe&gt ; 0 Early Life I’m Trevor Balsley I’m here today with Vic Ortiz to talk about his life as a part of the Latino Veterans Oral History project. Thank you Vic for being here and for agreeing to be interviewed. Born in Puerto Rico, Vic and his family moved to the Bronx in New York when he was two years old. Shortly thereafter, they relocated five years later to Lorain, Ohio, due to the rise in industry jobs. Growing up in South Lorain, Vic came to meet his wife at a young age. He attended South View High School, which is when he made up his mind to join the military. Bronx ; industry jobs ; Puerto Rico 161 Vic’s Home Life Growing Up Could you tell me a little bit about your home and sisters, and brothers and what the environment was like for you at home? With his family facing financial difficulties, his family moved out to metropolitan housing, a change from his previous way of living. Growing up, Vic talks about the various activities he was involved in such as sports and different part-time jobs. Growing up, he found himself very involved with the Catholic church. Alongside three of his siblings, they would often help their dad with mowing lawns, cleaning the church, and working the grounds. Catholic church ; children ; El Centro ; family ; Financial struggles ; siblings ; Sports 501 Military and How He Started Thinking About It How did you first start to consider the military when you were in high school? Were you thinking that was a place you wanted to be or a future you wanted for yourself? Vic began his military journey after his brother, who was enlisted, talked to him about joining. Prior to this, Vic attended LCCC and unfortunately failed out of school. Left feeling lost, he found himself talking with a recruiter after speaking with his brother. Shortly thereafter, he was sent off and began his work as a fire technician. ASVAB ; enlistment ; Fire technician ; Lorain County Community College (LCCC) ; military ; Nuclear program 700 Family and Friends How did your family react to that? Your parents? The rest of your siblings? After Vic broke the news to his family and friends, they were all surprised since they knew Vic as someone who had problems with authority. However, Vic realized he needed direction in his life and needed to be disciplined. authority ; discipline ; enlistment ; Family 813 Bootcamp Could you tell me about those few days, weeks, months, in boot camp? What were your initial moments in the military and that was for you, especially with what you were saying about discipline? Carded off from the Cleveland MEPS (Military Entrance Processing Station) station, he talks about his initial experience at bootcamp and arriving at the barracks. Growing up, Vic was pretty aggressive when it came to sports and would often find himself in fights. This led to conflict during his beginning weeks as he wasn’t fond of power structures. Vic is thankful for the two guys he met there as they were able to keep him level headed and guided him. authority ; barracks ; bootcamp ; friends ; MEPS 1094 Outside Communication Did you have any contact with your family or? I’m interested in your relationship with your wife, then girlfriend, during this whole process. What was that like? During his time at bootcamp, he received top secret security clearance as he was a part of SIOP (Single Integrated Operational Plan). This granted him access to communicate with people back home. Since he had to make frequent calls, he was able to keep in touch with his family and wife. Only a select few had that type of clearance. bootcamp ; clearance ; communication ; family ; SIOP 1186 After Basic Training Could you tell me about after basic training, the process of coming into the military and where you were first stationed? After basic training, Vic went to submarine school in Groton, Connecticut for a few months. Frank, one of his good friends he met at bootcamp, went on to attend the same school. Rey, who was another good friend of his, would often visit them in Connecticut. Their relationship stayed strong and would eventually become even more fortified during their time in Virginia. Vic went down to Virginia to complete A and 2 C schools. While Frank stayed in Connecticut to finish his schooling, he would end up being stationed in Norfolk, Virginia. Rey, who went into the reserves and became an x-ray technician, would end up also being stationed in Virginia. This rare circumstance would lead them to form a lifetime bond still present in Vic’s life today. Vic would go on to marry his wife in Virginia and moved in together by Oceana Naval Base. Charleston, North Carolina ; friends ; Groton, Connecticut ; Norfolk, Virgina ; Oceana Naval Base ; Spouse ; submarine ; U.S. Navy 1725 Time On The Submarine At Sea My first submarine I was one was the USS Francis Scott Key. Vic talks about being stationed on the Francis Scott Key, which was stationed out of Charleston South Carolina, and made patrols out of Kings-bay Georgia. Vic was stationed on boomer submarines that carried Inter-continental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) ; the only submarines he was allowed to work on because of his job. Typically he would be out to sea for about 3 months at a time, though this time would often get extended. During his time on the submarine Vic recalls not seeing the sun, not getting phone calls, and not knowing what was going on. He was on an 18 hour clock, standing watch for 6 hours and then being off for 12 hours, which often changed based on the job and tasks required. “Going out to sea is not a lot of fun” Vic says. He notes that at this time there were only men on submarines which was very different from the navy where men and women interacted together. Men on submarines were able to just “be guys” and not worry about things like sexual harassment without the presence of women. Vic says that after being done with a job at sea, he would come back to the port and get about 3 months off. At this point, Vic would only have to check in with his division officer every 72 hours via phone, which allowed him to travel back to Lorain to visit family, or drive to Connecticut to visit friends. Overall, Vic acknowledges that though there were downsides to being in the military, it was an overall good experience. Family ; Submarine ; U.S. Navy 2035 Getting the job of Fire Technician on the West Coast So when I was on the East Coast on the Francis Scott Key I was only there for one patrol. Vic served on the Francis Scott Key on the East coast for one patrol before finding out that the submarine would be decommissioned. He told a career counselor that he would prefer to stay on the East Coast, but instead he was sent out to the West Coast to be a fire technician. In order to work on the submarine on the West Coast, the counselor advised Vic to become qualified, which entailed knowing all parts of a submarine. The qualification process usually took a year, but Vic did the entire qualification process in 3.5 months. This process wore him out greatly. During this time he didn’t sleep or eat, and he only focused on getting qualified. Getting qualified was probably the hardest thing he’s done, but he states that it was completely worth it. Vic says that when you get qualified, “you get treated different, like you belong kind of.” Fire Technician ; Submarine 2260 Navigating Marriage During Time at Sea on the West Coast When I moved out to the West Coast the reason I did not want to go out there was because I didn't know anybody out there and I didn't have any friends. Vic had multiple concerns when moving to the West Coast about how he did not know anyone there and that he did not have any friends there. His biggest concern however was that he would have to leave his wife alone while he was out at sea. He thought he would have three months to get settled with her when they first moved to the West Coast, but instead he found out that he would be sent out on a different submarine within a week of first moving there. In the midst of starting his job on the USS Michigan submarine, Vic would leave the submarine at night and return home to help his wife find somewhere to live. They ended up finding an apartment and getting a dog for his wife as a companion. Vic talks about how he always knew he would never have kids while being in the military. He witnessed children not recognizing their fathers who were in the military, wives leaving their military husbands, and the high divorce