Elba Rosario Armstrong Part 1

Partial Transcript: Alright, so my name is Julia Rohde and I'm a fourth year student at Oberlin College. I am interviewing Elba Rosario Armstrong today for the Latino Lorain Oral History Project.

Keywords: Latino Lorain Oral History; Lorain, Ohio

Partial Transcript: Can you tell me a little bit about where you grew up and what you remember about your childhood and your family?

Segment Synopsis: Elba discusses how she was born in Ciales, Puerto Rico, and then moved with her mother and two sisters to Lorain, Ohio when Elba was just three-years-old. They joined her father, who was already living in Lorain and working at the steel plant.

Keywords: 1950's; Ciales; Immigration; Lorain City Schools; Lorain, Ohio; Migration; Puerto Rico; Steel Plant

Partial Transcript: And I attended Lorain City Schools on the East Side...

Segment Synopsis: Elba discusses her experience attending Lorain City Schools without knowing any English at the time.

Keywords: Bilingual; English; Immersion; Lakeview Elementary School; Lorain City Schools; Lorain High School; Lorain, Ohio; Spanish

Partial Transcript: Could you share some memories you have being in school in Lorain?

Segment Synopsis: Elba discusses memories of friends and teachers in the Lorain City Schools and notes that there were not many Hispanic students in the schools she attended.

Keywords: Education; Hispanic Students; Lorain City Schools; Puerto Rican Culture; Spanish; Teachers

Partial Transcript: My parents...we didn't live in South Lorain and that's where the majority of the Hispanic population lived, in South Lorain. But my father worked at the steel plant...

Segment Synopsis: Elba explains that she didn't "grow up" in the Hispanic community because her family didn't live in South Lorain; however, Elba and her sisters found Hispanic community through Sacred Heart Chapel.

Keywords: Church; Hispanic Community; Puerto Rican; Religious Community; Sacred Heart Chapel

Partial Transcript: Did your parents ever talk to you about some of the challenges they faced moving to Lorain and not speaking any English?

Segment Synopsis: Elba discusses how her mother travelled from Ciales, Puerto Rico to Lorain, Ohio with her three daughters, not able to speak any English at that time. She also describes how her parents learned English once in Lorain and the many family members she had in the city.

Keywords: Familial Migration; Hispanic; Immigration; Lorain, Ohio; Migration; Puerto Rico; South Lorain; Spanish

Partial Transcript: And what was Lorain like as a city when you were growing up?

Segment Synopsis: Elba describes Lorain as a thriving city with different industries and ethnic communities.

Keywords: Downtown Lorain; E 29th Street; Industrial; Industry; Lorain, Ohio; Puerto Rican food; Shipbuilding; South Lorain; Spanish theatre; U.S. Steel

Partial Transcript: And you had mentioned that your uncle owned a restaurant. Could you tell us about that?

Segment Synopsis: Elba describes the restaurant that her uncle owned in South Lorain and details how her uncle and father got involved in Lorain local government.

Keywords: Henry Cabot Lodge; Lorain City Council; Puerto Rican food; Rockefeller; South Lorain; family business; local government; politics; voting

Partial Transcript: As you mentioned, you would eventually go on to become a teacher as your mom, it sounds like, encouraged you to do. Could you talk about the process of becoming a teacher and then maybe your first few years on the job?

Segment Synopsis: Elba describes the different roles she had in the Lorain City Schools and explains that her role as a teacher was when she was first able to get deeply involved with the Hispanic community of Lorain.

Keywords: Hispanic community; Hispanic students; Lincoln Elementary School; Lorain City Schools; Puerto Rican Home; Puerto Rican teachers; South Lorain; Spanish; Spanish Language Arts; Spanish-speaking teachers; bilingual; bilingual program; elementary education; first grade; parochial schools; principal; public schools; second grade; teacher recruitment; teaching

Partial Transcript: When I took these positions, I always though of how can I best help the students...in what capacity could I help them better, and parents as well.

Segment Synopsis: Elba discusses the value of having teachers who spoke Spanish and understood the culture of the student body. She explains that this helped the parents of students get involved and feel comfortable in the schools.

Keywords: African American teachers; Bilingual education; Lorain City Schools; Puerto Rican culture; Puerto Rican teachers; Spanish; Spanish-speaking teachers; desegregation; family involvement; parent-teacher relationships; school community; teaching

Partial Transcript: And you had mentioned that they were actively recruiting teachers from Puerto Rico. Could you talk a little bit more about that?

Segment Synopsis: Elba discusses the bilingual program and the recruitment of Spanish-speaking teachers, as well as her involvement supervising and teaching in the program.

Keywords: Puerto Rican teachers; Spanish; bilingual education; bilingual program; curriculum; elementary education; foreign language; foreign language pedagogy; teacher recruitment; team teaching

Partial Transcript: And how long were you working in the schools?

