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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.
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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.
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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.
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This small black and white photograph is one of a series of two photograph showing the unidentified young man "before" and "after" donning military uniform for World War II. From unknown civilian to unknown soldier.
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This unidentified man stands in front of a common symbol for the era, the segregated barbershop. For decades, segregation in shops and services was common in Redlands. Manasses Soto recalls: "When I'd go downtown to get a haircut I couldn't get a haircut because the signs said, 'For Whites Only' and that kind of disturbed me because I was a student going to school and I couldn't see it in school with the students too much, but the adults seemed to push it on us. The only person that would take me to give me a hiarcut was Abe. We used to call him Abe Lincoln. He had whiskers and he had a barbershop downtown, and he used to go every year when they had the Lincoln Memorial Parade and they had a celebration for Lincoln at the Bowl, he would go and give a speech and that was very enjoyable to see the guy that gave me the haircuts."
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Three solders identified from left to right as "Babe," Mac," and Nello" pose at a Panama City Bar in 1947. The back reads: "Taken in Panama City, Sept 13, 1947" Nello, Mac, Me, My love (Babe).
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Three soldiers sitting on a rock or log near a forest. They are in military dress and are posing for the camera.
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Black and white photograph of an unidentified woman heading to work at Norton Airforce base during the 1940s. Her hair is short with a headband and she wears overalls. During World War II many women entered the workforce especially in the defense industry. While the common image was Rosie the Riveter, women workers were of all races and ethnicities. Due to federal rules against segregation in the defense industry, Mexican American, African American, Asian American and white women worked side by side on production lines.
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A portrait of an unidentified Mexican American naval seaman in military dress taken at a photography studio. The image is also a post card and has written on back "Daniel, Taken 3 months ago at Fresno"
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"The Guzman family home was located on Stuart Street (515) in Redlands. The house was near the family's Blacksmith shop owned by Carlos' father Epimenio. Connie Guzman McFarland recalled, 'My grandmother [Jesusita] was born in Magdalena, Mexico. That's where they have the coffin of San Francisco Javier .... When she came over, she was a little girl, she brought a sapling of a tree. And that tree, they planted it in front of their house. I think I have the picture of that. And that's why my mom and dad had this type of tree. In fact, those trees are planted, would you believe, at what they call the Catholic Hill at Hillside Cemetary.'" (Vasquez and Carpio, 21)
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The Guzman family home was located on Stuart Street (515) in Redlands. The house was near the family's Blacksmith shop owned by Carlos' father Epimenio. Connie Guzman McFarland recalled, "My grandmother [Jesusita] was born in Magdalena, Mexico. That's where they have the coffin of San Francisco Javier... When she came over, she was a little girl, she brought a sapling of a tree. And that tree, they planted it in front of their house. I think I have the picture of that. And that's why my mom and dad had this type of tree. In fact, those trees are planted, would you believe, at what they call the Catholic Hill at Hillside Cemetary."
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Black and white image of Rafael Gonzalez sitting on the lawn with his daughter Melinda on his lap in the early 1950s. Rafael Gonzalez apprenticed as a shoemaker in Mexico before coming to the United States as a Bracero in 1942. Gonzalez dreamed of returning home and establishing a business but was delayed during the war and was among a group of Braceros stranded in San Bernardino without a contract or transportation home. Later, Gonzales met Eunice Romero while working for her father, Jacinto Romero, at Fairbanks Ranch.
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Color image of Eunice and Rafael Gonzalez holding Bianca, their granddaughter, at their home on Ohio Street in the 1970s. Rafael Gonzalez apprenticed as a shoemaker in Mexico before coming to the United States as a Bracero in 1942. Gonzalez dreamed of returning home and establishing a business but was delayed during the war and was among a group of Braceros stranded in San Bernardino without a contract or transportation home. Later, Gonzales met Eunice Romero while working for her father, Jacinto Romero, at Fairbanks Ranch.
