Yo soy : from a migrant field worker to a university professor / Roberto E. Villarreal.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Villarreal, Roberto E., Author.

Series:

Al filo ; http://id.loc.gov/resources/hubs/5734d861-0cbe-aa8b-cc39-cc6e9ffc7157 no. 14.

Al filo, Mexican American studies series ; number 14

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Political scientists--Texas--El Paso--Biography.

Political scientists.

Mexican American college teachers--Texas--El Paso--Biography.

Mexican American college teachers.

College teachers--Texas--El Paso--Biography.

College teachers.

Mexican American college administrators--Texas--El Paso--Biography.

Mexican American college administrators.

College administrators--Texas--El Paso--Biography.

College administrators.

Mexican American civic leaders--Texas--El Paso--Biography.

Mexican American civic leaders.

Civic leaders--Texas--El Paso--Biography.

Civic leaders.

Mexican American migrant agricultural laborers--United States--Biography.

Mexican American migrant agricultural laborers.

Mexican Americans--Education (Higher).

Mexican Americans.

Hispanic Americans--Education.

Hispanic Americans.

Villarreal, Roberto E.

University of Texas at El Paso--Faculty--Biography.

University of Texas at El Paso.

Genre:

Autobiographies.

Physical Description:

x, 175 pages, 22 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations ; 24 cm.

Place of Publication:

Denton, Texas : University of North Texas Press, [2025]

Summary:

"Yo Soy is a memoir of Roberto E. Villarreal's life struggle for social justice and equality, a reclamation of his ancestry, language, and culture forbidden by the Texas state school policies during his childhood in the 1930s. Racism, bigotry, violence, and subordination formed a shell difficult to overcome. The "Mexican" problem, as it was known, was deeply ingrained in the life of the Anglo community, creating a perpetual labor class. As a result, Mexican Americans were poverty-stricken sharecroppers and migrants, with a complete disconnect between families and the school system. This was the setting in South Texas where Villarreal grew up in the 1930s to 1950s. His desire to learn English and the American culture were blocked by various obstacles, such as school attendance in the spring semester only and migrant work in lieu of a fall semester. The best route for success was a formal education, but many Hispanic students dropped out of school at the fourth or fifth grade. Villarreal, however, fought to surmount the odds and an internal lack of confidence in order to achieve the highest level of education possible. Villarreal first graduated from elementary school at the age of 18 and high school at 22. He soon became an unprepared university student but proceeded to acquire a bachelor's degree in four years, followed by two masters' degrees and a PhD. In the process he taught migrants, elementary, high school, community college, and university-level students. As faculty at the University of Texas at El Paso, Villarreal became highly productive as a teacher, author, administrator, president of the University Graduate Council, a Fulbright Scholar, and community activist. Ultimately, the efforts of his early generation in higher education brought greater integration between Anglos and Mexican Americans, better access to universities, greater graduation rates, and larger recognition and importance to the Mexican American community"-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

The Formative Years

Family Life in Rural South Texas

Mexican Americans and Anglos in Rural South Texas

The Paradox of School and the Mexican American Family

Trying to Reach the Sky Without Direction

The Pains of Growing in an Unsettled World

The Trials and Tribulations of Transitions

Coming to the Border: A Political and Cultural Nirvana

Epilogue.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Other Format:

Online version Villarreal, Roberto E. Yo Soy

ISBN:

9781574419856

1574419854

OCLC:

1518187078

Publisher Number:

90103368486