Oral history interview with Casilda Luna

Casilda Luna spoke about coming to the United States in 1962 and why she came to the United States; and what she could do in the United States that she could not do in the Dominican Republic under the dictatorship. She talks about learning English and the financial aspects of preparing to arrive and live in the United States. Luna described what is like growing up and living in the Dominican Republic under the Trujillo dictatorship; and the beautiful country and small town of Sánchez where she grew up. She explained that there were 10 children in her family, her mother was a white Puerto Rican, and her father was Black and a descendent of people from St. Thomas. She talked about how her parents met, her mother was the doctor of the town even though she did not finish school, her family doing things for free for everyone, the death of her mother at the age of 47 when Luna was 12, and then living with one of her sisters. Luna also talked about her family, including her daughter; and helping people who needed counseling, which was something she could not do in the Dominican Republic. Luna spoke about the racial atmosphere in her home growing up. Although her parents were not the only interracial couple, her paternal grandmother was "racist" in that she would not allow any of her 7 sons to marry a Black woman. Luna explained which of her family members were white and which were Black, and who they married in regards to race and nationality. Luna spoke about race and class in the Dominican Republic and the United States explaining it was more a class situation in the Dominican Republic. In the United States, she explained how other Black people treated her because of her accent, how she felt double prosecuted (by white people because she was Black and by other Black people because of her accent), how Black people bothered her more than white people in white environments (immigration discrimination), how she wanted to get the same reception from Black people as she did from white people, and overall reception of people from the Dominican Republic in the United States. She provided several stories / examples of interactions with Black people and white people. She also explains how attitude(s) comes from environment. Luna also talked about her work in social work and social counseling, and what she does for people; her love of giving, and guiding, counseling, and helping others; starting organization Afro-Latino; the politics of Dominican Republic; her love for the United States and Earth; and how she identifies herself as human, not Black or white, just human. Casilda Luna was interviewed by Anthony Knight. Interview is in English and Spanish (minimal). Digital audio files include loud white noise and static, and interviewee voice soft throughout the recording. Interviewee was difficult to hear, unintelligible, often.