Student Works

Permanent URI for this collection

https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11801/3

This collection includes academic and creative works produced by UPRM students apart from theses, dissertations, and project reports submitted for graduate degrees. These may include textual documents (articles, books, book chapters, technical reports, etc.), conference presentations, research posters, and other products such as maps, graphics, or computer code. Works in this collection may or may not be produced as part of a class. To learn more about what works can be submitted to this collection, visit https://libguides.uprm.edu/repositorioUPRM/estudiantes

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Oral history interview with Amelia Ruiz-Ruiz, September 28, 2022

(Oral History Lab @UPRM, ) Ruiz-Ruiz, Amelia (Narrator) ; Feliciano Agostini, Naedra J. (Interviewer)

Amelia Ruiz Ruiz is a farmer in Maricao. Since she was a child, agriculture has been a big part of her life. She is the tenth of eleven siblings. Since there were so many siblings and her father was the only source of income, they experienced poverty. But despite everything, they always managed to find something to fill their stomachs. Their main livelihood came from agriculture; from what his father grew on the farm. Amelia is a mother of four and grandmother of eleven. Throughout her life she has always carried on the recipes she learned from her mother. Recipes mostly made with ingredients she can find on her farm. Among her favorite recipes are: "vianda con bacalao”, "pasteles", coffee made from scratch, and "sorullos”. Amelia also tells us about the difficulties faced, as a farmer on the island. How difficult it is to work the land and how little they get monetarily. In addition to all this, there is the farmers' terror: weather phenomena, such as hurricanes and storms. With their strong winds and rain, they destroy the hard work, sweat, effort and take away the livelihood of many farmers. "The life of a farmer is difficult, very difficult." Note: The interview was conducted in Spanish.
Oral history interview with anonymous narrator, November 18, 2022

(Oral History Lab @UPRM, ) Anonymous (Narrator) ; A.C.M. (Interviewer)

The narrator is a quality control technician at a medical manufacturer industry. She lives in Puerto Rico, but she was born in the United States due to her parents seeking a better opportunity of treatments because of a rare condition that affects the formation of the radius bones in her arms. Even though she was born in the United States, she is a Puerto Rican who is working hard every day to reach her dreams. The access to a good education, good healthcare and many other services with quality, is what people are looking for in this day.
Oral history interview with Gerardo Flores Colón, April 20, 2023

(Oral History Lab @UPRM, ) Flores Colón, Gerardo (Narrator) ; Camacho Flores, Claudia S. (Interviewer)

The interview follows Gerardo Flores Colón and his life growing up with 11 siblings. He was the first of his siblings to graduate from a university, and he describes the obstacles he had to overcome while getting his degree. He talks about how difficult it was for underprivileged youths to complete their degrees.
Oral history interview with Ismael Pérez Cordero, March 12, 2022

(Oral History Lab @UPRM, ) Pérez Cordero, Ismael (Narrator) ; Acosta González, Ana B. (Interviewer)

Ismael talks about his journey with agroecology after taking a course with El Josco Bravo. He highlights key issues with industrialized agriculture and its agroecological alternatives and talks about the importance of teaching the youth about agriculture and its ties to food security. He also discusses his family’s history with agriculture. His great grandmother worked the land to raise seven daughters after becoming widowed. Being in touch with agriculture and agroecology has allowed Ismael to share a common bond with some of his relatives. It’s also helped him relate the principles he’s learned about agroecology now, to old traditional agricultural practices that his great grandparents used.
Oral history interview with Lucy Serrano Gastón, October 1, 2021

(Oral History Lab @UPRM, ) Serrano Gastón, Lucy (Narrator) ; Betancourt, Natalia (Interviewer) ; Estevez, Aleyshka (Interviewer) ; University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez

Lucy Serrano Gastón, founder and lead of the Come Colegial project, talks about her childhood and family life. She describes her deep connection with food as well as strong family bonds which have influenced the project that feeds and cares for the university community. We learn about Lucy's professional development and the people who have supported the experiences she describes in this interview. Ranging from grade school stories, Christmas traditions, university life, and present relationships, this interview largely focuses on human connections. Additional topics in the interview are related to current events in the context of Puerto Rico, including life during COVID, protests and massive power outages.
Oral history interview with Lydia Rivera González, April 30, 2023

(Oral History Lab @UPRM, ) Rivera González, Lydia (Narrator) ; Pérez Rivera, Brian (Interviewer)

