Catalog ID:
ORH-006-0012
Creator:
Rodriguez, Jose
Archives Field 21:
AUDIO Click to Play
Scope & Content:
Date of interview: November 9, 2023
Location of interview: Zoom
Duration: 1 hour, 1 minute, 58 seconds
Joseph "Joe" Rodriguez was born March 27, 1987 in New Haven, Connecticut. The oldest of four children (2 younger brothers and a sister), he was born to an Italian mother and Puerto Rican father. On his Italian side, his grandfather migrated to New Haven for work, purchasing a home in Fair Haven. On his Puerto Rican side, his grandfather migrated from Barranquitas, Puerto Rico to Ohio, initially, for work, before finding work at General Motors in New Haven, and likewise settling in Fair Haven. Joe's parents actually grew up as neighbors of one another, and had him quite young. While Joe's Puerto Rican grandparents eventually returned to Barranquitas, Joe's father stayed behind with Joe's mother and worked various labor jobs in New Haven, raising Joe and his siblings in the Fair Haven and Fair Haven Heights neighborhoods (aside from a brief stint in Orlando, Florida, when he was in middle school).
Joe attended High School in the Community (HSC) in Wooster Square, a public magnet high school which he chose for its social justice focus. During his teen years, he became involved in politics, serving in Kevin Diaz's re-election campaign for Board of Aldermen, in the 15th Ward. Kevin, sensing Joe's passion for civic leadership, took Joe in under his wing and served as a mentor to him. Joe also participated in some protests at this time (he recalled marching for immigrant rights in New Haven, as well as fighting for adequate Spanish language translation services at schools). Joe also began volunteering for the annual Puerto Rican Day Parade and Loiza Festival events as a teenager, fulfilling not only his political aspirations but cultural ones as well.
After graduating high school in 2005, Joe continued working in politics, becoming a community organizer for the Hill Development Corporation (HDC), and taking evening classes at Albertus Magnus College in their criminal justice administration program. After his time with the HDC, Joe continued campaigning, before landing his current job with Senator Richard Blumenthal. In his capacity as a state worker, and with his campaigning experience, Joe has maintained relationships with other Puerto Rican leaders in Hartford, Waterbury, and Bridgeport, through the Hispanic Democratic Caucus. Joe discusses the importance of the Caucus's cross-city approach, in that collaborations with Puerto Rican and Latiné politicians across cities enables "strength in numbers", particularly as it concerns "the policies that impact housing, education, jobs, economic development," which impact multiple cities across the state.
Joe discusses his work with Puerto Ricans United, Inc., a nonprofit he initiated in 2015 to reinstate the Puerto Rican Day Parade and Festival, which had its last gathering in 2009. He underscores the importance of retaining ties to the island. For example, in 2017, when Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico, PRU mobilized with Arte, Inc., Junta for Progressive Action, the Hispanic Firefighters Association of New Haven, and some local churches, to raise $100,000, which went towards renting three shipping containers and filling them with supplies. Likewise, Joe discusses the importance of educating New Haveners about Puerto Ricans' formidable presence in the city, as well as retaining ties with other communities in New Haven (he cites Puerto Rican festival volunteers actively volunteering with the Freddie Fixer Parade in 2022, "one of the oldest Black parades in New England").
Joe concludes with a reflection on Puerto Ricans' extensive history in the state of Connecticut, ultimately urging: "For far too long, others have told our story. Even if you look at the colonial history of our island, it's always been others telling our story. I think we have a responsibility to tell our own story."
Location of interview: Zoom
Duration: 1 hour, 1 minute, 58 seconds
Joseph "Joe" Rodriguez was born March 27, 1987 in New Haven, Connecticut. The oldest of four children (2 younger brothers and a sister), he was born to an Italian mother and Puerto Rican father. On his Italian side, his grandfather migrated to New Haven for work, purchasing a home in Fair Haven. On his Puerto Rican side, his grandfather migrated from Barranquitas, Puerto Rico to Ohio, initially, for work, before finding work at General Motors in New Haven, and likewise settling in Fair Haven. Joe's parents actually grew up as neighbors of one another, and had him quite young. While Joe's Puerto Rican grandparents eventually returned to Barranquitas, Joe's father stayed behind with Joe's mother and worked various labor jobs in New Haven, raising Joe and his siblings in the Fair Haven and Fair Haven Heights neighborhoods (aside from a brief stint in Orlando, Florida, when he was in middle school).
Joe attended High School in the Community (HSC) in Wooster Square, a public magnet high school which he chose for its social justice focus. During his teen years, he became involved in politics, serving in Kevin Diaz's re-election campaign for Board of Aldermen, in the 15th Ward. Kevin, sensing Joe's passion for civic leadership, took Joe in under his wing and served as a mentor to him. Joe also participated in some protests at this time (he recalled marching for immigrant rights in New Haven, as well as fighting for adequate Spanish language translation services at schools). Joe also began volunteering for the annual Puerto Rican Day Parade and Loiza Festival events as a teenager, fulfilling not only his political aspirations but cultural ones as well.
After graduating high school in 2005, Joe continued working in politics, becoming a community organizer for the Hill Development Corporation (HDC), and taking evening classes at Albertus Magnus College in their criminal justice administration program. After his time with the HDC, Joe continued campaigning, before landing his current job with Senator Richard Blumenthal. In his capacity as a state worker, and with his campaigning experience, Joe has maintained relationships with other Puerto Rican leaders in Hartford, Waterbury, and Bridgeport, through the Hispanic Democratic Caucus. Joe discusses the importance of the Caucus's cross-city approach, in that collaborations with Puerto Rican and Latiné politicians across cities enables "strength in numbers", particularly as it concerns "the policies that impact housing, education, jobs, economic development," which impact multiple cities across the state.
Joe discusses his work with Puerto Ricans United, Inc., a nonprofit he initiated in 2015 to reinstate the Puerto Rican Day Parade and Festival, which had its last gathering in 2009. He underscores the importance of retaining ties to the island. For example, in 2017, when Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico, PRU mobilized with Arte, Inc., Junta for Progressive Action, the Hispanic Firefighters Association of New Haven, and some local churches, to raise $100,000, which went towards renting three shipping containers and filling them with supplies. Likewise, Joe discusses the importance of educating New Haveners about Puerto Ricans' formidable presence in the city, as well as retaining ties with other communities in New Haven (he cites Puerto Rican festival volunteers actively volunteering with the Freddie Fixer Parade in 2022, "one of the oldest Black parades in New England").
Joe concludes with a reflection on Puerto Ricans' extensive history in the state of Connecticut, ultimately urging: "For far too long, others have told our story. Even if you look at the colonial history of our island, it's always been others telling our story. I think we have a responsibility to tell our own story."
Interviewer:
Amanda Rivera
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