Interview with Rosa Martin, December 16, 2009

Interview Summary

She talks about her childhood in Ponce, Puerto Rico and her move to New York at 14 years old. She talks about her move to Henry County, Kentucky in the 1970s after she married a man from Kentucky. She describes the difficulties she experienced, first in New York, due to discrimination. She describes the balance between her university studies and her work while raising her daughters. She mentions her first jobs in New York and later in Kentucky. She talks about her volunteer work for the University of Kentucky, including teaching Spanish to farm owners and teaching consumer education to field workers. She comments on the teaching of English in Puerto Rico and the way she learned English in a public school in New York. She describes her family and group of friends in the United States. She talks about her participation in the "Club of Puerto Rico" and Commentators, that present opportunities to meet with the Hispanic community. She talks about the changes in the Hispanic community that she has noticed throughout the years. She speaks of the importance of speaking Spanish and English with her family at home. She mentions some problems within the Hispanic community, specifically the lack of good medical interpreters and health education. She describes her participation in SEMIA and AHEC organizations to address said problems. She mentions the contributions of the Hispanic community to the city of Lexington, especially the diversity that they have brought. She describes the problem of racism toward foreigners that has been the biggest challenge that she has experienced in the United States. She describes her experience working for AHEC, Area Health Education Center, a program affiliated with the University of Kentucky that offers health education to the Lexington community. She talks about her contributions to the Hispanic community and the work that she has done for AHEC and AHU, the Hispanic association. She describes the future of the Hispanic community in Lexington and the need for the government to resolve immigration problems.

Interview Keyword

Education. Educaci Language. Idioma. Discrimination. Discriminaci University of Kentucky Universidad de Kentucky

Interview LC Subject

Teaching Teachers--Kentucky Puerto Rico. Hispanic Americans--Kentucky. Immigrants--Kentucky Health care issues, costs, and access Area Health Education Centers Program Emigration and immigration

Interview Rights

All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries.

Interview Usage

Interviews may be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, Special Collections, University of Kentucky Libraries.