Manuscripts

Javier Vasquez interviewed by Dr. José Orozco

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Description: Javier Vasquez's interview includes such topics his mother's work as a seamstress and his father's two jobs: a gardener at The Huntington and at a USA gas station; he remembers his father taking him to The Huntington when he was a child and the camaraderie he saw among the workers, including Jim Folsom and Fred Brandt. He discusses his own education and other jobs before starting at The Huntington. He details the daily work routine in Facilities and the standards of good work as well as the impact of the COVID pandemic and the challenges it presented. The length of the interview is approximately 120 minutes.
Type: Manuscripts(Opens in new tab)
Date: 2021 July 14
Call number: HIAoralhist
Creator: Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens(Opens in new tab)
Provenance: Acquired from interviewees, June 2019-June 2022.

Manuel Moreno interviewed by Dr. José Orozco

Manuscripts

Manuel Moreno's interview includes such topics as his early life and the work of his parents; he also discusses his early education in the Los Angeles public school system. Moreno reviews the different jobs he has held in his lifetime and the philosophy of work that guides him. He notes that he came to The Huntington through his brother and how he eventually came to his current position. He describes his workday at The Huntington, how work is assigned and organized, and how the work is varied, which he likes. Moreno tells of his hopes for advancement at The Huntington to the classification in Facilities of engineer, a position that no Latinos currently hold. Moreno concludes the interview by registering his largely favorable views on working at The Huntington. The length of the interview is approximately 1 hour and 3 minutes.

HIAoralhist

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Leonor Jiménez interviewed by Dr. José Orozco

Manuscripts

In her interview Leonor Jiménez observes how the work at The Huntington is easier than her other jobs working in the fields and in a cannery. She explains how the shifts and work assignments of custodians are arranged here at The Huntington; her husband also works as a custodian in Facilities, but they do not work together. Jiménez also notes her fondness for The Huntington. The length of the interview is approximately 49 minutes.

HIAoralhist

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Shadi Shihab interviewed by Dr. José Orozco

Manuscripts

Shadi Shihab discusses his life in Israel, and his first impressions of California. He speaks at length about the organization of Botanical's work teams and his work as a supervisor and curator. Shihab analyzes the qualities that make for a good worker here as well as a curator. He also discusses his relationship with his work crews, all of whom he has hired. At the end of the interview, Shihab notes how hard working they are and how their pay needs to improve. Shihab reviews how Botanical met the challenge of the San Gabriel Valley windstorm of 2011 that damaged many of The Huntington's plants, trees, and shrubs. Shihab notes his high regard for Jim Folsom, the director of The Huntington's Botanical Gardens; he also mentions such persons as Ann Richardson, former curator of the Camelia gardens, and Fred Brandt, former superintendent of the gardens. The length of the interview is approximately 42 minutes.

HIAoralhist

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John Villarreal interviewed by Dr. José Orozco

Manuscripts

John Villarreal devotes considerable time discussing his childhood in a migrant household (his parents came from Nava, Coahuila, Mexico), offering insights into such topics as bilingualism, work, and education. Because his family belonged to the Jehovah's Witnesses Villarreal discusses this aspect of his family life in detail. In addition he discusses his gay sexual identity and its impact on his family, and how his co-workers view his sexual identity. Villarreal discusses his job interview with Shadi Shihab, also a participant in this oral history program, for a position in Botanical and how Shihab helped him learn on the job. Villarreal also recounts how he transferred to the Rose Garden, and explains his work in this garden, especially his management of the extensive volunteer program upon which this part of Botanical relies to care for The Huntington's famed roses. He discusses social relationships of gardeners outside The Huntington and how the staff, which is mostly Latino, view their opportunities and place at The Huntington. Of note are Villarreal's comments on how staff who work in the gardens view those staff who work in offices. Besides Shadi Shihab, Villarreal also mentions Fred Brandt, long-time supervisor of the gardens. The length of the two interviews is approximately 3 hours and 30 minutes.

HIAoralhist

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Faustino Benites interviewed by Dr. José Orozco

Manuscripts

Faustino Benites's interview includes such topics as discussions of his life and family in Mexico and his work like in the botanical gardens, primarily in the Desert Garden. Benites was originally hired by Fred Brandt to work in the Desert Garden, and the discussion includes a description of a typical day of work in his area, the Cactus Garden, and the difficulty of working with little shade in the heat with cactus plants; he describes how he enjoys interacting with the visitors and talking to the plants while playing rock and roll music from the 1980s. The length of the interview is approximately 90 minutes.

HIAoralhist

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Guadalupe Gutierrez interviewed by Dr. José Orozco

Manuscripts

Guadalupe Gutierrez's interview includes such topics as his early life in Mexico, working in the post office, his marriage in 1960, coming to California, and raising his seven sons. He also discusses the treatment of women in America compared to Mexico, how he learned to work with the roses, the various staff members he worked for and with over the years. The length of the interview is approximately 90 minutes.

HIAoralhist

Javier Vasquez interviewed by Dr. José Orozco

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Manuel Moreno interviewed by Dr. José Orozco

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Shadi Shihab interviewed by Dr. José Orozco

John Villarreal interviewed by Dr. José Orozco

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Guadalupe Gutierrez interviewed by Dr. José Orozco