S1: For many students today , going away to college feels normal. It's exciting , maybe a little scary , but it's expected.
S2: But for Hispanic woman , growing up here in the Imperial Valley during the 1940s , 50s and even the 60s , leaving home for college was often discouraged or simply not even allowed.
S1: Segregation shaped daily lives. Opportunities were limited , and many families believed daughters should stay close to home.
S2: But one woman from Brawley decided to challenge those expectations.
S1: Today , in voices del Valle , we hear the story of Lupe Rodriguez , one of the first Hispanic nurses from the Imperial Valley.
S2: From growing up in an Adobe house to attending Mercy College in San Diego to becoming a respected nurse and hospital Supervisor. Lopez story is one of resilience , discipline and determination.
S1: And her message to young people today is simple.
S2: Follow your dreams and come out ahead.
S1: We started by asking Lupe what life was like growing up in the Imperial Valley during the 1930s , and 40s.
S2: And her memories paint a picture of both hardship and strength.
S3: Hello , my name is Guadalupe Rodriguez. I was four years old in the 1930s , so I had a sister and we lived in an Adobe house with just a drape for a door. And , uh. And my dad had built. My dad was a field worker and my mother was a stay at home mom , and my dad built her a table. So from the Adobe house , there was this table outside. I think it might have had a roof over it or something. Somehow I just don't remember quite everything. But , uh , my mother would be cooking on this table , and my sister used to cry a lot. So she tied a rope to the leg of the table to the crib. So when she started to cry from the rocking , she would step on the rope so she would rock. That's that old that I remember. It's a four year old. Oh.
S1: Oh. Yes.
S3: Yes.
S2: It's hard to imagine growing up in conditions like that.
S1: But hearing her describe those memories so vividly shows how much resilience families in the Valley had during that time.
S2: When we asked Lopez. She told us that she didn't originally know she wanted to become a nurse.
S1: But healing and caregiving were already part of her life because of her grandma.
S3: Though , my grandmother was a good idea for the whole community. They'd bring her children , you know , or adults , you know. So , uh , and I would take care of what I , when I was older , I , I would a little older , I would take care of our pets , you know , say the rooster , the chicken or the whatever. We had the cat , the dog , you know. But I did really know that I wanted to become a nurse. But that was the beginning , you know. And then , of course , my grandmother and I got all the treatments there were.
S1: Oh my God.
S3: Oh , it was awful. It was awful because my father , Adele , would close , and so she would look at my father , Dell , and say that , oh , I needed to sell. And so they would. My uncles would chase me. I was just about a year and a half or so , but I started walking at nine months anyway , so they would catch me , pick me up. And my grandmother , who had a card as she pushed her by my mouth and then they would get me from my feet. Oh , there was a bucket of water. They would call me from my feet and they would hit me and pull me up. It'll pull me up so that I could. So they would come up , you know. Oh , it was so like I said , I got all the treatments that she knew of , but I didn't know I wanted to become a nurse. Wow.
S2: Wow.
S1: One of the biggest challenges for Hispanic woman at the time was family expectations.
S2: Lopez described to us how strict her father was , and how difficult it was to convince him to let her leave her college.
S3: Oh , my father was a big influence in everything because he made most of the decisions , you know ? So , uh , when I went to high school , I played basketball , and I loved that because I could see very far my vision. I didn't know why I needed glasses until I was going to college. Yes. Wow.
S1: Wow.
S3: So , uh , so my dad had a lot to do with it. When I was at high school , they wore shorts in a blue shorts with a name on the side and a white blouse , you know , for for the for whatever. Well , I was not about to her shorts , so I had shorts , but I had to wear a blue skirt over there. Really with with my name embroidered on the side. He would hear me wearing shorts.
S1:
S3:
S1: He was the one. Very.
S3: Very. Aha ! Wow.
S1:
S3: Very , very strict.
S1: Oh , my. Okay.
S3: And we did have any friends come over to our house.
S1:
S3:
S1:
S3: Have it ? No. Forget that. Forget that. If the boys came around in bicycles at night , he'd come out with a shotgun. No.
S1: No.
S3: Oh , yes. No.
S1: No. Yes.
S3: Yes. And I would hear about it in school.
S2: Oh my goodness.
S3: Oh , so it was. It was very difficult.
