Oscar Hernández Santoyo and Valeria González Rodríguez

00:00 My name is Oscar Hernu00e1ndez. Santoyo. I'm 27 years old. Today is Wednesday, September 2nd 2020. I live in Petaluma, California. I'm going to be talking with my lady. She's my wife.

00:19 Hi, my name is palladium on Silas. I am 31 years old. Today is Wednesday, September 2nd 2020. I live in Petaluma, California. My partner is Oscar Hernandez.

00:42 Sure, Glad to know we're here together to

00:47 Talk and have a good conversation. And I think we'll be good if we talked about how we experience the education system as first generation migrants. Maybe you could start if you want.

01:08 And I guess you can start wherever you want.

01:25 In Mexico, so when I was

01:29 Living in Mexico. Do I ask you when I was 5 years old so I actually did end up going to school there and I went from what I can remember cuz I was still very young. I had a very sweet education. You know who I am. So I do remember that, you know school was one of my favorite things to do and

02:05 Very encouraging so there is times around school from the very beginning.

02:24 And I know you know what I move to the United States Elementary School.

02:41 Starting in first grade. I started taking ESL classes. So one of the things that I remember how exciting it was to be learning a new language a special place in my heart for ESL English as a second language.

03:11 I don't know if there's any good picture.

03:23 She want to mention your hometown. So everyone knows.

03:38 Rip pretty close to Monterrey Nuevo Leon I didn't get to go to school in Mexico when I was three going on for so I did go to King poor and we lived in Dallas, Texas for

04:08 Maybe a year. I just I don't really remember much of the classroom with my key for teacher and I was wearing a small cap at a plaid shirt that was tucked in some jeans smiling. I guess. I just remember I was always hot.

04:38 That's about it. I don't I don't really remember everything else. So then what maybe 1998

04:50 I should I should back up and say that was born in the city of Leon.

04:55 State of going to want to live in Mexico, and I'm so that you know fast forward to moving in Milwaukee 90 98 is not want to kindergarten Elementary School Longfellow Elementary School on the southside of Milwaukee where you were at.

05:25 I mean, I remember kindergarten a lot more a good amount of friends. And I remember I had it like the biggest crush on running beside and everyone knew my family knew I had a crush on her for like multiple grades remembering. I mean, I don't know what else anything else you want to know, but I remember a couple things from kindergarten like a couple of errands I had a birthday party.

06:08 My stepdad brought Rob cake by the cake and stuff to share and then I remember also remember

06:17 Getting some type of academic award or whatever. It's like that they give trophies for like

06:26 You know good students.

06:29 Remember my graduation, but that's about it.

06:35 So what about what about you? Do you remember any particular memories of like?

06:43 General kindergarten Here in the cave answer

06:50 I guess I remember.

06:52 I really enjoyed specifically first grade. Everything was really new.

06:59 I had friends that I love seeing your school dancehall in elementary school. I have school that I Run 2 is primarily like students with most of the students and the teachers that I was surrounded by spoke Spanish with interesting that I grew up speaking Spanish interested in language.

07:45 You know one of my Fondest Memories and I still have a picture of them is my ESL teacher many many years. He was always like my cheerleader and really supported me and then I would say that I had

08:12 Very memorable and very very encouraging throughout my entire like a mean teacher like a teacher remember

08:28 That was really strict or something.

08:35 Maybe there was

08:38 They just didn't know me and so they knew that I was like really I was really chatty. Actually. I was very chatty student. So whenever we have stuff that you say you are a good grades.

09:13 Well, I guess I was a good student because I remember kindergarten and first grade books. I can read at the end of the year. I got like a trophy for my CAC academics. I don't know grades or whatever. I don't know what criteria that use. I have no idea who is being surprised that I was one of the I think it was like top three students or something. I'm sure they base it on my attendance and you know everything.

09:49 I guess I was good and my mom made sure that I want to school work day. She was super strict about school. Even if I was sick. I would choose to probably make me go unless I was like better with him.

10:00 That's a lot of that with my mom but in the classroom, I think I was it was like a mix I could be like quiet but sometimes you know, I'll be like joking around with friends. I think really in the classroom. I focus a lot but outside of the classroom, like I always have friends who sometimes, you know, we were getting into trouble or I'll get into trouble when stuff with them and young boys.

