Oral History Interview with Luis Solis

LUANN JOHNSON: (crackling noise) ...did a couple interviews where she translated. Let's start. Um, hopefully (indeterminable) levels. Looks good. This is LuAnn Johnson and it's the 24th of June, 1999. And I am interviewing Luis...

LUIS SOLIS: Solis.

JOHNSON: Luis Solis.

SOLIS: (laughs)

JOHNSON: Luis Solis. And we are in the Barnes & Noble store in Bowling Green, Kentucky. This is for the Immigrants of Bowling Green Oral History Project. And there will be background noise. Intercoms, cash registers, and other customers. Thank you for meeting me, Luis.

SOLIS: No problem.

JOHNSON: On such short notice.

SOLIS: No problem.

JOHNSON: Um, so tell me a little bit about where your family is from.

SOLIS: Uh, my family is originally from Mexico. Uh, real southern--uh...almost near, near the coast of Mexico, actually. And uh, they lived there--I mean my 1:00grandparents were born and raised there. My mom was born and raised there until she was like uh, 35. And then she moved up here um...No actually I'm lying. She was like 26. She had me at the age of 25. Um, I didn't meet my mom until I was 4-years-old. Because she was here. And then uh, in California. And uh, she took me down there. And I spend 4 years of my life, my first four years of my life with my grandparents. So...I consider them like my parents, so...

JOHNSON: What region in Mexico was it?

SOLIS: Uh, it's like called Michoacán.

JOHNSON: Where?

SOLIS: Michoacán.

JOHNSON: Can you spell that for me? (laughs)

SOLIS: Uh, it's hard to spell. I'll probably get it wrong (laughs) there uh...If I write it down I might get it. (laughs)

JOHNSON: Okay, let me get a pen out. So where was your father?

SOLIS: Uh, my father he's from Michoacán, too. I, I didn't meet him until I was 14. I met him for the first time but I realized uh, you know, me and him have nothing in common and so I stay away from him and he stays away from me.

JOHNSON: So he wasn't there earlier in your life?

SOLIS: He was never a part of my life. And to this point he's not. You know, I met him once and I wasn't, you know...I decided my life was a lot better without him in my life, so...

JOHNSON: So it was your mother's grandparents--or your mother's parents who you spent 4 years with when you were little, little?

SOLIS: Yes. Yeah. Uh, they took care of me. I mean they're like, they're like, they're my mom and dad, as well. So I got two moms, so...It's kind of hard on Mother's Day. (laughs) I have to buy two gifts. (laughs)

JOHNSON: Do you get to visit them a lot?

SOLIS: Uh, yeah. Uh, well I've been here since August. And uh, I've visited--I mean, I haven't been here that long and I already gone to California once already. And I'm going to head out there probably in August again. So I'm going to be there for a week. Or close to a week, so...But yeah, I like, you know, I get along better, I guess away from my family. You know how that goes. (laughs)

JOHNSON: Yeah. So you're young. Can I as you your age?

SOLIS: I'm 18.

JOHNSON: Okay. And now you were born then in Bakersville, California? Is that...

SOLIS: No, I was born in Fresno, California.

JOHNSON: Fresno.

SOLIS: Yeah, born in Fresno. And I was like 8-months, 8-months-old and my mom 3:00took me to Mexico. And uh, that's with my grandparents. And she came over here to work. To uh, get enough money to get my grandparents over here. And uh, sure enough uh, 4 years later she had enough. And uh, I came here and I met my mom uh, you know, it was kind of weird because, you know, I called her "lady," at first because I didn't know. (laughs) But I still remember calling her "lady" and stuff, but you know...Then uh, you know, she's my mom, so...Now I'm just glad she did all she--you know, at first I kind of regret it that she left me down there. You know, it was like, "Man, that's not, that's not right," you know. But then I realized the situation that we were in. We're not, you know. Because they were immigrants from, you know, my parents and stuff are immigrants from Mexico, so...I mean, they had it tough. You know, I was there, you know, to see them go through all the problems. Racial issues. Not getting employment because of, you know, not having the right documents and stuff. Which is, it's 4:00really hard, but you know, they made it through.