S2: Today we think of leaving for college as normal.
S1: But for her , just getting permission to go out was a huge berry she had to overcome.
S3: I told him I wanted to go to college.
S1:
S3: As long as there were males and females. No way. So I said , well , I gotta go. I have to go. So , uh , there was a scholarship that was offered at the school , uh , 300 or something from the Business and Professional Women's Club , and they told me to apply because I wanted to go to college. So it was read by the sisters and it was only girls. So he accepted that.
S2: Lupe also shared what segregation looked like growing up in Brawley.
S1: And how experiences with discrimination motivated her to work even harder.
S3: When I took a class , I always wanted to come out ahead , you know , always wanted to come out ahead and show them that I could do it because there was prejudice , a lot of prejudice especially , I don't know if in El Centro , but in Brawley , you know , we had our old theater on the East Side. We had our old school that was Hidalgo School , and it was only Mexicans and blacks , you know. And if we went across the railroad tracks , beware.
S1: Oh my. Goodness.
S3: Goodness. Yes.
S2: That's that's. Interesting.
S3: Interesting. And and then we had a store which was JCPenney.
S1: Oh , J.C.. Penney.
S3: Penney. Yes. And there we could go. And at that time you'd pay for your you'd go buy your things and they would check you out here. And then they had a cable that would go upstairs where they said the money , and then they would send the money back on the cable. The change ? Yeah. You did. You did deal with them like that ? No.
S2: I had never heard of that. Yeah.
S3: Yeah. And then the best , best store was MacDonald MacDonald's store. Well , we never went in there. Never. Oh.
S1: Oh.
S3: Okay.
S1: Okay.
S3: And ? And they just did accept Mexicans. And that was where I first felt the prejudice against Mexicans.
S1: That really opened your eyes. Yes.
S3: Yes. My mother wanted there to buy something , and they would not wait on her. They would not wait on her. Would not wait on her. And finally , my mother said , my money is as good as theirs , you know. And that's what I really felt the , the prejudice there was. But before that I did I did think about it , you know.
S2: And how did that how did that make you feel ? Like seeing and noticing , like finally like coming to the realization.
S3: I thought I was going to show them that I can do it. I am going to go to school at I am going to come out a hit and show them , you know , I was just so determined , you know , to get ahead.
S1: Hearing her talk about schools separated by race and being ignored in stores really shows how different the Valley was back then.
S2: But instead of discouraging her , it pushed her to prove that she and Mexican can succeed.
S1: Lupe eventually attended Mercy College in San Diego , a residential Catholic nursing school run by the Sisters of Mercy.
S2: And honestly , it sounded very intense.
S3: My first year at Mercy College , uh , it was read by the Sisters of Mercy and , uh. we had , uh , to be up by by 5:00 in the morning. Yes. Get ready. Then we got ready , and we'd go to Bess for steak. And then after that , we go for breakfast. And after that , we'd go either to our classes or to the , uh. We were working on the floors , to the floor. You know , that we were working at. But it was very , very strict. And , uh , but it was it was I was used to , you know , a lot of discipline at home , too , with my dad. So.
S2: So. So when when you did do leave. How how did you feel ? Did you feel scared ? Did you ? Well.
S3: At mercy. Yeah. No , I was so scared. I , I really got lonely when my dad said me the first letter.
S1: Oh my goodness. Yes.
S3: Yes. Because , uh , because he'd been so strict with us , you know. And so , uh , yes , I got real lonely when I got his first letter. Not my mother's. My father.
S1: Your fathers were like , oh my goodness. Yes.
S3: Yes.
S1: So I wanted to ask you , were there other many Hispanic students in your program and did you face it ? Mercy.
S3: Yes , yes. There was only , uh , seven of us. Seven.
S1: Seven. Aha ! Wow.
S3: But we started with a class of about 77 students , and we I don't know , we ended up with a lot less at graduation because you could get married and you could get pregnant. Wow.
S1: Wow. Okay.
S3: Okay. And so some of the girls would get married , so they were out. And if , say you got pregnant , you were out for sugar , so. No. And , uh , and then , uh , we had to be in our rooms ready to go to bed by 9:00 at night. Wow.
S1: Wow.
