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Elizabeth "Liz" Tana interviewed by Meleia Simon-Reynolds

Thu, 26 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0000

In this interview, originally recorded in person, Elizabeth "Liz" Taytayon Tana speaks with Meleia Simon-Reynolds, a member of the Watsonville is in the Heart team. Liz shares memories of visiting the Philippines with her family, the various homes and neighborhoods in the Pajaro Valley that she and her family lived in, gatherings with her families' extended kinship network which included the Tejada, Taytayon, and Cawaling families, and Filipino dances organized by the Filipino Women's Club of Watsonville and the Caballeros de Dimas-Alang. She talks about the relationship between father, Clemente Vargas Tana, her mother, Estelita "Lita" Taytayon Tabios, and her step father, Dioscoro Tabios. She also explains their work as strawberry farmers in Watsonville and Lita's job in the...

Fred Tejada interviewed by Meleia Simon-Reynolds

Thu, 26 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0000

In this interview, originally recorded in person, Fred Tejada speaks with Watsonville is in the Heart team member Meleia Simon-Reynolds. Fred talks about his father, Godofredo "Godo" Tana Tejada, who immigrated from the Philippines to the United States. He discusses how his father worked various jobs in Seattle and California, and he details his father's work as a foreman for the Bracero Program. Fred goes on to explain how his father met his mother, Meady Dalisay Solomeo in the Philippines, and how his parents moved to Watsonville together shortly after marrying. Fred talks about his father's work harvesting strawberry, lettuce, and brussel sprouts, and he discusses his mom's work in the fields during the day and at the pajama factory at night. Fred remembers helping his father in the fields throughout his adolescence, as well as he recalls his family housing many manong while they lived in Watsonville.

Juanita Sulay Wilson interviewed by Meleia Simon-Reynolds Part 2 of 2

Thu, 26 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0000

In this interview, originally recorded in person, Juanita Sulay Wilson speaks with Meleia Simon-Reynolds, a member of the Watsonville is in the Heart team. This interview is focused on Juanita's mother, Virginia Alice Viner, and her membership and role in the Watsonville Filipino Women's Club, as well as Juanita's own foundational role in the Watsonville High School Filipino Youth Club. Throughout the interview, Juanita describes the events and services the Filipino Women's Club provided to the community in Watsonville. She explains the racial dynamics within the club and community, including how white women like her mother were accepted into the organization. Juanita recalls how her mother saw herself within the community and discusses changing community dynamics when Filipino migrants arrived in Watsonville, especially after 1965. She also details the development of her own identity as a mixed-race person, explaining the ways members of the Filipino Women's club and her mother...

Fred "Freddie" Leo Castillo interviewed by Ian Hunte Doyle

Thu, 26 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0000

In this interview, originally recorded in person, Freddie Leo Castillo speaks with Watsonville is in the Heart team member Ian Hunte Doyle. Freddie details his father Doroteo Lafer Castillo's immigration to the United States from the Philippines through Hawai'i, where he worked on the sugarcane plantations until eventually moving to the mainland to work seasonal agricultural jobs. Freddie explains how Doroteo settled in Watsonville and worked as a sharecropper. Freddie remembers growing up in Watsonville, where he and his sister were raised by his father, Doroteo Lafer Castillo. Fred recalls joining the Filipino Youth Club with his childhood friend Raymond "Ray" Gonzalez, who he refers to as his brother. He also describes working in the fields with Ray throughout high school. Fred talks about growing up half-Filipino and half-Mexican, and he explains how his father introduced him to Filipino culture, primarily through food and cooking.

Tony Baniaga interviewed by Markus Faye Portacio

Thu, 26 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0000

In this interview, originally conducted via Zoom, Tony Baniaga speaks with Markus Faye Portacio, a member of the Watsonville is in the Heart project team. Tony discusses his father Eusibio "Chevy" Margarin Baniaga's migration history including his experience in Hawai'i working in the sugarcane fields and working in the continental United States as a migrant farm laborer. He explains how Eusibio served in the Filipino Infantry Regiment during World War II. He also discusses his mother, Maxima "Sima" Vea Baniaga's experience working in Pajaro Valley agricultural fields alongside Eusibio and her job at Watsonville Canning Company. Tony describes his experiences growing up in the Pajaro Valley including attending Pajaro Elementary and Watsonville High School and working in agricultural fields throughout his adolescence. Tony also reflects on his time in the navy from 1969 to 1975, his service during the Vietnam War, his experiences while he was stationed in the Philippines and racial...

