Hispanic Heritage Month is in full swing, and KCRA 3 is taking a closer look at the contributions of Latinos in the United States. Richard Soto is a Vietnam veteran who is on a mission to promote literacy with his one-of-a-kind library in the heart of Stockton. He says he’s also living his dream as the founder of the Chicano Research Center. Since he was a child, Soto said he’s always looked for books that would tell him more about his Latino heritage.”Just wanting to know my history,” said Soto when asked what sparked his interest.Now a grandfather, he has more books than he can count.It’s been a long journey for Soto. He’s been collecting books since he returned from Vietnam in 1968 and doesn’t plan to slow down.Each page at his center highlights literature for — and by — Latinos.”We probably have one of the best collections of Pancho Villa,” Soto said . It’s proving to be a gold mine filled with information.”I’ve had several individuals working on their PhDs, and they can’t find a Chicano book, so they call, and I go, ‘Oh yeah, we got it.’ I had one lady come all the way from Texas,” Soto recounts, with a smile. Soto loves that people come in often to the Chicano Cultural Center in Stockton to borrow and read his books.” I will have people come in and say, ‘Do you have that book?’ And I will say, ‘We have two sets,'” Soto said. He said it’s good for Latinos of all ages to learn their history and to be proud of the many contributions made to the US”People have been so accustomed not to see us anywhere that they just believe that there is nothing about us. It helps with self-esteem. People feel proud that we did do something,” Soto said. Retired elementary school teacher Teresa Sicaeros found out about Soto’s mission and started volunteering her time at the center.”What it means for me is a total passion of a person that believed in a dream, and the dream was to be an advocate of literacy — and to open the world up and to show people that there are all kinds of literature,” said Sicaeros. The Chicano Research Center has a wide range of children’s books to get little ones hooked on reading. “Me being from a generation that books were not available to us with, can I say our faces, and so these young children, see their faces. Their self-esteem grows because they realize that there are other people, their culture is something wonderful , and literacy shows them about their life,” Sicaeros said. She added that the center is transformational for kids.” They will progress, and they will get an education. They will go to college. They will get their Bachelor’s degree or Master’s degree and become astronauts and even the president,” said Sicaeros.These literacy ambassadors from Stockton are calling on big publishers to start producing more books featuring Latinos.Soto and Sicaeros said there is a long way to go, but the Chicano Cultural Center is planning to keep providing free resources.”Please understand that Latinos do read. Yes, we use the media, and we use our phones, but we love to read. We really do, and we learn from what we read,” said Sicaeros.The Chicano Research center is located at 415 E. Main Street in Stockton.The community can check out books and see historic pieces of art, and the community can also donate Latino literature to the library collection.
Hispanic Heritage Month is in full swing, and KCRA 3 is taking a closer look at the contributions of Latinos in the United States.
Richard Soto is a Vietnam veteran who is on a mission to promote literacy with his one-of-a-kind library in the heart of Stockton.
He says he’s also living his dream as the founder of the Chicano Research Center.
Since he was a child, Soto said he’s always looked for books that would tell him more about his Latino heritage.
“Just wanting to know my history,” said Soto when asked what sparked his interest.
Now a grandfather, he has more books than he can count.
It’s been a long journey for Soto. He’s been collecting books since he returned from Vietnam in 1968 and doesn’t plan to slow down.
Each page at its center highlights literature for — and by — Latinos.
“We probably have one of the best collections of Pancho Villa,” Soto said.
It’s proving to be a gold mine filled with information.
“I’ve had several individuals working on their PhDs, and they can’t find a Chicano book, so they call, and I go, ‘Oh yeah, we got it.’ I had one lady come all the way from Texas,” Soto recounts, with a smile.
Soto loves that people come often to the Chicano Cultural Center in Stockton to borrow and read his books.
“I will have people come in and say, ‘Do you have that book?’ And I will say, ‘We have two sets,'” Soto said.
He said it’s good for Latinos of all ages to learn their history and to be proud of the many contributions made to the US
“People have been so accustomed not to see us anywhere that they just believe that there is nothing about us. It helps with self-esteem. People feel proud that we did do something,” Soto said.
Retired elementary school teacher Teresa Sicaeros found out about Soto’s mission and started volunteering her time at the center.
“What it means for me is a total passion of a person that believed in a dream, and the dream was to be an advocate of literacy — and to open the world up and to show people that there are all kinds of literature,” said Sicaeros.
The Chicano Research Center has a wide range of children’s books to get little ones hooked on reading.
“Me being from a generation that books were not available to us with, can I say our faces, and so these young children, see their faces. Their self-esteem grows because they realize that there are other people, their culture is something wonderful , and literacy shows them about their life,” Sicaeros said.
She added that the center is transformational for kids.
“They will progress, and they will get an education. They will go to college. They will get their Bachelor’s degree or Master’s degree and become astronauts and even the president,” said Sicaeros.
These literacy ambassadors from Stockton are calling on big publishers to start producing more books featuring Latinos.
Soto and Sicaeros said there is a long way to go, but the Chicano Cultural Center is planning to keep providing free resources.
“Please understand that Latinos do read. Yes, we use the media, and we use our phones, but we love to read. We really do, and we learn from what we read,” said Sicaeros.
The Chicano Research Center is located at 415 E. Main Street in Stockton.
The community can check out books and see historic pieces of art, and the community can also donate Latino literature to the library collection.
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