Travis Weed interview conducted by Cynthia Torres and Jennifer Fluri, 2021-10-21
Travis Weed is a custodial supervisor at Fraser Meadows Retirement Community in Boulder, Colorado. He has been in the custodial occupation for several years and talks about his experiences in a variety of work environments. He explains how the retirement community environment, in which he now works, presents unique operational challenges because of its diverse staff and residents.
Contributor:
Torres, Cynthia L. - Fluri, Jennifer L. - Occupational Folklife Project - Weed, Travis
Date:2021
Audio Recording
Rubi Andazola interview conducted by Cynthia Torres, 2022-03-10
Rubi Andazola works as a custodial lead at University of Colorado Boulder. She explains how she worked her way up from an entry-level job to a management position; discusses how previously she has owned her own cleaning business and worked in trades for a time; and describes the pride she takes in her achievements and her ability to support her family as a first-generation…
Maira Cruz interview conducted by Cynthia Torres, 2021-10-06
Maira Cruz works as a custodian at a hospital in Colorado. She explains how working as a custodian provides stability for her family and how her job offers opportunities for her to demonstrate her leadership and mentorship skills with other custodial staff.
Jimmy Tobar interview conducted by Cynthia Torres, 2022-04-28
Jimmy Tobar is a custodian at University of Colorado Boulder's Joint Institute for Laboratory Astrophysics (JILA) where he has led a team of custodians for the past 17 years. He talks about his job and responsibilities as well as his pride in being nominated Employee of the Year by JILA scientists because of the essential role he plays in maintaining research buildings that are…
Contributor:
Torres, Cynthia L. - Tobar, Jimmy - Occupational Folklife Project
Date:2022
Audio Recording
Juan Manuel Patraca interview conducted by Cynthia Torres, 2022-01-22
Juan Manuel Patraca is a custodian, activist and organizer for worker rights, and a published poet. He talks about starting his first job in Mexico as a five-year old blacksmith's apprentice, migrating to the United States, and how he has continued educating himself throughout his career. He discusses his extensive resume as an activist involved in improving the wages and working conditions of his…
Contributor:
Torres, Cynthia L. - Patraca, Juan Manuel - Occupational Folklife Project
Date:2022
Audio Recording
Jamillah Richmond interview conducted by Cynthia Torres, 2021-11-10
Jamillah Richmond has been a cleaner and now owns her own cleaning business. She talks about her commitment to paying employees a living wage and her passion about defending the rights of underrepresented people working in the service industries.
Izabella Soliday interview conducted by Cynthia Torres, 2022-3-15
Izabella Soliday is a custodian at the University of Colorado Boulder. She explains how working as a custodian provides income and a quiet, task-oriented job that suits her personality. She also talks about take classes at a local college to further her career.
Andrew Frank-Martin interview conducted by Cynthia Torres, 2022-03-29
Andrew Frank-Martin is a custodian at Congregation Har Hashem, a Jewish Reform Synagogue in Boulder, Colorado. His talks his early life, travels, and work experiences and how he came to Colorado and found work at a synagogue. He details his diverse job requirements, which include both maintenance and security, and explains why he finds satisfaction in providing support for events and religious services that…
Contributor:
Torres, Cynthia L. - Frank-Martin, Andrew - Occupational Folklife Project
Date:2022
Audio Recording
Mike Kozemchak interview conducted by Cynthia Torres, 2022-02-21
Mike Kozemchak moved into custodial work after several low-paying service jobs. He talks about how custodial employment at the University of Colorado Boulder gives him financial stability, benefits, and a sense of accomplishment as well as time to work on a fantasy fiction novel.
Contributor:
Torres, Cynthia L. - Kozemchak, Michael - Occupational Folklife Project
Date:2022
Audio Recording
Diana Moreno interview conducted by Cynthia Torres, 2022-03-29
Diana Moreno is a custodian at the University of Colorado Boulder. She explains how, despite the difficult shift hours, custodial work has provided stable employment and benefits to support her first-generation immigrant family. (This bilingual interview was conducted in Spanish with an interpreter. The file includes transcriptions in both English and Spanish.)
Alicia Diaz interview conducted by Jennifer Fluri and Cynthia Torres, 2021-09-22
Alicia Diaz is a custodian at a hospital in Boulder, Colorado. She talks about how employment at the hospital has provided opportunities for her to improve her leadership and mentoring skills, and obtain training on maintaining sensitive areas such as operating rooms, during a global pandemic.
Contributor:
Diaz, Alicia R. - Torres, Cynthia L. - Fluri, Jennifer L. - Occupational Folklife Project
Date:2021
Audio Recording
Beatriz Soto interview conducted by Cynthia Torres, 2022-03-02
Beatriz Soto is a custodian at University of Colorado Boulder. She talks about her work, tells how she went to college in her native Mexico, and describes how she is now supporting her son's education with her tuition benefits from the University. This interview was conducted in English at Ms. Soto's request. She has been taking ESL classes as a work benefit and is…
Aurelia Saenz interview conducted by Cynthia Torres and Jaime Medina, 2022-04-01
Aurelia Saenz is a custodian at University of Colorado Boulder. In addition to talking about her work, she describes how the financial stability from her work has allowed her to support her family and help her children through difficult times. She discusses the challenges of maintaining a positive outlook and faith, even while contending with inadequately trained supervisors.
