Project of
the Skyline College/North San Mateo County Oral History
Archives, Skyline College Library
Student project for LSCI 110 – Digital Oral Research Project, Skyline College
Olivia Cruz
“Life Story”, by Daisy Cruz
Click on the links below to hear audio segments from an April
2005 interview by Daisy Cruz
with Olivia Cruz, Who was born and raised in
the outskirts of the small town of
Born 3/10/1947
Photo taken at Garcia Studio in Tepatitlan, Jalisco,
February 19, 1973
Table
of Contents:
1. Segment 1 - Introduction on Olivia
2. Segment
2 - Childhood
3. Segment 3 - A day In “ El Ranchito”
4. Segment
4 - School in the Ranchito
5. Segment 5 -
Day’s without Dad
6. Segment
6 - 24 years old/ migrating to California
7. Segment
7 - Life in San Bruno
8. Segment
8 - Receiving legal status
9. Today’s
Life
Click
here to read the oral history essay, “Olivia Cruz, Homemaker”
Segment 1
Introduction on Olivia
Olivia (Picazo) Cruz was born march 10,
1947. She lived in a ranch most of her life. She lived there with her mother
Ma. De Jesus, her father Bernardino , her one sister Celia and her three
brothers, Elias, Abel and Cornelio. She didn’t come from a wealthy family, but
they weren’t poor either. They had enough money to buy food and decent clothes.
The Picazo Family
This picture was taken in
Segment 2
Childhood
When Olivia was growing up she remembers helping her mother do
chores around the ranch. Also she referred that Life in
Segment 3
A day in El Ranchito
A typical day in the ranch consisted of doing chores, going to the well to get
clean drinking water and caring for her younger siblings.
Olivia‘s parents and her
three brothers
Her Father’s birthday (photo taken in
Segment 4
School days in El Ranchito
Olivia went to school only up to the 6th grade. She learned
how to read, write and do simple math. At her school in the ranch, there was
only one classroom, one teacher for 60 students of different ages and grades.
At her school they were not given lunch, therefore Olivia and her siblings ate
breakfast and wouldn’t eat again until they got home from school.
Olivia and Celia
At a party
Segment 5
Days without dad
Olivia and her family sometimes spent up two years without their
dad. She understood why her dad wasn’t around and waited anxiously when her
father came to visit. After her dad spent two yrs in
This picture was taken when Olivia was only a child, with
her mother, 2 brothers and sister.
The picture to the left is her father
Segment 6
24 years old and migrating to California
Some time after Olivia got married to Pedro Cruz, they decided it was
time to begin their journey to
Pedro and Olivia
This picture was taken in the late 80’s in front of their new home
Segment 7
Living in San Bruno
When Olivia
first arrived to
Olivia’s family in her first
apartment
Top row left to
right: Celia, Olivia, Bernardino, Ma. De Jesus
Middle row: Maribel (her niece), Arnold (son)
Bottom: Giselle (daughter)
Segment 8
receiving legal status
When Olivia first came to
The picture used for her residence card
Today’s Life
Olivia
still resides in
On vacation at
Pedro, Olivia and their grandson Marcos
*These
audio files may be played with Windows Media Player or Real
Player.
To download a free copy of Windows Media
Player, click here.
To download a free copy of Real Player,
click here.
last revised: 5-25-05
by Eric Brenner, Skyline College, San Bruno, CA
These materials may be used for educational purposes if you inform and credit
the author and cite the source as: North San Mateo County Oral History
Archives, Skyline College Library. All commercial rights are reserved.
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