Jovita Casarez was born in Acuña, across the border from Del Rio. After marrying, she and her family settled in Del Rio and started migrating to many different parts of the United States to work in the fields. After her husband was injured on the job in the 1970s, the family had to move to Madison, Wisconsin so that he could receive treatment. There, she started her career as an organizer after being hired by a farmworkers' rights organization. Upon their return to Del Rio, the Cazares established in San Felipe; a seasoned activist, Jovita became deeply enmeshed in local politics and grassroots activism. Cazares talks at length about several events that impacted her life, including the 1998 floods that destroyed her house, the death of her daughter and other personal and family struggles. In the mid 1990s, Cazares was the plaintiff in Cazares v. Val Verde County, a lawsuit that challenged the practice of allowing former Laughlin AFB personnel from submitting absentee ballots for local elections.

Described her family's Texas heritage, her father's work with the community, and her own work in public and private jobs.

Pablo Avila, former Zavala County Judge, is one of the elected public officials that came to power through the Raza Unida Party. Avila was born and raised in Crystal City in a middle class family. He described his family's interest in politics and his account of public life and the relationships between Anglos and Mexican Americans. His family --his mother especially-- were very invested in national and local politics. After going to college and becoming an attorney, Avila returned to Crystal City and became involved in the local government. Eventually, he ran unopposed for Zavala County Judge and stayed in the post until his retirement in the 1990s.

Interview with Salvador Avila, a civil rights activist from Canutillo, Texas. Mr. Avila discusses his early life, education, career, race relations and his involvement with civil rights and community organizations in the El Paso area.

Discussed his career as a minister and an assistant principal in Corpus Christi.

David K. Baker was born in 1951 In Mckamy, Texas. He graduated from high school in 1969 and then worked for a few months in the oil fields of West Texas. Baker then worked for Southwestern Bell, beginning in October of 1969, and soon joined the Communication Workers of America union. He worked for Southwestern Bell until 2002 and then returned (now to AT&T until 2010). Baker was drafted in 1971 into the Vietnam War. Baker moved to Odessa, Texas in 1980 and then became part of the union’s executive board at the local level, and was president of the local from 1987 to 1990. He is now president of the Permian Basin Central Labor Union.

Dr. Morris Baker was born in 1939 in Ranger, Texas, the son of a mechanic and a domestic worker. As a child in Ranger, Baker lived in a mixed neighborhood of Mexican Americans, poor whites, and African Americans. Although, Ranger had segregated black and brown neighborhoods as well. Baker attended a one-room, all-black school called Slaughter Ward Elementary up to 6th grade. From 6th to 10th grade, Baker had to be bused to Eastland, where education ended for African Americans before they could obtain a high school Diploma. Thus, when the Brown v. Board dissension came in, his parents simply signed him up for classes in the white Ranger High School. Baker was allowed to attend as long as he did not socialize with the white high school female students or attend many of the school’s social events. He graduated as the school’s first African American graduate in 1957. Other African Americans followed. Baker then graduated from Cisco College (A.A. 1959), McMurry University (B.A. in Biology 1963), Harvard University (M.Ed. 1970), The Ohio State University (Ph.D. in clinical psychology 1976). Baker has worked for the Peace Corps, public schools in Los Angeles, California and other cities, and has taught at …

Interview with Salvador Balcorta, the CEO of Centro de Salud Familiar La Fe clinic in El Paso. Mr. Balcorta discusses his family background and education, and the founding of the La Fe clinic. This is the first of two interviews Mr. Balcorta participated in.

Interview with Salvador Balcorta, the CEO of Centro de Salud Familiar La Fe clinic in El Paso. Mr. Balcorta discusses his work in providing healthcare in El Paso and surrounding communities, his Chicano activism,working against gang violence, the Chicano AIDS Coalition, substandard housing and education in El Paso. This is the second of two interviews Mr. Balcorta participated in.

Ruben "Pollo" Barragan is a native of Del Rio, and a proud resident of the San Felipe neighborhood. Barragan talked about growing up in San Felipe and race relations in greater Del Rio, his periodic trips to California to work in the fields, and going to school in the San Felipe ISD. Barragan was one of the eight VISTA workers that were expelled from Del Rio under the request of the County Commissioners Court -- a key event that led to the Palm Sunday March. Later in his life, "Pollo" started Project NINO, a charitable initiative that raised funds to provide toys and other goods to poor children in Del Rio every Christmas. Throughout the interview, Barragan talks about the importance of voter registration drives and his work with Texas Rural Legal Aid.