S3: And then the house , mother , we had a house , mother , and she would go around and check every room. You could hear her coming down the hall , checking , checking. And sometimes you'd be hiding in the closet. So , yes. Without the lights , because , uh. Or because there's a light in the closet. To study more. You know , I would do that. And then when I hear her close , I turned that off and get in bed.
S1: You know ? So.
S3:
S2:
S1:
S3: Yes.
S1:
S3: I mean , you had to.
S1: Was there like three strikes in ? You're out.
S2: Or was it just.
S1: Just like , okay , you're. Out.
S3: Out. No , no , there was no three strikes.
S1: Oh my gosh. Wow.
S2: Five in the morning mass every day.
S1: Strict curfews and getting thrown out for breaking rules. I don't think I would survive that.
S2: But she said growing up with discipline at home helped her prepare for that.
S1: One thing that really stood out during our interview was Lopez determination.
S2: She was focused on being successful , and she even developed her own study methods to stay ahead.
S3: Oh , just because I was so determined to finish what I started , I always had to get ahead , to get ahead. You know , that was my big thing.
S1: Do you. Would you say that your other colleagues from your mercy school like the Hispanic ones ? Um , were they also as determined as you were ? They were just there like.
S3: Well , we had two older girls in their 20s. Yeah. And they already had jobs at the hospital. One was a instrument nursing surgery , and the other one. I don't remember what she worked at , but it was in the hospital. So they were in their 20s. And so they were old for us , you know. Like.
S1: Like.
S3: And , uh , and I would study , you know , and at one time the , the Hitler , the head , uh , the house mother , the big she told not the house mother , but the sister in charge of everything. She told me that she would like for me to study with those two , to show them study habits. Wow.
S1: Wow.
S2: You know , so they were asking you to study with the older. Yes.
S3: Yes. Because. So they could learn how to study. So because I was making good grades. You know , like I said , I was determined to to finish what I started and I was going to be ahead. So I ended up with after with graduation , I was the third highest of the class that graduated.
S2: That's great. And do you remember some of the ways and habits you would study ? What like do you remember like ways in which you would study or like.
S3:
S2:
S3: Say , if I was studying , say , the nerves with the first letter of every word I read , I knew what they were , the first letter. So the first letter , I would try and make up either a word or something I knew. You know , like , say , uh , like , say the five lakes of the United States.
S1:
S2: Don't.
S1: Don't.
S2: I think the five legs lakes.
S3: Lakes of the United States. Well , I made up the word hubs with the first word. First hose. Hose. Okay.
S1: Okay. HOMESO.
S3: HOMESO. Okay okay , okay. And the first h is Huron. The letters Ontario. Uh , the next was Michigan , and E is Lake Erie , and S is Lake Superior.
S2: Well , so you would make words out of the letters and that's how you.
S3: Yeah , I would I say first I have to learn the , the say the tenor or the nerves or whatever. First I learned what they were , you know , this and of course the spelling and that I would make something up with the first letter of every word. Wow.
S2: Wow.
S1: That's absolutely impressive.
S3: You know , that's the way to study , too. You know , that that really helps.
S1: The first time I've heard of that actually. Yeah.
S2: And is that and is that one of the ways you taught the older.
S3: Uh , I would I tried to get them to , uh , and so they studied with me. I actually I had to show have them study with me because so they could pass , you know.
S2: And were they able to pass after studying with you , what were they able to pass after studying ? Yeah.
S3: They graduated.
S1: Oh that's good.
S3: They graduated.
S1: I honestly wrote down some of her study advice.
S2: And the fact that she graduated third in her class is incredible. After graduating , Luper returned home and began working at Pioneer's Memorial Hospital.
S1: And quickly , doctors and nurses recognized her talent and professionalism.
S3: I was very welcomed by Pioneers Memorial Hospital and , uh , they it was read by nuns too. And I think I think they knew that I was up there , you know. Yeah.
S1: Yeah. Well respected. Yeah.
S3: Yeah. With high grades and so forth. You know , but anyway , they , uh , they welcomed me. And then the nurses also welcomed me and , uh , the doctors , they were okay , you know. But once I started working , they they showed a lot of respect for me.
S1: Really ? Yes.
S3: Yes. As a matter of fact , the top surgeon we had at the time , which was Doctor Stutter. He asked me to do the medical histories for the heroes that were coming from , you know , and get admitted to the hospital. Yeah.
