Selected interview transcript

This interview transcript has been modified for clarity and conciseness.

Esta entrevista fue conducida en inglés. Para leer versión en español de las preguntas y respuestas, haga click aquí.

Did older generations of your family talked about their lives before coming to the San Joaquin Valley and how it compared to their lives here? 

Yes, they did. They mentioned the struggles. All my family members were kids working. They came here and you don’t see kids working. People want a better life for their kids. 

Can you describe your neighborhood and community that you had in Fresno and the one you have now in Visalia? 

In Fresno it was like a small little garage in an alley. It was bad, usually we would have the light being cut off or the gas. We were struggling. Well, my parents were struggling. And it was bad, it was a bad neighborhood. 

We moved to Visalia, and we stayed with my grandparents for a while until my parents were able to get an apartment. But it was way better. 

Have you moved very often, here in Visalia?  

Like three or four times. 

Can you describe the different homes and neighborhoods that you have lived in?

When we first moved in here it was a small apartment. The driveway was so small. There was no space and there wasn’t much we could do around because it was a common main street and cars would pass by. 

Then my grandparents got a home, we moved in with them and it was calm. We had a big front yard. Then we moved again, to a different part of town. The streets were very busy but by then I was in High School, so it was ok if I just stayed in, it was dangerous to play outside. 

What would you say is, besides from your home, the most important place for your community or you?

Besides from my home, my grandma’s house. She has a daycare. That is where we take all our kids. That is where I take my daughter. I pay my grandma to take care of daughter and it helps a lot. It is also the family gathering location for Sundays. 

Lets talk about a typical day for you, think about your typical day 10 years ago. Can you describe your day? When did it start and when did it end? How did you got to place to place? 

I would wake up and go to work. I used to clean houses back then. Then I would go into my next job. I didn’t have a car so sometimes I would ask my brother or aunt or uncle to give me ride to work. I would be off at 9:00. The next day, same thing again. Somebody gives me a ride, or I borrowed somebody’s car and head to work. 

At what time did your day start and what time did it end?

I would wake up before 7:00am and would be off around 9:00am after I cleaned the house that I had to clean that day. Then I had my shift at the restaurant and the latest I would be off would be 10 or 11:00pm. 

Now let’s think about a normal day now. At what time it starts and ends? How do you divide the time throughout the day? How do you move around?

Now I stay home because of COVID, and they closed my work. But I wake up, make sure my brother gets on zoom. Then wait until my daughter wakes up. We go to the kitchen, I make coffee, feed her and then go out and play outside. We love being outside, we spend most of the day outside. Then we get tired, we come back inside and play a game. We wait for everyone to get home. We watch some TV. Next day, same thing

We are going to imagine you are an elective official like City Major and you have unlimited power to make any change to improve your community. What would your top three priorities be?

First, Fund resources for schools and get parents more involved. 

Second, I have been seeing a lot of homeless, specially after COVID, I would do something to help them. 

Third, Health Insurance. With COVID happening I realized there is a way everyone can be covered. We all deserve to be treated. No one deserves to live or die in pain.