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Identifier
RodriguezJavier_2013_CRP
Description
This is an interview with Javier Rodriguez, a person who works in the Chinatown garden in Salinas. Rodriguez has been raised in Salinas most of his life. He and siblings still live in the general area of Salinas. He, Rodriguez, briefly discussed his first experience in Mexico was just the previous year, and mentioned how he spent most of his life in Salinas area. He discussed how he and his siblings grew up, and how their parents kept them in a stable living situation. Rather than moving around to where the job is his parents commuted, and let their children live in a more stable situation. When he was a child his family would go to Salinas in order to get the shopping done, since their locale didn’t meet all the needs. When they went shopping there they would stop for some ribs in Chinatown. These were Rodriguez’s first experiences in Chinatown. However, as the children got older his family no longer went to Chinatown due to criminal activities becoming more noticeable. Rodriguez went back to Chinatown at the age of 18 for undisclosed reasons, but notes the ease of access to anything in Chinatown. He then discusses how Chinatown’s present is quite different from the past, but it still does hold the criminal activity. He states that the criminal activity is more subtle and hidden away now when compared to the past. In the present Chinatown there is more of a community, and it is gradually improving to the point he is willing to bring his daughter with him to Chinatown while he works. Rodriguez notes that part of the reason Chinatown is improving is due to the communal mindset, and the rotation of people coming in and out of Chinatown. He believes this helps get the word out that Chinatown isn’t as bad as it once was, and exposes people to this reality. Near the end Rodriguez discusses how the garden is a place of community for the residents of Chinatown. He then notes how the people in Chinatown look out for the garden, and try to keep it orderly. To further emphasize this point Rodriguez tells us an experience of seeing a resident of Chinatown avoiding entering the garden to not bring violence, or anything of the sort, into the garden. He also discusses his feelings of the museum, and his opinion is that it was a good thing. Rodriguez stated that we need to document our history to learn from it. He says this is what keeps history from being bad, and unsavory instead, since we can learn from it this way.
Interview Date
10-31-2013
Interviewer
Cory Banuelos
Geographic Coverage
Salinas (Calif.)
Subjects
Chinatown (Salinas, Calif.); Migrant agricultural laborers; Community gardens; Community development, Urban; Social services
Type
Moving Image
Genre
Oral histories
Digital Format
video/mp4
Language
eng
Digital Collection
Chinatown Renewal Project
Repository
Archives & Special Collections of California State University, Monterey Bay
Disclaimer
These oral histories express the personal views, memories, and opinions of the interviewee. They do not represent the policy or views of California State University, Monterey Bay.
Recommended Citation
Rodriguez, Javier and California State University, Monterey Bay, "Interview with Javier Rodriguez" (2013). Chinatown Renewal Project. 28.
https://digitalcommons.csumb.edu/ohcma_chinatown/28
Rights Statement
