"Journey to Grand Rapids"
Oral Histories of Mexican - American Senior Citizen Women in Grand Rapids
I embarked on a project, tentatively titled the Hispanic Heritage Initiative, in conjunction with the Hispanic Center of West Michigan, the Latin American Studies program at Grand Valley State University, and Gordon Olsen the City Historian at the Grand Rapids Public Library to uncover the roots of the Hispanic population of Grand Rapids. The main goal of the project is to reveal through Oral Histories how many of these families came to Grand Rapids and to describe their lives in Grand Rapids through the years. My part in the project was to conduct Oral Histories with Mexican - American Senior Citizen Women. We wanted to start with the earliest group of Hispanics to come to Grand Rapids, which we believe to be Mexican - Americans. We wanted to start with Senior Citizens who could relate details of life in Grand Rapids as far back as possible. I was chosen to do women because of my interest in Gender Anthropology.
I decided to interview a total of five women. I made contacts and through those contacts got names of others to interview, who in turn gave me more names. The beginning of the circle was really Mollie Blakely. I had heard her name from several different people as I was making contacts throughout Grand Rapids. I interviewed Mollie first and she led me to a few others. All five of the women had been born in the United States. Three of the women own their own business or own it in conjunction with their husband. Two of the women came to Grand Rapids as Migrant Workers. Three of the women came to Grand Rapids with their husbands and two came to Grand Rapids with their parents, All of these women have been involved in community work of one kind or another in Grand Rapids. All of these women have lived brave lives full of fascinating details. Their Oral Histories are inspiring and informative about the lives of Mexican Americans in Grand Rapids.
I used the same basic methodology for all five interviews with some variations. The interviews were all audio taped on a hand held recorder. Four of the interviewees were photographed during the interview, as well as their homes or places of business. Two of the interviewees were video taped. I laid out a basic structure for all five interviews in which I asked the same basic questions to all the women. I also made a few personalized questions for each woman that dealt with her particular area of involvement in Grand Rapids, whether it be the business community, social work, church, or Migrant Workers. However, many times we found ourselves discussing aspects of their lives that I could not have anticipated and so were not part of the formal questions. Each interview expresses its own reality about life in Grand Rapids for these powerful individual personalities. Due to complications only four interviews will be described here, the fifth is incomplete.
The first woman I interviewed was Maurilia Blakely Ortiz, or Mollie. She was bom in 1928 in Beeville Texas. Her mother was Ofilia Ortiz and her father was an Irishman named Arthur Blakely. Both parents died when she was young and Mollie and her two brothers and two sisters were raised by her father's sister Virginia Presa. While living in Beeville Mollie married her husband Dan. Together they first came to Michigan in 1952.
When they arrived in Grand Rapids they rented a house at 917 Prospect where they lived with their five children for four years. At that time Dan worked at Dolor Jarvis and Mollie got a job at Kroger. After that they moved back to Texas. However, that only lasted for a total of thirteen months. They moved back to Grand Rapids because that was where the children were happiest. When they came back the whole family lived at 1019 Front street for the next eleven years.
I asked Mollie what community resources were available to her family when they first arrived in Grand Rapids in the early 1950's. She said that there were no community resources available for Mexican-Anierican families. In fact they even had trouble attaining goods that they needed, "When we first came here we couldn't even find the spices we used" for cooking. Although there was no official support system, the community support did however come in the form of neighbors, family and friends.
There were also many social events that took place in the early days of Grand Rapids, Hispanic Community that helped to keep the community cohesive. There were dances at Roma Hall and the Rose Room, There were private parties that were thrown. There were also Fiestas, where the whole community was invited. All of these events would start in the early afternoon and end late at night. There were also more personal events that brought people together such as Baptisms and funerals. However, Mollie made it clear that it was always the men that were in the spotlight of public life. Women had a little influence in the church and that was all. For the most part, in those days the women did a lot of work and received little credit or attention, However, it was in the church that these women found there spotlight. When Mollie first arrived in Grand Rapids the only Spanish Mass available was held in the basement of St. Andrews Church. Then in 1957 the Mexican Chapel Our Lady Guadelupe opened and the women of the Mexican community were heavily involved in it
No major part of every Hispanic woman's life is her family, and as a single mother Mollie was no exception. Her priorities were to work, support her family, and educate her family. She worked hard to put all five of her children through St. Mary's. For High School four of her children went to West Catholic High and the youngest went to Catholic Central. Mollie feels that Grand Rapids is a good place to live because is it culturally diverse, but it still has its problems. Mollie feels that the Public Schools are not fully integrated because the ESL, English as a Second Language, students are often separated from the other kids. This is one of the reasons she feels that it is important to teach children English at a very young age. She believes that it is very important to be bilingual in today's world.
