TRANSCRIPT:
[Evelyn Gallardo]: Hello Runners! Welcome to another episode of “The Runner on Air.” As Hispanic Heritage Month comes to a close, we wanted to hear from some CSUB faculty and students on why it’s important to celebrate this month, along with many other valuable things. I am your host, Evelyn Gallardo, and I will be accompanied by Taylor Redstone in this episode. For this episode we spoke to David Barrera, a newly appointed Professor Assistant, here at CSUB. We also got some insight from to current CSUB students. Here is what they all had to share.
[Dr. David Barrera]: So, my name is David Barrera, and I an Assistant Professor of English here at Cal State University Bakersfield.
[Evelyn Gallardo]: What do your teachings consist of?
[Dr. David Barrera]: Oh, so, right now I’m currently teaching three courses which is: Introduction to Literature, Literature By Women of Color, and Studies in Chicano Lit. And so, my primary teaching and research interests are in Ethnic American Lit, as well as Latinx and Chicanx literature.
[Taylor Redstone]: And what piqued your interest in Latinx Literature?
[Dr. David Barrera]: You know, I kind of stumbled into the world after taking a couple of American Literature courses, and I was really struck by a couple of the authors that had very similar backgrounds and similar stories and histories that they were sharing in their literature, and so that compelled me to further my reading and studies of Chicano/Chicana writers, and specific at the time, this was before Chicanx and Latinx was a thing, but very much the stories, were still, were always around and were always there. So, that really piqued my interest as an undergrad student, and so I took a bunch of classes in Latinx Lit, and then eventually went to graduate school and wrote a dissertation on Chicanx Literature and Art, and now I’m here teaching a couple of those works.
[Evelyn Gallardo]: So, what would you say your Latinx Literature research has consisted of as a whole?
[Dr. David Barrera]: Like what have I studied, or like?
[Evelyn Gallardo]: Yeah.
[Dr. David Barrera]: So right now, so I’ve always been interested in the different ways that the literature and the art responds to the different spaces and geographies that people are working within. So, a lot of my research has to deal with California Latinx cultural producers, so I look at things as various as-photography, novels, poems, murals, performance art, and how all these really make use of different kinds of spaces and different kinds of places. And this gets us to really think about a lot of questions about race, and gender, and sexuality, and questions of belonging. And so that’s been of primary interest, in terms of my research right now. So very much as somebody who is a Californian, as somebody as identifies as Latino, as well, it kind of mirrors some of my own, some about my heritage, but has also helped me to dive into whole other cultural perspectives.
[Taylor Redstone]: And were you always located in the Bakersfield area, or were you coming from somewhere else?
[Dr. David Barrera]: So, for the past eight years, I’ve been up in Northern California, it’s between Sacramento and Davis. So, I completed my PhD at UC Davis, in English. So, I’ve been up there, and so coming back here though, it reminds me a lot of my hometown, Imperial Valley, so it’s very much similar rural, working-class predominantly Latino population. So, been all over California.
[Taylor Redstone]: How do you like CSUB so far?
[Dr. David Barrera]: I really enjoy working specifically at an HIS, like CSUB, right. So that when I am teaching courses, like the ones I’m teaching now, on Chicano Literature, I have students who are either interested in exploring more about what that means as a heritage, or identify with it, right, and want to have a space to talk about that more. Or in my woman of color literature class, right, to really think about the different racial diversity here at CSUB, and so we have like people who actually experience these things that we’re reading in the literature, and so it’s been, I’ve been really grateful to have that experience.
[Evelyn Gallardo]: So, as you know, we are reaching the end of Hispanic Heritage Month. From an administrator’s perspective, why do you think it’s important to celebrate that?
[Dr. David Barrera]: As an institution in California with a large and ever-growing Latinx, Chicanx, Hispanic, whichever you want to use, growing population, we need the space to recognize and honor and celebrate the many contributions of these communities, and the building of Kern County, the building Central Valley, and California state as a whole. So, I wish it were more than a month, but nevertheless, I think that the month allows us to have these various voices in the community out there as well, because I’m speaking now, but there’s also people out who have very different experiences. I’ve been very privileged to be in the educational sphere thus far, but there are some many other valuable voices too. So, the month allows for allows for all these to kind of come together, and also to celebrate, right, that’s such an important part as well. A lot of us go through many struggles in our lives, but to have, again, an occasion to come together as a community to think about our similarities and differences is a really important thing.
