Interviewer
Yolanda Leyva
Project
Latina Leaders El Paso
Summary of Interview
Beatriz was born in Torreon Coahuila, Mexico. She arrived in El Paso when she was 25 years old because she got married, but she used to visit El Paso frequently because she lived in Juarez with her family. Her stepdad made the family moved to Juarez because he thought that it was cheaper living there.
Beatriz has always considered herself a Mexican woman, but she knew that in reality, she was an American citizen. Throughout the years she has work as a community activist and spiritual activist when Beatriz was asked about her being a leader she mentioned that she doesn’t feel as if she is a leader, she just feels as responsible for other people. She believes that leadership is part of her Mexican culture, but when Latinos hear the work leader they think as someone who is the boss, but she thinks of the world leader as a responsibility.
Throughout her years Beatriz motivated other people with the phrase you can do it. Beatriz believes that if you believe in yourself and believe that you can do anything you will be capable of achieving all of your goals. Beatriz once had an experience while she was teaching at EPCC where a student went to ask her for help in math in which she knew nothing about, but she still tried to help him and she gave him confidence in himself that he would be capable of having a good grade in his math class.
Beatriz believes that your income level sometimes determined the way you talk and express yourself, she firmly believes that low-income families are better at communicating with others because of all the hard things they lived and have to face.
Overall Beatriz believes she is a strong woman who fights for others and is responsible and not a leader who aspired to inspire others and teach what is right and fights for what is right. She believes that her background and all her experiences made her who she is today and when she became older she started to open her eyes and became more aware of the world.
Date of Interview
7-17-2016
Length of Interview
24 minutes
Listen to the Interview
Tape Number
No. 1711
Transcriber
Andrea Santos
Interview Number
No. 1711
Terms of Use
Unrestricted
Recommended Citation
Interview with Beatriz Villegas by Yolanda Leyva, 2016, "Interview no. 1711," Institute of Oral History, University of Texas at El Paso.
Comments
There is no transcript. Andrea Santos transcribed the summary.