Mollie herself has experienced the Education system in Grand Rapids. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Work from Grand Valley State University in 1979. At that time she was a 47 year-old single mother.
Mollie has been involved in Social Work before and after her degree. Her list of Community service in Grand Rapids is immense, She has been the Coordinator at the Hispanic Institute. She has done translation work at Mary Free Bed Hospital, St. Mary's Hospital, and the Department of Social Services. She has helped to organize the Mexican Festival. She participated in the putting together the 1969 Grand rapids Public Museum display on Mexicans in Grand Rapids. She currently volunteers at Casa la Paz, a homeless shelter on Plainfield. She participates in the Greater Grand Rapids Women's History Council, the Grace Board, and the Grand Rapids Historic Commission. Of all these generous activities her most rewarding work has been helping handicapped and recently injured people readjust to their new lives as handicapped individuals.
Mollie emphasized the many resources that are now available to Hispanics in Grand Rapids that were not available when she first arrived. She highlighted the Latin American Services and the Hispanic Center because they are referrals services. From there, she says, one can attain any service they need.
I asked Mollie about any special concerns that women may have in Grand Rapids. She said that women have come a long way. She says that it is education that brings it all together, Education is what narrows the gap in the job market for women. Therefore, it is in education that we should focus our attention. Despite how far women have come, "We still have a lot to accomplish in Education, "
As far as her citizenship, Mollie is 100 percent American. She has traced her family back six generations in Texas. Her husband fought in World War II for the United States, Mollie has visited Mexico as a tourist, because she is a United States citizen.
Mollie's role model has been Rose Kennedy. Mollie admires her because she had all the money in the world but she had to be so strong. Her life was full of tragedy, so many of her children were killed or were involved in scandals. Refferring to Kennedy's incredible support for her children Mollie said, "like an Oak Tree, you put your roots in there, you're gone stay there." And that's how I see Mollie Blakely, like an Oak Tree.
My second interview was with Isabel Navarro. Her husband Miguel (Nfike) was present for part of the interview and brought up some things about Isabel that she had failed to mention. Isabel Navarro is the President of EL Matador Tortilla Chips factory, which she owns with her husband.
Isabel was born March 2, 1932 in Mercedes Texas. Her father, Adriane, was born in Mexico. Her mother, Guadalupe, was bom in Texas on March 6, 1912. Isabel first came to Grand Rapids with her husband in 1948, they were married earlier that year on July 15, Isabel was in the eighth grade . They came to Grand Rapids to visit Nfiguel's Aunt and Uncle who lived on Grandville Avenue and they decided to stay. They later bought a house at 740 Tulip in 1957. Coming from Texas they were unprepared for Michigan's cold winter.
During the winter month's Miguel worked for the railroad. In the summers Isabel and Miguel both went to Hart, Montague, and Whitehall to work in the fields. They worked on various crops including, celery, lettuce and beets. Isabel's other jobs to support her family included 12 years of teaching and selling Avon products. Isabel has also done volunteer work. She did translating work for the county nurse. She also worked at the voting polls, registering voters. She volunteered at the March of Dimes and lead a Girl Scout Troop.
When Isabel was raising her family in Grand Rapids their family doctor was Richard Chrissman. They found him when their daughter had an accident on a family fishing trip and they were frantically looking for a doctor and found Dr. Chrissman. He has been their doctor ever since. They went to St. Andrew Church, St. Joseph Church, and Holy Name Church for their family's spiritual guidance.
In those early years in Grand Rapids there were several social events in the Hispanic community that the Navaffos participated in. There were basic social events such as, Kensyettas (a ceremony for Mexican girls when they turn 15) weddings, and funerals. There was also the Mexican Fiestas which the Navarro participated in from the beginning. The Fiestas are always held around September 16, Mexican Independence Day. In preparation for the festival dances were held throughout the year with live bands to raise money for the festival. There were also dances held at Million Hall. They also participated in more intimate social activities such as PTA, Girl Scouts, camping trips and family fishing trips,
Isabel has three children, Mary, Miguel and Linda. They also have nine grand children and two great-grand children. When they were growing up in Grand Rapids the children went to Hall School, South school and Central High school.