JOHNSON: So what, what were some of the reasons your mother decided to leave Mexico?

SOLIS: Um, basically uh, it's, it's uh...too many people were against our family because uh, our family uh, we come from uh, people that uh...We're the type of people that uh, we, we're farmers, okay. In Mexico my grandparents were farmers. They had sheep, goats, you know. Cows and everything. And that's how they made their money down there. They were always good money. I mean, they never had a problem. I mean, money wasn't the issue, why they moved. It's just too many people jealousy. A lot of people didn't like our family for "x" reasons uh...My mother got uh, raped when she was really young. And uh, she was afraid that, to encounter the same guy again. And you know, it's just too much violence down there. She just figured that it would be a better life for us, you know, the 5:00children and stuff. So she decided to come down here. And uh, you know, give us school here and everything, you know. Just uh, become (loud beep), you know, what we are today.

(00:05:12)

JOHNSON: So your grandparents then came up, moved up to California, as well?

SOLIS: Yes. Yes. They moved when I moved in, uh--I got here when I was 4 and they came uh, probably like 2 years later. They came uh, down here and they've been here since. I mean, I don't know what Mexico looks like anymore.

JOHNSON: You don't?

SOLIS: No, I don't. I wish I did, though. (laughs)

JOHNSON: Do you have a lot of relatives still there?

SOLIS: Uh, yes. I do. But I, like I said, I don't know them and, you know, and the last time I was there was 4-years-old, so...

JOHNSON: Okay. Do you have plans to visit ever?

SOLIS: Yes. Yes, actually. I'm going in November. Going to Mexico and uh, I just, I mean I'm interested in uh, the arts. Um, you know, just the ruins and stuff like that. You know, Aztec ruins and everything. That's my, you know, my 6:00thing in art because, you know, that's where, what I've always done. And you know, it's just, I just think I have the spirits of the Aztec artists, so...

JOHNSON: Great. I want to talk to you more about that because I want to know--

SOLIS: Yeah, sure.

JOHNSON: --what you're influences are. But first I want to find out how, how you made it Bowling Green?

SOLIS: Okay, yeah. I graduated high school. Um...and uh, I was airbrushing, doing my money here and there. Airbrushing, I was going to fairs and had a little spray booth there. And I mean, I made pretty good money considering my age. And, you know, in California, you know, because there's a high cost of living down there. It's incredible. You, you know, you've probably heard or something. I don't know (laughs) if you've been down there but it's, it's incredible down there with, you know, laws and everything. And um, I got uh, I was airbrushing and, you know, I was spending my money with my friends. There's too temptations down there. I mean it's just a big, you know, California is a big city. I mean it's a big state. You know, and there's things here and there to spend money on. And so I would make my money, spend it, and I wasn't, you know, going to college or anything. Which, you know, college is nothing, you know, I'm not interested in college at this moment, you know. I'm not ready for 7:00it so I figured I'd stay away from it. And sure enough, you know, I, my brother has moved over here because of some problems down there. I don't know how--well actually, the company, Eagle Industries was uh, in Cali-, in Bakersfield originally. And they moved down here. And when they moved uh, my sister-in-law's sister moved here. And so, my sister-and-law and my brother decided to move to Kentucky. And they had been, they had been here for a year. And they called me up and I was out of high school, you know, I was bored and, you know, young everything. And I wanted to travel. You know, that's my thing. I got to travel. And so, uh...they said, "You want to come over to uh, Kentucky and live here for awhile, and see what, you know, what you can do down here?" And I was like, "Fine." And so I moved down here, and here I am. (laughs)

JOHNSON: Oh, wow. So you've been in town since August?

SOLIS: Since August here in Bowling Green, yes. And I, I already, you know, 8:00drove all over Kentucky and Tennessee. I like it. (laughs)

JOHNSON: Okay, great. How, how have you settled in? How've you...

