|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 30, 2009
Contact:
, Austin Public Library, (512) 974-7379
Fax: (512) 974-7442
Preserving the Voices of Austin and Travis County Mexican American Elderly Residents
An Oral History Project
The Austin History Center presents the Mexican American Oral History Project, a three part series beginning with an oral history workshop, continuing with a month long oral history preservation campaign, and culminating in a panel discussion with four elderly Mexican American citizens of Austin. Oral history is a tool that grants an opportunity to those voices that have been hidden or silenced to be heard. It allows multiple witnesses to an event or a time period to give their account so that we can better understand the “fabric of our community”. The Mexican American Oral History Project will ensure that the voices of our Mexican American elderly in Austin and Travis County are captured and that their history and memories are preserved for future generations. The project is free and open to the public. For more information please call 512- 974-7498 or visit www.cityofaustin.org/library.
"Oral history interviews offer the opportunity to record events that have shaped our community but that were never written down. Researchers in future years can use these interviews to fill in voids in recorded history." -- Gus Garcia, former Mayor of Austin
About Oral History
The Basics of Conducting an Oral History Interview
Workshop*
April 18, 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. at the Ruiz Branch Library, 1600 Grove Blvd.
10:00 a.m. - 10:15 a.m. Welcome Remarks by Gloria Espitia, Mexican-American Neighborhood Liaison for the Austin History Center.
10:15 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. A chronological history of the Mexican American community in Austin and Travis County presented by Martha Cotera. Ms. Cotera is Chair of the Mexican American Cultural Center Advisory Board, a Writer and a Political Activist.
11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. The Basics of Conducting an Oral History Interview presented byDr. Maggie Rivas-Rodriguez, Professor in the School of Journalism at the University of Texas-Austin and Project Director for the U.S. Latino and Latina World War II Oral History Project.
1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. Lunch on your own
2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Testing 1, 2, 3: The use of audio and digital media in oral history interviews
3:00 p.m. Closing Remarks
* The workshop is free and open to the public but limited to 40 participants. Register by e-mail gloria.espitia@ci.austin.tx.us or phone 512-974-7498. The registration deadline is 9:00 a.m. on April 15.
Preserving the Voices of Austin and Travis County Mexican American Elderly Residents
Oral History Month Long Campaign
May 1 - 31
A full month of conducting oral history interviews with Mexican American elderly (65 and older) who live in Austin and Travis County. Interviews will be conducted by workshop participants and other volunteers.
Memorias Mexicano Americano en Austin y el Condado de Travis
Panel Discussion
May 14, 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. at the Mexican American Cultural Center, 600 River Street
A panel discussion featuring the oral histories of four elderly Mexican American citizens of Austin, Richard Moya, Gabriel Gutierrez, Jr., Toni Arredondo, and Benita Jimenez Dominguez. The discussion will be moderated by Danny Camacho and videotaped by Ramon Galindo.
This program was made possible in part with a grant from Humanities Texas, the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
###
|
