Oral History Collaborations

In this interview, originally recorded on Zoom, Manuel Bersamin speaks with Watsonville is in the Heart team member, Dr. Steve McKay. Manuel discusses his father, Eulalio "Max" Bersamin's migration history— including his early life in Bangued, Philippines and his labor migration to Hawai'i and California. He describes Max's over fifty year career as a migrant farm laborer in Central California. Manuel explains how his father married Victoria Quintero, a Mexican woman who he met in Mexicali. After migrating to Watsonville with Max, Victoria helped many other family members immigrate to the US resulting in a large, mixed-race family unit. Manuel discusses his and his families' mixed-race, "mestizo" identity. He also reflects on the manongs' experiences as they endured racism and poor labor conditions. He discusses their leisure activities including gambling, cock fighting, and cooking. Finally, Manuel speaks about his father's disillusionment from the "American Dream" as well as his resilience and resistance. Notably, he discusses Max's passionate involvement in the United Farm Workers (UFW). Throughout the interview, Manuel explains the ways that Max's resistance and union participation influenced his own activism and careers as a Watsonville City Council member (2003-2012), mayor of Watsonville (2006-2007), and currently as a grant program director at Hartnell Community College.