Over the course of the 20th century, Houston evolved into a global city as immigrants from across the world came to call the city home. In this special supplement, undergraduate students from the University of Houston explore Houston’s undertold immigrant stories. Together, they reveal a range of experiences that uncover often overlooked textures of the city.  

In this episode, students recount the lives of Jewish-Latin Americans who settled in 1960s and 1970s Houston. These immigrants belong to two ethnic groups, and while building a life in their new homes, they created a new community of their own. Listen now for the story of Sara Esquenazi, a Cuban immigrant to Houston. 

This episode was written and recorded by Chloe Levy, Jenna Goodrich, Jesus Tobar, and Preston Parkhurst as part of HIST 3317: Making of Ethnic America (Spring 2023).

The oral history with Sara Esquenazi was recorded by Dr. Mark Goldberg (Associate Professor of History, University of Houston). 

Music courtesy of: 

https://freepd.com/

https://freemusicarchive.org/home

“Sunset Soul” by Ketsa. CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 Deed.

“Cuban Heat” by John Bartmann. CC0 1.0 Deed. 

“La vieja” by Las Sirenas del Son. CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Deed.

“Vida” by Lido Pimienta. CC BY-NC 2.0 CL Deed. 

“Nyghtlon. Classical Guitar Solo” by M33 Project. CC BY-NC 4.0 Deed. 

“Vino Tinto” by Serge Quadrado. CC BY-NC 4.0 Deed. 

“Worth Fighting For” by Independent Music Licensing Collective. CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 Deed. 

The Center for Public History at the University of Houston. https://uh.edu/class/cph