Humberto Barrera discussed growing up in Robstown and his career as a boxer, which took him to Rome in 1960, as a member of the U.S. Olympic Team.

Fay Batch was born and raised in Fairfield, New Jersey. Her parents were social justice advocates with various organizations, including the NAACP. As a child and teenager, she participated in various rallies and joined picket lines in chain stores to challenge segregation. Upon graduating from high school, Batch attended the University of Southern California from 1975-1979. After graduating from the USC, she moved to the Midland-Odessa area with her husband, also a USC graduate, who was originally from the area. In Midland, Batch began registering African American voters in the east side of the city. Batch was elected to the Ector County ISD Board of Trustees, where she served from 2000 to 2013. In this position, she had a vital role in helping more fully integrate ECISD schools. As an School District Trustee, from 2000-2013, Batch helped oversee the school system reach unitary status under a federal court.

Anita Bouldin and Lula Bell discussed their lives growing up in Corpus Christi, segregation, and the black community.

Eva Benavides was born in 1952 in Baytown. She attended Lorenzo De Zavala Elementary, the Baytown Mexican School, and witnessed segregation in her youth. She experienced a culture shock when she attended the integrated Baytown Junior High. Inspired by her mother's and father's dedication to helping others, Benavides served as a Baytown City Councilwoman and became involved in the West Baytown Civic Association. The Luis Alfonso Torres police brutality case galvanized her and others to forge a cross-racial coalition (United Concerned Citizens of Baytown) to hold the police department accountable. Benavides talks about how Mexican Americans were situated in a segregated Baytown, the importance of Fiesta Patrias, her involvement in the PTO, her determination to become a city councilwoman and her experiences as an Mexican American female representative for a single member district, how she bodly held the Baytown Police Department accountable for the Luis Alfonso Torres case when other Mexican American representative refused to speak out, and cross-racial efforts to address police brutality. She also discusses gentrification and how her community lacks businesses and grocery stores, how she taught citizenship classes for many years, the role of Exxon in Baytown, and how city council representatives have to address race …

Discussed her career as a longtime member of the Texas State School Board

In the first part of his interview, Mr. Bernal talks about his experiences growing up in the west side of San Antonio. He talks about living conditions and the different jobs he had as a young man to help his household. He also discussed the conditions in the area schools, and the way Mexican American youth were steered toward trades instead of going to college. He also talks about his experience in the military; he was sent to the Philippines and Japan. Upon returning to the U.S., Mr. Bernal attended Trinity U., and later became a school teacher. Two part interview.

The second part of a two part interview focuses on the early years of his political career, his relationship with the Good Government League and some of his accomplishments as a state representative. Throughout the interview, Mr. Bernal talks about the political and economic context in San Antonio. At the end of the interview, he talks about the role of Raza Unida in his eventual electoral defeat.

Mr. Mata described his experiences with racial discrimination as a child, school segregation, political changes, his military experience, and generational differences.

Described her family's rural life, her travels, and her parents attempts to shelter her from racism. Also, she described her own encounters with racism in Texas and elsewhere, and her work on behalf of civil rights.

Dora Olivo is a Democratic former member of the Texas House of Representatives. In her interview, she described her education, early work, and her career as a teacher, lawyer, elected representative, and full time activist.

Grady Prestage is the Democratic Precinct 2 representative on the Fort Bend County Commissioners Court in Texas. He was elected in 1990, and his current term extends through 2022. In his interview, he described his early childhood in Louisiana, moving to Texas to work in the oil industry, and his decision to run for office, as well as the challenges of that office.

Ruby Rodgers Dorsey discussed growing up in rural Kendleton when it was an all-black community, her education, her views on what was gained and lost by integration, and her work as a teacher and school board member.

Discussed his early life in a segregated Port Arthur, his education, and his work with youths in the criminal justice system, and later, in education.

Interview with Ann Boney, retired staff of Texas A&M University and president of the Brazos County NAACP from Bryan, Texas. Boney describes her early life and education, her employment around the state, including working at the Benz School of Floral Design at Texas A&M. Ms. Boney also discusses her experiences as president of her local chapter of the NAACP and current community issues addressed by the organization.