Chinatown Renewal Project

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  Interview with Frances Gonzales

  Frances Gonzales and California State University, Monterey Bay

  The interview of Frances Gonzales began with an introduction and some basic facts about Frances. Frances is 43 years old, she is currently homeless and stays at the “Women Alive” shelter in Salinas, Ca. Frances was born in Salinas and stays there now. As a child Frances came to the ... Read More

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  Interview with Henry Hibino

  Henry Hibino and California State University, Monterey Bay

  In this interview, Henry Hibino talks about his and his family’s experiences as Japanese-Americans living in Salinas California before and after World War Two and about the internment of Japanese-Americans during the war. Mr. Hibino, the son of first-generation Japanese immigrant farm laborers, was born and raised in the Salinas ... Read More

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  Interview with Susumu Ikeda

  Susumu Ikeda and California State University, Monterey Bay

  Mr. Ikeda tells stories about his life in Salinas as a Japanese American. He begins by discussing his earliest memories of his life growing up on a farm in the Salinas valley. He tells tales of what it was like working on a farm with his father and describes the ... Read More

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  Interview with Gertrude Imperial

  Gertrude Imperial and California State University, Monterey Bay

  Gertrude Imperial is 80-year-old women of Filipino decent living in Pacific Grove who grew up in Salinas and has stayed in the Monterey Bay area throughout her life. She started off the interview by responding to questions about her early life and her parent’s lives. She went into detail describing ... Read More

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  Interview with Douglas Iwamoto

  Douglas Iwamoto and California State University, Monterey Bay

  Mr. Douglas Iwamoto describes his life as a Japanese American growing up in Salinas, CA. Mr. Iwamoto’s father was a laborer and spent most of his life in the agricultural business, which Douglas continues as his own profession today. He begins by discussing where his parents and he were born. ... Read More

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  Interview with Wellington Lee

  Wellington Lee and California State University, Monterey Bay

  In his interview, Wellington Lee gave a glimpse of his family, and his life in and out of Chinatown. He first gives a detailed history of the migrations of his family into the United States and when his Mother and Father were born. He also talks about where his family ... Read More

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  Interview with Frankie Littlewood

  Frankie Littlewood and California State University, Monterey Bay

  Frankie Littlewood describes her life as Filipino American in the 1950,1960’s, and 1970’s in Salinas, Ca. She is the daughter of two Filipino parents who arrived to California around the mid 1930’s. Her father arrived to California to follow the crops after previously working in Hawaii in the pineapple fields. ... Read More

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  Interview with Loretta Lizama

  Loretta Lizama and California State University, Monterey Bay

  Loretta Lizama was born in 1934 and raised in Salinas, California. Her parents were both immigrants from the Philippines who came to America to pursue a college education. After Loretta was born her parents left their collegiate pursuits behind and entered into the agriculture business. Stanley Rigunay, Loretta's father, worked ... Read More

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  Interview with John Macias, Marina Martinez, Leticia Hernandez

  John Macias; Marina Martinez; Leticia Hernandez; and California State University, Monterey Bay

  John Macias, Marina Macias Martinez, and Leticia Hernandez describe their story growing up with their father Julian who was a migrant farm worker that immigrated with the Bracero Program, and their mother who stayed and took care of the home. John Macias describes working in the fields with the Braceros ... Read More

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  Interview with Kaye Masatani

  Kaye Masatani and California State University, Monterey Bay

  Kaye Masatani described her childhood in the Salinas Chinatown during the late '30s and early 1940s. She is the daughter of a Japanese businessmen, an owner of a bar and Chinese restaurant among other small businesses, and her mother a cook at her father's restaurant. Her, as well as other ... Read More

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  Interview with Grace Mauricio

  Grace Mauricio and California State University, Monterey Bay

  Grace Mauricio describes her life growing up in the country in Salinas as a great experience with many fond memories. Mrs. Mauricio talks a bit about her family history, saying that both of her parents were from the Philippines, and came to the United States for work in 1929. She ... Read More

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  Interview with Clem Morales (2008)

