Interview with Velma Spivey, a social worker from Bryan, Texas. In her interview, Spivey discusses her early life, living under segregation, her education, and career.

Interview with Effie Perry, an educator from Bryan, Texas. In the interview, Perry discusses her family history, experiences with racial discrimination and segregation, education, access to healthcare, civil rights activism, integration, her teaching career, union activity, and community service.

Feliz Abalos was born (1979) and raised in Odessa, Texas. Abalos graduated from Odessa High School in 1996 a semester early and attended one spring semester at Sul Ross State University. She graduated from the University of Houston in 2001 and then attended law school at Ohio Northern University Abalos has been chair of the Ector County Democratic Party. She has worked in various local political campaigns since she was a child. Abalos was also a member of the Board of Directors of the Premium Basin Planned Parenthood.

M. Elayne Hunt is a retired educator from the public schools in Odessa, TX, after 36 years; having begun as an elementary teacher, also worked as an elementary counselor for eight years. Elayne retired after nine years as Associate Director of Guidance and Testing.

Torres provides background information on himself and his family in Richmond/Fort Bend county, he talked about generational changes and continuities in terms of education, speaking Spanish/biligual education in schools, and his runs for elected offices In Fort Bend County.

Ms. Moore was raised in Houston, Texas. Her family is from Conroe, and she spent time growing up visiting relatives in Conroe, including her aunt Lucille Bradley. In her interview, Ms. Moore describes her family's history, the career and life of Ms. Bradley in Conroe's schools, and her observations on how Conroe has changed over time.

Agustin Loredo was born in Baytown, Texas in 1974 and comes from a family with long ties to the area. In the 1930s, several family members, including his father, were repatriated even though they were U.S. citizens. Loredo grew up with stories (that he later researched as a college student at UH) about the vibrant Mexican American community in Baytown, including stories of fiestas patrias and Guadalupe Church, the hub for the community. In 1996, he attended the University of Houston, where he enrolled in courses taught by the Center for Mexican American Studies (CMAS). These courses sparked his interest in the culture, history, and eventually encouraged his community involvement. After he spent some time in Austin, he returned to Baytown in the early 2000s. After the Luis Alfonso Torres police incident in 2002, Loredo met Fred Aguilar, and became involved in the marches and protests that followed. Loredo witnessed the coalition of African Americans and Latinos to help the youth of Baytown. He then became a member of the West Baytown Homeowners Association and a board member for the Promise Center (led by Aguilar). A teacher at South Houston High School, he is an advocate for Mexican American Studies …

Hilda C. Martinez was born in 1948 in San Luis, San Luis Potosi. Her family migrated to the United States in 1952 and eventually settled in Baytown. In 1961, when Martinez was twelve years old, her mother passed away from breast cancer and she and her siblings subsequenly lived with several foster families. She attended Lorenzo De Zavala Elementary, the Mexican School of Baytown, and had a culture shock when she attended the integrated Baytown Junior High due to her inability to cultivate friendships as well as her lack of familiarity with the English language. She witnessed segregated public facilities, including department stores and water fountains, and the beating of a man by police when she was in high school. She talks about how teacher beatings in elementary school taught her and other Mexican American children to be obedient and to stay in their place in Baytown. Martinez also discusses how Mexican Americans were reluctant to address employment discrimination at Exxon for fear of losing good paying jobs. She addresses the police brutality case of Luis Alfonso Torres and how she worked with others in a cross-racial coalition to hold the police chief accountable, even though many members of Mexican …

Saenz discussed growing up in Robstown and his career as a political consultant.

Mr. Sayles discussed his career as a longshoreman and growing up in segregated Corpus Christi.

Cresencia Reyes Mendeke ("Chris") was born in the late 20s and raised in Uvalde during the Great Depression. In her interview, she talked about the strict segregation in the town during those years. She attended a "Mexican school" for her early education, and recalled the neglect and disinterest in educating the Mexican American children. She also talked about her father's role as a benefactor in their neighborhood, and of his relationship with a prominent family of Anglo business owners. After finishing school and working in a local Penney's store for some time, Mendeke married and moved around, as she and her husband looked for opportunities in and out of Uvalde. Eventually, they settled in the Los Angeles area, and found professional work. Later, they became licensed realtors and opened their own office in Buena Park. After several decades, the Mendekes retired and moved back to Uvalde in the eighties, and Chris was determined to get involved in local affairs. She joined the local Democratic party and helped run local campaigns; she was also a ranking member of the Mexican American Democrats (later the Tejano Democrats). In recent years, Mendeke spearheaded the restoration and marking of the Nicolas Street School, the …

Interview with Antonio Marin, from El Paso, Texas. In his interview, he discusses his childhood, education, civil rights activism, community involvemen, and experiences with racism in south Texas.

Interview with Carlos Marentes, a farm labor organizer and farm worker advocate from the Juarez-El Paso border region. He founded the Border Agricultural Workers Project and participates in local, state, and national organizations dealing with inequality and climate change. In his interview, Marentes discusses his early life and activism.