Over the course of the quarter, I have learned so much about BLCI-El Cajon and the entire BLCI program. I am sad to be ending this project and school year when I feel like we have just begun. I went into this course, HIUS 120D, thinking it would be a typical course of assignments and tests yet what I found was much more than that. I have discovered a whole community of people who want nothing more than to share the stories and voices of individuals in the community of San Diego. The interview process was much more smooth than I was expecting, flowing nicely and many of my questions being answered before I could even ask them due to the flow of conversation. Doing the interview over Zoom made the process of recording and transcription very easy and fast. I really enjoyed how I got to know my interviewee, Beatriz Velez, even outside the interview. I volunteered every Monday at the BLCI- El Cajon site and worked with the third grade class along with Beatriz and the staff. I really enjoyed getting to know the students and see the way they are being taught and learning their stories. The differences in how each of the students are brought up and where they come from really reflects the way they learn and how they see the world. Even at the young age of 9 in third grade, we can see how their worlds will be shaped by their surroundings. I was surprised how fast I could become involved in this program and learn to love what they are doing. This interview and process really opened my eyes to the world of oral histories and hopefully it will to many others.
May 30, 2024
Final Reflection
About Race and Oral History Project
The Race and Oral History Project is a collaboration between UC San Diego Institute of the Arts and Humanities and the UC San Diego Library.
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