Bartolo Marquez Oral History Interview, May 14, 2021

Partial Transcript: What was your childhood like?

Segment Synopsis: Bartolo's parents are from the Mexican state of Michoacán and are Purépecha, an indigenous group of people from Mexico. Dad is from San Geronimo, mother is from Santa Fe de Laguna. Bartolo speaks of the Sierre Madre region of Michoacán, where the native language is still widely spoken and residents have continued to produce clay pots, straw dolls, and other traditional items for commercial sale. Bartolo's parents immigrated in the 1970s to Oregon because of the poverty that they experienced in Mexico.

Keywords: Immigration; Michoacán; Oregon; Purépecha; San Geronimo; Sierra Madre

Partial Transcript: What was it like growing up in Oregon?

Segment Synopsis: Bartolo's mom spoke little Spanish when she first immigrated to Oregon but his dad spoke Spanish well. This made it difficult for his mom to communicate with Americans and Mexicans alike. His mother chose to not teach her kids their native language because of racism and discrimination she had experienced, and fear of how her kids would be viewed. Bartolo and his siblings had to provide translation and interpreter services to their parents, since most Americans assumed that all Mexicans spoke Spanish.

Keywords: ESL; First Generation; Immigrants; Language Barrier; Purepecha Language

Partial Transcript: How do you feel about your mom's decision to not teach you her native language?

Segment Synopsis: Bartolo feels it is unfortunate that there was so much discrimination that his mother felt it best he not learn her language. He felt a loss and disconnect from his culture as a child around other Purepecha children, but he ultimately learned the language in college.

Keywords: Assimilation; College Language; Language Loss; Purepecha

Partial Transcript: How did being both Purépecha and Mexican affect you?

Segment Synopsis: Being Purépecha made Bartolo aware of the existence of many other indigenous groups in Mexico and languages used in Mexico besides Spanish. He recognized that these groups were disenfranchised in the Untied States and began to learn about Chicano Studies.

Keywords: Chicano; Indigenous; Indigenous Mexican; Mexican; Mexican American; Purépecha

Partial Transcript: How did you join PCUN?

Segment Synopsis: Bartolo was aware that his parents benefitted from Reagan's amnesty Act which helped them gain permanent residency. PCUN was an organization that helped farm workers fill out paperwork and learn their rights about amnesty and a pathway for residency. Bartolo had originally studied criminal justice in college but his personal experience with his parents is what led him to join PCUN in 2002, where he originally supported the union through collective bargaining services.

Keywords: Amnesty; Cesar Chavez; Collective Bargaining; Criminal Justice; Immigration Reform and Control Act; Labor Union; PCUN; Pineros Y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste; Reagan; UFW; United Farm Workers; Woodburn'

Partial Transcript: What projects were you part of at PCUN?

Segment Synopsis: Bartolo first worked on collective bargaining, collecting membership dues, translation services, and prepared rallies for farm workers. After three years, he moved to Voz Hispana Causa Chavista. This was a group dedicated to boosting civic literacy in the Latinx community with voter registration drives, information on how and where to vote, and getting parents involved in their children's' public schools. His group created a curriculum around Cesar Chavez for the local K-12 system.

Keywords: Cesar Chavez; Civic Literacy; PCUN; Permanent Residency; Pineros Y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste; Translation Services; Voz Hispana Causa Chavista

Partial Transcript: What were your expectations and motivations around PCUN?

Segment Synopsis: Bartolo had completed an internship with PCUN his freshman year in college and became aware of his interest in helping more farm workers become aware of their worker's rights and labor rights. He also saw that PCUN provided some invaluable skills in how to turn an idea into real social change.

Keywords: Citizenship; Immigration; Internships; PCUN

Partial Transcript: What has PCUN's impact been?

Segment Synopsis: PCUN has transformed the entire state of Oregon. Bartolo recalls PCUN being operated out of a single house in the 1970s, and has now grown into 9 different projects, including Causa Chavista, the successful voter registration program. PCUN helped to revoke the requirement of a driver's license for employment, which cost undocumented immigrants their jobs previously.

Keywords: Causa; Oregon; PCUN

Partial Transcript: How did PCUN affect you personally?

Segment Synopsis: Working with immigrants and farm workers has provided Bartolo with perspective, including from his own mom. He learned that his mom was originally worried about him joining PCUN because of the discrimination she faced as an immigrant in Oregon. She worried that her son would be retaliated against for working for immigrants' rights. This helps him understand the hesitancy and resistance that farm workers he speaks with today may exhibit.

Keywords: Discrimination; Immigration Rights; Oregon; PCUN; Racism

Partial Transcript: What brought you to OSU?

Segment Synopsis: Bartolo first moved to Chemeketa Community College in Salem, OR to focus on education. He struggled at first in learning that federal grants had specific parameters for who he could offer support to, having a difficult time turning away students in need because they did not have SSNs. During that time, he worked with the High School Equivalency Program (HEP) at Chemeketa. After 2 years, he moved to OSU to work at their HEP program, which is a residential program were farm workers can earn a GED in 10-12 weeks.

Keywords: Chemeketa Community College; GED; High School Equivalency Program; OSU; Oregon State University; Salem

Partial Transcript: What did you think of OSU?

Segment Synopsis: Bartolo was familiar with OSU because his wife had worked there since graduating college. He felt it differed from the community college experience because the schools and departments were larger and less connected. He believes there is still plenty of work to do at OSU in terms of DEI, such as bringing in more faculty and staff who are POC. High tuition prices are also a barrier.

Keywords: Community College; DEI; OSU; Oregon State University

Partial Transcript: How has your culture and background influenced your career?

Segment Synopsis: Bartolo witnessed gang activity in middle school, seeing his friends get visited by parole officers. This led to his initial interest in criminal justice, wanting to serve as a PO himself. He also credits his ambition to being a twin, which created a competitiveness between them growing up. His mother once took him to her job as a farm worker to show the two kids what she had to do all day so that they could go to school, making them aware of their privilege.

Keywords: Farm Workers; First Generation; Gangs; Parole Officer; Twin

Partial Transcript: Can you describe any challenges at OSU?

Segment Synopsis: Bartolo recalls some initial confusion surrounding why there might be a HEP program at a university, which many believed should remain at a community college. However, he is proud of the strides they have made since then, such as getting HEP graduates included in the Si Se Puede celebration at OSU alongside undergraduates.

Keywords: GED; HEP; OSU; Oregon State University; Si Se Puede

Partial Transcript: Do you have any future goals?

Segment Synopsis: Bartolo is currently in a masters program and strongly believes in higher education. He would like to sit on a school board or city council in the future, and hopes to expand his reach to students from all backgrounds. HEP was refunded for an additional 5 years and he continues to work on looking for new students and tutors.

Keywords: City Council; HEP; Higher Education; LAtinx; Masters; School Board