Paul Phillip DeOcampo Jr. interviewed by Dr. Kathleen "Kat" Cruz Gutierrez Part 1 of 3

In the first part of this three part interview, Paul Phillip DeOcampo speaks with Dr. Kathleen "Kat" Cruz Gutierrez, a member of the Watsonville is in the Heart project team. DeOcampo briefly discusses his father’s, Paul “Skippy” Talaban DeOcampo’s, and mother's, Gloria Molina DeOcampo’s, migration and labor histories and their relationship. He briefly recounts a trip he took back to the Philippines at the age of eleven. Lastly, he details his experiences growing up mixed-race in the small town of Aromas, California, as well as the racial and socioeconomic demographic of his school and town.

Paul Phillip DeOcampo Jr. and Kathleen "Kat" Cruz Gutierrez

June 3, 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

DEO.2021.85

Dr. Kathleen "Kat" Cruz Gutierrez

Paul Phillip DeOcampo Jr.

UC Santa Cruz

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52:59

[2:15] Father, Paul “Skippy” Tabalan DeOcampo's and DeOcampo family’s background and migration histories

[13:55] Mother, Gloria Molina DeOcampo’s history

[19:23] Marriage and family challenges

[21:41] Travel to the Philippines

[30:45] Growing up in Aromas: environment, community, and demographics

[38:59] Mixed-race identity and socioeconomic dynamics

[44:55] Labor and leisure