On this page, you will find excerpts from our growing archive of interviews that document and highlight the unique history of how Latinx community members have fought for the rights of farmworkers and the Latinx community at large. Our focus has been on showcasing the specific struggles and achievements towards making healthcare accessible while also recognizing that health encompasses more than just healthcare—it includes labor rights, decent housing, education, and more.
Our Archive
Our team is actively collaborating with UC Berkeley’s Ethnic Studies Library to prepare our archive to be publicly accessible through University of California’s Calisphere, a free digital library that hosts many digital collections.
As we continue to expand our collection of stories, we invite you to listen and explore the archive on our YouTube page.
Next Steps
Click to watch our interviews:
or
Click to read interview transcriptions:
Listen to one of our interviews with Roberto ‘El Capitan’ Bustos below.
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.
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.
Mayor Rey Leon
In September 2023, the Center invited Mayor Rey Leon to speak at the Latinx Research Center about his experience as a UC Berkeley alum and how he has used that knowledge to implement systemic changes in his hometown of Huron, CA. In this excerpt, the mayor explains why one of his initiatives is crucial for the community both now and in the future.
Jane Garcia
Jane Garcia first started working at La Clínica de la Raza while getting her Masters from UC Berkeley. In 1982, Garcia was made Chief Executive Officer of La Clinica de la Raza. In this excerpt, Garcia talks about her career at La Clinica, the early initiatives she worked on as an employee, and the power of coalitions that have successfully addressed the health needs of the community.
Joanna Uribe
Joanna Uribe is a lifelong organizer, activist, and mentor whose community work has spannedmore than five decades. Uribe’s arrival in San Francisco in 1969 placed her at the heart of a vibrant moment of Chicanx and Latinx activism. She joined efforts with the Bay Area Radical Teachers Organizing Collective (BARTOC) and worked closely with youth with emotional and behavioral challenges. Uribe went on to co-found El Instituto Familiar de la Raza in 1978 alongside leaders like Dr. Concha Saucedo and six others. Her leadership and vision were instrumental in securing funding and shaping the Institute’s mission: providing culturally rooted, bilingual mental health
Our Interview List
Former UFW Organizers:
Lupe Martinez
Mari Perez-Ruiz
Roberto Bustos
Yolanda Chacon-Serna
Ruth Martinez
UFW:
Carolyn Purcell
Dr. Kate Colwell
La Clínica de la Raza:
Jose Joel Garcia (Founder)
Roberto Vargas
Jane Garcia (CEO)
Christina Chavez-Johnson
Rosa Villalobos
Fernando Cortez
Dr. Susan Sykes
Dr. Margaret Payne
City of Huron, CA
Mayor Rey Leon
Dayna Trejo
Ana Trejo
Maria Diaz
Rosa Moreno
Adriana Santos
More:
Sam Maestas (El Progreso del Desierto Founder)
Finn Black (Berkeley Free Clinic)
Robert de la Rosa (OLA RAZA)