rates for military spouses. Comparatively, he says that he took his marriage vows seriously. Despite the stress of being away, Vic liked his actual job at sea. On the submarine they were often busy, and did not have a lot of down time. Vic says “You didn't have time to get lonely or miss anybody back home.” Though he could not call home on the submarine, he was able to get family grams from loved ones. His wife would write about every week or every other week. You could only write so many words, so Vic says that men on submarines had to set up a code before they went out to sea, which allowed loved ones to communicate important matters with them. The submarines that Vic was on allowed them to make port visits, where he could get letters and packages from his wife. On a port visit in San Francisco, Vic and the other men were able to see their wives. Vic notes that this was different from the experience of an older generation of military members who went many years without seeing their spouses. Family ; Marriage ; Pets ; Port Visits ; Spouse 2724 Vic’s Decision to Leave the Navy I’d like to move to your final months in the military, your final station, and also your transition out of service, what that was like and how you decided to leave. Before Vic went to the service he did not really have a direction, but he knew he never wanted to work in a factory, or anything like that. He thought that he would do 20 years of military service and then retire. He had plans to go through the enlisted ranks and finish his degree, and then go into the officer ranks. However, he had a horrible experience on the submarine he was attached to on the West Coast. The senior enlisted person on the submarine, or chief of the boat, was a racist person who made life difficult for Vic. Vic says the chief of the boat “had it in for him”, and that he was one of the reasons Vic ultimately left the military. When Vic enlisted, he enlisted for 6 years because of all of his schooling, and then enlisted for 2 more years on the Francis Scott Key, giving him a total of 8 years of enlistment. He was almost halfway to retirement, which was his original plan. However, at the time President Clinton was doing military drawbacks and they were decommissioning some submarines. They said that some people on Vic’s submarine could leave early, in what was called early-out. Vic applied and got out after 4.5 years, so he did just half of the enlistment he signed up for. His reason for doing early-out was the chief of the boat’s treatment towards Vic. When Vic got on the USS Michigan he made E-5 rank after 21 months which was a fast time to make that rank. E-5 rank is not senior enlistment, but is kind of “middle of the road”, which gave Vic a little bit of respect. The new service members would be at E-1 or E-2 when they arrived, and often had to do service tasks because of their rank. The chief of the boat had Vic do those kinds of chores despite his rank, which caused Vic to have to involve the higher ups. Overall, Vic did not want to be in that situation anymore, which is why he left. Career ; Leaving the military ; Racism ; Rank ; Retirement Plan 2990 Finding a New Job After the Military So I got out of the navy and I came back home, kind of undecided about what I wanted to do. After being in the navy, Vic returned back home. He gave himself a year to figure out what he would do, and if he found nothing in that time, his plan was to re-enlist. He first got a job in engineering at a Lorain factory called Lorain products that made telecommunications equipment. In school he had been in pre-engineering and wanted to be an electrical engineer, but he had not finished his degree. When he interviewed at Lorain products, they said they would pay for the rest of his schooling, and he got a job with them as a field service engineer. However, he hated working at the factory and stayed only for 3 months or less. His backup plan was law enforcement, so at this point he decided to pursue being a police officer and he took the police exam in multiple cities. He ended up getting hired as a police officer in Oberlin. He took the test in November or December, after having gotten out of the navy on January 17th of that year. If Vic did not have a concrete plan by January 17th of the following year, he would have gone back to the military recruiter. A few days before that date, the police chief called Vic to inform him that he did very well on the exam, and offered Vic an interview, and ultimately a job. Vic recalled feeling complicated emotions when he left the military, what he described as feeling bittersweet. He was thankful for the skills he learned in the military like discipline, detail orientation, and organization. He also witnessed a lot of racism and classism which ultimately influenced his decision to leave. Career ; Classism ; Law Enforcement ; Racism 3196 How Vic’s Military Experience Influenced Him as a Police Officer How do you think your experience in the military changed you, how has it influenced the rest of your life after service. Vic recalls growing up in Lorain, a very diverse city. He lived in metropolitan housing when he was young, where he recalls diverse populations that included Hispanic, African American, and Hungarian people. Vic thought that it was the norm to see people from all over. In the military, the diversity of people was magnified, and Vic recalls the different types of people in the military including a British person, impoverished people, well-off people, those from the East Coast, and those from the West Coast. If racism had been prevalent when he was growing up in Lorain, he does not remember seeing it. But he saw and felt it in the military. The racism and classism he witnessed in the military ultimately influenced him in his position as a police officer. His military service made him feel as though as a police officer, it was important to him to treat others the way he wants to be treated, regardless of race, class, etc. He says “It did not escape me the fact that certain people get treated a certain way by police officers”, and he sought to not be like those police officers. He formed bonds and connections with members of the Oberlin community because of this commitment to mutual respect. Vic recalls days as a police officer when he would stop at the park to take his gear off and play with the kids. He would patrol neighborhoods and walk and sit on front porches with people. Vic was aware that these sorts of actions might label other police officers as weak or lesser than, but he did what he thought was the right thing to do as a police officer. A lot of these values came from his time in the navy. He saw how he was treated and how others were treated and he did not want to treat others that way. He talks about teaching kids lessons about law enforcement because he wanted to put them on a better path, almost like being their mentor. He says he wanted to be the opposite of the way he was treated in the navy. Classism ; Diversity ; Racism 3480 Concluding Thoughts About Vic’s Time in the Service Is there anything you'd like to add to this interview, is there anything that feels missing. Vic says that sometimes when he talks about the military he paints it as being bad, but he believes that the military was good to him. He still gets involved in veteran things, and is part of the Ohio Hispanic Veterans Memorial, which is in part due to his involvement with El Centro. He looks back on his time in the military fondly, because if he had not joined it, he does not know where he would be now. Vic grew up in what he says were bad areas, in the Bronx, New York, and the projects in Lorain. He used to think living to 35 was a good number. Growing up he remembers his friends being killed and using drugs. The navy opened Vic’s eyes to a different possibility. Overall, he looks back on his time in the military fondly, saying “there’s the good the bad, what you do with it is what you make of it”. He was glad to have had his time in the service, and to not have put much thought into joining it, or he may have backed out. Overall, he would not change his military service. El Centro ; New York ; Ohio Hispanic Veterans Memorial ; The Bronx In copyright. video All rights reserved. 