Oral Histories

Search

41. Interview of Miguel Luna

Topic:
Social Movements
Environmental Movement
Length:
3.5 hrs.
Language:
English
Audio:
Series Statement:
The series documents environmental activism in the Los Angeles area from the 1970s through to the present day. The majority of interviews are with either founders or knowledgeable participants in major regional environmental organizations. Represented groups embody a wide range of issues, includi...
Biographical Note:
Principal in DakeLuna Consultants, an urban design consulting group. Stream restoration specialist for Heal the Bay, founder of Urban Semillas, and creator of youth-oriented educational courses on watershed issues known as “Agua Universities."

42. Interview of Raúl Ruíz

Topic:
Latina and Latino History
Social Movements
Chicano Movement
Length:
15 hrs.
Language:
English
Audio:
Series Statement:
The interviews in this series document the ideological transformation of the Chicana and Chicano generation in Los Angeles. Dissatisfied with their position in U.S. society, Chicana and Chicano activists built a civil rights movement from the ground up. Interviewees were selected based on their e...
Biographical Note:
Journalist, photographer, and editor for La Raza, a Chicano-movement newspaper. Ran for office as a candidate of the first and only Mexican American political party, La Raza Unida Party.

43. Interview of Irene Tovar

Topic:
Social Movements
Latina and Latino History
Chicano Movement
Length:
11.5 hrs.
Language:
English
Audio:
Series Statement:
The interviews in this series document the ideological transformation of the Chicana and Chicano generation in Los Angeles. Dissatisfied with their position in U.S. society, Chicana and Chicano activists built a civil rights movement from the ground up. Interviewees were selected based on their e...
Biographical Note:
Chicano movement activist, member of the Los Angeles County Mexican American Education Committee. Founding member of the Latin American Civic Association. Involved in the creation of a Chicano studies department at California State University, Northridge.

44. Interview of Félix Gutiérrez

Topic:
Social Movements
Latina and Latino History
Chicano Movement
Length:
9.5 hrs.
Language:
English
Audio:
Series Statement:
The interviews in this series document the ideological transformation of the Chicana and Chicano generation in Los Angeles. Dissatisfied with their position in U.S. society, Chicana and Chicano activists built a civil rights movement from the ground up. Interviewees were selected based on their e...
Biographical Note:
University of Southern California professor of journalism and communication. University of Southern California professor of american studies and ethnicity. First executive director of the California Chicano News Media Association and senior vice president of the Freedom Forum and the Newseum.

45. Interview of Phillip Castruita

Topic:
Social Movements
Latina and Latino History
Chicano Movement
Length:
9 hrs.
Language:
English
Audio:
Series Statement:
The interviews in this series document the ideological transformation of the Chicana and Chicano generation in Los Angeles. Dissatisfied with their position in U.S. society, Chicana and Chicano activists built a civil rights movement from the ground up. Interviewees were selected based on their e...
Biographical Note:
Founding member of the United Mexican American Students (UMAS) organization at California State University, Los Angeles. Chicano studies professor, helped implement Chicano studies program in higher education.

46. Interview of Gloria Arellanes (2011)

Topic:
Social Movements
Latina and Latino History
Chicano Movement
Length:
9 hrs.
Language:
English
Audio:
Series Statement:
The interviews in this series document the ideological transformation of the Chicana and Chicano generation in Los Angeles. Dissatisfied with their position in U.S. society, Chicana and Chicano activists built a civil rights movement from the ground up. Interviewees were selected based on their e...
Biographical Note:
Minister of finance and correspondence of the Brown Beret organization's founding chapter. Administrator of El Barrio Free Clinic and member of the National Chicano Moratorium Committee.

47. Interview of Ricardo Muñoz

Topic:
Latina and Latino History
Social Movements
Chicano Movement
Length:
10 hrs.
Language:
English
Audio:
Series Statement:
The interviews in this series document the ideological transformation of the Chicana and Chicano generation in Los Angeles. Dissatisfied with their position in U.S. society, Chicana and Chicano activists built a civil rights movement from the ground up. Interviewees were selected based on their e...
Biographical Note:
Los Angeles lawyer and administrative law judge with the California Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board. Important in the fight for a living wage ordinance and for a new high school.

48. Interview of Victoria Castro

Topic:
Social Movements
Latina and Latino History
Chicano Movement
Length:
10 hrs.
Language:
English
Audio:
Series Statement:
The interviews in this series document the ideological transformation of the Chicana and Chicano generation in Los Angeles. Dissatisfied with their position in U.S. society, Chicana and Chicano activists built a civil rights movement from the ground up. Interviewees were selected based on their e...
Biographical Note:
Founding member of the Brown Berets, and key organizer of the Chicano Blowouts. Became the second Latina member of the LA School Board.

49. Interview of John Davis

Topic:
African American History
Social Movements
Community Activism
Length:
2 hrs.
Language:
English
Audio:
Series Statement:
This series documents community organizations and institutions that arose in the aftermath of the Watts Rebellion to address issues such as education, employment, healthcare, housing, transportation, and police harassment. The first phase of the series involved interviews with key organizers of ...
Biographical Note:
Associate professor of sociology at Loyola Marymount University (LMU.) Founder of LMU’s African American Studies Department.

50. Interview of Dorothy Green

Topic:
Social Movements
Environmental Movement
Length:
12 hrs.
Language:
English
Audio:
Series Statement:
The series documents environmental activism in the Los Angeles area from the 1970s through to the present day. The majority of interviews are with either founders or knowledgeable participants in major regional environmental organizations. Represented groups embody a wide range of issues, includi...
Biographical Note:
Founder of Heal the Bay, Unpave LA, and the Los Angeles and San Gabriel Rivers Watershed Council. Involved in California Water Impact Network (C-WIN).

