Carolyn Purcell

This interview features Carolyn Purcell, a nurse practitioner and advocate for farmworker health, conducted by Dafne Faitelson on December 18th, 2024, in San Francisco, California. Carolyn Purcell reflects on her journey from her education at the University of San Francisco to her work with the United Farm Workers and her role in establishing community clinics in rural California. Throughout the interview, Purcell discusses the challenges she faced in providing healthcare to underserved populations, particularly migrant farmworkers, and her experiences in the farmworker movement. She emphasizes the importance of community-based care, the impact of her work on her professional development, and her reflections on the evolution of public health over the years. The conversation highlights the necessity of empathy, the significance of access to healthcare, and the broader social and political issues that shape healthcare outcomes.

Interviewed by Dafne Faitelson. Transcribed by Dafne Faitelson. Edited by Ana Christina Kyle.

Lupe Martinez

In this interview, Dr. Clara Martini-Briggs and undergraduate research assistant Anai Ramos interviewed Lupe Martinez in his home. In the interview, Martinez recounts his time as a migrant worker. He was born in Brownsville, Texas, and grew up on a ranch until his father's tragic death when he was nine. After his father's death, his family moved back California, where they faced hardships but found support from relatives. He worked in various agricultural companies, witnessing and experiencing injustices such as lack of facilities, exposure to pesticides, and sexual harassment of women. Martinez recounts stories of his experiences in the fields, highlighting the harsh conditions and injustices faced by workers. Martinez connected with the United Farmworkers, worked with César Chávez and Dolores Huerta, and became involved in organizing efforts. Martinez recounts his journey from being an organizer in the UFW, starting from when he was invited to join as an organizer by, his involvement in the boycotts, and his mentor Fred Ross, Sr.

Interviewed by Dr. Clara Mantini-Briggs and Anai Ramos. Transcribed by Sofia Perez and Samantha Villasenor. Edited and Translated by Hanny Lemus and Ana Christina Kyle.

Dr. Margaret Payne

Dr. Clara Mantini-Briggs and Dr. Carolina Talavera interviewed Dr. Margaret Payne on June 13th, 2024 at La Clínica de la Raza. In the interview, Dr. Payne describes her early years serving as a pediatric physician at La Clinica de la Raza since the early 1980s, and how the clinic has changed since then. Dr. Payne also discussed her experiences with multiple major pandemics throughout her career, most notably, HIV/AIDS and COVID-19, as well as her involvement with vaccine compliance in the early 2000s.

Interviewed by Dr. Clara Martini-Briggs and Dr. Carolina Talavera. Transcribed and Edited by Maggie Watts.

Dr. Susan Sykes

Dr. Susan C. Sykes is an OB/GYN clinician that has worked at La Clínica de la Raza in Oakland, California for over thirty-seven years. Dr. Sykes received her medical degree from Drexel University College of Medicine and began working at La Clínica de la Raza through the National Health Service in 1987.

Interviewed by Dr. Clara Mantini-Briggs and Dr. Carolina Talavera. Transcribed and Edited by Nathaniel Gallardo.

Fernando Cortez

Fernando Cortez has been involved in the informational technology department at La Clinica De La Raza for over thirty years. He currently serves as the Chief Information Officer and Information Security Officer. Fernando Cortez attended the UC Berkeley School of Engineering as a double major in Mechanical and Nuclear Power Engineering. He was born in El Paso Texas and is fluent in both English and Spanish. Cortez is also a veteran having served in the Navy.

Interviewed by Dr. Clara Mantini-Briggs. Transcribed and Edited by Michael Sanchez

Mari Pérez-Ruiz

On August 31st, 2024, Dr. Clara Mantini-Briggs and undergraduate research assistant Anai Ramos interviewed Mari Perez-Ruiz over Zoom. During the interview, Mari Perez-Ruiz recounts her childhood experiences and the pivotal moments that led her to become a community organizer. Perez-Ruiz reflects on her family and school mentors and the role they played in her educational journey. Despite facing discrimination and challenges at UC Davis, Perez-Ruiz found empowerment through activism and advocacy. Eventually, she went onto work with organizations like the Industrial Areas Foundation and Sacramento Valley Organizing Community to address housing and healthcare disparities. Through her work, Mari has been able to lead grassroots campaigns to create change. At the end of the interview recording, Arturo Rodriguez, co-founder of Central Valley Empowerment Alliance, joined the discussion to reflect on the importance of documenting the history and struggles of the community.