SOLIS: Ah, it's uh, kind of hard. Uh...because it's...Kentucky, I mean, in general it's uh, it's backtrack, you know. It's just, technology is not as, I mean, there's not that many people. You don't see a lot of things that you would see in California because of, you know, the state that it is. You know, Bakersfield is like uh, an hour-45 minutes from L.A., which, you know, connects it to one of the biggest cities in, you know, and craziest cities in California. So, you know, you see every-, I mean you see from people to, you know, the weird cars. I mean, just--and the environment that you're in is totally different from Kentucky. And, you know, all these other states because uh, majority--Over there we are majority. We're not a minority. You know. A Hispanic person is a 9:00minority--I mean it's a majority. And here in Kentucky we are minority. Because, you know, I mean, you know--I don't if you understand this or not but, you know, in California there is just too many Hispanics, you know. And here in Kentucky, you know, you hardly really see, you know, Hispanic people. Now you see it a lot more, but uh, when I, I--it's kind of weird. It's, it's, it is just a sudden change from, you know, fast cities and stuff like that. And technology and, you know, just laws that you can imagine. And you come to Kentucky and just everything's so calm and, you know. You can leave your car unlocked for instance, you know.

JOHNSON: (laughs)

SOLIS: (laughs) That's something that really, like, "Whoa!" (laughs) And uh, the weather, too. The weather uh, and everything is so green down here. It's just, I like it. I like it here. And uh, it's, I mean it's kind of hard to settle down living all your life in California. Having all your friends, I mean everything. You move down here, and I'm, I'm kind of lost, you know. Had to start all over, 10:00you know. Meet new people and stuff like that. Which is, you know, it's a challenge. You know, it's uh, it's nice, it's nice to meet new people and stuff like that. You know, I have a thing, I like to talk a lot as you noticed...

(00:10:10)

JOHNSON: I, I like that, too.

SOLIS: (laughs)

JOHNSON: It's fine. So um, so how would you describe--what was some of the biggest differences then um, as far as becoming part of a cultural community here? In Bowling Green?

SOLIS: Uh...just...I mean...biggest thing is uh, the food that we eat. Okay uh, we are known by tortillas and stuff, you know. And uh, here, you know, you can't buy them, you know. Now you can, but I heard that, you know, when I got here you couldn't find them. You couldn't find a tortilla at a store. Down in California you go to a store and there it is. And here a tortilla, I ask for tortillas and they give me, you know, chips. Of course that's not what I'm asking for. 11:00(laughs) But I mean, there's little things. Little things that uh, you know it's, it's a big change, you know. As far as culture and stuff like that, you know. Um, the way people do things here. Such as the Christmas. I see a lot more people, united here than down there. I see a lot more of uh, friend, friendly people I could say. Down there everybody's, you know, just everybody's scared of everybody. That's what it is. Here I mean, you're more calm and you know, just...I mean the culture here is just seems to be that, you know, (loud noise) calmness and, you know, kindness.

JOHNSON: Yeah.

SOLIS: In California, you, I mean you just don't have that.

JOHNSON: Well, what kind of racial situations did you deal with in California and what, compared then to any that you may encounter here?

SOLIS: Uh, in California I've encountered a couple of situations. Uh, you know, not much because like I said, California is full of Hispanic people. So I mean, it's, it is hard, you know. You can really get, you know, racial issues down there. But I have encountered a couple in California. One issue, one uh...one time I was in school and uh, security guard, and uh...I was into the gang thing 12:00and everything, you know, when I was, I was 14 and I was into the gang thing. And uh, they uh, I had a gun in my pocket, in my backpack. And I got caught with a gun. And I mean, the security guard told me you had to be Mexican. And I felt like, you know, "Wait, what does that mean?" You know? I felt like, you know, I felt like tiny, you know, when he said that stuff, you know. But uh, as, you know, I was a smart mouth like I always was, I responded back to it and I told him, "Well, if I was a Mexican would you (indeterminable)?" And he didn't say anything. And I went to the office and when they interviewed me and everything. And, you know, had to tell them what was happening and everything uh...They uh, I explained to them what he had said. Here in Kentucky I have encountered a 13:00couple times. I mean, I just feel like, you know, there's places where I've gone and gone into a restaurant and felt like everyone turned around and looked at me, and saw me as, you know, "Oh, god." You know. "This guy's coming in," you know. And I have felt like I am, you know, like what I am, a minority and stuff. I have felt like. And uh, it doesn't feel too good but uh, I've learned that it's not, it's not important to me what they think. It's important what I think. And it's important where I come from. And I'm not going to forget who I am or where I come from just because somebody doesn't like my, you know, my background, or my skin, or you know, whatever. I mean, I'm proud of who I am, where I come from, who my parents come from and everything. And I mean, that's my, that's my background. So you know, I'm going to stick to it. You know, I can't change it. You can't erase it like you can, you know, something you write down. You know, so you just stick with it, and uh, you know, just pray for the 14:00best. And you know, see what comes out of that.