10:36 You mentioned, you know you're so so I wasn't I think I was in Spanish only single classes until maybe I don't know third grade, but I took English.

10:57 So I don't know what point is. I learn how to speak English. You know, what happens gradually what I remember in kindergarten when I didn't I read in know much English. I was trying to get another student like it's some really do it cuz I didn't know enough English teacher monetary the reasons and I just remembered only word I knew was kick. So I remember I was trying to say something like that cake using hand signals or what but yeah, I guess at some point, you know why I was picking it up quickly and I was taking like English classes with like a grade above me are two grades of our members.

11:47 I feel like there's all these things sometimes happening around me and I just really wasn't fully like understanding how to navigate the system. I was just on my own at work. I don't know. What do you remember anything about your parents? What role they played?

12:08 Now you be in school.

12:12 Growing up. My dad was working full-time and my mom was stay out at homes with me online.

12:20 Younger sibling of the charm my brother and my mom was pretty much a very sensitive of her schooling. She's very involved teachers drop me off at school and pick me up every day.

12:48 So yeah, she was very involved. And anytime I had like I think.

12:54 You know something that was really important to me was all of the cultural events that I was able to participate in and that included like-for-like Hispanic Heritage Month is probably different different dances for all kinds of different making sure my costumes always said I just seen them for me. She would be there for all of them.

13:54 She's always very encouraging and I

13:58 As if she was the one I also encouraged me. This is like Pride or fifth grade, but by fifth grade to take up and instruments, so these acts I picked up the car now. I really actually want to play the drums but. Mall.

14:27 Did you have any sports or activities that you like?

14:33 Yeah, I thinking first grade I was

14:38 Why are school soccer team or are great soccer team? That's the first sport. I remember being involved in but then I remember my uncle started moving to the US and then I'll leave my grandpa. You play baseball all his life until he was like in 50s. I played on a team. So I played baseball with my uncle's never from school and I did enjoy playing it. But at some point, I don't know how old I was maybe close to 10. Like I got hit in the face really hard and baseball and I was bleeding like turned off today.

15:30 For soccer. I kept playing for many years probably until I was from 5 to 12.

15:39 I start I join like I'm soccer club outside of school or Journey house. I think you remember Journey House South Side Milwaukee attorney house was like, you know like a re-creation.

15:54 Non-profit, you have got the community involved. So I join the League through them and summer house painting doors and in The Frigid Wisconsin winners. So I made a lot of friends to that best friend's name is Miguel. I met him in 5th grade.

16:22 Is dad with the coach of a soccer team do nothing to stop playing soccer but in school and not

16:39 I think I was in that involved early like grade school in.

16:46 Different things. I know we only we had like some recitals to like dancing. You know that I think everyone was in love with him that but I hate it. I hate it for for me. I was always singing

17:02 I don't think my family was involved as yours. My mom was mostly involved in like school like come home and do homework. You don't make very strict about that. But in terms of like extracurricular stuff

17:20 You didn't really?

17:25 I don't know which that so much but I was involved in soccer at like I had I guess I'm more of a say to do what I wanted to do. Sometimes I was just running around with friends in the neighborhood causing trouble, but nothing serious.

17:42 So what about when you were older like Middle School?

17:50 Well, I forgot.

17:55 So Middle School, I was a big change for me 6th grade because I'm all Grace was going to school on the southside of Milwaukee with Dinos from school and then English it was all Latinos really have to go to school program student body is primarily African American or black identified students for me because I wasn't used to speaking.

18:51 You know mostly English in school growing up with most Mexican and Latino students in my neighborhood school. Just you know, I had to learn OU different ways to communicate with students of different backgrounds and others also not among students. I think I took me awhile to make some friends. I had that experience cuz I was able to have like a diverse. I don't know what could have been a different person in her.

19:42 Chosen a different path in life, but it was hard to know if you broke Mosey around your community and people who have the same background. It's just it takes a while to get used to it, you know, like all those small but you know, I was always open-minded and

20:24 I had all kinds of friends Middle School.

20:27 African American friends girlfriends on course. There's still a Mexican think it was until like late 7th grade that I really felt more comfortable with new culture and diverse culture.

20:54 I don't know. Why you

20:56 Yeah, I say cuz I also went to email.

