Bridges Digital Archive: Audio and Video Recordings
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Document Type
Oral History
Publication Date
11-22-2016
Abstract
Lea Michelle Cash interviews Joann Parker, a woman with a history of local community involvement. Parker details her background, about how she was born in San Antonio, Texas, and arrived in San Bernardino at a young age, where she had lived most of her life. All schools she attended were in San Bernardino, which included her secondary education at San Bernardino Valley College. After teaching at RTI, Parker worked for the Blue Cross for twenty-eight years. During her time as a nurse, Parker also worked with the Pacesetters, which was a drill team that started in Franklin Middle School, now known as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School. The interviewee then talks about her commitment to helping the community’s youth and greatly emphasizes The Pacesetters. According to Parker, she has been with The Pacesetters for about fifty years and has seen great growth in students in both leadership and drill. Many students remember her strict and disciplinary, yet very helpful, role in their lives. In the community itself, The Pacesetters were known, loved, and respected and they have attended many events like parades and competitions. When asked about role models, Parker mentioned her mother and included elected officials. Aside from being an important force in the drill team and giving the students space for home, school, and religion, Parker also worked in the Boys and Girls Club as well as with Dr. Holder. The latter was a man who loved to serve the community’s patients, often for free, with compassion and understanding. Parker also mentions other doctors such as Dr. White who were also loved by the community. Cash asks Parker what she thinks about the world at the time of the interview, to which Parker thinks that people have lost their way. Especially in terms of politics, Parker doesn’t know why people act the way they do. The topic changes to inspiring children, and Parker explains that reading is important while giving examples from her youth when she had done library reading contests. After discussing trophies given to The Pacesetters, the interview ends with talk of how appreciated and requested the drill team was.
Recommended Citation
Wilmer Amina Carter Foundation, "Joann Parker" (2016). Bridges Digital Archive: Audio and Video Recordings. 123.
https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/bridges/123
