Oral History Collaborations

In this interview, originally recorded in-person, Daniel "Dan" Kerubin Fallorina and his wife Anna Kammer Fallorina speak with Watsonville is in the Heart team member Meleia Simon-Reynolds. Dan discusses his father, Mariano Doctor Fallorina Sr.'s early experiences in the Philippines, his migration to the United States in 1927, and his early farm work in Gonzales, Soledad, and other areas in California. He also details Mariano Sr.'s military service in the First Filipino Regiment as well as his mother, Angelina Nicolas Fallorina's experiences of World War II as a teenager in the Philippines. Dan tells the story of how his parents met while Mariano was on leave during the war and how they both migrated back to the US in 1952. Dan also provides vivid memories of his family's life, labor, and leisure while sharecropping for Reiter Berries and living in labor camps off San Andreas Road in Watsonville. He also discusses moving into town, his parents' jobs—Mariano's continued work for local agricultural companies including Jensen Apples and C&V Farms and Angelina's night shifts at United Foods and Watsonville Canning. Dan shares memories of fun with friends while growing up in Watsonville and the many jobs he had as a teen, including working in strawberry fields. Finally, Dan discusses his career in the tech industry, how he met Anna, and how he learned about the Watsonville race riots late in life.