Segment Synopsis: Elba was principal of Lakeview when the Lorain City Schools had to desegregate. She discusses how the school system implemented magnet schools in order to desegregate.

Keywords: Coalition for Hispanic Issues and Progress; Hawthorne Elementary School; Lorain City Schools; bilingual program; busing; desegregation; desegregation consent decree; gifted program; magnet schools; montessori program; school consolidation; school reorganization; segregation; student tracking

Partial Transcript: It's hard to imagine that you had time to do work with other organizations outside the schools given how much you've already talked about and the different positions you held, but I would love to hear about some of these other organizations you were also involved with. Maybe we could start with C.H.I.P....

Segment Synopsis: Elba discusses the establishment of C.H.I.P. and her role in the revival of the organization. She would eventually serve as President of C.H.I.P..

Keywords: C.H.I.P; Cleveland Clinic; Coalition for Hispanic Issues and Progress; Hispanic professional organization; Hispanics; LCCC; Lorain County Community College; Lorain, Ohio; Spanish; advocacy; community organizing; discrimination; employment discrimination; labor; legal; public health; social services; workplace discrimination

Partial Transcript: Do you want to know some of the other organizations?

Segment Synopsis: Elba discusses her role with the Lorain County Community Foundation, establishing the Hispanic Fund which would support different Hispanic projects and organizations in the city.

Keywords: Hispanic community; Hispanic fund; LCCC; Lorain County; Lorain County Community College; Lorain County Community Foundation; Lorain, Ohio; community foundation; community organization

Partial Transcript: Well, of course, you know, I participated at Lorain County Community College with the program for students...Hispanic students...for grants, scholarships to be able to go to school....

Segment Synopsis: Elba discusses her involvement at LCCC helping Hispanic students earn scholarships and working with the college to diversify the student population.

Keywords: Early College Program; Hispanic students; LCCC; Lorain City Schools; Lorain County Community College; minority incentive plan

Partial Transcript: In our previous conversations you had mentioned being involved with planning the International Festival, specifically when Puerto Rico was the center.

Segment Synopsis: Elba discusses her involvement in planning the annual Lorain International Festival when Puerto Rico was the spotlight and notes that Lorain was known as the International City.

Keywords: International City; International Festival; Lorain, Ohio; Puerto Rican community; Puerto Rican culture; Puerto Rico; coqui; gala; parade

Partial Transcript: I'm wondering if you could tell me a little bit about how you think Lorain has changed from growing up there, and then working in the schools and through these organizations, to today?

Segment Synopsis: Elba describes how Lorain has changed throughout her life.

Keywords: International City; Lorain, Ohio; community; ethnicity; history; urban development

Partial Transcript: Do you feel that people in Lorain today are familiar with the city's history?

Segment Synopsis: Elba discusses her involvement with the Lorain Historical Society's project to do the history of the Latino community of Lorain.

Keywords: El Centro; Hispanic Fund; Latino community; Latino history; Lorain Historical Society; Lorain history; Oberlin College; Oral history

Partial Transcript: I have probably a tough question for you just because you've had so many amazing experiences in Lorain and been involved in so many organizations. I'm wondering if you can pinpoint what your proudest moment has been in Lorain?

Segment Synopsis: Elba discusses some of her proudest moments, included being awarded the Ohio Distinguished Hispanic by the governor, being a part of moving the Hispanic population "in the right direction," her role as an educator, and being Hispanic.

Keywords: Hispanic; Hispanic community; Hispanic pride; Lakeview Elementary School; Lorain, Ohio; Ohio Distinguished Hispanic; Puerto Rico; Sherrod Brown; community organization; education; teaching

Partial Transcript: There was another thing we did. It was started...Father Bill, our priest at Sacred Heart and Cel--because of some things that had been occurring in the city--we were closing schools, of course, because we were building brand new schools. And I was the director of the development of the new schools...

Segment Synopsis: Elba discusses the creation of a community center in the old Lincoln Elementary building in South Lorain.

Keywords: Father Bill; Hispanic community; Lincoln Elementary; Lorain City Schools; Lorain Police Department; Lorain, Ohio; Sacred Heart Chapel; South Lorain; South Lorain Hispanic Coaltion; community center; education; school development

Partial Transcript: I thought of just one more question before we wrap up. You've clearly devoted so much time and energy to Lorain through all of these organizations, and I am curious why you have throughout your entire life, it seems, felt the need to do that and where you are coming from when working with all of these organizations...

Segment Synopsis: Elba explains how her family's history of humanitarianism in Puerto Rico influenced her own community engagement and philanthropy in Lorain.

Keywords: Cialis, Puerto Rico; Puerto Rican culture; Puerto Rican farm; Puerto Rican pride; Puerto Rico; Spanish; coffee farm; community engagement; humanitarian; immigration; migration; philanthropy; service; tobacco farm