51. Interview of Lois Arkin

Topic:
Social Movements
Environmental Movement
Length:
9 hrs.
Language:
English
Audio:
Series Statement:
The series documents environmental activism in the Los Angeles area from the 1970s through to the present day. The majority of interviews are with either founders or knowledgeable participants in major regional environmental organizations. Represented groups embody a wide range of issues, includi...
Biographical Note:
Founder of Los Angeles Eco-Village. Executive director of Cooperative Resources and Services Project.

52. Interview of Gladys Meade

Topic:
Social Movements
Environmental Movement
Length:
7 hrs.
Language:
English
Audio:
Series Statement:
The series documents environmental activism in the Los Angeles area from the 1970s through to the present day. The majority of interviews are with either founders or knowledgeable participants in major regional environmental organizations. Represented groups embody a wide range of issues, includi...
Biographical Note:
Vice president of environmental health for the American Lung Association of California. Governor's appointee to the South Coast Air Quality Management District Board and the California Air Resources Board.

53. Interview of Andy Lipkis

Topic:
Social Movements
Environmental Movement
Length:
6.5 hrs.
Language:
English
Audio:
Series Statement:
The series documents environmental activism in the Los Angeles area from the 1970s through to the present day. The majority of interviews are with either founders or knowledgeable participants in major regional environmental organizations. Represented groups embody a wide range of issues, includi...
Biographical Note:
Founder of TreePeople. Co-organizer of Los Angeles Million Tree Campaign. Involved in Los Angeles urban forest and urban watershed initiatives.

54. Interview of Julia Russell

Topic:
Social Movements
Environmental Movement
Length:
4.5 hrs.
Language:
English
Audio:
Series Statement:
The series documents environmental activism in the Los Angeles area from the 1970s through to the present day. The majority of interviews are with either founders or knowledgeable participants in major regional environmental organizations. Represented groups embody a wide range of issues, includi...
Biographical Note:
Founder and executive director of Eco-Home Network. Founding member of the Eco-Cities Council.

55. Interview of Cruz Olmeda Becerra

Topic:
Social Movements
Latina and Latino History
Chicano Movement
Length:
10 hrs.
Language:
English
Audio:
Series Statement:
The interviews in this series document the ideological transformation of the Chicana and Chicano generation in Los Angeles. Dissatisfied with their position in U.S. society, Chicana and Chicano activists built a civil rights movement from the ground up. Interviewees were selected based on their e...
Biographical Note:
Co-founder of the Brown Berets who protested against unfair conditions in the Los Angeles Unified School District. Founder of the cultural nationalist group, La Junta.

56. Interview of Joe Razo

Topic:
Social Movements
Latina and Latino History
Chicano Movement
Language:
English
Audio:
Series Statement:
The interviews in this series document the ideological transformation of the Chicana and Chicano generation in Los Angeles. Dissatisfied with their position in U.S. society, Chicana and Chicano activists built a civil rights movement from the ground up. Interviewees were selected based on their e...
Biographical Note:
Member in the Chicano Blowouts. Co-editor, writer, and photographer for La Raza, a Chicano-movement newspaper.

57. Interview of Carlos Montes

Topic:
Latina and Latino History
Social Movements
Chicano Movement
Length:
16 hrs.
Language:
English
Audio:
Series Statement:
The interviews in this series document the ideological transformation of the Chicana and Chicano generation in Los Angeles. Dissatisfied with their position in U.S. society, Chicana and Chicano activists built a civil rights movement from the ground up. Interviewees were selected based on their e...
Biographical Note:
Founding member of the Brown Berets, and key organizer of the Chicano Blowouts. Member of La Vida Nueva and the movement to establish the Chicano Studies program at East Los Angeles College.

58. Interview of Lydia Lopez

Topic:
Latina and Latino History
Social Movements
Chicano Movement
Length:
10 hrs.
Language:
English
Audio:
Series Statement:
The interviews in this series document the ideological transformation of the Chicana and Chicano generation in Los Angeles. Dissatisfied with their position in U.S. society, Chicana and Chicano activists built a civil rights movement from the ground up. Interviewees were selected based on their e...
Biographical Note:
Member of Católicos por La Raza protests. Involved in the sanctuary movement in Los Angeles, the resettlement of refugees from Central America.

59. Interview of Hope Mendoza Schechter

Topic:
Latina and Latino History
Social Movements
Community Activism
Length:
6 hrs.
Language:
English
Audio:
Series Statement:
The Community Service Organization, commonly known as the CSO, was founded in 1947 as a civil rights advocacy group that boasted a multi-ethnic membership. Individuals selected for this oral history series resided in Los Angeles during the 1940s and joined the Community Service Organization durin...
Biographical Note:
Co-founder of the Chicano civil rights group the Community Service Organization. First Mexican American woman organizer and business agent for the International Ladies Garment Workers Union (ILGWU), founding member of the California Democratic Council, and a political appointee of the Lyndon B. J...

60. Interview of Vahac Mardirosian

Topic:
Latina and Latino History
Social Movements
Chicano Movement
Length:
7 hrs.
Language:
English
Audio:
Series Statement:
The interviews in this series document the ideological transformation of the Chicana and Chicano generation in Los Angeles. Dissatisfied with their position in U.S. society, Chicana and Chicano activists built a civil rights movement from the ground up. Interviewees were selected based on their e...
Biographical Note:
Chairman of the Educational Issues Coordinating Committee (EICC) during the Chicano Blowouts. Founder of the Hispanic Urban Center Board of Education and the Parent Institute for Quality Education.