Pasarell, Ruth Enilda interview

Permanent Link:: http://dpanther.fiu.edu/dpService/dpPurlService/purl/FI14010448/00001

Material Information

Subjects / Keywords:: Oral histories -- Miami Beach (Fla.)
Puerto Ricans -- Emigration and immigration -- United States
Genre:: Video Recordings
Spatial Coverage:: North and Central America -- United States -- Florida -- Miami-Dade -- Miami Beach
Coordinates:: 25.7802788 x -80.1303466

Scope and Content:: Ruth Pasarell came alone to Miami Beach from Puerto Rico when she was a teenager, speaking no English. She got a job as a cashier at Lerner’s on Lincoln Road due to her experience working in her father’s store in Puerto Rico. She describes what it was like trying to get established on the Beach in the 70’s, when the Beach was in a slump. She got involved in advocating for improved low-income housing. She talks about helping form the organization Unidad with Matti Bower. She was appointed to the Housing Authority for the City of Miami Beach and campaigned to eliminate kickbacks and incompetence in that department. She talks about how dangerous her neighborhood became after the arrival of the Marielitos in 1980.
Biographical:: Date of Birth: 05-30-1960
General Note:: (Location) MDPL office, Art Deco Welcome Center