An Oral History Project Conducted by John Robert Lewis Fellow Jennifer Puac
Project Description
This oral history project is dedicated to the lives of Juan Puac and Hilaria Perez who both survived the political times of Guatemala during the 80s and migrated to the United States during the early 90’s. Both were born in a small agrarian town called Totonicapan, Guatemala in the late 60s and early 70s. Both discuss what it was like growing up in Guatemala, what the genocide was like for their indigenous population, and what the pressures (i.e., mental health) were for them when they arrived in the United States.
This oral history aims to address the narrative of what being an immigrant in the United States means from one aspect of the Latino community. With a lot of noise in the media and a shifted negative portrayal of immigrants today, as there was a negative portrayal in the 90s and into the 2000’s with the policies of Bill Clinton and presidents thereafter, there is a need to inform the American society of what migration means for citizens of countries outside the border and what the main goal is for them when seeking citizenship in the United States.
Oral History Interview with Juan Puac and Hilaria Perez - 05/19/2024
Presentation Recording