JOHNSON: So--that's a very good point. Um, what kind of things--I imagine in California being in an area where the Hispanic population is large, it's a lot--that the cultural traditions are, are surround you everywhere.

SOLIS: Yes.

JOHNSON: Um, what types of uh, of traditions and customs and values were important to your family to keep going after they moved to America?

SOLIS: Uh, moving down here...in California there's not that many changes of culture. I mean it's, everything stays the same basically because you have a community where, you know, it's basically, you know, California is just so full of, you know, Hispanics that you, most of them have the same cultures. You know, Mexicans and Hondurans and, you know, people from other, you know, countries 15:00from down in South America. They have basically the same, you know, like Christmas, you know. We have certain, you know, things that we do for Christmas. Or uh, uh--it's just, it was, you know, it's important for my parents to conserve the way they celebrate Christmas by cooking certain foods. Tamales, for example. Um, cooking uh, you know, wait until 12 o'clock to go open all the presents, you know.

JOHNSON: Midnight?

(00:15:28)

SOLIS: Yeah, midnight. Everybody waits until midnight to open their presents and stuff. And uh, you know, New Year's Eve uh, staying up and spending time with the family at the table and talking about what your resolution might be. And when it strikes 12, you know, hug everybody. "Happy New Year." And then go grab a cup of water and throw it behind your back outside for good luck. Uh, little things like that which my parents, you know, we've done. You know, they didn't change much, you know. They didn't change much just because they were here, you know. They started celebrating like, Thanksgiving. We never, you know, Mexicans they don't know what Thanksgiving is. (laughs) They have other holidays, but 16:00they don't have that one.

JOHNSON: What, what holidays um, do they continue? Up in the States? Like um, Cinco de Mayo? Or..

SOLIS: Oh, Cinco de Mayo is uh, not something we really celebrate in my family. It uh, but it is uh--a lot of people don't know what it means. Even our own people don't know what it means. You know, and so it's just, gosh, just an excuse to party.

JOHNSON: Is it?

SOLIS: Yeah.

JOHNSON: What about up in the States? Is that how it's played out?

SOLIS: That's the way I see it. Um, that's the say, you know, I see a lot of things. A lot of people celebrate Cinco de Mayo, for example. That's one of the holidays that (indeterminable). You know, it's just an excuse to party and, you know, go out and have fun and whatever. But you know, most of the people that, you know--because I used to ask everybody, "So, what does that mean? What does it mean to you? I mean, do you know what it means? Do you know why they're 17:00celebrating this?" (voice over a loudspeaker) "Yeah, Mexico's independence." I'm like, "No, it's not Mexico's independence. That's another date." I don't know the date of it but uh...

JOHNSON: November 12th maybe?

SOLIS: November 12th. Yes, November 12th. Um, Cinco de Mayo is just when Mexico people defeated in a battle uh, Napoleon's troops and stuff. So they just celebrate that. You know, it's bigger than Independence Day I think. (laughs) But yeah, they kept, kept that one and uh, there's, I don't know if there's any--Mother's Day.

JOHNSON: Mother's Day.

SOLIS: Yeah, it's always the 10th.

JOHNSON: Of June?

SOLIS: Yeah. 10th. Yeah. It's always the 10th. I mean, no matter if it's on a Monday, Tuesday. If it's the 10th, it's Mother's Day. So that's, that's, we always celebrate it on the 10th so...

JOHNSON: So um, in Kentucky um, how have you and your relatives um, settled in celebrating traditions? Or maintaining...