Isabel herself went back to school in Grand Rapids. She received her GED from Godwin night school. She then spent two years at GRCC and two years at WMU where she attained her teaching degree.
It is Business that Isabel is the expert on. However, it was not through formal education that she received her knowledge about how to run a business. It was through trial and error and a lot of hard work. The Navaffos business adventure began when Miguel owned the Alam Latina Bar, which still stands but is under different ownership. However, the story of how they became involved in tortilla chips begins in a different bar. In 1975 Miguel and Isabel were sitting at the Coppertop Bar at the comer of Stocking and 4th streets. They looked across the street and saw a building for sale. They had been putting aside money to buy a house, but instead they decided to buy this building. The old building was the first site of the El Matador Tortilla factory, it now stands on Franklin street. When they began this venture together they were truly starting from scratch. Isabel says that they had know idea how to run a business, they just had to learn from their mistakes. They have done a wonderful job and have become successful.
This success has brought them into the Grand Rapids business community, which can be a very competitive place. I asked Isabel what she has done as a minority woman to be accepted into the Grand Rapids business community. She says that she didn't do anything special, she was just herself. I find this very easy to believe because lsabel is such a laid back woman. Her presence is very relaxing and friendly. She does not put on a show. However, Neguel told a different story. He said that it was hard for him to be accepted in Grand Rapids. He related a story about when they first moved to 740 Tulip. He says that for the first six or seven months the neighbors did not want them there and wrote a petition to get them out of the neighborhood. He related similar struggles in the business world. Isabel said that she did not always know about Miguel's struggles to be accepted because he has always been in the front of everything and he doesn't bring his troubles home. Miguel often had to solve these problems himself so that Isabel did not have to deal with them.
Isabel was busy dealing with the background work of running a family and a business. Miguel says that he is proud of his wife's intelligence and education, "got to be proud of that because our start was as immigrants." Miguel says that he has tried hard to be accepted in the community because "I want my wife and children to be recognized that we work hard and we are part of this neighborhood, this community."
Miguel also expressed much admiration for his wife as a business woman, as a wife and mother. He says that she is the President of the company and she is doing a good job. She is the one who has to do everything. He also said admiringly, "she has suffered as a mother, as a wife."
When I asked about a female role model Miguel answered for both of them. He named Kennedy and Amelia Earhart. He decided on Seniora Roosevelt because she was a good-looking woman but her mind, heart, and compassion for the poor made her a good woman. Isabel herself is a role model for strong young women who want to make it in the business world.
My next interview was with Carolina Cantu. She is Mollie Blakely's younger sister. She has been heavily involved in the Catholic Church and the Hispanic ministry since her early days in Grand Rapids. She first became involved in the Hispanic Ministry it was in its early days as well, when it was called the Mexican Apostilit.
Carolina was born in Beeville Texas June 16, 1930. She and her 2 brothers and sisters were raised by their Aunt Virginia Ortiz Presa. Carolina came to Grand Rapids December 3, 1956 with her husband Trinidad, whom she has been married to for fifty years, and her five children, who at the time ranged in ages from four months to eight years. When they first arrived they lived on Jefferson and Franklin.
Both Carolina and Trinidad worked to support their family. Trinidad worked as a mechanic. Carolina's first job was at Blodgett Hospital, where she worked in food service. Then she worked at Maple Grove Medical Care Facilities, now part of Kent Community Hospital, where she worked in food service for ten years. In the seventies she worked for St. Joseph Church as a secretary for Father Ted Kozloski until he was transferred. After St. Joseph Carolina did bookkeeping at Heartwick Welding and Supply. She went on to be the secretary for the bilingual program of Grand Valley State University's Graduate Department. The program was intended for teachers to learn more about the multicultural students they would be teaching. Carolina left Grand Valley in 1979. She then went on to work for Grand Rapids Public Schools. She was a secretary at a series of different schools. Her final job, the job she retired from was as secretary at Stockbridge or Walbridge school. This is the school for the "bad" kids in the district. However, Carolina says that the students there were very respectful to her, they called her Grandma, She retired from Walbridge in 1994. Carolina has also volunteered for the board of YWCA, the CCCC Committee, and she belonged to the Catholic Diocese for Women.