Audio RecordingTravis Weed interview conducted by Cynthia Torres and Jennifer Fluri, 2021-10-21 Travis Weed is a custodial supervisor at Fraser Meadows Retirement Community in Boulder, Colorado. He has been in the custodial occupation for several years and talks about his experiences in a variety of work environments. He explains how the retirement community environment, in which he now works, presents unique operational challenges because of its diverse staff and residents.
Audio RecordingRubi Andazola interview conducted by Cynthia Torres, 2022-03-10 Rubi Andazola works as a custodial lead at University of Colorado Boulder. She explains how she worked her way up from an entry-level job to a management position; discusses how previously she has owned her own cleaning business and worked in trades for a time; and describes the pride she takes in her achievements and her ability to support her family as a first-generation…
Audio RecordingMaira Cruz interview conducted by Cynthia Torres, 2021-10-06 Maira Cruz works as a custodian at a hospital in Colorado. She explains how working as a custodian provides stability for her family and how her job offers opportunities for her to demonstrate her leadership and mentorship skills with other custodial staff.
Audio RecordingJimmy Tobar interview conducted by Cynthia Torres, 2022-04-28 Jimmy Tobar is a custodian at University of Colorado Boulder's Joint Institute for Laboratory Astrophysics (JILA) where he has led a team of custodians for the past 17 years. He talks about his job and responsibilities as well as his pride in being nominated Employee of the Year by JILA scientists because of the essential role he plays in maintaining research buildings that are…
Audio RecordingJuan Manuel Patraca interview conducted by Cynthia Torres, 2022-01-22 Juan Manuel Patraca is a custodian, activist and organizer for worker rights, and a published poet. He talks about starting his first job in Mexico as a five-year old blacksmith's apprentice, migrating to the United States, and how he has continued educating himself throughout his career. He discusses his extensive resume as an activist involved in improving the wages and working conditions of his…
Audio RecordingJamillah Richmond interview conducted by Cynthia Torres, 2021-11-10 Jamillah Richmond has been a cleaner and now owns her own cleaning business. She talks about her commitment to paying employees a living wage and her passion about defending the rights of underrepresented people working in the service industries.
Audio RecordingIzabella Soliday interview conducted by Cynthia Torres, 2022-3-15 Izabella Soliday is a custodian at the University of Colorado Boulder. She explains how working as a custodian provides income and a quiet, task-oriented job that suits her personality. She also talks about take classes at a local college to further her career.
Audio RecordingAndrew Frank-Martin interview conducted by Cynthia Torres, 2022-03-29 Andrew Frank-Martin is a custodian at Congregation Har Hashem, a Jewish Reform Synagogue in Boulder, Colorado. His talks his early life, travels, and work experiences and how he came to Colorado and found work at a synagogue. He details his diverse job requirements, which include both maintenance and security, and explains why he finds satisfaction in providing support for events and religious services that…
Audio RecordingMike Kozemchak interview conducted by Cynthia Torres, 2022-02-21 Mike Kozemchak moved into custodial work after several low-paying service jobs. He talks about how custodial employment at the University of Colorado Boulder gives him financial stability, benefits, and a sense of accomplishment as well as time to work on a fantasy fiction novel.
Audio RecordingDiana Moreno interview conducted by Cynthia Torres, 2022-03-29 Diana Moreno is a custodian at the University of Colorado Boulder. She explains how, despite the difficult shift hours, custodial work has provided stable employment and benefits to support her first-generation immigrant family. (This bilingual interview was conducted in Spanish with an interpreter. The file includes transcriptions in both English and Spanish.)
Audio RecordingAlicia Diaz interview conducted by Jennifer Fluri and Cynthia Torres, 2021-09-22 Alicia Diaz is a custodian at a hospital in Boulder, Colorado. She talks about how employment at the hospital has provided opportunities for her to improve her leadership and mentoring skills, and obtain training on maintaining sensitive areas such as operating rooms, during a global pandemic.
Audio RecordingBeatriz Soto interview conducted by Cynthia Torres, 2022-03-02 Beatriz Soto is a custodian at University of Colorado Boulder. She talks about her work, tells how she went to college in her native Mexico, and describes how she is now supporting her son's education with her tuition benefits from the University. This interview was conducted in English at Ms. Soto's request. She has been taking ESL classes as a work benefit and is…
Audio RecordingAurelia Saenz interview conducted by Cynthia Torres and Jaime Medina, 2022-04-01 Aurelia Saenz is a custodian at University of Colorado Boulder. In addition to talking about her work, she describes how the financial stability from her work has allowed her to support her family and help her children through difficult times. She discusses the challenges of maintaining a positive outlook and faith, even while contending with inadequately trained supervisors.