[Taylor Redstone]: And would you have any advice on people who aren’t necessarily within those communities, how can they engage and learn more, and just sort of, you know, understand better?
[Dr. David Barrera]: Yeah, I think a big thing is to listen to others, right, to listen to others, to not have assumptions as to what people’s stories and views are, and to engage, engage with others as a way to learn and also to build respect for Hispanic communities.
[Taylor Redstone]: What is something you’d tell your past self, so what maybe could you tell your past self that could maybe apply to students?
[Dr. David Barrera]: Well, I have been first-gen since the beginning- I was once a first-gen undergrad student, graduate student, and now, you know, professor and scholar. And so, I think a part of my, I’d tell my past self, is to really, is to understand, that first, as someone who studies and thinks about Latinx Literature, that the literature here itself is valuable, no matter who ascribes value to it whatsoever, that it does have importance in the world, and sometimes, you know, we kind of doubt, you know, “What am I gonna do with this major?” “What am I gonna do with this literature?” “Is this, does this live up to kind of the great American authors?” No! Like this stuff is amazing! So, it’s like, to not forget that from the get-go, and to listen to your gut. And so, if this is, you know, I invite students to further explore whatever literature topic you know, inspires them, enlightens them. So that’s something I would tell my very skeptical younger self who was like, “What am I gonna do?” You know, “What value does, you know, this novel written by this Chicana author?” And then earlier today, I taught some of that literature and the students, you know, loved it. And so, it’s like-believing in the process, I guess is the main thing I would impart to first-gen students, and I’m speaking as somebody who is first-gen, as well, and has definitely been in their shoes and understand the struggles that come with that.
[Taylor Redstone]: Yeah, that was great!
[Evelyn Gallardo]: Thank you!
[Taylor Redstone]: Thank you so much!
[Elvira Parra]: Hello, my name is Elvira Parra, I’m a psychology major. I’m a junior here at CSUB, and I’m a first-gen.
[Evelyn Gallardo]: So, so far, would you say your college experience has been a positive one?
[Elvira Parra]: Yes, I would say it has been a positive one. The professors are very, for the most part, the professors are very helpful and what helps out a lot is office hours, studying together friends, the library is a very quiet place to have more study time, to get assignments done. I would say my college experience has been pretty good up to this point.
[Taylor Redstone]: In terms of diversity, what is something that you notice here in college that differs from your high school experience?
[Elvira Parra]: Okay, I have, the biggest thing I’ve noticed was there’s no, at least to my knowledge, there’s no judgment at all. And I really like that, because whenever I was in high school, there was girls just, not just girls, just everyone in general would gossip over anything. And in college, here, seems much more peaceful. And you do your own thing, you go to class, you do your own stuff at your own pace, which is something I love. Everything’s at your own pace and I would say they’re pretty equal amongst everyone. There’s no like favoritism at all, from what I’ve experienced so far.
[Evelyn Gallardo]: Do you think there’s like a difference like high school, there was more favoritism?
[Elvira Parra]: I would think maybe whenever I, probably in high school, yes. Whenever I had like a Caucasian teacher, they would favor, like, you know, Caucasian students, or stuff like that. And even Hispanic teachers would favor like Hispanic students more, and they would kind of leave like others out. But that hasn’t happened here.
[Taylor Redstone]: Oh, that’s good, they’re kind of seeking to go beyond that.
[Elvira Parra]: Yeah, it’s pretty like open, and there’s no like racism or nothing like that.
[Evelyn Gallardo]: And as Hispanic student, do you feel there is enough resources for you here on campus? Have you ever used any of them?
[Elvira Parra]: As for resources, I have not used any resources. But I know there should be some, I get out of emails on outlook, so I would hope there’s some.
[Taylor Redstone]: Where you, like, you’re noticing a lot of like, they’re reaching out to the students a lot. There’s a lot of communication.
[Elvira Parra]: Yeah, they reach out, which is really nice because I feel like maybe, I don’t know, maybe other colleges or other universities don’t have that attention towards students and are every day, sending emails and reminders. That’s a pretty good resource.
[Taylor Redstone]: Was coming to college ever not an option, and have you ever faced any challenges because of this?
[Elvira Parra]: It was not like it was not an option. My parents and everyone around me always made it open as to, like if ‘it’s okay with you, like if you don’t want to do college, you don’t have to, do whatever makes you happy.’
