Oral History Collaborations

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.