A People’s History of the Inland Empire Digital Archive

Items

• 

  Anthony Victoria Oral History 7

  Anthony VIctoria describes the evolution of the Inland Empire through the early 2000s into the 2020s, mentioning the growth of the supply chain industry and how that process gradually impacted him and his family’s way of living. Further into the interview, he attempts to outline the responsibilities of residents in the IE, along with the legal actions that said groups could take to combat the unchecked growth of the supply chain industry.
• 

  Anthony Victoria Oral History 5

  In this interview, Anthony Victoria speaks about the different ways in which groups have damaged communities in the Inland Empire, and uses the newly built Amazon Air Cargo Facility as an example to go into the impact that warehouses have had on the environment in the IE. He goes on to talk about the ways in which they trap consumers, forcing them to partake in the destruction of the environment. He acknowledges that the companies provide resources to people, but notes that the practice is exploitative.
• 

  Eva Cordova SPANISH Dec 2021

  This interview deals primarily with the average life of a San Bernandino resident, and outlines the issues that they may have with their municipal government. It highlights on the inequality that remains despite the growth of jobs in the industry, and notes the lack of regulation, or ‘quality,’ in the jobs.
• 

  Anonymous Mira Loma Nov 20 2018

  Anthony Victoria interviews an older member of the Jurupa Valley community and her struggles with the change of environment in the IE, ranging from aspects affecting daily life to outright dangerous health effects. Big concentration in the growth of traffic and cars in the area.
• 

  Angie Balderas Oral History

  Angie Balderas is a lifelong resident of the Inland Empire. Living in San Bernardino County in the early 2000’s she personally witnessed and experienced the negative impacts caused by warehouse “booms” and expansions. These include community displacement and health issues. From a young age, Balderas has been involved in clubs and organizations that have helped serve her community. She credits this passion for public service that involves activism, organizing, and legislative work because of witnessing and suffering from the impacts of environmental injustices. Balderas works alongside many organizations such as “We Are Colton” to help people and communities that have been affected by large corporations. She is fighting for current and future generations to have access to clean air pollution and not have their livelihoods disrupted. Balderas makes it clear that being resilient and having a strong united community is key to fighting back against injustices.
• 

  Copy of Ana Carlos C0084

  Ana Carlos is a resident of Bloomington, California. She is an environmental justice activist who is fighting against the "Bloomington Business Parks” development. In this interview, she drives around Bloomington and demonstrates areas in town that will be replaced by businesses. Some locations she points out are rural areas with livestock and suburban neighborhoods. Carlos mentions that these neighborhoods are being targeted by developers and homeowners are being harassed into selling their homes.
• 

  A Vidaurre 2019

  This interview explores the history of the warehousing industry using Andrea and her family as a focal point for the development of the industry. She discusses her family’s experience, including the injuries and incredibly difficult periods of time where her mom had to live in parking lots, going between one warehouse and the next, and attempts to come to a conclusion of whether the experiences were worth the pain or not. Andrea also describes the climate of the warehousing industry when her parents became involved and the changes which have occurred over the years when they have been working. Additionally, there is some discussion of large corporations like Amazon and Ring and their influence in the industry. The interview concludes with a discussion of how the industry could be improved and steps that could be taken to ensure greater workplace safety for workers, as well as a brief overview of the environmental impact of the trucking and warehouse distribution industry.
• 

  AVidaurre 2022

  Throughout this interview, Andrea gives her thoughts about environmental justice in California, and how political power is important for people on both sides of environmental justice. Additionally, she discusses how the Air Quality Management District is one of the only government agencies that has the capability to enact change when it comes to environmental justice. Following this, Andrea looks at historical attempts to regulate industrialization, in some ways early forms of environmental justice. Returning to the modern day, she lists a few reasons why people should be invested and active in the community of environmental justice and discusses some politicians who are on both sides of the environmental justice issue.
• 

  Christine Roque Oral History

  In this interview conducted by Audrey Maier, inquiries Christine Roque about her knowledge regarding her family’s history with the Citrus Industry and goes into depth about her personal experiences in advocating for her community in Redlands about the construction of warehouses and the fight against the building of a Super Walmart. Christine Roque details her memories of when her father and brothers worked in the Citrus Industry. She briefly mentions the role her father was promoted to and describes what his position entailed. The interview then transitions into a conversation about the beginnings of her involvement in her community and what that involvement looks like. Christine Roque mentions the different groups she was in attempts to push back on general plans and to advocate for equity for all of the different parts of Redlands. Lastly, the interview ends with a conversation about the negative effects of warehouses on people and the community and restates the negative impacts of the Citrus Industry.
• 

  Copy of Ana Carlos C0083

  Ana Carlos drives around Bloomington and describes locations where businesses have begun development. She points out how some businesses are being built near schools and in areas where community events typically occur. Carlos also talks about developers harassing homeowners into selling their homes. Those who agreed to sell had their homes quickly demolished. Carlos points out that this seems like a scare tactic against neighboring homeowners who are refusing to sell their homes.
• 