When the Cantus first arrived in Grand Rapids their most important community resource was their family. Carolina's sister Mollie Blakely was important help. Carolina said of Mexican Americans, "We have never been very big on asking for help ... we are very proud." She also explained a man's view on asking for help. "A macho man supports his family and does't say he's macho." To Carolina's family it was not only an accessible resource but also an acceptable resource.
The Cantus family doctor, Dr. Stover, whom the family went to, was recommended by Carolina's sister Mollie. Dr. Stover was located at Brown and Madison. And like her sister Carolina and her family went to Guadelupe Chapel when they first arrived in Grand Rapids.
For schooling Carolina's children went to Madison School, Sheldon School, then St. Joseph School. Carolina went to work to pay for children to go to Catholic school. It was very important to her for her children to go to Catholic school.
It was her concern for her children that got Carolina involved in the church. She outlined the history of the Hispanic Ministry in Grand Rapids since her arrival for me. When it was formed it was called the Mexican Apostilit. When Carolina came to town the Mexican Chapel, Our Lady Guadelupe, was the only place to go for Spanish Mass. The Mexican Chapel is a small, one story chapel built on the ground of St. Andrew. After the chapel was closed only about a decade after it opened, Father Ted began holding Spanish Mass at St. Joseph, where Carolina and her family have been members for 27 years. Father Ted reopened the chapel in the 1980's. However, the turn out for Spanish Mass as the chapel was so good that it became to full and was closed again. Father Ted was transferred to Our Lady of Sorrow, where he currently is.
Carolina expressed strong feelings for the church. "I was brought up in the church and l will die in the church." "l will never leave the church."
I asked Carolina to explain the differences between the Catholic church in Texas and the church in Grand Rapids. She said in Texas everyone in her church was Mexican, unlike the mixed congregation in Grand Rapids. Also, in Grand Rapids there was a struggle to find Mass spoken in Spanish, and that was not a problem in Texas.
Carolina said that her role model was her Aunt Virginia. Virginia had virtually no education, but was an incredible woman. She raised three families and two or three other kids that were not her own. She had four children of her own, one child of her sister-in-law, Carolina and her four brothers and sisters, three children that were orphaned when her son and his wife died, and one Black boy who's mother had to work, and one nephew on her husband's side. That's at least fifteen children she was responsible for. What did her husband Agapito do to support all these children? He worked on a farm until they moved to the city in the 1930's. Aunt Virginia died in 1980. This incredible woman had an impact on Carolina and that impact is clear in Carolina's own selfless concern for her children.
The fourth woman I interviewed was Juanita Baltierrez Rodriguez. She was born on October 3, 1931 in Chicago Illinois. Her mother and father were born in Mexico. Juanita's father first came to Grand Rapids in 1944 alone when he was offered a job at Michigan Bakery. Juanita's mother had died when Juanita was only nine years old. Juanita and her three brothers and sisters stayed with their Aunt Edubijes while their father was in Grand Rapids establishing himself. Of the four children Angela was the oldest, then Juanita, then Roberto, and the youngest was Maria. Their father brought the four of them to Grand Rapids to live with him in 1946.
They lived at 148 Woodlawn, the only home their father ever lived in Grand Rapids. Their father worked at Michigan Bakery. He made twenty-five dollars a week when he first started. Because their family liked to move around together and stay close, Juanita's Aunts and Uncles soon followed them to Grand Rapids.
Juanita went to South High and graduated when she was only sixteen years old. When she first went to school she didn't speak any English. Her first day of kindergarten she couldn't understand a word anyone was saying. She just learned on her own to speak English. When Juanita went to school in Grand Rapids there was only one other Mexican family in school, that was the Alverez family. There were no English as a second language programs for these few children, they had to survive on their own.
For church their family attended the Guadelupe Chapel outside St. Andrews Cathedral. Social support came in the form of family. Juanita said that her family was a very important part of her life when she was growing up. Her Aunt Edubijes, her Grandparents, and her father's brothers all had moved to Grand Rapids. In particular one of her uncles was not married and spent a lot of time with her and her siblings, he was a central part of their social support.
