Interviewees

José Angel Gutiérrez

José Angel Gutiérrez

Dr. Gutiérrez was born October 25th, 1944 in Crystal City, Texas, is an attorney and a professor at the University of Texas at Arlington. He was a founding member of the Mexican-American Youth Organization and La Raza Unida Party. He has served as Trustee and President of the Crystal City Independent School District, the Urban Renewal Commissioner for Crystal City, Texas, County Judge for Zavala County, Texas, Commissioner for the Oregon Commission on International Trade,  an Administrative Law Judge for the City of Dallas, Texas, and as a member of the Dallas Ethics Commission. He has published several works about his experience in the Chicano Movement and other scholarly publications. He also conducted an extensive oral history project about the larger Chicano Movement entitled Tejano Voices, which is archived at the University of Texas at Austin.

Louis Zapata

Louis Zapata

Zapata was born October 5, 1934 in Fort Worth, Texas. He attended Texas Christian University in 1962. He also served as a union representative for the United Autoworkers at Bell Helicopter during his time working with the company. He went on to become the first Hispanic city councilman in the history of Fort Worth in 1977. He also holds the record for length of service on Fort Worth’s City Council, having served for fourteen years. Zapata was also the chairman of the Hispanic Elected Local Officials, was on the Board of Directors for the National League of Cities, and was a member of the Mexican American Democrats, and served as Chairman of Board of Directors for the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport.

Eva Bonilla, standing in front of the park dedicated to her father in Fort Worth.

Eva Bonilla

Mrs. Bonilla was born in Fort Worth on January 6 1949. Her father, Jesse D. Sandoval, was a member of the Navy, was a member of the G.I. Forum, and was the first precinct chair of the democratic party. He also started the Viva Kennedy club, and was the first president of PASO here in Fort Worth. She was the first minority to lead the Fort Worth League of Neighborhoods and is involved with Districts of Alliance and the Fort Worth sister city organization. She was a member of La Raza Unida Party and attended the first Women’s Political Caucus as a speaker for La Raza Unida. Now, she is still involved in the community and participates in the Hispanic Women’s Network.

Father Esteban Jasso

Father Esteban Jasso

Fr. Jasso was born in Waco, Texas in 1932. He was in the Korean War in the Army and later joined the Fransiscans. He spent eight years in Europe studying theology and was ordained in Rome in 1965. He worked in Puerto Rico, Peru, and Mexico during his ministerial career. He is now priest of All Saints Catholic Church in the Northside of Fort Worth. He encourages people to be educated so they can be knowledgeable enough to vote and make a change within their community. Being involved and voting are the most important issues for him in order to make real changes. He is currently writing a book.

José Gonzales

José Gonzales

Gonzales was born in Dallas in 1934 and enlisted in the Navy during the Korean War. He attended Texas Christian University and later became a community activist. Gonzales worked with a community action agency on the War on Poverty, started Fuerza del Barrio, served as the GI Forum State Housing Chair, and started the first bilingual technical school in Fort Worth. He also partnered with the National Council of La Raza to create an apartment complex through the funding of HUDD.

Reinaldo Rosas

Reinaldo Rosas

Renny Rosas was born in Ft. Worth October 15, 1948. He served in the Vietnam war and attended Texas Christian University. He was a Board Member of the Community Action Agency in Worth Heights; in 1990 he ran for state representative; in 1991 he became the leader of the Chicano Luncheon. He also started the Cesar Chavez chapter of Mexican American Democrats here in Fort Worth and is a strong supporter of building coalitions with African American organizations as well. His biggest goal was to encourage participation within the community.