0 https://oberlincollegelibrary.org/ohms-viewer/render.php?cachefile=LL_Ortiz_Vic.xml LL_Ortiz_Vic.xml Sort Priority This field should be added if you are using the Philly Theme with your OHMSPlugin Suite 0016 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Vic Ortiz Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2022-11-05 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video https://latinolorain.oberlincollegelibrary.org/files/original/05d93bbcebc9b1c0f8aed564cc3ec324.PNG c3508d84de0b0c334ac48e547f6c44d6 Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Becky Trigo Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Judy Reveron OHMS Object This field contains the OHMS Hyperlink (link to the XML file within the OHMS viewer) https://oberlincollegelibrary.org/ohms-viewer/render.php?cachefile=LL_Reveron_Judy.xml OHMS Object Text The field contains the OHMS Index and/or Transcript and is what makes the contents of the OHMS object searchable within Omeka 5.4 Judy Reveron Latino Lorain Fall 2022 Oberlin College Library Judy Reveron Becky Trigo 0 https://media.lib.oberlin.edu/media_objects/2b88qc21b Avalon https://media.lib.oberlin.edu/ video &lt ; iframe title=&quot ; Judy Reveron&quot ; src=&quot ; //media.lib.oberlin.edu:443/master_files/j67313813/embed&quot ; width=&quot ; 600&quot ; height=&quot ; 337&quot ; frameborder=&quot ; 0&quot ; webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen allowfullscreen&gt ; &lt ; /iframe&gt ; 0 Introduction to interview with Judy Reveron (LEDE) 56 Early Life ; Family in Puerto Rico Can you begin by telling me where you were born and where you grew up? I was born in Puerto Rico and I came here when I was 17 years old. Growing up, Judy Reveron’s family worked on fields harvesting sugar cane and coffee. Her community in Puerto Rico was mostly made up of family members, noting that most of her friends were her cousins. She immigrated to the United States at the age of 17, leaving her family in Puerto Rico. family ; farm work ; Puerto Rico 177 Moving to Lorain and Meeting her Husband I moved to the United States when I was 17 years old. I came for a vacation and I stayed. And where did you stay? I stayed with my brother, my oldest brother... he lived here with his family so I came to live with his family. When she came to the United States in 1962, Mrs.Reveron stayed with her brother in Lorain, Ohio. She worked in a factory at 18 years old. Coming to the United States she could only speak Spanish, leading her to the Spanish-speaking, Puerto Rican community of Lorain where she received some guidance. She met her husband at her work in Cleveland through mutual friends. Cleveland ; community ; Factory ; Spanish ; spouse 279 Husband enters military ; Moving to Texas Did you have any concerns about him going into the military? Oh, yes. Because it was the Vietnam era. We were thinking of getting married but it was like ; How about if you get sent to Vietnam? At the time her husband was being drafted they had begun discussing getting married. After he did his basic training and went to medical school, Mrs.Reveron joined her husband on base in Wichita Falls, Texas. They got married in 1967 and she reflects on her lack of English as continuing to isolate her in this new community. She was able to make friends with the other couples on the Sheppard air force base. The church across the street from where they lived was used for both Protestant and Catholic services. She remembers the difficulty of seeing young men returning from Vietnam, suffering from trauma induced mental health issues. catholicism ; church ; community ; Draft ; family ; friendship ; marriage ; mental health ; military base ; Vietnam 570 Family in Military Was there anybody else, like did you have any other friends in the military or also siblings... that served? My brother was also in the service, in Germany, but it was a totally different time... Mrs.Reveron’s brother served in the military in Germany, however she notes that the experience was different and that she was always in communication with her family. Germany ; military family ; service 602 Community and Life in Texas She made many friends from various different states who were all young families. They would celebrate holidays together, stating that the community was only close with each other though now, she says, they’ve lost touch. While her husband worked, Mrs.Reveron worked as a stay-at-home mother. She hated living in Texas ; it was too flat for her liking and the weather was strange. She remembers having to translate arguments between her neighbors children where one child only knew English and the other only knew Spanish. After 3 and a half years of her husband working in Texas, she was delighted to hear that he had received early leave. The time she spent in Texas was very lonely. Children ; Community ; holidays ; language ; loneliness ; Wichita falls 892 Returning to Ohio Mrs.Reveron moved back to Cleveland with her husband since they were already familiar with the area. She states that she didn’t like Cleveland either, saying that it was “too busy” for her. The move was easier because she was close to her mother-in-law and could travel to visit her family in Lorain. Cleveland ; Family ; Lorain 958 Culture of Military Families She recounts a New Years Eve celebration with her husband and other soldiers, feeling pity for them because they didn’t have loved ones to celebrate with. This prompted her husband to decide not to re-enlist in the military. Mrs.Reveron reflects on her feelings of military service. Her husband's service within the military brought them closer together, feeling more secure that he could at least come home. family ; reenlistment ; respect ; soldiers ; solidarity 1136 Message for Future Generations Mrs.Reveron hopes to leave a message of self-respect, dedication, and family. She reflects that neither her nor her husband knew what to expect when entering military life. Being far away from family was an aspect of what made their lifestyle difficult and lonely. Enlistment ; family ; respect ; strength In copyright. video All rights reserved. 0 https://oberlincollegelibrary.org/ohms-viewer/render.php?cachefile=LL_Reveron_Judy.xml LL_Reveron_Judy.xml Sort Priority This field should be added if you are using the Philly Theme with your OHMSPlugin Suite 0017 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Judy Reveron Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2022-10-29 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video https://latinolorain.oberlincollegelibrary.org/files/original/777c88d88fbc3a67bfb2443d27adf0f4.PNG a7c6d9b05597bb9f24f482fafa36b287 Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Ava Carubia Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Rico Reveron OHMS Object This field contains the OHMS Hyperlink (link to the XML file within the OHMS viewer) https://oberlincollegelibrary.org/ohms-viewer/render.php?cachefile=LL_Reveron_Rico.xml OHMS Object Text The field contains the OHMS Index and/or Transcript and is what makes the contents of the OHMS object searchable within Omeka 5.4 Rico Reveron Latino Lorain Fall 2022 Oberlin College Library Rico Reveron Ava Carubia 0 https://media.lib.oberlin.edu/media_objects/hh63sv894 Avalon https://media.lib.oberlin.edu/ video &lt ; iframe title=&quot ; Rico Reveron&quot ; src=&quot ; //media.lib.oberlin.edu:443/master_files/2b88qc22m/embed&quot ; width=&quot ; 600&quot ; height=&quot ; 337&quot ; frameborder=&quot ; 0&quot ; webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen allowfullscreen&gt ; &lt ; /iframe&gt ; 0 Introduction So I'm Ava Carubia, and I am interviewing Rico Reveron to talk about his life as part of the Latino Veterans Oral History Project. Thank you, Mr. Reveron, for agreeing to be interviewed. Can you please briefly state your name and birthdate? Interviewer and Reveron introduce themselves and establish that the interview is part of the Latino Lorain Veterans Oral History Project. Reveron begins to share some details from his early life in Santurce, Puerto Rico and Cleveland, Ohio. 67 Early Life in Humacao, Puerto Rico and Cleveland, Ohio So you just talked a little bit about your early life and I have some more questions about that. Can you tell me a little more about your parents, like what kind of jobs they had, and just growing up with your family? Mr. Reveron discusses his early life growing up in Humacao, Puerto Rico. Born in 1944, Mr. Reveron moved to Cleveland when he was 10 years old in October of 1954. Mr. Reveron recalls the distinctly clean smell of the Ohio air as he stepped off the plane. Upon his arrival in Cleveland, Mr. Reveron