Interviewed by Dr. Clara Mantini-Briggs and Anai Ramos. Transcribed by Sofia Perez. Edited by Audrey Hébert.

Samuel Maestas Interview 1

In this interview, Dr. Carolina Talavera interviewed Samuel Maestas in his home on June 29th, 2024. Maestas was the founder and executive director of the El Progreso del Desierto community health center in Coachella, CA. In the interview, he recounts his early years in the Chicano movement and how he came to be the founder of El Progreso clinic. Maestas reflects on the challenges and successes of establishing the clinic, as well as the various initiatives El Progreso established to serve the community.

Interviewed by Dr. Carolina Talavera. Transcribed and Edited by Maggie Watts.

Samuel Maestas Interview 2

In this interview, Dr. Clara Mantini-Briggs and Maggie Watts interviewed Sam Maestas on March 16th, 2025, discussing his decades-long involvement in the community health center movement. Maestas reflects on his upbringing in Coachella, his early activism during the Chicano movement, and the path that led him to become the founding executive director of El Progreso del Desierto. He describes the challenges of establishing a rural community clinic with limited funding, as well as the innovations he introduced, including mobile clinics, transportation programs, preventive health services, and school partnerships. The interview also explores his later work at the Gardner Health Center in San Jose, his philosophy of community-centered healthcare, and his critiques of shifting public health and clinic leadership models.

Interviewed by Dr. Clara Mantini-Briggs and Maggie Watts. Transcribed by Maggie Watts. Edited by Maggie Watts and Karely Gallegos González.

Cynthia Arnaldo Bonta Interview 1

This interview features Cynthia Bonta, a member of the Union of Democratic Filipinos, an activist, and a volunteer for the UFW, conducted by Dr. Clara Mantini-Briggs, and Cynthia Solorio on July 23rd, 2024, at UC Berkeley’s Latinx Research Center. In this interview, Cynthia Bonta discusses her journey, from her life in the Philippines to her education and activism roles in Berkeley and Delano, CA. Her exposure to the civil rights movement and the strikes fueled her passion and commitment to give back and support communities. She discusses the cultural adjustments, her involvement in the United Farm Workers (UFW) movement, and, most importantly, the activism and work she and her husband did.

Interviewed by Dr. Clara Mantini-Briggs and Cynthia Solorio. Transcribed by Emely Severiano. Edited by Erika Matson.

Cynthia Arnaldo Bonta Interview 2

This interview features Cynthia Bonta, a meber of the Central Valley Empowerment Alliance, an activist, and a former volunteer for the UFW, conducted by Dr. Clara Mantini-Briggs and Cynthia Solorio on June 12, 2025. In this oral history, Bonta reflects on her political awakening and her commitment to community organizing across the Filipino and Latinx farmworker movement. She discusses how her early life experiences with missionaries in the Philippines shaped her understanding of social action. Bonta recounts how her late husband, Warren Bonta, was inspired by Martin Luther King Jr. to become an activist himself, which led him to be a part of the UFW and help establish health clinics throughout California to serve vulnerable communities. Additionally, Bonta describes the harsh working conditions of Filipino farmers and the long-term health consequences, made more severe by gaps in healthcare access. Overall, her narrative emphasizes the importance of history and resistance as essential tools for protecting and empowering marginalized communities

Interviewed by Dr. Clara Mantini-Briggs and Cynthia Solorio. Transcribed and edited by Emely Severiano.

Yolanda Chacon-Serna

Yolanda Chacon-Serna is a lifelong activist and labor organizer, who was born in Delano, California. She has been involved with the United Farm Workers movement led by figures like Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta. From her early childhood participating in strikes alongside her family to her role in shaping healthcare access for marginalized communities, Yolanda's journey is a testament to the enduring legacy of grassroots activism and community empowerment. Through her own experiences and advocacy, she highlights the critical importance of healthcare, education, and environmental justice in ensuring dignity and equality for all.

Interviewed by Dr. Clara Mantini-Briggs and Anai Ramos. Transcribed by Sofia Perez. Edited by Dr. Carolina Talavera and Ivan Lopez.

Ruth Martinez

Dr. Charles Briggs, Dr. Clara Mantini-Briggs, and undergraduate research assistant Anai Ramos interviewed Ruth Martinez in 2022. In this interview excerpt, Martinez recounts how she became a UFW nurse, how working as a farmworker affected the health of her family, and the impacts Cesar Chavez had on her life.

Interviewed by Dr. Charles Briggs, Dr. Clara Mantini-Briggs, and Anai Ramos. Transcribed by Jenny Hernandez Delgadillo. Edited by Ana Christina Kyle.