Raymond Gonzalez interviewed by Una Lynch

Thu, 26 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0000

In this interview, originally recorded over Zoom, Raymond "Ray" Gonzalez speaks with Watsonville is in the Heart team member Una Lynch. Ray talks about his mother, Margaret Sanchez, a Mexican woman who moved from Texas around the country to search for work. He explains how she eventually settled in Salinas, working in agriculture and as a cook in the labor camps. Ray goes on to talk about how his mother met his stepfather, Benito Acosta Nerona, while working in the canneries. Benito immigrated to Watsonville from the Philippines to work as an agricultural laborer. Ray speaks about the hardships his stepfather endured while working in the fields, and he describes the union meetings his parents would host at their family home. Though Ray is not ethnically Filipino, he shares his feelings of respect and pride for the Filipino community in Watsonville that his stepfather passed down to him. Ray also reminisces about being involved in the Filipino Youth Club and the tight-knit Filipino...

Lorraine "Rain" Bongolan interviewed by Una Lynch

Thu, 26 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0000

In this interview, originally recorded in person, Lorraine "Rain" Sipin Bongolan speaks with Watsonville is in the Heart team member, Una Lynch. Rain talks about her father, Felix Hidalgo Bongolan's immigration from Santiago, Ilocos Sur, Philippines to Oahu, Hawai'i where he worked as a foreman for Dole pineapple plantations during the 1940s. She shares how Felix met Irene "Inning" Sipin. They communicated via letters until Felix was able to travel back to the Philippines to marry Irene in 1951. Rain also talks about her mother, Irene's life growing up in the Philippines during Japanese occupation. Rain explains how her parents eventually settled in Watsonville, where Irene's brothers were already living. She describes Felix's work as a camp cook at a Filipino labor camp on Lee Road in Watsonville and Irene's involvement with Filipino community events. Rain also elaborates on how notions of assimilation and the American nuclear family impacted her experience growing up in Watsonville.

Francine Tabasa Lopes interviewed by Una Lynch, Christina Ayson Plank, and Meleia Simon-Reynolds

Thu, 26 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0000

In this interview, originally recorded in-person at Paradise Villa Assisted Living and Memory Care in Live Oak, California, Francine Tabasa Lopes speaks with Una Lynch, Christina Ayson Plank, and Meleia Simon-Reynolds, members of the Watsonville is in the Heart team. Francine shares stories about her parents, Jesus Torrente Tabasa and Rosita "Rosie" Dionisio Tabasa-Estrada. She explains how her parents migrated to the United States from the Philippines during the 1920s and 1930s and eventually settled in Watsonville. Francine discusses Jesus's agricultural labor and the restaurants and other businesses both of her parents owned and operated in Watsonville. She provides details about Rosie's restaurant business, Philippine Gardens (originally Oriental Cafe). She describes the restaurant's various locations in downtown Watsonville and the gambling operations that existed within the restaurant. Francine also reflects on her experiences growing up under the care of her maternal grandmother,...

Greg Tabasa interviewed by Una Lynch

Thu, 26 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0000

In this interview, originally recorded over the phone, Gregorio "Greg" Dionisio Tabasa speaks with Watsonville is in the Heart team member, Una Lynch. Greg begins the interview by talking about his father, Jesus Torrente Tabasa, who immigrated from the Aklan Province in the Philippines to Hawai'i and eventually to the Pajaro Valley where he worked as a labor contractor. Gred also discusses his mother, Rosita "Rosie" Dionisio Tabasa-Estrada who also immigrated from Aklan and eventually owned and operated a restaurant in Watsonville. Her restaurant was first called Oriental Cafe and later Philippine Gardens. Greg explains the restaurant's significance to the Watsonville Filipino American community. He describes it as a "gathering place" for the Filipino community to connect and eat together. Greg also discusses his parents' roles as community leaders and their participation in organizations like the Caballeros de Dimas-Alang and the Filipino Women's Club of Watsonville. He also...

