Generaciones

     Each interview in this chapter includes a couple or group—some from different generations—that offer us a rich perspective of their experience and place in Ohio. There are mothers and daughters, great aunts, and a husband and wife that tell us stories about their own generations, and the journey of how they came to Ohio. Ignacia and Torentino moved to Ohio from south Texas, but met and married in Celina when they were working in the agricultural fields. Rosemari moved from Peru before her daughter Nicole, and tells us about the sadness of being briefly separated from her daughters and how she learned to navigate her new surroundings, which later helped her become an advocate for her daughters. Marian, Yolanda and Lena are three generations of Texan women who have lived in Ohio, or who have ties to Ohio, as in Marian’s case, for many years. Their perspectives of the community, tradition, language, and culture, is telling of the experience of many Latinos in the Midwest. Lastly, Blanca from El Salvador and her daughter Ariana of Salvadoran and Cuban descent, tell us about their deep family bond. While the perspective of each individual is unique here, what is fascinating during these interviews—which transcripts alone cannot represent—is the interaction between them during their time with me. They sometimes finish each other’s sentences, exchange looks that demonstrate a deep understanding between them, and interrupt each other in mid-sentence to make sure the other does not forget an important detail. Most of all, their interactions demonstrate many cultural traits of Latinos, for example: deep respect for older generations, family storytelling, their uneasiness about taking credit for their own personal accomplishments—they often talked about the accomplishments of the other as a source of pride. I encourage you to read the transcripts and view the videos to witness these interactions. (Note: unfortunately, two of the videos from this section have poor audio quality due to a microphone malfunction. Due to the nature of oral history, it could not be re-recorded)