enrolled in Dunham Elementary School, where he was able to continue his 5th year of education training. Addison Junior High School ; Cleveland East High School ; Draft ; Dunham Elementary School ; Humacao, Puerto Rico ; Migration ; Punta Santiago ; Republic Steel ; Steel Mills ; U.S Air Force ; Vietnam War 484 Basic Training And what was it like there, in San Antonio, during basic training? After enlisting in the United States Air Force in 1965, Mr. Reveron was sent to San Antonio, Texas to complete his basic training. Mr. Reveron recalls that it was his discipline that allowed him to make it through the training with minimal problems. Upon completion of his basic training, Mr. Reveron was assigned to a medical squadron with the Air Force and was sent to Gunter Air Base in Montgomery, Alabama, to train as a medic. Gunter Air Force Base ; Montgomery, Alabama ; San Antonio, Texas ; Sheppard Air Force Base ; U.S Air Force ; Wichita Falls 694 Introduction to Wife And then during that time you had met...well she wasn't your wife yet... Mr. Reveron recalls meeting his wife, Mrs. Judy Reveron, in Cleveland in 1964, just before his departure to San Antonio, Texas. Mr. Reveron proposed to Mrs. Reveron in 1966, and the two later married in 1967. Air Force Hospital ; Montreal, Canada ; Utuado, Puerto Rico ; Wichita Falls 937 Military Life So what was life like on the base? I mean, you were not married for some of that time, right? After getting married in 1967, Mr. Reveron and Mrs Reveron moved to Wichita Falls, Texas so that Mr. Reveron could continue his military service. Shortly after moving to Texas as a married couple, Mr. and Mrs. Reveron gave birth to their first born daughter, Anna, in 1968. Mr. Reveron recalls how his wife had a difficult time acclimating to life on the military base. Discharge ; Sergeant 1078 Positive Memories of the Air Force And then out of all your service, what was the best thing about being in the military? Mr. Reveron shares his favorite parts about military life, citing free meals, medical treatment, and on-site support as his favorite military benefits. Although Mr. Reveron enjoyed his military benefits, he chose to not re-enlist, as Mrs. Reveron did not like military life. Dallas, Texas ; Denton University ; Denton, Texas ; San Antonio, Texas ; The Red River ; Wichita Mountains 1157 Experiences with Racism What was the most challenging thing about your service? Mr. Reveron recalls the racism he faced while training as a medic in Montgomery, Alabama. After spending the evening at the Airman's Officer Club, Mr. Reveron hailed a taxi cab with his fellow Airman, who was white. Mr. Reveron recalls how the white taxi driver refused to give Mr. Reveron a ride. The taxi driver said to Mr. Reveron, “I'll tell you what. I'll take you (Mr. Reveron’s white friend), but I'm not gonna take you cuz you're brown.” Alabama ; Discrimination ; Non-Enlisted Airman's Club ; Racism 1300 Military Service Comes to an End I know when you ended your service, your wife was relieved, but how did, how did you feel? I felt good, and I felt bad at the same time. I really liked military life...the instructional part and...the order and everything. I had just gotten promoted to sergeant before I got discharged, so I was happy that I had three stripes. Mr. Reveron discusses his initial disappointment at the end of his military service as well as his disappointment upon finally seeing The Alamo, a historic Spanish mission turned museum in San Antonio, Texas. Children ; Discharge ; San Antonio, Texas ; Sergeant ; The Alamo 1469 Lessons from Military Service and Retirement What's something you learned from your military service? I think I learned a lot about the rigidness of being in the service. We were taught how to fold our clothes in one way, how to hang them in a certain way, how to be diligent in the morning or the evenings, and how to pay attention to a lot of details - that has stayed with me throughout my life. Mr. Reveron shares how his time in the military taught him personal discipline, a trait that he later carried into his post-service life. Specifically, Mr. Reveron recalls how upon first leaving the military, he still continued to fold his clothing in the same ways taught to him in basic training. After retiring, Mr. Reveron decided to become a part-time usher for Cleveland sports teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers and Cleveland Guardians. Cleveland, Ohio ; Marriage ; Retirement 1775 Feelings about the Military How did your military service impact your feelings about the military in general? At every baseball game and every sporting event, we say the pledge of allegiance. And every time we play the pledge of allegiance, we take our hats off, and we stand our attention, and then we put our hands over our heart and fold the left hand behind us, and we listen to the national anthem and say the pledge of allegiance - that makes me feel proud. Mr. Reveron discusses the pride he feels when he hears the United States' Pledge of Allegiance and National Anthem during public sporting events. He describes other instances where he feels proud to be a veteran. Discharge ; National Anthem ; National Pride 1970 Responsibilities while stationed on Military Bases What were your responsibilities at the base? Basically, a lot of medical processing. As I mentioned earlier, Sheppard Air Base was known as a Psychiatric center. We used to get a lot of psychiatric patients. My job back then was mostly paperwork. We also interview and help with the administration. And, I'm meeting patients. I didn't do any psychiatric evaluations or anything like that. It was not a difficult job, but I got used to it. I remember one time, a patient was run over by the heat in front of the hospital, and we had to run outside and give first aid. Mr. Reveron recalls his main responsibilities while working at the Sheppard Air Force Base. Mr. Reveron assisted at the psychiatric facility and assisted the administration with processing paperwork. Medical care ; Psychiatric care ; Sheppard Air Force Base 2046 Message for Future Generations What message would you like to leave for future generations? Please, please get in touch with your congressman, senators and President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. Write letters, make phone calls and urge them to support the effort of Puerto Rico being the 51st state of the United States. I, my community, and now my grandchildren are all in college except one high school. And I urged them all to continue their effort to help Puerto Rico become the next state. Mr. Reveron shares his lifelong work to advocate for the civic inclusion of Puerto Rico and urges viewers to call their congress people to support Puerto Rico in its efforts to become the 51st State of America. Mr. Reveron details the history of Puerto Rican immigration into the United States via the Jones Act of 1920 as well as the hypocrisy that Puerto Ricans can serve in the United States military, but are unable to vote in federal elections. Mr. Reveron highlights how Puerto Rico is predominantly affiliated with the Democrat Party, while those in congress opposing the inclusion of Puerto Rico as the 51st State of America are predominantly affiliated with the Republican Party. Jones Act ; Migration ; Puerto Rico ; Statehood 2565 Personal Documents, Photos, and Artifacts I was wondering if you wanted to share some of your documents? This picture was taken in the spring of 1967 at the Shepherd Air Force Base flight line. This was a training airplane. It was an F-104. And the plane was ready to scramble. I was not a pilot, but I was allowed to go on the flight line. My friends and I used to take our cameras and just roam around the Air Force base. A lot of people didn't know this, but Shepherd Air Force Base back then was a tactical air training base. When you train the German Air Force or the Iranian Air Force, they used to come to Shepherd Air Force Bay to be trained as helicopter pilots and as jet pilots. The base constantly had helicopters flying all over the time and jets playing, taking off and coming back because it was a training base. Mr. Reveron shares personal photos, artifacts, and documents from his time in the military, as well as of his early life in Lorain. These photos, artifacts, and documents include military vaccination records, military dischargement certificates, wedding photos, and more. 65th Infantry of Puerto Rico ; Marriage ; Sheppard Air Force Base In copyright. video All rights reserved. 