Transcrip

Roberto Vargas

In the summer of 2023, Dr. Charles Briggs, Dr. Clara Mantini-Briggs, and undergraduate research assistant Nancy Garcia interviewed Roberto Vargas over Zoom. In this interview, Vargas reflects about the decisions that led him to help start the mental health clinic under La Clinica de la Raza.

Interviewed by Dr. Clara Mantini-Briggs, Dr. Charles Briggs, and Nancy Garcia. Transcribed by Jenny Hernandez Delgadillo. Edited by Sol Pauline Jauregui.

Kathy Murguia

This interview features Kathy Murguia, conducted by Sammy Villasenor in Irvine, California on March 29, 2025. Kathy Murguia recounts her journey as she grew up moving around in a military family, her involvement with various activist movements as an undergrad at UC Berkeley, and her experience working with Cesar Chavez and living with his family. She discusses her involvement with the UFW movement and the administrative roles she took on to support the movement. This interview highlights her experience witnessing health care disparities, language barriers that exist, and the lack of resources and marginalization among Latinos and farmworkers. She highlights the importance of educating health care professionals especially in providing responsive care that gives the space to form important bonds.

Interviewed by Sammy Villasenor. Transcribed and edited by Avril Chavez.

Roberto Bustos ‘El Capitan’

In this interview, Dr. Clara Mantini-Briggs and undergraduate research assistant, Anai Ramos, interviewed Roberto Bustos in his home in the Central Valley on August 18th, 2023. In the interview, Bustos recounts what led him to join the United Farm Workers while working as a farmworker, and the moment he first heard Cesar Chavez speak. Bustos also reflects on life after the UFW won their historic contract, when he was trained as a health outreach worker for the county of Tulare. During his career working for the county, Bustos discusses conducting health education and outreach within the farmworker community from AIDS to COVID, and its challenges.

Interviewed by Dr. Clara Mantini-Brtggs and Anai Ramos. Transcribed by Jenny Hernandez Delgadillo. Edited by Frida Diaz Martinez.

Luisa Buada

The interview with Luisa Buada explores her family background, early influences, and lifelong commitment to community health and social justice. Buada begins by describing her diverse heritage. Buada reflects on how her upbringing exposed her to different cultural experiences and social realities. Growing up, she became aware of the challenges faced by immigrant families, farm workers, and marginalized communities. These experiences helped develop her awareness of systemic inequality and the ways that social and economic structures influence people’s health and opportunities. She describes how these early observations helped shape her values and motivated her interest in community service and public health.

Throughout the interview, Buada emphasizes the importance of community based approaches to improving health. She discusses how many health problems are connected to broader social conditions such as poverty, housing, access to education, and environmental factors. Rather than focusing only on individual behavior, she believes that meaningful change requires addressing the structural issues that affect entire communities. Her work reflects the belief that healthcare should be accessible, culturally responsive, and grounded in the real needs of the people it serves.

Interviewed by Dr. Mantini-Briggs and Sammy Villaseñor. Transcribed and edited by Sammy Villaseñor.

José Joel García

This interview features José Joel García, co-founder of La Clínica de la Raza, conducted by Professor Charles L. Briggs, Dr. Clara Mantini-Briggs, and Nancy Garcia. José Joel García discusses his journey from his early life in Durango, Mexico, to his education at UC Santa Barbara and UC Berkeley, where his experiences fueled his commitment to addressing healthcare disparities in the Latinx community. García reflects on the social inequalities he encountered growing up, his involvement in various movements, and how these experiences led him to co-found La Clínica de la Raza in 1971. The interview highlights the challenges García faced and the collaborative efforts that contributed to the clinic’s establishment, emphasizing the importance of community-based healthcare and activism.

Interviewed by Dr. Charles Briggs, Dr. Clara Martini-Briggs and Nancy Garcia. Transcribed by Dafne Faitelson. Edited and Translated by Hanny Lemus.

Dr. Paul Bayard

This interview features Dr. Paul Bayard, a family medicine physician at La Clinica De La Raza, conducted by Dr. Clara Mantini-Briggs and Azucena Morelos on July 30th, 2024. Dr. Bayard reflects on his career trajectory from his education at Harvard and UCSF to his long-standing commitment to providing healthcare for underserved communities in the Bay Area. He discusses the challenges of navigating a broken healthcare system, addressing barriers to care for low income Latinx patients, and developing programs such as HIV treatment initiatives like the TRUCHA program. He also details his experiences during the COVID-19 and H1N1 pandemics, highlighting the difficulties in securing free testing, acquiring vaccines, and adapting care to ensure continued support for patients. Throughout the conversation, Dr. Bayard highlights the evolution of patient care, the impact of community-based health initiatives, and the necessity of culturally competent medical services. His reflections emphasize the resilience of patients, the dedication of healthcare providers in community clinics, and the broader social and structural forces shaping healthcare access.