SOLIS: Well it's extremely hard with uh, with the fact that we're always working and stuff. And uh, you know, we really don't have all the family united together so we can celebrate it. But uh, we do remind each other that it's a certain day or a certain, you know. We try to keep up with the, you know, the cooking and, you know, during Christmas, tamales or whatever. But uh, I mean we still forget about it, you know. It's, it's not as exciting without a family. Because it's only me and my brother. And so, you know, this past Christmas nothing, you know, we just stayed home. Went to sleep early, you know, because I had to work and stuff like that. And I'm always, you know, into my art and everything. So it just kind of faded away. But I know that if I was in California then I'd be with my family and we'd be celebrating like we always do every Christmas. But yeah, I mean it's hard to let go. And I mean, we're, during these holidays we just, it's just another day for us because we don't have our family here. So we don't celebrate that much.

JOHNSON: So tell me about where you're working and what you're doing there.

SOLIS: I work at Eagle Industries. And uh, I am their graphics man. I do all their graphics, all their airbrushing, all the artwork that needs to be done I do it. Um, I've been, I've been there, I've been doing the trailers-, their fleet, fleet of trailers. I've already done about 40 or 50 trailers. That's, you know, for my age it's kind of "whoa." (laughs)

JOHNSON: Yeah.

SOLIS: And uh, it's a lot of fun. I mean uh, I, I get paid pretty good. They just started me at $11 an hour. And uh, I get benefits and, you know, holidays, paid vacation and everything. And uh, you know, anything that I need, you know. I'm my own boss. I don't have anybody telling me, "Hurry up. Come to work." You know. I go to work, get my stuff done, and they pay me for my work. And, you know, that's the way it goes. It's pretty fun. I mean it's, it's cool having a 20:00job like that at 18. Not a lot of 18-year-olds have a job like that, so...

(00:20:00)

JOHNSON: When did you get interested in art?

SOLIS: I was interested in art uh, probably about when I was 13. Thirteen...

JOHNSON: How did you start?

SOLIS: Uh, I had a friend, I had a lot of friends in California which, you know, we're into the gangs and everything. And they did a lot of gangster little drawings and stuff. Kind of stuff like you'd see with (indeterminable). That's the kind of stuff I started off drawing. And uh, I used to ditch from school. Get away after school just to go draw in the parks and stuff. Just to improve, you know, show off in front my friends like, "Oh yeah, check this out. I drew this." You know, but it would take me, you know, basically 8 hours to draw (laughs) something that was really simple. But you know, after that just everyday, you know, sitting down drawing and, you know, just learning different things. Talking to the guys. You know, most of them gangsters and everything, but you know. There are true artists, you know, out there that, you know, if they got off their butts and got of the drugs they could make a lot of money because of their talents. But you know, like I said, drugs and, you know, California is just a temptation. It's like a drug. And uh, if you get caught in 21:00that little wave, you're going to go along with it. And you know, I was heading that way but you know, fortunately I, you know, I just turned around and said, "That's not for me." You know. I've become real good at art so I'm going to keep on doing it and make money out of it. And I saw that I could make money out of it and I made a lot of money. I've made an average of $8,000 in my sophomore year in high school. And I mean, for a sophomore in high school (laughs) that's a lot of money.

JOHNSON: So what kind of um, ambitions do you have? With your artwork?

SOLIS: Uh, with my artwork I really...I want to make an impression. I want people to know what I do. I want people to look at my artwork and say, "Wow." You know, "A young kind did that." Or you know...My goals are, you know--I couldn't tell you a goal that I have. I just want to do it, and I want people to 22:00enjoy it, and I want people to, you know. I just want people to stop and look. And, you know, send a message out there that, you know, no matter how hold old or where you come from you can do something in this world, you know.

JOHNSON: So, you mentioned earlier some of your influences are that you tie some of your, your art style to your heritage?