[Taylor Redstone]: Yeah, Whether it’s college-
[Elvira Parra]: Whether it’s college, whether it’s a job outside of college, as long as you’re happy with your decisions you’re making, as a person, you know, it’s good. But I feel like I set myself those standards, where I would like to graduate and get my own degree and then get a job and fulfill my dreams.
[Evelyn Gallardo]: Yeah, I know that’s a lot of first-generation kids’ dream to like get a degree. So, like, how did your family react to you saying you wanted to come to college, would you say you were supportive, like you have a good support system?
[Elvira Parra]: Yes, I feel like I’ve had the best support system from my family. And also, since I’m a first gen, I have a younger sister and a younger brother so I feel like even, it’s not pressuring to not go to college, especially since I’m seen as sort of a role model, but it would be nice to get up on stage and see my little sister like ‘oh that’s gonna be me one day!’ and supporting me and my dreams. And then seeing her grow up, following my footsteps, that’s something really nice too.
[Evelyn Gallardo]: So, would you say that that’s your motivation, your family?
[Elvira Parra]: Yes, my family is my motivation.
[Evelyn Gallardo]: Okay, and what is some advice you would give to other Hispanics, probably other people who are also first-generation, and following in your footsteps?
[Elvira Parra]: I would say be strict on yourself, be very strict on yourself. Even if like, there’s things that can come up every single day on a daily basis, but if you keep that like mindset… I always keep an agenda on me, so I always write down my assignments and I check them off, and I always check them off by the end of the day. I feel like that’s something, not just first gen, but a lot of students should do.
[Taylor Redstone]: Yea to be like disciplined-
[Elvira Parra]: Yeah, exactly, being disciplined about yourself and just, I don’t know, I think it’s just keeping yourself right.
[Evelyn Gallardo]: Based on what you know now, what is something you would tell your past self?
[Elvira Parra]: Okay, so with time, obviously people grow, and when I was in high school, and even probably honestly first year of college, I was so shy. I’ve always been bubbly, like a bubbly person, but with like, people I knew. So, college obviously gave me like that different perspective of like how to make friends, and my work and my job too. But more so college, because you’re going to a class, you don’t know anyone. And I don’t know where I got the strength, but I started just speaking to like girls next to me. And we would relate like ‘ooo,’ the assignments, and we’ll just speak on anything. So, the only thing I would tell my past self is not to be shy, because I was very shy, and now I feel like I’m a lot more out there, more courageous to speak.
[Taylor Redstone]: So, it’s important to engage, and put yourself out there?
[Elvira Parra]: Engage, yes engage. Engage, especially when it’s in a class, and professors are asking like a question and the room is quiet, yeah.
[Taylor Redstone]: Yeah, It’s like take that moment to step up.
[Elvira Parra]: Yeah, and engage in the classroom, definitely. I feel like that’s something very important that I would tell my past self.
[Evelyn Gallardo]: As a Hispanic woman, do you feel like you’ve had to work harder than others?
[Elvira Parra]: Yes and no, like that’s kind of a. Okay, I would say yes for one part just because my family isn’t very, they did not grow rich or with money. So, I started working at a very young age in the heat. And not everyone goes through that, and experiences that, so the fact that I experienced that firsthand, it gave me like the strength ten times more harder to work for my degree. Just because, I remember working in the fields, and people were telling me like, ‘oh if you don’t get your degree, you’re gonna end up here.’ And it’s hot out there, it’s very hot. And it’s something that I would not like to do. It’s, I’m not shaming anyone that works there, I love the people there, like trust me, and they’re such, they’re amazing people. But I have the opportunity to come to college, so I’ll be staying.
[Evelyn Gallardo]: Yeah. Yeah.
[Taylor Redstone]: Why do you think it’s important to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month?
[Elvira Parra]: I think it’s important to celebrate it because we as Hispanics, we like to, we like to get together as much as we can and interact with one another. And even if it’s like something at school, or mainly like family oriented, If you’re very family oriented, Having like a barbeque or like a carne asada, something small, celebrating it. That seems very, very loving. Yeah, I think that’s why it’s important.
[Jose Juan Garcia]: Hello, I’m Jose Juan Garcia. I’m currently a senior, this is my fifth year at CSUB. I’m studying and my major is biology.
[Evelyn Gallardo]: And are you are first-gen student?
[Jose Juan Garcia]: Oh yeah, in terms of that, yeah, I am a first gen student.
[Evelyn Gallardo]: Perfect, so, would you say your college experience has been a positive one?