The narrator is Lydia Rivera González, she has 68 years and has lived in diferent places and has a strong ties to her church. This interview addresses her childhood, aswell as her youth in her search for jobs and the safety for living and food, aswell as her difficulties during the hurricane and how she helped others afterward. Her life experiences fit on those people that needed to go out and be able to help others becasue of the slow help of the government. She and others, part of the organization Caritas, send food, water and coupons to help people regain somewhat, of what was ultimately lost.
Oral history interview with Nicolás, November 19, 2023

(Oral History Lab @UPRM, ) Nicolás (Narrator) ; Cruz Rivera, Jorge L. (Interviewer)

Nicolás was born on September 10, 1936 in Leguízamo neighborhood of Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. His early years were shaped by the economic challenges of the time, with limited resources, no electricity, and a lack of potable water. Despite these hardships, Nicolás's childhood was marked by a profound sense of community, where respect and kindness prevailed among neighbors. Growing up in rural Mayagüez, Nicolás's education faced obstacles due to the scarcity of schools. Determined to pursue knowledge, he navigated challenging circumstances, attending night school in Mayagüez while working as a sugarcane cutter during the day. This perseverance led him to complete his education, overcoming hurdles that included long, late-night walks home. Nicolás's family, consisting of five brothers and one sister, was a cornerstone of his life. Reflecting on his parents, he recalls a mother from Lares, known for her culinary expertise and kindness, and a hardworking father, a man of honesty and determination despite the challenges of those times. Professionally, Nicolás dedicated over two decades to public service with the Commission of Public Service. Simultaneously, he studied and obtained a license in electrical work, a skill that not only supplemented his income but also became a lifelong profession spanning 46 years. Retired from government service, Nicolás finds joy in reading, traveling, exploring nature, listening to music, and staying physically active. His resilience and values, forged through a lifetime of experiences, shine brightly, leaving an indelible mark on his family and community.
Oral history interview with Samuel Pagán López, November 15, 2023

(Oral History Lab @UPRM, ) Pagán López, Samuel (Narrator) ; Núñez Pagán, Naielys (Interviewer)

Samuel Pagán López is a retired plumber who worked for 38 years. He also worked in the construction of some buildings of the UPRM for three and a half years where he had an accident that changed his life forever. Mangual Coliseum has some of his worst memories, but he is still grateful for his experience. Now he lives with his wife peacefully in their forever home, having family reunions and watching their grandchildren. The interview took place in Moca, Puerto Rico on November 15, 2023. He is currently 72 years old, and he remembers all the details of that horrible accident that happened in September of 1972 when he was just 22 years old.
Oral history interview with Sheyla A. Mercado Sánchez, September 8, 2022

(Oral History Lab @UPRM, ) Mercado Sánchez, Sheyla A. (Narrator) ; Candelaria Mercado, Jeriel R. (Interviewer)

The narrator’s name is Sheyla Arleen Mercado Sanchez, from Añasco, her birthday is on August 19, 1975. The interview takes place in Añasco. The date was September 8, 2022. Sheyla was born and raised in Añasco throughout her life. She has always been very responsible, dedicated, and hardworking. She has always been fond of working in finance and that is why all the jobs she ever had have been related to that. The interview focuses on social aspects regarding hurricane Maria, Electric Energy Company, COVID, abortion, and the government. In the interview the time periods go from 2017 to 2022. Starting from Hurricane Maria all the way to COVID and recently the situation regarding gas prices. The interview mostly focuses on the events that happened on the island and with the narrator. The narrator's experiences do have a relation with diverse social issues because it relates to their health, their economic status, and their daily life. They deal with political failure, overall structural care in most of the island and with managing to work on the minimum wage. The point is that there are many issues that need to be addressed that have not been done yet properly. All these things shaped and made the interview that later became a story possible.
Oral history interview with Sofía Pérez Alers, April 2, 2022

(Oral History Lab @UPRM, ) Pérez Alers, Sofía (Narrator) ; Derek (Interviewer)

Sofia is a loving person with whom I was able to sit down with and listen to her story, which seemed like a Puerto Rican tragedy. Sofía lived in Barrio Victoria, in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, but currently resides in her daughters' house because her house was not suitable for an elderly person like her. She tells us her story of how she felt before, during, and after Hurricane Maria. Truly, she is a humble human being who really only cared about two things: the safety of her loved ones and her love of agriculture. She is a strong and independent woman who faced the reality of losing her home and everything in it. Despite this, she lives every day with a smile on her face, providing food to her neighbors and others straight from her yard.

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Browsing Student Works by Subject "Agriculture"

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