Carson Tomony

Palo Verde/La Loma/Bishop OH Project

History EN ↓ 3 episodes

In the 1950s, the City of Los Angeles used eminent domain to destroy the predominantly Mexican neighborhoods of Palo Verde, La Loma, and Bishop—first to make room for a public housing project that was never built, and later for the construction of Dodger Stadium. Through this oral history project, descendants trace their families' journeys to these neighborhoods, the lives they built there, and the impacts of displacement, while reflecting on the evictions, the Dodgers, reparations, and more. Full project can be found at CSUF's Center for Oral and Public History. Conducted by Carson Tomony.

Author

Carson Tomony

Episodes

Kamren Curiel - "Digging Into My Family's Palo Verde Roots" 02.06.2026 1:23:40

An oral history of Kamren Curiel, a freelance journalist from East LA. This interview highlights her childhood in Monterey Park and South San Gabriel, her time at San Francisco State University, and her journey to becoming a journalist, as well as her family's history in Palo Verde and the ways they were impacted by displacement. She also shares her thoughts on the Dodgers, reparations, ICE ra...

Natasha Zarate - "More LA Than Everybody Who's From LA" 24.05.2026 1:57:37

An oral history of Natasha Zarate. This interview highlights her childhood in Los Angeles, educational background, and career, as well as her family’s history in Palo Verde and the ways they were impacted by displacement. She also shares her thoughts on the Dodgers, reparations, ICE raids, and how she wants this history taught going forward. (0:00:20) Discusses her childhood growing up in Hacienda...

Melissa Arechiga - "Their Pain Is My Purpose" 23.05.2026 1:27:36

An oral history of Melissa Arechiga, founder of Buried Under the Blue, a nonprofit dedicated to preserving the histories of Palo Verde, La Loma, & Bishop & fighting for reparations for displaced families. (https://www.buriedundertheblue.com) This interview highlights her childhood in Echo Park, her journey from middle school dropout to UC-Berkeley graduate, her family’s history in Palo Ver...