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Identifier
ArmentaFernando_2012_CRP
Description
Fernando Armenta is a Mexican American born in October 24,1948. He was raised and born in Salinas, where his mother was born in Casa Blanca, CA while his father was born in Mexico. His father came to United States in the 1930s, even though the narrator was unsure about the exact year. His parents married and had twelve children, leaving Fernando Armenta as the middle child. Armenta's father worked for Spreckels Sugar Company for forty years while his mother worked in packing shifts. Although he had working parents, Armenta still went out to work small shifts to be able to enjoy more things in life; such as, going to the movies. Fernando Armenta had a fun childhood of always being outdoors and inventing new games to play, but times were also tough for Armenta. At the age of 8, he caught tuberculosis for being mal-nourished and was hospitalized for four months without physical contact. Growing up in Salinas also proved to be a challenge because he was racially segregated for being a Latino in a Caucasian community. With being unmotivated in school and in life because he was stereotyped to not be successful, he proved everyone wrong. Fernando Armenta went to the army and was promoted to be a Sergeant, went back to college and got his graduate degree, volunteered in many organizations ( some involving field workers because it was close to his heart about the mistreatment of farm workers), and was one of the few to be elected on the City Council and school boards. Fernando Armenta has many experiences as being a leader and advocate for better services. He organized the United Farm Workers, created the Vietnam Memorial in Salinas, was a parole aid, etc. Armenta did his volunteer work for the community during college because he found his place in the world as a leader. Although he has personal experience of losing loved ones that were well known in Chinatown, Armenta would do the best that he could if any sources and proposals were given to him. Fernando Armenta is all about helping the community in no matter what shape or form it’s in because he has the knowledge and desire for the community to be a better place.
Interview Date
10-4-2012
Interviewer
Melissa Brubaker
Geographic Coverage
Salinas (Calif.)
Subjects
Chinatown (Salinas, Calif.); Mexican American families; Labor movement; Migrant agricultural laborers; Hispanic Americans--Politics and government
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
Armenta, Fernando and California State University, Monterey Bay, "Interview with Fernando Armenta" (2012). Chinatown Renewal Project. 41.
https://digitalcommons.csumb.edu/ohcma_chinatown/41
Rights Statement