  Copy of Ana Carlos C0081

  Ana Carlos describes the hardships of being an activist. It takes over every part of her life, including her role as a mother. However, she is adamant about preventing businesses from taking over her city of Bloomington, California. Despite any negativity or discouragement she receives she continues to fight against developments like the "Bloomington Business Parks". Carlos also describes the importance of a community coming together to fight against big corporations
• 

  Copy of C0064S03_Ben_luna_Spanish

  Benjamin Luna’s neighborhood has been affected by a freeway and a growing train track built near their homes. The freeway and train track has been very disruptive. Luna has had to get psychiatric help because he is not able to sleep from the noise of trains and cars passing by. He is also worried about the long term effects of pollution being released into his neighborhood. He and his family are already getting constantly sick. He is unable to relocate because he cannot afford to live anywhere else. The tracks were built so close to his home without any of his knowledge or consent. He and his community's voices have gone ignored or unheard by city officials.
• 

  Anthony Victoria Oral History 2

  Anthony Victoria shows the location of and discusses the BNSF intermodal facility in San Bernardino. He speaks about the company’s plans to expand into neighboring communities, and the reasons behind why some people sell their homes to the company while others are unable to, as well as the history of workers of color being exploited by industry in the inland empire. He mentions his own personal history with the pollution and environmental racism in the inland empire.
• 

  Anthony Victoria Oral History 1

  Anthony Victoria, an inland empire resident and enviromental justice advocate, discusses the railroad and warehouse industry in San Bernardino and the Inland Empire. He describes the pollution these industries put into the air, and the adverse effects pollution has on the communities of color where warehouses and railroads are built. He also advocates for a shift in the way the average person views their communities to become less consumer-driven and turn focus on decreasing emissions and challenging the large corporations exploiting their workforce. Efforts to reform the local laws and regulations in the Inland Empire, he argues, will allow for the betterment of air quality and force representatives to act in what is best for the communities, and not industry.
• 

  Graciela Mendez Oral History

  Graciela Mendez, a long-time Los Angeles resident, expresses her experience as a commuter on the 60 freeway that takes her from Los Angeles County to the Inland Empire. She briefly discusses her upbringing in Culver City Los Angeles and the introduction of the Freeway construction and how it transformed the landscape and everyday life, including traffic, time management, safety, and health impacts. In addition to this Graciela speaks on the negative health impacts of warehouses near Jurupa, Moreno Valley, and San Bernardino. Discussing the carelessness of the city and the consequences being pushed on the working class. Moreover her countless years of experiencing environmental inequity with warehouse implementation in low-income working-class communities as well as freeways and truck stops, she became part of the Peoples Collective for Environmental Justice to assist in creating a better future with reduced warehouse expansion and advocating for community health.
• 

  Copy of Ana Carlos C0080

  Ana Carlos continues to speak about the effects of warehouse expansion and companies buying up land in her town of Bloomington. She talks about homes being bought up and demolished to make room for warehouses and industrial parks. She also talks about how companies, such as Amazon, have made contributions to schools and promises to replace destroyed trees. These are attempts to gain support for their warehouses. However, Ana Carlos explains that these contributions won’t do much for Bloomington. Ana Carlos also recalls seeing similar warehouse expansion in Fontana and Riverside, all in the Inland Empire. Ana Carlos also comments on poor air quality affecting students' health, with increasing cases of Asthma. As well as the heat island effect caused by concrete.
• 

  Copy of Ana_Carlos_C0078

  In this interview, Ana Carlos speaks about the expansion of warehouses in her, unincorporated, city of Bloomington, which is in the Inland Empire. Ana Carlos speaks about her group, concerned neighbors of Bloomington, and the support they have gotten from assembly members. She also speaks about her family, her farm, and her family’s history. Ana Carlos also talks about how warehouses have expanded in Fontana. This was done through companies like Amazon buying up land from residents. Ana Carlos also expands on how Bloomington’s Mac has let down the community. They say that they let the warehouses be built for the community. However, Ana Carlos states that the jobs they bring aren’t good and they also destroy homes and bring pollution. Finally, she talks about how an industrial park is going to be built in the middle of a residential zone.
• 

  Jose Jimenez Oral History

  Jose Jimenez, a teacher and UCR alumni, speaks about how San Bernadino, and his neighborhood, have changed over the years that he has lived in the city. These changes were brought about by the building and expansion of warehouses in the city. Jimenez speaks on how these warehouses, namely those owned by Amazon, have potentially led to detrimental effects on resident's health, safety, and quality of life. Mainly from the resulting pollution that these warehouses create. He also speaks on his involvement with activist groups such as the PC4EJ who are working to protect public health and the environment in the Inland Empire. Finally, Jose talks about his hopes for the future and why he believes telling his story is important.