0 https://oberlincollegelibrary.org/ohms-viewer/render.php?cachefile=LL_Reveron_Rico.xml LL_Reveron_Rico.xml Sort Priority This field should be added if you are using the Philly Theme with your OHMSPlugin Suite 0018 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Rico Reveron Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2022-10-29 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video https://latinolorain.oberlincollegelibrary.org/files/original/40bc77dd8f94d9e95c5ea3df14a2c14a.PNG 901a3ae199cac1e76ffae20f36762cb8 Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Tzetzangare Rosas-Perez Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Jose Rodriguez OHMS Object This field contains the OHMS Hyperlink (link to the XML file within the OHMS viewer) https://oberlincollegelibrary.org/ohms-viewer/render.php?cachefile=LL_Rodriguez_Jose.xml OHMS Object Text The field contains the OHMS Index and/or Transcript and is what makes the contents of the OHMS object searchable within Omeka 5.4 Jose L Rodriguez Latino Lorain Fall 2022 Oberlin College Library Jose Rodriguez Tzetzangare Rosas-Perez 0 https://media.lib.oberlin.edu/media_objects/k0698750g Avalon https://media.lib.oberlin.edu/ video &lt ; iframe title=&quot ; Jose Rodriguez&quot ; src=&quot ; //media.lib.oberlin.edu:443/master_files/g158bh30q/embed&quot ; width=&quot ; 600&quot ; height=&quot ; 337&quot ; frameborder=&quot ; 0&quot ; webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen allowfullscreen&gt ; &lt ; /iframe&gt ; 0 Introductions I'm Tzetzangare Rosas-Perez and I am interviewing Mr. Jose Rodriguez to talk about his life as part of the Latino Veterans Project. Mr. Jose Luis Rodriguez was born April 22, 1946. The interview was done on October 29th, 2022, in the Lorain Historical Society. 42 Early Life: Growing up in Puerto Rico Let’s begin with some questions about your early life. Can you just begin by telling me where you were born and where you grew up. Mr. Rodriguez was born in Yabucoa, Puerto Rico where he was raised for the first 12 years of his life. Both his parents and grandparents were born in Yabucoa meaning he had generational connections with his homeland. He discusses what it was like to attend school especially since he only had to go for half a day. Mr. Rodriguez explains that this was mainly because he had to return home and help out with chores around the house and the farm. One of the details he notes is not wearing shoes even though they lived on a hill and how he had to attend school with no running water or electricity but that just showing how much things change over time. Rural Living ; Yabucoa, Puerto Rico 114 Family Dynamics: Working on the Farm My dad had came to the United States in 1950. My mother and him had had three children. Mr. Rodriguez discusses the beginning of his family's move to the United States. His father had first moved to the United States in 1950 leaving him at home almost like the man of the house. Since his parent’s had three children, him being the oldest of two younger brothers, he felt a sense of responsibility. This came across by working on his family farm to help his grandfather and grandmother plow the fields with oxen. Even though his father left when he was six this did not impede him from helping his grandfather to work on the tobacco fields where he was given a jar to pick the insects off the tobacco plants. His own mother’s first job was working with his grandfather packing cigars. He notes that part of his job was also going around his neighborhood and selling the products his grandparent’s farm produced in addition to still going to school Family ; Farm Work ; Migration ; Tobacco 265 Connections to the Earth We lived outside mostly. After discussing just how much working on the farm meant to him, he reiterated that he lived mostly outside and enjoyed eating a lot of fruits. Everything that they had or used they grew, in other words he notes the self-sufficiency that he and his family practiced outside of the canned goods. As he said they had everything from tobacco to coffee. He also mentions that he had a dog that used to follow him around even to school which was 2 miles away. He had gotten this dog about two years before coming to the United States himself. Pets ; Self-Sufficiency 319 New Life: Coming to Ohio So, when I had to leave Puerto Rico it was hard. I didn’t want to come. Since Mr. Rodriguez had such a connection not just to the people in Puerto Rico but also the land and animals it was hard for him to leave when it came time. He migrated in February 1956 to Ohio where his father came to work in the Steel Mills in Youngstown. He had extended family spread around Ohio but ended up arriving in Lorain and not Youngstown with his father. His mother decided to go to Lorain because her brother was in Lorain as well as some other close family members. His father not only worked at the Steel Mill but also as a cook at the railroad. His father worked from Sunday evenings until Friday’s which made it difficult for their introduction and settling in the United States because his mother did not speak English. They had arrived in the East Side of Lorain but then moved to the West Side in 3rd grade (1958). Since getting to the United States his mother had four new siblings, three brothers and one sister. On the West Side they lived on 14th Street in an apartment building with other Puerto Rican families. He reminisces on the constant moving around that he experienced. Railroad ; Steel Mills ; Youngstown 532 Religion: Attending Catholic School My dad put us in Catholic School here. I remember we used to clean the church After coming to Lorain he was put into Catholic school by his father where he cleaned the church. The church and the school were in the same building and by cleaning the church they would help pay for their tuition. All three of his brothers, the older siblings, would partake in the cleaning. Catholic School ; Jobs 568 Father’s Job: Painter My father used to paint houses on the side. His father also used to paint houses on the side to maintain his family. It would not only be his father but also Mr. Rodriguez’s brothers and his uncle at times. They would start on Friday and by Sunday the house would be finished. Family ; Family and Labor 582 Religion: Early Involvement While we lived there, I was pretty much involved in the church Mr. Rodriguez reflects on his involvement with the church. He was a catechist at 18 years old to students that were only 13-15 years old at Old St. Peters on 17th Street. His father and mother were always close to the people and priests at church. His father didn’t drive so to get to church there would be a gentleman that would drive around in a Station Wagon or a Van to pick them up. Catechist ; Old St. Peters, Catholic Church 642 Friendships and Adolescence I had some really close friends. Jose Gonzalez, who used to live on 9th street, was one of many close friends in Lorain. He was the oldest of 13 and Mr. Rodriguez was the oldest of seven so they would always be watching kids. They became really close friends and to this day they are friends. He graduated from 8th grade from St. Josephs, the church school, he went to Lorain High. He was way ahead when he got into Lorain High so he breezed through with all A’s. He went there for another year, where he then decided to transfer to Admiral King because they had an electrical program. After deciding he didn’t like it he transferred back to Lorain High. He also did it for his girlfriend at the time, girlfriend since 8th grade until graduation where they broke up since she was going to college. Admiral King High ; Friendships ; Lorain High School ; St. Joseph Middle School 761 Getting Drafted That’s when I got drafted. When I graduated in 1966 in June, by September I had been drafted and I was on my way to Columbus, Georgia. Once he graduated in June 1966 he was quickly drafted by September. He was sent to Columbus, Georgia with a group of 90 more boys from Lorain County that were also going to Georgia for basic training. After going through several programs and training the military wanted him to go to OCS [Officer Candidate School] which he thought was good until he realized he needed to enlist for another 9 months. He was sent to Virginia in hopes he would be interested in OCS there. Columbus, Georgia ; Draft ; Officer Candidate School ; Virginia 855 Community and Mentorship It seems like the move from Puerto Rico to Lorain or Youngstown was a bit difficult because of the loss of community but the church served as that community built here. It sounds like you were a role model to the younger kids and the community, being the oldest. Were there some friends, mentors, or role models in your life you haven’t discussed yet His dad’s best friend, Alfonso Rodriguez, was thought to be his father’s brother because of the shared last name and since they spent so much time together. Alfonso and his wife had no children themselves but they were really close to his dad and his family. Since his father did not drive Alfonso would drive them around, everyone would be in the car. They would go to Youngstown quite a bit with them. Alfonso was a good man who Mr. Rodriguez never heard say any bad word. He would often give him consejos, or advice. His godfather lived in Youngstown, where he would often go, always had a room for him. His godfather would also give him a lot of consejos. His father was crude and rough with them since he ruled with an iron fist. He gave his kids a strict curfew where he would be forced to sleep outside if he was late. He also gave him a lot of girl advice although he was always working. This meant his mother did a lot of the policing because his father was not around too much. She was a great cook and there would always be people and friends over. One of those close friends was Celestino Rivera, his brother’s best friend. Celestino was very smart, everyone thought he would be a priest. Celestino Rivera ; Family Friend ; Mentorship 1101 Church: Building Programs and Defining Relationships I was really involved in the church. As a matter of fact, I was the vice president of the Parish Council when I was only 26. As a young adult, Mr. Rodriguez was once again very involved with the church, more specifically Sacred Heart. He became the vice president of the Parish Council at only 26 years old which is a position he held for 8 years. Mr. Rodriguez became close to Father Bruce and all of the other priests that moved through the church. Together with his wife, they became involved with the church by starting new programs that are still being used. One of those programs were godparent classes which godparents, especially for baptism, needed to take before becoming godparents. Another program that he created was the Crusillo Essay for the Sacred Heart Church which is an intense three week retreat at the age of 23. His development allowed for the Crusillo movement to expand across the country. Marriage Encounters, another weekend retreat for couples, was one other program that he helped create to help build communication between relationships. The main thing that he did was making sure that talks for Marriage Encounters were translated from English to Spanish. He also talks about the impact that COVID had on his interactions and even his celebration of 50 years of marriage. Cursillo Program ; Marriage ; Parish Council ; Sacred Heart Catholic Chapel 1594 Dealing with Health The thing with that is that while all that was going on, I was dealing with depression and anxiety. Mr. Rodriguez discusses that while he was the program coordinator and such a critical part of the church community, he was also dealing with depression and PTSD. At the time, he did not know about PTSD and in fact was not diagnosed with it until 1998.He notes that in 1970 he had gone to the VA Medical Center but instead of getting a diagnosis he was just given the runaround. As a coping mechanism he became a workaholic, while working at the Steel Mills as an electrician he was also working as an exterminator on the side. He was a people person which was aided by his jobs which moved him all over Ohio to do work. Mr. Rodriguez shares that in 1999 and 2001 he had two major back surgeries which put him out of work for a year. He had been advised by his doctor to not go back to work and instead ask for disability pension in 2002. He left his Steel Mill job but kept his small business going since his brothers also relied on it as their sustenance. He is reminiscent of the period of time he would go on walks with an old friend for 6 years. Disability ; Mental Health ; PTSD ; Steel Mill ; Surgeries 1795 Family: Father Figure and Marriage After a while, I had to quit the walks. We did it for about 6 years. Because I had to deal with the kids. Mr. Rodriguez discusses what it was like helping his daughter raise her three children after and even before she divorced her husband. He explains that he had become a father figure to his grandchildren, especially his granddaughter Sofia. He then goes on to explain his connection with his wife even as children. He explains that he knew his wife from their First Communion especially because she was his friend’s little sister . He is three years older than her, meaning that they met when he was 13 and she was 10. He remembers that she was his brother’s girlfriend first, before he was drafted to Vietnam. One of his memories is picking up girls after coming up from Vietnam. He later became engaged to his wife in 1969 and they were married by 1970. Father Figure ; Spouse 1983 Back from Vietnam and Thoughts I came back...When I came from Vietnam, instead of going home, I went to Puerto Rico. Mr. Rodriguez explains that after he came back from Vietnam he went to Puerto Rico to visit his grandparents instead of coming home. He wasn’t aware at the time, but when he came back from Vietnam his brother was drafted which caused his mother to have a nervous breakdown. It was a highly tense time in Lorain, his neighbor’s husband had actually passed away in Vietnam. His mother’s godson was also killed in Vietnam. He went back to Fort Bragg since he still had four months of service to finish and then went to New York to visit his aunt and uncle for a month before finally returning to Lorain. This is when he found out that his mother had been put in a psychiatric ward after the news about his brother’s draft. He describes his feelings after serving as being rattled and having to deal with the anxiety of post war life. Through all of this he explains that the person that should be getting the recognition or a purple heart should be his wife that stood by him. Mr. Rodriguez had always thought that he would be going to college or at least a form of school after highschool. What actually happened was that he was so used to working he didn’t enroll and was suddenly drafted into the Vietnam war. He hadn’t even thought of the military until then since he didn’t think he would be drafted. Having no preconceived notions other than the handful of people in his family and friends that had served. He remembers once going to Fort Knox to visit his uncle that worked as an instructor on tanks for 30 years. Draft ; Fort Bragg ; Fort Knox ; New York ; Puerto Rico ; Purple Heart ; Vietnam 2237 Getting Help I think what happened was I wanted to forget it all. Mr. Rodriguez talks about all Vietnam Veterans that he knew would try to forget their service just like he did. He mentioned that he had been going to group counseling with other veterans which was interrupted by the pandemic. One of the things he discovered was that the same kids that he went to school with and grew up with went to Vietnam and served but it was never discussed afterwards. Mr. Rodriguez didn’t even know who had gone and who hadn’t and it wasn’t until group counseling that he was beginning to have answers. Edwin Lopez, his godson, was the one who encouraged and ultimately convinced him to go to these meetings and it was after discovering that he had also been to Vietnam. Mr. Rodriguez also discusses that divorce was a huge side effect from veterans. Almost everyone that he knew got divorced, and he feels like one of the lucky ones because his wife hung in there with him. From his observations, veterans often turned to drugs and alcohol, they had anger issues, became unhoused, and would find themselves in trouble with the law. He confesses that he was also drinking while working and program coordinating to lessen the anxiety that he felt, in his words a functioning drinker. He sympathizes, and explains that these veterans were simply looking for relief because it seemed like no one wanted to deal with them. The counseling group was actually started by Vietnam Veterans for Vietnam Veterans. He explains that he didn’t wear his hat for over 45 years