[Jose Juan Garcia]: Honestly, for the most part, it has been positive. It kind of got shaky during freshman year and sophomore year, but that’s because of circumstances, like family members dying, things like allocating resources, or like finding more resources here on campus are available to me, and the students. And as time lingered, I kinda realized what those resources were, which is why my junior year and senior year have gone much more successful, things like pantries, CSUB Edible Garden, Student Union, or any other resources here on campus.
[Evelyn Gallardo]: Could you give us a little bit of background about yourself, some involvement with the school that you have?
[Jose Juan Garcia]: Yeah, so a lot of the involvement here at school really kind of starts off around sophomore year with biology club. I would say the instance of my involvement started with biology club as a treasure there, and that’s extended to Students For Sustainability as a treasurer as well, and that was predominantly last year, where we had a variety of events promoting sustainability through any means that range from individual to community kind of thing. My current involvement deals primarily with the kit fox society, where we are an organization dedicated to preserving, protecting, raising awareness, and raising education over kit foxes to the CSUB community, as well as extending ourselves to the community around us, which is Bakersfield.
[Taylor Redstone]: And in terms of diversity, what is something that you notice here in college that differs from your high school experience?
[Jose Juan Garcia]: Honestly there’s a huge, tremendous difference between here and was my high school experience. For my high school, I went to Arvin High, which was predominantly Hispanic and Latino. But here at CSUB you really witness a greater diversity here at CSUB, especially over the past couple years because I realized that the diversity here has increased, and I think that’s hugely attributed to the incoming amount of students that actually President Zelezny has like encapsulated.
[Evelyn Gallardo]: So, kind of going back to your first answer, as a Hispanic student, do you feel there are enough resources for you here on campus, and have you ever used any of them?
[Jose Juan Garcia]: As a first-gen student who has pretty much balanced off the resources here on campus. I have used some of them, and it really depends on like what resources I [was], because for the most part, a lot of it just dealt with financial and just dealing with financial aid. That was pretty much hectic in the beginning because I didn’t know how to kind of like approach them or why to approach them. Through time, it kind of became easier, as well as like using resources such the Food Pantry, which something I really didn’t know like in freshman year and sophomore year, and it became much more easier to access with time and social media with time and so I know they’ve definitely grown, especially cause the CSUB edible garden as well, so I think just exploring those resources or just like becoming more known within the campus of CSUB has definitely helped a lot with my success here at CSUB.
[Evelyn Gallardo]: So, like what is one resource you like would definitely recommend to people?
[Jose Juan Garcia]: I think the primary resources if you’re dealing with like housing, would be like I would say just emailing [illegible] CSUB Professor, it was like Department of Psychology. But in terms of resources, Food Pantry’s always like my go-to personally, cause that’s dealing with food insecurity, so I think that’s really fundamental.
[Taylor Redstone]: And as a first gen student, was college, or was coming to college, was it ever not an option for you?
[Jose Juan Garcia]: It was always really difficult for me to like actually say if it was something for me, just due to the fact that, a lot of it just dealt with growing up in poverty, pretty much dealing with that with a household of five brothers with my mother included. So, it was essentially a single mother providing for my four brothers and I. So, our income typically kind of like adjusted on the poverty line, so around like $22K or less. So that was fundamentally one of the things I wanted to address like after really coming out of high school, debating between either just directly working to help support my family, or going to college and helping with kind of to extend that line of like support. So that was like one of the main, huge personal contentions I had. So, I was more on 50/50 kind of line. But after time, consideration, and push from some of my counselors and teachers from high school, I decided to actually pursue college, and keep it local here at CSUB just to remain the connection here with my family.
[Taylor Redstone]: Yeah, and how did your family react when you said you would be coming to college?
[Jose Juan Garcia]: My family was super ecstatic, especially my Mom, because she knew I’ve always kind of like, been really into school, like the pursuit of education. I’ve been reading books since I was a kid, and the reading varied from like mysteries like physiological stuff, or like just like learning random facts, how like. At the age of like five or six, I was learning how smoking can like affect your lungs, things like that, just random facts, obscure things. But yeah, for the most part, they were all ecstatic, especially my younger brothers because they were like, the youngest ones are like pretty excited to have a brother going to college, so yeah.
[Taylor Redstone]: You’ve got to be like that example of them.
[Evelyn Gallardo]: Yeah, so building off of that, could you describe your support system? Would you say that your family is your biggest motivation?
