Austin (Tex.)Galveston (Tex.)Bastrop (Tex.)Longhorn Radio Network (creator)Wheat, John (host)Barrientos, Gonzalo, 1941- (interviewee)4/4/1978The Mexican American Experience, a radio program produced by the Longhorn Radio Network, includes interviews, music, and informational programs related to the Mexican American community and their concerns. Program summary: Host John Wheat interviews Rep. Gonzalo Barrientos on growing up Latino in segregated Texas, and his experiences as a Chicano politician. Rep. Gonzalo Barrientos discusses growing up Latino in Texas, and his experiences as a Chicano politician. As the child of migrant farm workers, Barrientos grew up in a Spanish-only household. He gradually learned English from black children on the farms where his parents worked. Because he attended a separate school for Mexican Americans, he did not have much contact with Anglo children until the 1948 case of Delgado vs. Bastrop ISD, which ended the segregation of Mexican American and Anglo children. Growing up, Barrientos says, he never felt like a citizen or an American and he spent much of his youth trying to prove himself to others—a sense of citizenship came years later and with it the realization that he did not need to prove his worth. As a politician, he has tried to represent a majority of people and not just the Chicano community. He explains that he is able to use his bilingualism on the campaign trail to reach more people. Barrientos advocates bilingual education and talks a little about the discrimination he has faced for that stance. He also discusses the importance of helping Mexican Americans get a good education and good jobs. Barrientos also talks about the diversity of the Hispanic community and argues that diversity constitutes the very strength of the country. Keywords: Accents, Acculturation, African Americans, Austin, Texas, Bildungsroman, Bilingual Education, Bilingualism, Chicano Childhood experiences, Chicano Political Campaigns, Chicano Politicians, Citizenship, Class Divisions, Coming of Age, Delgado V. Bastrop ISD, East Austin, Ethnic Alienation, Ethnic Division of Labor, Ethnic Slurs, Ethnic Solidarity, Gonzalo Barrientos, Harvest, Interracial interactions, Language Differences, Migrant Labor, Migrant life, Multiculturalism, Poverty, Segregated schools, Segregation, Texas House of Representatives, Undergraduate, University of Texas at Austin, Youth Culture. Broadcast date: 1978-04-11.utblac:a9b41d7f-3b1c-4683-81b4-13b792c1f6cfEnglishhttp://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/Mexican American Programs of the Longhorn Radio Network25 minutes, 5 secondsMexican Americans--SegregationMexican American youth--EducationSegregation in educationMexican American youth--Ethnic identityMexican American politiciansGrowing Up Chicanosound recordingsgrabaciones sonorasradio programsprogramas de radioAudio