Ms. Miranda was born in Grand Prairie but spent the majority of her childhood in the Rio Grande Valley, where she experienced segregation and poor schooling. Determined to be a teacher, she eventually obtained her degree in education and began working as a special education teacher in Lufkin, the first Mexican-American teacher at LISD. Her husband was born and raised in Diboll, where he worked for Temple Industries. In their interview, Ms. Miranda describes the discrimination she faced in the Valley, her path to becoming a teacher, and her education career. Mr. Miranda describes life in Diboll and working for Temple.

Ms. Brown was born and raised in Lufkin, Texas. She attended segregated schools in South Lufkin prior to moving to North Lufkin, where she attended and graduated from Dunbar High. She became a teacher at a private school and implemented African-American history into her curriculum. In her interview, Ms. Brown describes segregation in Lufkin, the violence and fear of white reprisals, the African-American community, and her career as a teacher.