Auder Reyes Morales

Interviewer: Mia Velasquez
Language of Interview: English
Length: 1:15:52
Transcript completed by: Mia Velasquez

Abstract

Mia Velasquez interviews Auder Reyes Morales about his background and experiences. Auder, a student at Virginia Commonwealth University, shares his family's immigration story from Guatemala, his educational journey from elementary school to community college, and his transition to VCU through the Mellon Pathways program. He discusses his research on Latin identities, the impact of COVID-19 on his education, and the challenges faced by his community. He reflects on how religion has impacted family dynamics and his relations with family in the US and Guatemala. Auder emphasizes the importance of education, the need for informed public discourse on immigration, and the resilience of Latinos in the US.

Keywords: Latino identity, immigration, education, community college, VCU, research project, COVID-19 impact, family background, cultural identity, religious upbringing, labor jobs, political climate, media influence, informational bias, societal challenges.