Oral History Collaborations

In this interview conducted in person, Eva Alminiana Monroe speaks with Christina Ayson Plank, a member of the Watsonville is in the Heart project team. Monroe discusses her father's immigration story and the establishment of his barbershop in Watsonville called The Universal Barbershop. She also discusses her father's enlistment in the First Filipino Infantry Regiment and her mother's work as a nurse during World War II in the Philippines where they met. Monroe recalls memories of growing up in Watsonville and the events that her mother organized in association with the Filipino Women's Club. She also discusses her uncle's work in the agricultural fields, experiences with racism, and memories of other manongs in the community.