SOLIS: Yes I do. Most of my original pieces--because right now most of my artwork is uh, you know, done by uh, doing other illustrations that some other artists do. (loud background noise) (indeterminable) But my own original artwork when I start, you know, for myself, you know, because right now I paint for people. But when I paint for myself I do Aztec images and stuff like that. Um, you know, it's just something I've always uh, it's a culture in California, you know. Most of the kids that are there like to draw it and I started drawing it. But along with the drawings I started studying about the history, about, you know, where we come from. And you know, how everything happened, you know. And why. Why are there pyramids there? Or why is this god named this? Why is that 23:00other sun god named that? You know. So I started studying them and uh, I got together with people that, you know, were going to college and studying, you know, Chicano Studies. That's what they call it down there at the college. And uh, I made a lot of research and I, you know, I, I just, I saw their artwork their--what they used to do back then. And it was just, it's amazing. I mean, it just moved me and I was just like, "This is the kind of stuff I want to be doing." And so I started making artwork. One of my first paintings it's sitting at gallery, it's sitting at a...sitting at one of the school's main buildings and stuff. They decided to keep it because they were impressed with the painting and stuff, so...But yeah, that painting, oh god, that's the first painting...(laughs)

JOHNSON: (laughs)

SOLIS: That painting got me uh, $20,000 to go to school. It got me uh, it got me 24:00a lot of recognition in California and uh, I mean, I was doing alright. I mean...

JOHNSON: But you didn't decided to go to school?

SOLIS: No. I decided to stay out of school because like I said, I'm not ready for school. I'm 18 and I was going go to school. If would have gone, I would have gone to school and I would have dropped out. I didn't have the hunger to go to school. I was tired of high school already as it was. I mean, I was going probably about two days a week to school. And I was just going to art class. And I mean, all my teachers gave me slack because of who I was and because of what I did. And which I thought was wrong, you know. I thought it was unfair that, you know, I got special treatment just because I knew how to do art and stuff, you know. Kind of, sometimes I just kind of, I went to my classes and I was just like, no I gotta be like the rest of the students, you know. But I couldn't so...(laughs) Accept temptations out there and uh, I mean...I just decided to stay away from college for awhile. And whenever I feel I'm ready and I, you know--because I don't think, you know, somebody--you can only learn so much from somebody else. (00:25:00) The rest you have to, I mean, you can read maybe books, I mean you know, for years and years. But if you don't get you're hands 25:00dirty you're not going to learn anything. That's the way I saw it, you know. That's the way I see college. You have to take a lot of classes which have nothing to do with art, you know. Which are a waste of my time, you know. And I just don't want to take them, so you know. I decided I'm going to wait and when I'm ready to go to college I'll just take the class which is related to nothing but art, you know. I want to, you know, just concentrate on one thing and not, you know, get my focus off, you know. Start doing physics or whatever, you know. I'm not, that's not my stuff, you know. I'm going to stay away from other fields and just concentrate on what I am. Because I mean, you're...When you were, when the Aztecs were in their prime and stuff, what they used to do is when a child was born they would assign them something. They'd be like, "Okay, this guy's going to be an artist." And that's all he did for the rest of his life. He would not pick up, you know, even if you know, they would break something for the king 26:00he would not go over there and clean it up because that wasn't his job. His job was to do nothing but architecture or nothing but, you know, art. So that's the way I see my life. I'm going to stick to one thing and, you know, I saw college as, you know...I just think college would have screwed, you know, would just (indeterminable) but it would...(laughs)

JOHNSON: (laughs)

SOLIS: ...would mess me up. It wold mess me up as far as what I wanted to do. And it would confuse me. So I'm going to stay away from college until I got my head and I know what I want to do, you know. Until I know what my goal is. Because still I don't know what, you know, I really want to do. I'm doing what I'm doing and, you know. I just, but you know, if I would have gone to college there's nothing that they can give you. They can tell you well, "You're this good now," you know. I've met a lot of guys, you know, they've spent eight, ten years in college and, you know, it's just they haven't learned anything, you know. And it's, I see it as a waste of money. (laughs) That's why I'm not going yet. (laughs)

JOHNSON: Okay. Well, so how long do you think--are you planning on staying in 27:00Bowling Green for awhile?

SOLIS: Uh, yes. I got, I'm doing this uh, this fleet, these trucks. That's going to keep me busy at least for another year or two years. (voice over a loud speaker) But I will be here for another two years probably. Two or three years depending if, you know, I change my mind I'll probably stay here. I don't know but, you know. Probably another two years.

JOHNSON: Okay. And then, where, where are some of the places you'd like to go or things you'd like to do?