because of how Vietnam Veterans were viewed and received. The only thing they had has to rely on each other since they were the only ones to understand their experiences. For a long time he didn’t think he needed any help since he was already going to therapy. He emphasizes that the Vet Center in Cleveland became a resource to him and that after so many years he was finally able to talk about Vietnam without getting worked up. Group Counseling ; Pandemic ; Substances ; Veterans Helping Veterans 2767 Experiences and Lessons So I think it would be really interesting, and I know that you were saying it's been difficult to talk about your service. Would you want to speak more about any connections or challenges with the service? Mr. Rodriguez compares his experiences to that of his younger brother. He talks about how his brother went to service and came back worse than Mr. Rodriguez. He explains that unfortunately he recently passed and he never had the chance or opportunity to talk with him about his service. Mainly because his brother did not want to talk about it. He explains that trauma plays a big role in how they feel and act. Since divorce is a huge symptom of veterans the creation of broken homes was inevitable. He explains that broken homes and divorces can also lead to affecting the kids. Personally he found that navigating life with religion was a way to find comfort. He reveals that he found serving one another was the purpose of life. He questions how people can live without faith. He also shares that he learned that the people that you know are the people that can hurt you the most. Divorce ; Family ; Trauma ; Vietnam 3159 Thoughts Towards the Military and Message for the Future Has your service, with the military and connections with other veterans, impacted your feelings about war or military in general? Mr. Rodriguez discusses how serving has given him an insight into politics and the government. He sees what is going on in the government and the country and how Democrats and Republicans are enemies that just want power. He mentions that some of the ways they do this is by preventing voting through so many measures. After serving it is easier to deal with and notice knowing what war is and what it is fought for. Contrary to what history writes, he doesn’t think that Vietnam is a useless war because he knows they were fighting communism. He mentions the idea of American Amnesia since not much is said about what happened to the Vietnamese people after the US left. He explains that unfortunately in order to kill it was encouraged to see them as not human, but he never saw them as anything other than humans. Mr. Rodriguez wants anyone watching to understand that the people who are fighting the wars are being trained to kill and learning to survive. They are taught that the people who they are fighting against want to hurt them, want to hurt your community, or want to take something away from them. At the end of the day it is people killing people. He believes that this is a situation of the worst in us trying to protect the best in us. He also wishes Vietnam never happened and that there would be no wars. He does understand that the United States has more freedoms than any other country and they were gained because of the wars. He finishes his story by reiterating that the spouses need much more recognition. Government ; Spousal Recognition ; Vietnam In copyright. video All rights reserved. 0 https://oberlincollegelibrary.org/ohms-viewer/render.php?cachefile=LL_Rodriguez_Jose.xml LL_Rodriguez_Jose.xml Sort Priority This field should be added if you are using the Philly Theme with your OHMSPlugin Suite 0022 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Jose L Rodriguez Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2022-10-29 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video https://latinolorain.oberlincollegelibrary.org/files/original/574f61e77d25bc29093f781509ab7ed6.PNG 59b08622d7442c198830e442182615cf Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Leah Yonemoto-Weston Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Merida Rodriguez OHMS Object This field contains the OHMS Hyperlink (link to the XML file within the OHMS viewer) https://oberlincollegelibrary.org/ohms-viewer/render.php?cachefile=LL_Rodriguez_Merida.xml OHMS Object Text The field contains the OHMS Index and/or Transcript and is what makes the contents of the OHMS object searchable within Omeka 5.4 Merida Rodriguez Latino Lorain Fall 2022 Oberlin College Library Merida Rodriguez Leah Yonemoto-Weston 0 https://media.lib.oberlin.edu/media_objects/5999n342c Avalon https://media.lib.oberlin.edu/ video &lt ; iframe title=&quot ; Merida Rodriguez&quot ; src=&quot ; //media.lib.oberlin.edu:443/master_files/nv935287v/embed&quot ; width=&quot ; 600&quot ; height=&quot ; 337&quot ; frameborder=&quot ; 0&quot ; webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen allowfullscreen&gt ; &lt ; /iframe&gt ; 0 Introduction to interview with Merida Rodriguez Okay, we have to start by doing what’s called a LEDE. It’s just kind of an introduction by saying I’m here interviewing Ms. Merida Rodriguez and like a formal statement. Do you want me to say Mary or Merida for this? Yonemoto-Weston conducts a LEDE and introduces Merida Rodriguez who is being interviewed on October 29th, 2022 for the Latino Veterans Oral History Project which is a collaboration between the Lorain Historical Society, El Centro de Servicios Sociales and Oberlin College. 47 Early life, from Puerto Rico to Lorain We’ll begin with some questions about your early life if that’s ok? So I guess we’ll just start with, can you begin by telling me where you were born and where you grew up? Rodriguez recounts that she was born in Santa Isabel, Puerto Rico and then brought to Lorain, Ohio a year later by her family where she has lived ever since. She states that she knows Lorain very well and that the location for the interview (Lorain Historical Society) was once a public library. Rodriguez describes being raised in the neighborhood surrounding Lorain Historical Society, Downtown Broadway, in apartments with many other Hispanic families and attending the local schools. She recounts that she met her husband and other friends, including Celestino Rivera, through Sacred Heart Chapel’s youth groups. Rodriguez describes how she and her husband made their first Communion together as children before becoming a couple many years later. Catholicism ; friends ; migration ; Sacred Heart Chapel ; Santa Isabel, Puerto Rico 214 Meeting husband and early days of relationship Wow! That’s so wild! So how old were you when you and your husband started dating? Rodriguez describes that she and her husband started dating when she was 17 years old after finishing high school. She states that knowing her husband through her brothers growing up made him feel like a friend first and foremost before developing a romantic relationship with him. Rodriguez describes how her husband was drafted and sent to Vietnam while the two were dating. They eventually reunited in Puerto Rico when he received “R and R” and Rodriguez went to meet and visit family there. She describes the joy of meeting both her own family and her husband’s family as well during this trip. family ; Puerto Rico ; Vietnam War 315 Family and friends in the military I definitely want to talk about, obviously, your husband’s service and everything like that in Vietnam, but before we go there, you talked about your brothers. Did you have any sisters as well? Rodriguez discusses her family including how she has two older brothers but no sisters. One of her brothers, Hector Rodriguez, was in the air force and served for four years and their other brother, Angel, was in the navy. Rodriguez describes how neither of her brothers were sent to Vietnam but instead to Thailand and The Netherlands. After their military service, both the brothers came back to Lorain and got married. Rodriguez describes how she knew many people in the military and many military families growing up. Most of her friends were drafted, including her husband. However, she describes that her brothers enlisted. Yonemoto-Weston asks about other members of Rodriguez’s family growing up and Rodriguez describes how her father came to Lorain to work in the steel mill. Rodriguez recounts that her father left Puerto Rico for Connecticut with his brother before moving to Lorain and that after he was