There were also several social activities that took place within the Mexican community of Grand Rapids. The first Mexican patriotic committee meeting was held in 1949 and Juanita was in attendance. The President of the comniittee at the time was Dan Vargas and the Treasurer was Manuel Alverez, Around that time the community started to hold dances at Roma Hall on Saturday nights
Juanita also mentioned that it was difficult to get Mexican food products when they first arrived in Grand Rapids. They would have to go to Chicago to get them. Eventually Rouso's market started to get some products they needed. Also Guadelupe Vargas sold prepared Mexican goods. El Paco, a tortilla chip factory also opened up on Division. These were the early sources of Mexican products, few and far between compared to the great quantity now available in Grand Rapids.
Juanita had three children by her first husband who died in August of 1959. In 1961 she married Robert Baltieffez, who was a widower with two children of his own. Together they lived at 704 Martin in Wyoming and they later moved to 711 Martin. The children attended Godwin school and West Godwin High. Juanita's son later attended GRCC. When the children went to school the school did not want them to learn Spanish at home. They felt that it was easier if the children only learned English.
As her children were growing up Juanita noticed cultural changes taking place in this second generation of Mexican - Americans in Grand Rapids. Juanita was raised with the mentality that a Mexican-American married a Mexican-American. However, when her son Jose went to school there was only one Mexican girl in the whole school and Jose wouldn't date her. Juanita realized that she had to change her thinking about dating. Jose ended up marrying a German girl. Juanita's daughter Anita married a man from North Carolina, and Juanita's other daughter married a Hollander. Juanita has come to term with these changing attitudes and likes all of her children's spouses.
Juanita's first job was at Winkelman's. She worked there after graduation while she lived with her father. After her first husband died Juanita got a job working for Leeet. She started the job in September of 1959 and worked there for nineteen years. At Leedet Juanita made equipment for the Vietnam War. She assembled and wired air jet equipment. The work included soddering pieces together, making wire wraps, and reading blue prints. Each worker worked at their own pace at their own station. She had to pass a test to get the job. Juanita also said that there was a lot of pressure to get the job done right during the war and because of govermnent inspections. Juanita spoke highly of this job. She said she loved this job. She also felt that she was lucky to get this job because at the time there was discrimination in the work force. Juanita couldn't get a job as a secretary despite her training in shorthand and she feels that it was due to discrimination,
Juanita retired from her job after the business that she and her husband own began to boom. Together they own several Taco Boy restaurants. Together they have been in business for thirty-five years.
Retiring left Juanita with more time to volunteer her services to the community. Juanita has participated in a lot of Community service. She has been a member of LAUPA, Latin American Union Political Action, the Latin American Council, CAT an organization that worked with the community and the police during the riots and worked against discrimination in employment, education and police. Juanita says that because of social activism Hispanics now have better jobs and raises. "That's where all these changes came from, from all those little things that people did."
Juanita also worked at the Hispanic Center when it first started. She was also on the board of Planned Parenthood on Cherry Street and did volunteer work there. She also volunteered at the Clyde Park Planned Parenthood where her sister Maria Rodriguez will be retiring from shortly. She has been a tutor for migrant workers and distributed clothes out of St. Andrews. Juanita has also worked at Mary Free Bed transporting patients. Juanita's great love is Clinica Santa Maria. She has volunteered there for six years doing filing, reception, and interpreting for Medicare. She says that the most rewarding thing about her work is knowing that she has helped people, "to see the looks on their faces."
Juanita expressed the life of migrant workers in Grand Rapids. She says they get no breaks, they are paying social security and not receiving the benefits. The only community help available to them is WIC, Women Infants and Children. She says that they do the work no one else will do and they don't get any help from the community. Juanita says that the most needed resource now is translators. She also says that women need to be more educated about health. Most Hispanic women, according to Juanita are very concerned with the welfare of their children but not with their own health.
Juanita's role model has been her Aunt Edubijes. Her aunt was very independent in her marriage and her life. She was the only person who could control Juanita's father. She on the Mexican Patriotic Committee when it was first formed as well. Juanita feels that she has been so independent in her own marriages because of her Aunt's example.
All of these women have led brave lives. They fought hard to forge a life for themselves and their children in a city that did not have a large Mexican-American community and virtually no support system when they arrived. They have all impacted the community of Grand Rapids as a whole as well as specifically the lespanic community in Grand Rapids.