A People’s History of the Inland Empire Digital Archive

Raul Raya Oral History 2024

2024.006.004

Sound

Two part interview with Anthony Vasquez and Raul Raya in 2024. In the first half, Raul recounts when he came to the United States with his aunts and uncles from Guanajuato, Mexico to San Bernardino, California. Raul's family owned a grocery store. He describes how the city used to look, and how the railroad tracks separated the white neighborhoods from the communities of color. Raul discusses working in the grocery shop, working on an apricot farm, and ultimately working as a chef for 50 years. The second half of the interview includes Raul's daughter, Lydia Raya. They discuss the future of Ybarra's Market, a small grocery store owned and operated by Raul Raya's family, once Raul retires. He is 84 years old at the time of the recording of the interview, and is recovering from some health complications. Raul and Lydia discuss the family, the grandchildren and what kinds of specialty goods people come to Ybarra's Market for.

Immigration

Segregation

Family Grocery Store

Community Life

Small Business

Leon, Guanajuato (Mexico)

San Bernardino (Calif.)

Las Vegas (Nev.)

Palm Springs (Calif.)

Rancho Cucamonga (Calif.)

1950s-2024

Raul Raya

Lydia Raya

Anthony Victoria

2024-02-16

A People's History of the I.E.

.mp3

English

00:20:00