S1: Yeah.
S3: He asked me to do that , but he. I could not accept anybody or anything. So he bought me a purse. Oh , it was a straw purse. And I still have it.
S2: I still have it.
S3: Yeah , I still have it. It was a straw purse with a actually with a woven , uh , like the straw was woven with , I don't know , covered or something. And it had a wood handle. And I still have it. And I put my stethoscope , my things in it , you know , like that.
S2: I have a question. You said you weren't able to accept money. No.
S3: No.
S2:
S3:
S2: Oh , okay.
S3: Or from patients , you know , which is understandable.
S2: So that was his form of paying it to you. Like you're good. Yeah.
S3: Yeah. Gave me a gift , you know. Wow.
S1: Wow. So.
S3: So. But he was a very good surgeon.
S1:
S2:
S1: When he gave you that present ? Yes.
S2: The form of pain.
S3:
S2: Two years. Nurse. Or like.
S1: Like in your profession ? When ? Um. Whenever that did happen. Um. Because that happened right when you were a nurse. Yeah. Um , how when.
S2: You first experience.
S1: How many times ? Yes. Exactly. How many years of experience did you have.
S3: There at the hospital ? Yes.
S1: Mhm.
S2: Mhm.
S3: Maybe 3 or 4.
S1: Oh , wow.
S2: And you were being asked by the top surgeon to do this.
S1: Oh that's like freshly. And you were already. Wow. Okay. Yes. I loved hearing how respected she became so early in her career.
S2: Especially during the time when Hispanic women were rarely seen in those positions.
S1: Lopez also shared stories about what nursing was really like decades ago.
S2: And some of those experiences were intense.
S3: Everything I worked in. I started out a medical , a medical floor , and that after the medical floor I was asked if I wanted to work surgical floor. I went to surgical floor that I did the surgical floor.
S2: And what was different ? What ? What was different from medical floor ? Yeah. What what would you say is like the difference from the medical and like going to like.
S3: The well a lot.
S1: The switch. Yeah.
S3: Yeah. Medical was was so different. You know , uh , had you passed out your own medicines , you know , you didn't have anybody to do it for you. You gave your own injections. There was no medicine nurse like they were in now. And , uh , and I went one room , had four bed in there and , uh , and I. This fellow complained of , uh , a headache. And I had orders for that , you know , to go to give him Demerol. So I went and I gave him the injection. I went back at 30 minutes to check on him. And he was dead. And I told the other bedded there , I said , why did you tell me ? No. He says , well , your time comes , it comes. So they tell me that he passed away. They called me. Oh , I had to call the doctor , tell him and everything. And of course , the doctors would come and , you know , confirm and that.
S2: But was was that , um , like the first patient that had , like.
S3: Passed away would be. Yeah.
S2: Yeah. That passed away on you. Uh.
S3: Uh. Probably so. Probably. Yes.
S2: And how did that have any type of effect on you like. No , no.
S3: No , because I expected that kind of thing.
S2: You expect that you were prepared.
S3: And I had experienced that at a student at Mercy College , too. You know , where a patient passes away ? Yeah.
S2:
S1: So looking back , aside from that experience , um , do you have any , like , moments that make you proud ? Like , any what ? Any moments that make you proud in your nursing career ? Um.
S3: Nursing career ? Yes.
S1:
S3: Well , first of all , was that I came out third. Yeah , from my school.
S2: That's a very great accomplishment. Yes.
S3: Yes. Said that , uh , that I was , uh , the sisters promoted me to big , uh , house supervisor at the hospital. Wow.
S1: Wow.
S3: And so how supervisor had died. But you were everything you did. The emergency room , you did any emergency said medical and emergency cells , surgical ICU , OB , all that you know , and that if they needed medications from the pharmacy , you where they got the medications or the IVs , you know , and do the emergency room. And I had the doctor's support that if anything happened in the emergency room , that their services were needed. Caleb. Wow. It will be at any time. So I it was I was felt real good about that. Yeah.
S2: Yeah. That's a big responsibility. Yes.
S3: Yes. Yes. And that if somebody died , uh , Fry's chapel did not go and pick up the bodies. We had to. I had to go with an eight , and we had a morgue at the hospital and take the bodies down to the morgue.
