In 2009 Pasadena scholar Roberta H. Martínez’s definitive work “Latinos in Pasadena” was published. This week, against the backdrop of a City Council led by a Latino mayor and a City Hall led by a Latino city manager —both born in Mexico — Pasadena Now asked Martínez to reflect on “the state of the city” for Latinos.
“That requires a broad answer because of the spectrum of the experiences of Latinos is vast,” Martínez said. “Some living in the city they are dealing with the legacy of redlining and restrictive covenants. Yet others may be living in places like Dundee Heights or Bungalow Heaven. Others are involved at institutes like Caltech or JPL or work at City Hall or sell fruit or elotes as a street vendor.”
Martínez was born and raised in East Los Angeles and has resided locally all her life. Much of her research has been on the history of Latinos, Pasadena, and women. Her “Latinos in Pasadena” was published by Arcadia Publishing. She has served on several of their advisory committees Pasadena Museum of History and curated the exhibit “The Past Lives Vividly in the Present”. Martínez said that despite the size of Pasadena’s Hispanic population, it […]