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Rafael Gonzalez is pictured here at Cone Camp in 1943. Gonzalez was recruited from Mexico City as part of the United States - Mexico Bracero labor program during World War II. "Coney Camp" as it was known to the local Mexican population, was a former jail and Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) training center located on the banks of the Santa Ana River in East Highlands. Converted to house Mexican laborers, the facility held up to 1,500 men at a time. Despite federal mandates for reasonable living conditions, wages, and medical care many braceros like those living in Cone Camp lived in wooden barracks and sometimes in tents where the men endured severe winter weather and extreme heat in the summer. The Bracero Program officially ended in 1964.
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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.
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Eunice Romero (Gonzales), pictured on the left, as a child at Fairbanks Ranch.
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Eunice Romero (Gonzales) receives a degree from the University of La Verne in 1978. After raising a family, working as a laborer, and serving as a classroom aid in Redlands schools, Gonzales returned to college and earned a teaching credential. Years after retiring from the San Bernardino Unified School District, she recalled, "I didn't graduate from high school and well, I was like about 50 years old when a program was started through La Verne Colleges for bilingual educators, and I was lucky enough to know both languages fluently. So, I was able to participate in the program, which was - the acronym was SABER - and then I finished my college and I went into teaching."
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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.
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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
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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.
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Black and white class photograph of Lincoln School in Redlands, California. "Lincoln School in 1910 was officially segregated, but in Redlands, children from the Mexican colonia went to Lincoln, Lugonia, and Franklin Elementary, mixing with children of other ethnicities from their neighborhoods." (Vasquez and Carpio, 44)
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Black and white image of four men, including Armando Gonzales (batter, third from left) at Community Park. This image was taken during the 1947 Pony Major Championship held at the baseball fields at Community Park in Redlands. Like many baseball leagues across Southern California and the Southwest, Mexican adults and children played in segregated "Mexican Leagues" rather than integrated teams.
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"Joe and Irene Gonzales leave St. Mary's after their wedding in 1947." (Vasquez and Carpio, 32) Above the newlyweds, a quote is displayed above an entryway saying, "St. Mary's Church, built to the glory of God by the Mexican people of Redlands under the direction of the Rev. James Gray Pastor. Dedicated to the Virgin Mary by the Most Rev. Charles F. Buddy Bishop of San Diego on the feast of Christ the King," and "SILENCE IN THIS HOUSE OF GOD." On the back, it says "From the Studio of William Kingham, WM. Elmer Kingham 5 1/2 and 91/2 E. State St. Redlands, California."
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Henry Vasquez recounts his experiences as a teacher for several schools in the San Bernardino area, as well as the challenges his community was forced to overcome. Henry is Chicano, and is well connected with the Native American communities near his area. In his time, the state attempted to discourage bilingual education in an attempt to assimilate natives and immigrants. He, as well as several of his collegues, protested this change, and such attempts eventually halted. Henry advocates for the opening of more Indian Centers so that members of the Native communities can be better educated to fix the problems around them. He also criticizes the encroachment of warehouses on his community due to community concerns of pollution.
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Black and white postcard with an image of the corner of Orange and Colton in Redlands, California. Sunset Market, Winn's Drug Store, and the Casa Loma Service Station opened at the corner of Colton and Orange, on the site of the former Wyatt Opera House in the early 1930s. Aurelia Ruiz Reyes recalled other businesses that provided goods and services to the Mexican Colonia: "Don Sabas we used to call him. Well, that little store [on Colombia Street] belonged to that man first. No, no, it belonged to Japanese people, and then he took over. Then when the war came he took his son to Mexico, and that's when Tommy [Martinez] bought it. Tommy had it for a long time, and that was the only little store. This other man had a bakery of Mexican bread right there on Lawton Street in front of the House of Neighborly Service. My brother-in-law used to have a little gasoline station on Stuart Street right across from Sam's Cafe. Oh, there was the Resbalon, a bar where they used to have food, it was a wife's help for their husbands to go."