21:07 I was mostly see in Spanish and switching to West Somewhere about culture shock. But I think I just embraced it because I really wanted to just have that experience. You know, I I was excited to learn so I went to for Cheney Middle School 6 through 7 6 through 8th grade and my first year it was really funny my 6th grade. I actually had a Spanish class that I was.

21:57 I had to take and it was trying to steal. He was like being a sixth grader and a first grader level class. So I was in a Spanish class, even though I spoke with sludge in Spanish. So something about that wasn't right and you can figure out what to do with me. So they let me finish my homework instantly, but it was nice because then you know people would come out to me all how do you say my school was it was diverse, but I was saying it was primarily white and an American students and the minority.

22:58 Latino students are there only one of my best friends and I didn't know any other I would say it was definitely different but still.

23:17 An interesting upbringing like my two had a lot of friends and two of my friends were Twins. And you know, I would say that like having white friends for the first time in my life opened up doors where I was like, I already nerdy kid. Like I really like to read to do music.

24:05 For some really great memories of just like being involved with school.

24:12 United stay

24:15 I don't know. Like I was it wasn't too bad. I don't really know when it changed for me, but I feel like by the time I got to 8th grade. I started to become a skeptic about certain things. Like I don't know if it's at the age where you start talking about and I think that's when things started out for me. So one of my best friends and I

24:51 Like by 8th grade, we were just like spicy angry little kids and questioning everything in one of the things I was really upset about an eighth grade was that because of my status at the time I wasn't aware about I was unable to go to the Washington DC all of my, my friends were like, why can't you go like it makes no sense. You're a great student like my parents and it was just like I think switch for me. That was like I could be a great student. I still allowed to go to do what my other friends are able to do. That was a big shock and wake up for me either or not.

25:51 Sorry felt like

25:54 There is something that is keeping you from doing things in the same way that your classmates work.

26:02 At work before I answer that I just wanted to

26:07 Follow question like that, you know.

26:12 What are what exactly I meant like what your status meant at least, you know, your trip was coming up and you can go get your parents to talk to you and tell you this is why I can't remember what I remember is asking my parents.

26:35 DACA

26:37 Being really quiet about it at first and then being

26:44 Don't think about it. And I think they were just trying to figure out how to talk to you about it, but they said it wasn't safe. I couldn't happen and so they didn't explicitly ever talk to me about my style. I knew that I was Mexican, but I didn't know I was so and that was something that they did at the time they made it more about my safety.

27:44 Status

27:51 I mean that's really different from my upbringing because from a very early age. I want to say maybe even like first grade I was aware of my status because

28:07 I remember my parents told me but I knew I was born in Mexico. So then that we had class make like a class in my class. We had students who were just makes that is the most amazing to be in a minute with their parents being the first We are family being first one migrate over here most of them from Mexico. So it was funny. We're just tease each other, you know, each other illegal wet back by in Spanish.

28:41 So we would always tease each other, but we didn't it it it wasn't like like her full because we were all Mexican Well spoke Spanish, you know similar background they've been sent to me when we were just ease each other like that. We didn't really care. But sometimes you know, it always depends how you say it. I remember, you know people you would get upset and it just depends how you mean it. If it's more than just teasing right? So I always I knew that that I I was limited to things and I just back then, you know, you didn't have the word undocumented illegal by the way back.

29:27 And I didn't really encounter any bike limitations until I don't know maybe until like

29:39 Maybe Middle School. I think we also had 8th grade trip.

29:47 Yeah, but I was like I said, I was already aware of what I couldn't do. Like I'm okay. I knew I didn't have like a Social Security number so I can you know, I just stayed away from anything.

30:02 That had to do with me getting personal information and since my uncle's all came to the US and and I saw you know, I would have I heard their stories that you know, they would joke about in my family. That's how they cope with everything, you know was joking around each other and go to airports in all this fear. I think I'm going to ask my mom. I would always ask my mom like questions.

30:45 So I guess Knoxville High School is when I when it really

30:52 When I really understood what I meant, you know, I started people start talking about college and you know, I didn't even think you can go to college if you are undocumented. I didn't know of anyone knowing my family went to college know what I needed. So probably not to write my last couple years in high school. I was at the think ahead and what am I going to do in college was not in my plans so fast forward through my Mom married, you know, a different stuff that I was able to get a legal permanent residency in like 2011.

