Documenting Ethnic Studies Struggles Through Oral History (2015)
University of Florida Interns of the Samuel Proctor Oral History Program go on a research trip to Tucson, Arizona and are treated to a panel discussion at Prescott College on March 3, 2015. Moderator Anita Fernandez leads four panelists in a discussion of how oral history is important in ethnic studies. The panelists are Dr. Paul Ortiz, Norma Gonzalez, Sean Arce, and Jonathan Gomez. Edited by Deborah Hendrix. 1 hour, 21 minutes.
Founded in 1994, the Institute of Hispanic-Latino cultures “La Casita” has served as a home away from home for thousands of students at the University of Florida. This documentary begins to tell the story of the students who founded La Casita and the Hispanic-Latino community at UF. The following stories are but a glimpse into the much deeper meaning of the name and place called “La Casita”. This documentary was created from oral histories that are archived in the Samuel Proctor Oral History Program at the University of Florida. Lead interviewers were Nathalia Ochoa and Genesis Lara, and the 2013 Fall Interns of SPOHP. Edited by Genesis Lara, April 2014. 31:34 minutes.
Siempre Adelante features the life narratives of four immigrants from three different countries (Mexico, El Salvador, and Guatemala) who share the struggle of always moving forward. This film offers a minuscule sample of the large immigrant population of Alachua county and north central Florida. These brave individuals allow us to take a peek into their personal struggles with domestic violence, exploitation, family dynamics, and their journey to a foreign land in hopes of providing a better quality of life for themselves and their loved ones. The goal of this film is to impart how religion and the church has been a source of support and motivation for them in the face of fear and discrimination in an unwelcoming land. Siempre Adelante hopes to motivate fellow believers to become part of the immigrant rights movement, and to realize that these stories are a reflection of the lives of their sisters and brothers. Concept by Jaime Zelaya and the Samuel Proctor Oral History Program. Directed by Dr. Paul Ortiz and edited by Deborah Hendrix and Maria C. Muñoz. 44:10 minutes.
Available on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K74p9oD-kqQ and the SPOHP archives by Project ID Cat. No. VIDS 070.