Mr. Durón Guerra grew up in a middle class family in northern Mexico; he lived in several Mexican cities while getting his education. He migrated to the U.S. upon reaching adulthood and lived for a while in Philadelphia before joining the Armed Forces. He finished his military career in Texas, and eventually settled in Austin, where he established the "El Azteca" restaurant, which stands to this day. He has been involved in community affairs for a very long time, and was one of the early members of the Austin G.I. Forum chapter. In the interview, Mr. Durón Guerra talks about the experience of migration, the discriminatory treatment that Mexican Americans received in housing, employment, etc. as well as his activism in community affairs.

Mr. Fernandez was born and raised in East Austin. He says the segregation of the era led to very little interaction with the Anglo community. He worked as a shoe shiner on 6th Street for a while; he recalled the complaints of Anglo business people about "loitering" by African American and Mexican American patrons of the bars and cantinas. Mr. Fernandez talked about the conditions at the schools in East Austin, and about student activism at Johnston High School. The second half of the interview is focused on his work in city and county government and his involvement in labor unions and in local politics. Mr. Fernandez discussed the role of East Austin Mexican Americans in local politics and the relationship with groups like Anglo liberals and environmental groups. He also commented briefly on his involvement in the Austin Brown Berets, and El Concilio as a coalition of neighborhood organizations.