Samuel "Sammy" Yoro interviewed by Hana Yamamoto

Thu, 26 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0000

In this interview, originally recorded in person, Samuel "Sammy" Yoro speaks with Watsonville is in the Heart team member, Hana Yamamoto. Sammy begins by discussing how his father, Sabino Ivanos Yoro came to the United States from the Philippines and eventually settled in Watsonville to work in the lettuce fields. Sammy talks about how he began working with his father harvesting produce in high school and he describes how working in the asparagus fields helped him become a better track and field athlete in high school. Sammy goes on to describe how the agriculture industry evolved over the years and notes the influence of Cesar Chavez on farm labor strikes. Sammy discusses his involvement with The Independent Farmworkers Union. Sammy also talks about his mother, Gregor Otero, who came to Watsonville from New Mexico to start a family and work in the canneries. Sammy reflects on how growing up in a multiracial community affected his views on his parents' interracial marriage, and...

Rosario Lopez interviewed by Hana Yamamoto

Thu, 26 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0000

In this interview, originally conducted in person, Rosario "Rose" Magdalena Lopez speaks with Watsonville is in the Heart team member Hana Yamamoto. Rose describes how her father, Arsenio "Archie" Soblechero Lopez traveled by ship from the Philippines to California and eventually began working in the fields in Watsonville. She further explains how Archie became sick with tuberculosis from pesticides like DDT that were commonly sprayed in the fields where he worked. His illness led him to quit working in the fields and open a barbershop in Santa Cruz on Mission Street. Rose vividly describes Archie's barbershop, including the smell of Ilokano Food being cooked for lunch and Filipino men gambling, smoking, and even trading produce in the Ace Cardroom that Archie ran in the back. Rose remembers singing Filipino songs at her father's band, Archie and the Islanders. She goes on to speak about her mother, Margaret Yepez Lopez, a Mexican American woman who worked for the canneries and...

John Marquez interviewed by Katrina Pagaduan

Thu, 26 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0000

In this interview, originally recorded in person, John Marquez and his mother, Evelyn Marquez talk with Watsonville is in the Heart team member Katrina Pagaduan. John primarily speaks about his grandfather, Leon Custodio Ventura, who served in the U.S. military and then immigrated to the United States. Evelyn describes her experience traveling by boat from the Philippines to California as a young child. John speaks about his grandfather's experiences harvesting apples and strawberries for Jenson & Son Company in Watsonville. He recalls his time working in the fields with his grandfather when he was younger. He talks about his family's experiences within the Watsonville Filipino American community and remembers that his grandparents taught other Filipino migrants how to navigate U.S. processes including citizenship, Social Security, and banking.

Ruby Baniaga Kaldonis interviewed by Markus Faye Portacio

Thu, 26 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0000

In this interview, originally recorded via Zoom Ruby Baniaga Kalidonis speaks with Markus Faye Portacio, a member of the Watsonville is in the Heart project team. Ruby shares her family's migration experiences in Hawai'i and Watsonville, California. She recalls how her family arrived in the US and explains how her father Romeo Veo Baniaga and her mother Betty Magarin Baniaga, met. She discusses Romeo's and Betty's work in the agricultural, industrial, and domestic sectors. She also discusses Romeo's affinity for gardening and Betty's skills in strawberry picking. Ruby talks about the community networks her family established in Watsonville and her relationships with her relatives that live in the Philippines. Additionally, Ruby reflects on her experience growing-up mixed-race and her "Mexipino" identity.

Ruth Tabancay interviewed by Maia Mislang

Thu, 26 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0000

In this interview, originally recorded over Zoom, Ruth Tabancay speaks with Watsonville is in the Heart team member Maia Mislang. Ruth is a Bay Area-based textile and fiber artist. Ruth explains how her mother Esther Galicia immigrated to the United States from the Philippines to attend Hartnell College in Salinas. Esther's immigration to the US was sponsored by her aunt, Paula Galicia. Ruth discusses Esther's twenty-five years of experience working at Green Giant cannery in Watsonville. Ruth also explains that her father Benny Tabancay worked in the dry cleaning business rather than in the agricultural fields like many other men. Throughout the interview Ruth reflects on her time growing up within the Filipino American community in Watsonville, as well as how her identity and experiences impact her current art practice. She fondly recalls participating in Filipino folk dance classes, wearing traditional Filipiniana clothing, playing street games with neighborhood kids, and making...

Daniel "Dan" Kerubin Fallorina interviewed by Meleia Simon-Reynolds Part 3 of 3