Mr. Reyes was born in Mexico on his family's farm. One of 12 children, he excelled in school, pursuing an engineering degree. He then followed his family to Lufkin, where he worked for Lufkin Industries. After nearly twenty years working, he and his brother opened a Spanish-language newspaper, La Lengua. In his interview, he discusses his childhood and young adulthood in Mexico, assimilation and difficulties in Lufkin, his work career, the creation of La Lengua, and his contributions to the Mexican-American community in Lufkin through his newspaper and civic service.

Ms. Benham was born and raised in Lufkin, Texas. She went to segregated schools in Lufkin before participating in integration during the 1969-1970 school year. She graduated high school and went to college at the University of North Texas. She then became a flight attendant and worked in retail. She returned to Lufkin and worked with her mother, Bettie Kennedy, in the community. In the interview, Ms. Benham describes segregation in Lufkin, experiences with discrimination, problems during integration, discrimination she experienced at UNT, her work as a flight attendant, her time spent in retail, and the work of both her and her mother in the community.