SOLIS: I got, I got to travel overseas. I got, I got to go to check out Michelangelo's work. I got to go check out the great artists that make the art, you know. Made art. Um, I got to go down, you know, to South America and stuff like that. You know, just see the ruins and everything. That's, that's my thing, that's my passion and stuff. But uh, after that I plan to, you know, just 28:00travel. Travel uh, and uh, come back and uh, open up my business down in California. That's what I want to do my, have a business like that. A friend has been sitting there waiting for me. He's still waiting for me to open a business with me. Because we used to airbrush together and we did alright. We did alright. But we were young and everything, so...

JOHNSON: (laughs)

SOLIS: And we have the money (indeterminable) so. I got to go back and, you know, kind of finish what I started, so. That's what I plan to do after Bowling Green I guess. (laughs)

JOHNSON: Okay.

SOLIS: I hope so. (laughs)

JOHNSON: Alright. Well um, we can start wrapping up because they're going to be closing up here pretty soon.

SOLIS: Yeah.

JOHNSON: So, with the idea that this is going to go in the archives, it's kind of uh, marking the history of just this process of different communities growing in Bowling Green. And um, is there anything that you'd like to add that we haven't talked about yet? Or any advice, sage advice, for future generations? Or um, or any stories that, that stand out to you as being part of your heritage?

SOLIS: Well just uh, never forget where you come from and who you are. Because 29:00that's where everything is. I mean, the world can keep on growing and growing, and technology can keep on going. But no matter what, you know, you're still going to be the person who you are because of your heritage. Because somebody back then did something and it caused, it caused, that little thing caused, caused, you know, a you know, certain religion or caused certain, you know, made something else which, you know, makes the person that you are today. You know. I lot of people forget, like I said, where we come from. And that's the problem. They get, you know, light headed and stuff, you know.

JOHNSON: And how do you remember?

SOLIS: Oh...I just remember my parents working in the, you know, the fields and stuff like that. Getting paid, you know, nothing basically. Being slaves too, you know. So I mean, I just saw them struggling. I went out there and I worked 30:00myself. I worked. I've been working since I can remember. (00:30:01) And it's not the funnest thing to go out there and work in the fields and get paid five bucks an hour. Which California is the most expensive place to live. And you can't make it out there. And struggling with the rent and everything. And I mean, and once you get older and you start making money, you forget, well I used to struggle and this and that, you know. I don't forget that my family struggled to get here. And I didn't forget that my family, you know, made all the sacrifices for me to, you know, go to school and get an education. And you know, become the person who I am. (coughs) I mean, just that's one thing that I want to tell people. Don't forget who you are and where you come from. Because that's where everything is at. You know. That's where, I mean, heart and soul and everything. It's who you are. And uh, if people don't like it? Don't worry about 31:00it. That's not, that's not for them it's for you. If you want to be who you are then do it. And if you've got a dream, you can do, I mean, just go for it, you know. Live it, you know. Try your hardest and don't give up and don't let anybody take you down. Because that's, that's something that happened to me. A lot of people would tell me that I wouldn't do anything, that I wasn't going to do anything with my life. (voice over loud speaker) That, you know, I was just another Hispanic, you know, coming up and stuff, you know. And just, I was just going to get paid so much an hour. I wasn't going to get past, you know, being a gardner or, you know, whatever. And so that motivated me instead. And so, I decided to show people who I am. And one of these days when I see the world and the world's got their eyes on me I'm going to let them know, you know. I made it, you know. Here I am and I want people to know that, you know, if I can make it anybody can make it, you know. I'm not special. I'm not, you know, I'm not, you know, something out of the ordinary. I'm just a normal person. I got blood 32:00that's red like everybody else. And just because I come from Hispanic, Mexican parents, you know, and stuff like that, doesn't mean that I'm different. You know. I may have a culture that's different but I'm still, I'm still a person. You know, people should treat other people as, that's what they are, people. That's pretty much what I got to say. (laughs)

JOHNSON: Okay. Thank you so much for meeting me.

SOLIS: Alright, no problem. No problem.

JOHNSON: We'll end now.

(00:32:27)