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.