San Jose State Chicano History Pete Michel Espinoza (RIP Born 1942 Died June 14, 2024)

San Jose State Chicano History Pete Michel Espinoza (RIP Born 1942 Died June 14, 2024)
Pete Michel Espinoza (RIP Born 1942 Died: June 14, 2024) Interview 11.3.2018
Pete Michel Autobiography Part 1 Written in 2018
I entered San Jose State in 1969 as a EOP student. I had previously attended San Jose City College. I am a first generation college student. In addition to my studies, I was a work study student for EOP and was involved in a variety of community activities. These activities included working on Que Tal and assisting the United Farm Workers Organizing committee with the boycott of Lucky’s supermarket (which was located a block away from campus). I was also involved with a student group called MASC or the Mexican American Student Confederation, which later became MECHA. For a period of about a year, I served as a guest columnist for the Spartan Daily writing a column entitled “Mano a Mano”.
I also served on the Community Alert Patrol, as well as numerous protest marches and events.
I graduated in 1973 with a BA in Political Science.
Later, in 1982, I earned a master’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning all from San Jose State.
During my three years in the MUP program, I worked two summers at the Alviso Youth Center. In addition, I also helped organize a group called the “24th Street Homeowners Association” whose purpose was to preserve the homes of working class and low income homeowners from eminent domain. I also spent time assisting the Mexican American Political Association (MAPA), as well as serving as an intern at the Mexican American Community Services Agency (MACSA). In the early 1980’s I served as a community organizer campaign co-chair for the first Hispanic San Jose City Council member, Blanca Alvarado.
In 1975, I was hired as EOP Associate Director and served in a variety of a capacities including EOP Director during my 24-year tenure at San Jose State.
My family background:
My parents and four children immigrated from Mexico in the 1920’s. My father was born in the state of Durango and my mother in Sinaloa. In addition to my four siblings born in Mexico, my parents had ten additional children born in the US. Because it was understood that we were in the US to work, and when we had enough money we would return to Mexico, my parents did not learn to speak English. Because they were farm workers there was also no need to be formally educated.
Initially, my family settled in Los Angeles and my father worked at the Simons Brickyard in El Monte. In the 1930’s my family moved to Santa Maria, California to work in the vegetable fields. My father managed to purchase a home in Santa Maria. In the early 1940s, my father contracted with the Blaur family to pick, his prunes and did so for a number of years. I was born in San Jose during one of those trips. In early 1942, the two eldest brothers, were drafted into the US Army during World War II. Due to their service in combat, both brothers were offered US citizenship but this required my father’s signature. He refused. (One of the brothers, received the purple heart at the Battle of the Bulge)
Because all of the siblings were utilized in the farm work, most did not go beyond the 8th grade. Three of the younger siblings, including myself, did graduate from high school. Of these three, one joined the US Army and received training, one attended community college and one (myself) attended a four-year university.
Hopefully, this adds to the perspective on the creation of this little magazine. Thank you for the work you are doing with this.
Best Regards,
Peter Espinosa Michel
Photo by Ramon J Martinez 1970s
Videographer: Ramon J Martinez PhD.
Video link
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Thank you for sharing
Dr Martinez

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It was an honor to work with Pete Michel. Pete, Thanks for your caring contributions to our Raza.