able to save up money, he sent for Rodriguez and her mother and brothers in Puerto Rico and moved them to the U.S. with him. Rodriguez states that Lorain is most of what she knows in respect to her surroundings as she has lived there for so long and the vast majority of her life. draft ; military family ; U.S. Air Force ; U.S. Navy 467 Life in Lorain during husband’s service and difficulties of his return after war We can talk a little bit more about your husband’s service if that’s alright with you. So you met at Sacred Heart and then how did you learn he was being drafted? What did that feel like to you? Rodriguez recounts that the draft was a communal thing during the Vietnam War and how most of her male family and friends were drafted around the same time in 1968-69 and pretty much everyone in her community knew someone in the military. Rodriguez describes dating her husband before he served six months in Vietnam and then returning to Lorain together from their trip to Puerto Rico after his service. She states that the two dated for a bit longer after returning to Lorain before getting engaged. Rodriguez recalls that she could see the difference in her husband’s personality after his return from Vietnam. She describes him being less calm and relaxed and having anxiety, which was difficult for her to understand. Rodriguez discusses how the general American societal culture at the time was very hostile towards Vietnam veterans and that her husband experienced harassment including being spit on and being told not to wear his uniform upon returning to the U.S. Rodriguez states that she heard and saw these things but that they were hard for her to absorb or fully understand as a civilian who’s relationship with her husband was independent from the military and his service. She states that the world was in a very different place and time culturally. Rodriguez recalls that this time was very difficult because she did not understand where her husband’s anxiety and depression were coming from and that she felt she was naive to these issues when she married a person who was struggling. Yonemoto-Weston asks what kinds of things Rodriguez was involved with while her husband was away in Vietnam. Rodriguez answers that she attended beauty school and started working in various beauty parlors as she waited for her husband to return. She also states that she found community in her church with other women whose husbands or fiancees were at war. Rodriguez describes this as a traumatic time as the community repeatedly had to experience the loss of friends and family serving overseas. She reminisces about sending letters to her husband while he was away and receiving the letter with the news that he was being discharged. depression ; discrimination ; marriage ; Sacred Heart Chapel ; trauma ; Vietnam 975 Marriage and family life, husband’s journey to recovery Could you tell me more about your life after he was discharged and what that was like? Your married life? Rodriguez discusses how over all her marriage has been wonderful and she feels lucky. She talks about how once she and her husband had children in the 1960s, things started to change in terms of her husband’s mental health and Rodriguez could not understand this shift. She gives examples of how his PTSD would affect the family like that he could only sit facing the windows of a building in public settings and did not like crowds and how this represented a loss of trust in the community around him. Rodriguez describes her husband as not feeling secure during this time. She emphasized however, that her husband was a wonderful father and did not let his mental health issues affect his parenting. In fact, according to Rodriguez, her husband would emphasize to his children that they were lucky to have the things they did in the US and that children in Vietnam did not have the same privileges. Rodrgiuez expresses that she feels that she had to keep a lot secret and hold a lot of her husband’s trauma and that she believes many Vietnam veteran wives feel the same way. She discusses how the creation of VA programs and the expansion of mental health awareness has made things a lot easier for their family in the past few decades. children ; family ; mental health ; VA medical center ; Veterans Affairs 1401 PTSD and cultural mental health education Because it’s, uh, it’s, I have to tell you it’s sad when you see someone you love suffer from anxiety, depression, which is what we know today as PTSD. I didn’t even know what that meant. I remember he used to come home and say, “You know they say I have PTSD!” and I’m like “Well, what’s that?”. So we all had to be educated on that. Rodriguez discusses how awareness around PTSD and veterans’ mental health has become more widespread in the past 20 years and how this has helped her community and family. She describes that understanding and naming the things her husband has gone through validates her experiences because it was difficult to help her husband through this PTSD. marital relationship ; PTSD ; spouse ; stigma 1599 Pride and strength Was there anything you found to be good or fulfilling about being the wife of a Vietnam vet? Or any positive parts? Rodriguez states that a positive part of being a Vietnam veteran’s wife has made her very prideful and aware of the sacrifices veterans have gone through. She describes feeling glad that she was naive to the atrocities of war while it was happening or else she does not know how the community would have coped. Rodriguez describes the strength, empathy, kindness, and compassion she gained from being a Vietnam veteran’s wife. Though she describes herself as being less trusting as well and feels well aware of the toll war takes on people. She praises her children for enduring the aftermath of their father’s service. familial support ; respect 1911 Message for future generations What message would you like to leave for future generations who might view or hear this interview? Rodriguez describes her message for future generations as to not give up on one’s family struggling with mental health issues as veterans. She describes the importance of continuing to support veterans through the hard times and help destigmatize mental health. future ; love ; support In copyright. video All rights reserved. 0 https://oberlincollegelibrary.org/ohms-viewer/render.php?cachefile=LL_Rodriguez_Merida.xml LL_Rodriguez_Merida.xml Sort Priority This field should be added if you are using the Philly Theme with your OHMSPlugin Suite 0023 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Merida Rodriguez Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2022-10-29 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video https://latinolorain.oberlincollegelibrary.org/files/original/bb086125f2cfd9fa527c70ff4fa47e62.jpg 5258ae329d70bf5c0766821287702a77 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Marty Martinez's Lackland Military Training Center letter Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Marty Martinez https://latinolorain.oberlincollegelibrary.org/files/original/9f6b5aded2d8957bc470edebd0533a17.jpg add3d1ba26742897682ec1821281853e Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Marty Martinez in uniform with a woman Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Marty Martinez https://latinolorain.oberlincollegelibrary.org/files/original/e43a27c155a174602c84f9c6adb4c0fe.jpg a720e92bba8e083683d69bccac6ed13c Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Marty Martinez in uniform at the Chicksands Airforce Base Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Marty Matinez https://latinolorain.oberlincollegelibrary.org/files/original/d4323050418cdb7d9395d46fd8477530.jpg b39e9c6727050bacea0b4caaf940f46f Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Marty Martinez's Selective Service System Registration Certificate Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Marty Martinez https://latinolorain.oberlincollegelibrary.org/files/original/58f7f7c13069238932da7042c9d124ab.jpg 9e9e98b458699c3b174890c5b67454f7 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Marty Martinez's Selective Service System Registration Certificate Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Marty Martinez https://latinolorain.oberlincollegelibrary.org/files/original/85e1756e581b93a5ac4747dd088b403e.jpg dd5d77193615fef5be118e3876930711 Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Raul Garcia Navy Headshot