  Clemente Morales and California State University, Monterey Bay

  In part one of this interview Clemente Morales takes us back through his childhood. He explains how his parents met and moved from the Philippines to California to work at the Paso Robles in. Then Clemente takes us through his life during World War II and how his mother Elena ... Read More

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  Interview with Clem Morales (2011)

  Clemente Morales and California State University, Monterey Bay

  Clem Morales is a Filipino American raised in California and the Philippines. He gives a personal record of his parents coming to America in 1926. His parents opened a labor camp in Chualar where Clem Morale was born. His mother would go on to open a Laundromat in Salinas Chinatown, ... Read More

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  Interview with Guillermo Olea

  Guillermo Olea and California State University, Monterey Bay

  Guillermo “Bill” Olea is a second generation Mexican. Both of his parents are from Sonora, Mexico. Mr. Olea’s father worked in Goodyear’s Rubber Company in Los Angeles, Railroad in Texas, and Mining in Sonora, Mexico. Also, they work in agriculture as well in the Salina, Valley. After having problems with ... Read More

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  Interview with Seth Pollack

  Seth Pollack and California State University, Monterey Bay

  The interview details the last year of Seth’s life. He was a recipient of the Fulbright Award and spent a year with his family in Cape Town, South Africa. Seth is also the Director of Service Learning at California State University Monterey Bay. He spoke about his history with CSUMB ... Read More

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  Interview with Gertrude Queturas

  Gertrude Queturas and California State University, Monterey Bay

  Gertrude Queturas is an 86-year-old woman living in Salinas, CA and is an active and involved member of the Filipino community. Born and raised in Sarrat, Ilocos Norte, Philippines, Gertrude was immersed in a family full of teachers. Thus, she and her three brothers also pursued the profession, each gaining ... Read More

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  Interview with Javier Rodriguez

  Javier Rodriguez and California State University, Monterey Bay

  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 ... Read More

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  Interview with Mae Sakasegawa

  Mae Sakasegawa and California State University, Monterey Bay

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  Interview with Simon Salinas

  Simon Salinas and California State University, Monterey Bay

  Simon Salinas, currently district 3 supervisor, describes his life as one of twelve children of migrant farm workers from San Luis Potosi, Mexico. Raised in both Texas and California following the seasons, Simon shares stories of his family during the 1950’s -70’s, focusing on issues of social injustices, education, activism ... Read More

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  Interview with Sergio Sanchez

  Sergio Sanchez and California State University, Monterey Bay

  Sergio Sanchez was born in Mexico City in 1966. He is one of seven children and was 13 when he first immigrated to the U.S. in 1979. In the beginning Mr. Sanchez talks briefly about his life in Mexico. His mother was a nurse and his father was a union ... Read More

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  Interview with Dorothy Shirachi

  Dorothy Shirachi and California State University, Monterey Bay

  Dorothy begins by describing her family. She lists off each member of her family, (one son, two grand-daughters, a brother and a sister, etc). Dorothy then describes how she came to Salinas, CA. She was born in Watergrove, CA and moved to Portland, CA, then moved to San Francisco and ... Read More

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  Interview with Sandi and Fumiko Urabe

  Sandi Urabe; Fumiko Urabe; and California State University, Monterey Bay

  We were in Mrs. Urabe’s home. Mrs. Urabe told us about her family’s life when they were here in Salinas. Her father would work while her mother took care of the household. Her parents had known each other in Japan before they married in the States. All of her siblings ... Read More

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  Interview with Jean Vengua

  Jean Vengua and California State University, Monterey Bay

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  Interview with Ray Villanueva

  Ray Villanueva and California State University, Monterey Bay

  Mr. Ray Villanueva begins his story of Chinatown by telling how his mother and aunts came to Salinas to work in the fields. They were from a village in the state of Jalisco, Mexico. His Father, and two uncles, Felix and Ramon, came from the Philippines. They hopped a cargo ... Read More

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  Interview with Walter Wong

  Walter Wong and California State University, Monterey Bay

  Walter Wong is a Chinese American who grew up in the Soledad Street Chinatown. Starting in the 1800’s with the arrival of his grandfather, the Wong family settled in Salinas, California. Walter’s father met his mother who lived in Monterey, and like Walter’s grandfather, they settled on Soledad Street as ... Read More