Al Norte de San Diego:
Oral Histories of Mexican / Latinos in North San Diego County

Al Norte de San Diego is an educational enrichment project celebrating the rich cultural legacy and heritage of Mexicans/Latinos in the United States, California, and specifically, North San Diego County from the 1900s to the present. Presently, project coordinators are developing the infrastructure to preserve documentary records on Mexican/Latino history and culture, producing an historiographical review of primary and secondary literature available, and designing the methodology for implementing an history project to recover the voices of elderly Mexican/Latino residents, beginning in Escondido and proceeding to north county cities with highest Mexican/Latino population. The recovery and preservation of these oral histories is of great urgency because individual oral histories are like pieces of a colorful mosaic, essential perspectives to the creation of a full picture. Oral histories are a secret archive, waiting to be discovered and brought to life for younger generations to acquire a better understanding of the individuals who shaped the past. In the future, this project will expand to fulfill a unique role in promoting understanding and appreciation of living cultures and traditions by designing and implementing an array of activities including exhibits, cultural policy, publications, archives and resources.

For more information, contact Dr. Arcela Núñez Álvarez at (760) 750-3503 or anunez@csusm.edu