S2:
S3: I was a supervisor , so I had to go with a date. It would put them there. Then they come back. They come in the morning and pick them up. Yes. And also if babies , you know , for babies that you do that , you know. And sometimes the mothers would want to see their baby again. So we have to go. I'd have to go to the Morgan. Wrap them up and bring them to the to their city. You know. Yeah , I know it's sad , but that's some of the experiences I had during that time as a nurse.
S2: That section really showed us how much responsibility nurses carried. Back then.
S1: Everything was hands on. Nurses had to do almost everything themselves.
S2: As students preparing for college ourselves. This next part of our interview really stayed with us.
S1: We asked Looper what advice you would give to young people today.
S3: Follow your dreams and be determined to finish what you start and come out ahead of it.
S1: That phrase , be determined to come out ahead became kind of a theme of this interview.
S2: You can tell that lupus mindset carried her throughout every challenge she faced.
S1: Towards the end of her interview. Looper reflected on how healthcare has changed over the decades.
S2: And she shared why she believes that patient care felt more personal in the past.
S3: And that yes , just go for it. It also , when I was sick , we had tuberculosis , so they had a special hospital in San Diego for tuberculosis and and then psychiatric two. So I had to attend all those. Yeah. And then at the psychiatric hospital , they had patients come into our rooms , you know , clean our rooms and so forth.
S1: Oh , my gosh , you can imagine. Oh my gosh. Yes.
S3: Yes. And then at the , at where we ate , where we were at the psychiatric hospital , they had , uh , patients in the quarters of the , of the , of the room each had four. And if you needed anything , they would get it for you.
S2:
S3: Playground. Beds. Playground. Playground.
S1: Playground.
S3: And , uh. And we went out , you know , they had volleyball. They had some games , And so , uh , I went there and , uh , and this man came after me. And. Oh , it scared me. You know.
S1:
S3: Oh.
S1: Oh.
S3: You know. And then another one was where I had a patient that was , uh oh , what do you call it ? Okay. Like , he didn't talk to anybody. He did what ? Any communication with anybody ? You know. So they assigned me to him , and he would do anything if I were to. I wanted him to play ping pong. He would even put up the paddle up or anything , you know ? Nothing. Oh , I got so tired of having him , you know. So one day he's sitting there away , you know , and I'm sitting and I thought , I'm going to play with this people. You know , I think it was cards. I , I don't even remember what the game was. But anyway , he did like that , and he came around to grab me by the desk. No.
S1: No. Yes.
S3: Yes.
S1: Oh my. God.
S3: God. And then they flew right away. Got him off me. That the first reaction that from him it all that time.
S2: So because you went he seen you go play with the other patients there. He didn't like that. The fact that you went and were having scary.
S3: I guess he thought I was just his or something , I don't know. Yeah.
S2: Yeah. No way. Yeah. Damn. That's actually. That is crazy.
S3: It is , it is , you know , some of the experiences that.
S2: That's different. Wow.
S1: Wow.
S3: But now things are so changed. Everything so modern.
S2: It was very interesting to hear how Lubeck compared healthcare then and healthcare now.
S1: Especially because both of us are interested in the medical fields ourselves.
S2: Before we ended our conversation , we asked one final question.
S1:
S3:
S1: Rodriguez's story is more than a story about nursing.
S2: It's about perseverance , sacrifice , and breaking barriers for future generations.
S1: From growing up during segregation in the Imperial Valley.
S2: To becoming a well-respected nurse , mentor , and a leader in the health care.
S1: Her journey reminds us that opportunities often begin with one person willing to challenge expectations.
S2: And for students like us , preparing for the future. Her words continue to resonate.
S1: Follow your dreams and come out ahead. Follow your dreams. The story of Lupe Rodriguez. Hosted by Kira Adame and Deloris Lopez. Edited and produced by Doctor Thomas Taki. Episode music by Spartan Sound Productions. Credits. Music by Emmanuel Wiley. Technical and operational support provided by KPBS. Technical producer sound designer Adrian Villalobos , KPBS audio operations assistant Rebecca Chacon , and KPBS Director of audio Programming and Operations Lisa Jane Morrison. This programming is partially made possible in part by the KPBS Explore Quartet Fund.
