Eva Alminiana Monroe interviewed by Christina Ayson Plank Part 1 of 2

In this first interview, Eva Alminiana Monroe speaks with Christina Ayson Plank, a member of the Watsonville is in the Heart project team. Monroe discusses her father’s immigration story and the establishment of his barbershop in Watsonville called The Universal Barbershop. She also discusses her father’s enlistment in the First Filipino Infantry Regiment and her mother’s work as a nurse during World War II in the Philippines where they met. Monroe recalls memories of growing up in Watsonville and the events that her mother organized in association with the Filipino Women’s Club. She also discusses her uncle’s work in the agricultural fields, experiences with racism, and memories of other manongs in the community.

Eva Alminiana Monroe and Christina Ayson Plank

May 8, 2021

Watsonville is in the Heart (WIITH) is a community-driven public history initiative to preserve and uplift stories of Filipino migration and labor in the city of Watsonville and greater Pajaro Valley. All oral history interviews are donated to WIITH by the narrators. Copyright is held by WIITH. Oral history interview recordings and transcripts are available for unrestricted use and reproduction by educators and researchers. Please note that the recordings on this website are provided via Soundcloud. For access to oral history audio files, please contact the project director at wiith@ucsc.edu. If you are an oral history narrator and would like to remove your interview from the archive website, please contact the project director.

English

Oral history

EAM.2021.53

Christina Ayson Plank

Eva Alminiana Monroe

San Francisco, CA

mp3

1:00:27

[1:44] Father, Amando Ocampo Alminiana’s journey to the United States

[3:00] Amando’s various jobs

[6:30] Establishing Universal Barbershop

[8:06] Amando’s service in the First and Second Filipino Regiment during World War II

[12:23] Mother, Rosario “Nena” Nieva Alminiana’s background and Amando’s and Nena’s courtship

[18:00] Nena’s journey to the United States and founding the Filipino Women’s Club of Watsonville

[20:00] Growing up in Watsonville

[28:15] Memories of Universal Barbershop

[38:21] Interactions with white community members in Watsonville

[42:11] Uncle, Juan “Johnny” Alminiana’s experiences working in the fields

[45:43] Manongs

[50:00] Nena’s ties with the Philippines and role as an anchor for family migration to the United States

[54:30] Race relations and the Watsonville Race Riots