[Jose Juan Garcia]: Yeah, I would definitely say that my family is my biggest motivation. I definitely have a good variety of friends so that they also push me as well. And in terms of extra besides that, I do have some staff from high school or even middle school that kind of like extend themselves out to me whenever I do need any support. They’re there for me, which is something that I don’t take lightly, which is something like really personal for me. So, I think having that grandiose support system is definitely valuable.
[Evelyn Gallardo]: So, you have, like, you’ve made a connection with your community, and that’s like your support system?
[Jose Juan Garcia]: Yeah, to a great extent. Of course.
[Taylor Redstone]: And what is some advice you would give to other Hispanic, possibly first-generation students out there who perhaps have a similar journey as you?
[Jose Juan Garcia]: I would definitely say just go for it, even if you’re on the edge of it. I think having the experience of getting out there, just doing things that you thought you wouldn’t be capable of is definitely with the opportunity. And it definitely does reap some benefits because you definitely learn to grow as a person, you definitely extend yourself out there, so you do build new connections, and there are resources that are available, just be on the know. So, it’s always willing and best to go out there and explore.
[Evelyn Gallardo]: So, based on what you know now, what is something you would tell your past self?
[Jose Juan Garcia]: Something I would tell my past self is to take advantage more of opportunities that are given to you, as well as the resources that are available to you, because a lot of us don’t really use opportunities, or use the resources that available to us. And we take it for granted, really. But I think people should really be kind of like pushing for more use, because a lot of that use of those resources is dependent on like the funds of the month that people are actually using those resources. So do please use the resources that you’re given.
[Taylor Redstone]: And why do you think it’s important to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month?
[Jose Juan Garcia]: I think it’s really important to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month because it really pays good attribution of the hindrances or the things that have kind of like inhibited a variety of things that we’ve been, like things like socio-economically, been inhibited to, kind of like to pursue education, things like housing, and a variety of other factors. So, I definitely think it’s worth considering and worth noting that there are disadvantages that we have, but also, be willing to know that we do have some advantages now, and that they are eventually gonna be growing much more extensively. So yeah.
[Evelyn Gallardo]: As a Hispanic student, would you say there were more challenges for you, do you think there were more challenges for you than perhaps another demographic?
[Jose Juan Garcia]: Yeah, I think a lot of it pays a tribute to like where you grow, where you like kinda like grow up, where you are, because just thinking about the conceptual part of like a single mother having like a variety of kids and living below the poverty line. It’s worth considering I could have been attributed to pursuing a not-so-ideal life of crime, because there were definitely some bad aspects within my childhood. So, I think just because of that support system that I mentioned earlier, it’s kind of pushed me into a direction, one much more focused with education. So, a lot of it does deal with where you grow up and how you grow up, and coincidentally the area that I grew up was predominantly Latino, Hispanic, so, and a lot of that is attributed to things like how income affects property taxes, and how much money schools receive. So, Arvin High is well attributed to being surrounded by low-income community, Arvin. But yeah, a lot of it does attribute to where you grow up, how you grow, and pretty much, your cultural upbringing.
[Taylor Redstone]: Are there any particular experiences within your Hispanic culture that you are particularly like proud of, or is there like is there something that you, you know, really like about your heritage that you’d wanna share with people?
[Jose Juan Garcia]: I think one of the biggest things that I do love is the connection with family. I think that’s one of the most idealized things, and we even see that in a lot of media. So, I think that’s probably the most fundamental part because it does bring into consideration that there’s more to an individual, and that’s community. That would be my highlight for sure though.
[Taylor Redstone]: Yeah definitely.
[Evelyn Gallardo]: Great answer, is there anything else you would like to share just for any students?
[Jose Juan Garcia]: Any advice, regardless of the students or regardless of the outcome, I would say that if you’re thinking of something, or you want to pursue something, I’d say go for it with full intention, regardless of outcome, because you never know what’s worth waiting at the end of the line.
[Evelyn Gallardo]: That’s great. Amazing answers. Thank you.
[Taylor Redstone]: Yeah, that was great.
[Taylor Redstone]: Thank you so much for listening to this episode of The Runner on Air. We want to say a huge thank you to Dr. Barrera, Elvira Parra, and Jose Juan Garcia. As always, we hope you enjoyed. Follow us on our socials @therunner_csub so you won’t miss out on any information and make sure to check out any recent stories on therunneronline.com! Have a wonderful day!
Hispanic Heritage Month
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Music Credits:
Intro and Outro Song –
Sequential Elements
Written By Sander Kalmeijer
Performed By The Galaxy News