Esteemed author and journalist, Juan González was welcomed by Los Medanos College for his talk that addressed his studies of labor, immigration and social justice. His work covered the geography and history of immigration and noted themes from his book, “Harvest of Empire: A History of Latinos in America.”
González’s eye for writing was initially discovered by his high school English teacher who pushed him to join the student newspaper.
“She insisted that I work on the paper and pushed me and made me the chief of the paper my senior year,” González said. “She was the one teacher who inspired me.”
He works as co-host of the “Democracy Now!” newscast and from his past work, he was recognized by the National Associate of Hispanic Journalists Hall of Fame. From his experience, he notes the importance of the truth in storytelling.
“Most journalists don’t consciously distort the story, they see it from a 1-D picture,” González said. “That’s why it’s the journalist’s job to dig deeper and make sure that they realize they are conscious of the flawed prism, seeing everything through a wider lens.”
“These walls we hate them, these walls we make them” were the lyrics that filled the room. The song “Tear Down the Walls” sets the tone for González’s talk as he uncovers the prejudice against migrants. He notes how America’s founding geography created a border of segregation, claiming “we didn’t cross the border, the border crossed us.”
Following the talk, Puente Student Ambassadors Joe Alda and Guadalupe Gomez asked questions regarding the topics addressed. With over 200 colleges using “Harvest of Empire: A History of Latinos in America” in their curriculum, it impacted many Latin youth, including the featured students from Puente. Curiosity sparked many students to ask questions and understand their story of coming to America.
This event was part of the Equity Speaker Series on campus and was held in the Student Union Conference Center, with refreshments and snacks available. It was sponsored by Puente, the Office of Equity and Inclusion, the Department of Journalism, and the Department of Ethnic and Social Studies.
At the end of his talk, González reinforced the importance of breaking past barriers and learning from America’s history.
“In order for history not to repeat itself, people must learn history first so in the future, people don’t end up building walls instead they should take them down,” González concluded.