31:37 And that changed my life and I was able to go to college but before that I have no plans really to go to college and I didn't think I could do it and I was just I wasn't like you and I was

31:51 Kind of involved in matters involving school like I would do good when I focus but I had all kind of stuff going on at home, you know friends who sometimes we're up to no good. I'm so I don't know for me. It was a lot different but I don't know how I'm sure you probably experience at my school. So at some point you became aware of what your status is reading that you remember that

32:22 Yeah, I mean it was pretty much when I started High School. I already knew I wanted to go to college always in my plans and I didn't really know what you know, you still a kid and teenager trying to figure out the world. So at the time that I'm going to go to college and you know, I'll get to that when I have to cross it and you know, I still Focus very folks on my extracurriculars.

32:55 Different programs National Honor Society music

33:03 Different after school programs volunteering and until my junior year in high school where I realized after our discussion and my history class about, you know, we were talking about other other countries and the students were saying some very ignorant things about Mexico being sick people living in dirt and has very angry and that's like, you know, and

33:41 One thing led to another and not very emotional conversation and I was just like while I was born there.

33:51 You know the students that are like, oh you all you must be a legal. Where are your papers? Like where are

33:58 Where's your Social Security and harassing me for a while?

34:06 So it was it was then that I realized that and I think I addressed it with my mom and she's like, yeah. Well, you can't do these things like you can't work, which that's something I always wanted to do. I wanted to have a job somewhere. I have my own money and my mom wouldn't tell me why I couldn't work. She would just feel like you should focus on your studies. And finally, I don't have the same opportunities other people that's going to happen. So and by my senior year when I was getting ready to make that with the help of my mom thought out all the resources after being turned on by my guidance counselor, who told me basically flat out you can't go to college.

34:55 You know, we're not going to we're not going to hear that. You know, it's not it's not a

35:05 It's not the end of the road. So me and my mom went to different organizations and one of them that help with school and at the time I walk you so I know that's where my journey 2014.

35:48 And yeah, I think it was just like a really rock you Journey like us at one point there at felt like my world was upside down cuz I thought I wouldn't be able to go to school that I wouldn't be able to go to college and that'll change. You know, even though my parents had not really told me the truth for a long time that they support at me no matter what like they wanted. That was my dream in.

36:16 I need fuel in 2012 when President been President Obama executive action for the DACA and how did it feel to get that really mean for you? So yeah, I'm glad I changed my life completely so college so I had been I dropped out of school for two years because I was basically paying for college out of pocket and I was working at a restaurant as a waitress when the executive order happened then I remember I walked out of the restaurant on my when my shift ended up with my friend and we were crying of so much happiness because we knew that it meant that our life is going to change and so

37:13 Just now we are just both cry with joy, and honestly after that, I you know, I I told I talk to my manager at the restaurant. He's like you and me go back to school support. You will change your shifts here at the restaurant like go back go back to college finish your degree was able to complete my bachelor's in sociology because of all of this, you know, I wouldn't have been able to complete my degree without DACA. I would not have been able to work without DACA College. I started working out law firm and I feel like none of that would have been possible. None of that would have been possible without

38:03 DACA

38:07 Yum, yum mean it change your life and meet when I got my meal permanent residency your green card in 2011 that changed my life cuz I was able to work legally work pay taxes and have it be before being fueled legitimate. I mean, I was working since I was like 11 those who helped my stepdad will construction. But, you know, if you would just pay me and I when I was a teenager

38:46 But then you know, I just felt good being able to go out there on my own and look for jobs and not have to rely on not just my family but thinking that all I can do is like some type of manual labor like construction 2012 uw-milwaukee know where we met him every team, you know, I was able to go to Mexican back to Mexico for the first time and I was my Awakening up.

39:21 No, social injustice and inequality and seeing how you know underdeveloped Mexico is so I wanted him to learn more like why is it this way? Why do people come to the u.s. Specific people in Mexico and studies minor in Psychology. My passion now, but then I got involved in event at on campus and then you were volunteering registering people and I met you

40:05 And then we became friends after that for a few years until we finally got together in 2015 and my residency. I don't know who would have mad cuz I don't know how to change my career.

40:32 Interesting how things work out.

40:42 I'm sorry. Can I ask a question, but I don't know what you meant by the unfortunately.