Interviewed by Dr. Clara Mantini-Briggs and Azucena Morelos. Transcribed by Alyssa Macias. Edited by Karely Gallegos González.

Marc Grossman

This interview took place on Wednesday, August 28th, 2024 in Marc Grossman’s home, led by Dr. Clara Mantini-Briggs and Dr. Carolina Talavera. The interview explores the life and contributions of Marc Grossman, a prominent American labor activist, writer, and longtime spokesperson for the United Farm Workers (UFW) union. Grossman reflects on his e 1960s, detailing his role as press secretary and speechwriter in shaping the UFW’s public messaging and advocacy efforts. He discusses the challenges faced by Latino immigrant farmworkers in California’s Central Valley and highlights the strategies used to bring national attention to their fight for fair wages, safe working conditions, and union representation. Beyond his work with the UFW, Grossman shares insights into his broader commitment to social justice, addressing labor, immigration, and civil rights issues. The interview sheds light on his enduring efforts to preserve Chavez’s legacy and keep the spirit of the farmworker movement alive.

Interviewed by Dr. Clara Mantini-Briggs and Dr. Carolina Antoinette Talavera. Transcribed and edited by Sofia Perez and Maggie Watts.

Ray Telles

In this interview, award-winning filmmaker Ray Telles reflects on his upbringing, his path to filmmaking, and his dedication to documenting Latinx social movements. He discusses how early exposure to union activism and César Chávez shaped his values, and how his films— such as The Fight in the Fields and Bitter Harvest—highlight the links between labor rights and health injustices faced by farmworkers. Telles shares insights into the production of these films, the challenges of sourcing archival footage, and the critical roles of student activism, Dolores Huerta, and El Teatro Campesino in supporting both the movement and farmworker well-being. He emphasizes the lasting need for healthcare access, safe working conditions, and continued organizing to protect vulnerable communities.

Interviewed by Dr. Clara Mantini-Briggs and Michael Sanchez. Transcribed by Hanny Lemus. Edited by Karely Gallegos Gonzalez

David Hayes-Bautista

In this interview, Dr. Clara Mantini-Briggs, Dr. Charles L. Briggs, and Carolina Talavera interviewed Dr. David Hayes-Bautista on February 28th, 2025. During the conversation, Hayes-Bautista reflects on his bicultural upbringing in Los Angeles, tracing his family’s Indigenous and Mexican roots alongside his early experiences with racism and exclusion. He discusses his educational trajectory from engineering at UC Davis to public health at UC Berkeley and UCSF, describing how his activism during the Chicano Movement and his refusal of military induction shaped his lifelong commitment to social justice. Hayes-Bautista recounts the founding of La Clínica de la Raza in Oakland and its early years grounded in community agency, volunteerism, and culturally relevant care. He highlights the clinic’s role in transforming Latino health access and influencing federal models of community governance. The interview concludes with reflections on his academic career at UCLA, his continued research on Latino demographics and health equity, and his efforts to cultivate leadership and voice among new generations of Latino professionals.

Interviewed by Dr. Clara Mantini-Briggs, Dr. Charles L. Briggs, and Carolina Talavera. Transcribed and edited by Karely Gallegos González.

Susana Praver-Peréz

In this interview, Dr. Clara Mantini-Briggs and undergraduate research assistant Dafne Faitelson interviewed Susana Praver-Peréz on September 4th, 2024 in her home. During this interview, Praver-Peréz reflects on her upbringing as the child of immigrants and how this shaped her career in medicine, particularly her work with underserved Latinx and immigrant populations. Praver-Peréz shares poignant stories of her patients, her role in the Women's Health Clinic, and the challenges of navigating healthcare systems, especially during pandemics like HIV/AIDS and COVID-19. She also highlights the evolution of cultural humility in healthcare, her passion for reproductive rights, and the importance of competent patient care. The interview concludes with insights into her transition from medicine to poetry, as a way of processing the emotional weight of her experiences in healthcare.

Interviewed by Dr. Clara Mantini-Briggs and Dafne Faitelson. Transcribed by Dafne Faitelson. Edited by Karely Gallegos Gonzalez.