Isabela Caso Interview
Item
Title
Isabela Caso Interview
Creator
Caso, Isabela
Contributor
McCoy, Kelley Campos
Language
ENG
Relation
Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute
Date
8/5/2021
Identifier
SCUAD_pbbi_00038
extracted text
Kelley Campos McCoy: Hi, Isabela.
Isabela Caso: Hi.
Kelley Campos McCoy: So, what is your full name?
Isabela Caso: Um I am Isabela Caso.
Kelley Campos McCoy: Okay. And you were queen, right?
Isabela Caso: I was.
Kelley Campos McCoy: Can you explain to me what that means? What is it
to be queen?
Isabela Caso: Um well, especially to be queen for this celebration. Um
it's definitely changed throughout the period that I wasn't queen. Um
back in 2012, we didn't have as many of the traditions as we have now.
Um as 2018. Um when I was becoming a big queen, we did have a lot more
of these traditions.
Kelley Campos McCoy: Okay. So, when you, you, you mentioned big queens.
So, that must mean there's a little queen.
Isabela Caso: There is.
Kelley Campos McCoy: So, can you tell me how many queens there are in a
festa?
Isabela Caso: In a um usually depending on the location, um If it's a
really huge celebration, there will be a lot! More of like visiting
queens from different counties. Um there are a couple of places who
have three queens they have a small queen, they have a middle queen
and then they have a senior queen. Um but in Tulare, we do have just a
junior and a senior queen.
Kelley Campos McCoy: So, what is the difference between a junior and a
senior queen?
Isabela Caso: Um, there's not really a difference. Um, more of the
senior queen. Um, pretty much gets to pick. Oh, like what the color,
what lace they wanna use if the little queen wants to, um, go with the
same thing if they want to match. Um, because when I was little queen,
um, my big queen wanted to have red. Well, my mom thought it was, red
was just gonna be too dark because I was very young. I was only nine
years old when I was little queen. And um she, she wanted more of like
an ivory and gold. So, we worked it out with my big queen and we
pretty much settled on that. Um In 2018, I picked that I wanted to
have more of like a cream and a and a like a rose gold. Um and
thankfully because my sister was little queen with me. Um My mom was
pretty much like, OK, this is how I want her stuff to be, and you can
choose how you want to do your stuff. And I was like, ok, like, and
it, it went, it was very pretty to where it, it matched.
Kelley Campos McCoy: So, is little queen and big queen then is the
primary distinction age?
Isabela Caso: Um there is. So, um for a little queen, you have to be uh
you have to have your first little communion and you have to be a
participating Catholic. Um for big queen. You have to be in high
school and you have to be pretty much going to church and being of
Portuguese descent. Um there are some places who, where they um they
have it where their senior queen has to be in confirmation. We don't
do that here in, you just have to be in high school and you have to be
of Portuguese descent and Catholic.
Kelley Campos McCoy: So, was there ever any question in your mind about
running for queen?
Isabela Caso: Oh, no. Um I knew that I was, this is what I wanted to
do. I would represent my county, my, my community, my Portuguese
community. And um I would be representing the saint that I'm named
after.
Kelley Campos McCoy: And so, what saint are you named after?
Isabela Caso: Rainha Saint Isabel.
Kelley Campos McCoy: Okay. So then explain to us if you will, what
exactly the role of the queen is?
Isabela Caso: Um well, as the role like we would be representing Rainha
Saint Isabel and our community and we would travel, travel everywhere
in California. There are other places in like Toronto, um Idaho, Rhode
Island. There are different places in the United States that have
celebrations, but it's mostly really big in California where um
different queens travel to different celebrations in honor of
different saints. So, there are different celebrations. So, like we're
we're [inaudible] um there's Saint Anthony, there's um Nosistra de
Fatima. We have that one too. Um but we mostly just represent our
community, the saint that we were crowned after and um in honor of her
and the Holy Spirit.
Kelley Campos McCoy: Okay. So, to make sure that I understand this, the
saints that you represent are associated with you specifically or with
the particular community you're from?
Isabela
saints.
Cecilia
there's
Caso: With the particular community. So, Tulare has two other
So, it's um [inaudible] the Portuguese band has um Saint
and then there's a Fatima celebration. So, there's different
different committees for the different saints.
Kelley Campos McCoy: Okay. So as if as a queen, you're representing a
particular saint. Um what exactly does that involve? How do you honor
that saint? What specifically do you do?
Isabela Caso: Um so each saint is completely different. Um for us, we
do it where the whole week we do rosary um in honor of Saint Isabel
and the Holy Spirit. Um and there's different symbols. So, for the
Holy Spirit celebration, we have a, we have what's called a crown and
it's a crown, a scepter and a plate and each, each piece of that is
represented to Rainha Saint Isabel. Like the plate is where the, the
bread would be. Um the scepter, I'm not pretty sure about the scepter,
but the crown is for royalty in Saint Isabel because her story is just
beyond amazing to where she denied her husband um to, to help her
people.
Kelley Campos McCoy: That's a sacrifice.
Isabela Caso: Mmhmm.
Kelley Campos McCoy: So now what was the appeal for you um to get
involved to the extent that you did because were not only little
queen, you came back and you were a big queen?
Isabela Caso: Yeah.
Kelley Campos McCoy: Why were these things important to you?
Isabela Caso: My family has been a part of this celebration since 1981
where we started the [inaudible] tradition um and it was, it was
definitely an honor to just be able to uh make my family proud. Um
get, getting to represent them um especially being second generation
Portuguese American. Um and, and wanting to represent my family.
Kelley Campos McCoy: Now, family sounds like it's very important to
you. Tradition is very important to you. Um would you someday like
for, if you have a daughter, for her to kind of continue in this
tradition?
Isabela Caso: Oh, definitely, um I would, I would want what my mom did
with me um where um she got to be the queen and she wanted me to have
the experience and just like my sisters, she wanted them to have the
same experience. And I would, I would definitely want my own daughter
to have the same experience as I did.
Kelley Campos McCoy:
And why would you want that?
Isabela Caso: Um just to see, like just to show her that um you can
sacrifice anything and represent um so beautifully um for her
community, for her community and, and how big that this community is
together.
Kelley Campos McCoy: So, it sounds like the community is very important
to you. Why is it so important to you?
Isabela Caso: Um It's made me who I am today. I can honestly say that
I've been a part of almost everything in Portuguese um from being
queen to being part of the filarmônica. And um it's definitely made me
who I am today.
Kelley Campos McCoy:
So, how old are you now?
Isabela Caso: I'm 18.
Kelley Campos McCoy: 18. Would you say that you're unique among
Portuguese Americans your age or do you think that there is a as much
enthusiasm in uh in terms of wanting to get involved in the Portuguese
American community among your generation?
Isabela Caso: I think, um I think more enthusiastic because um recently
um we just started the new, the new generation of taking over the
celebrations and, and watching that transition I definitely,
definitely myself personally, I would want to be in that trans,
transition to keep, to keep it going. To, to one day having my own
grandkids possibly be a part of it.
Kelley Campos McCoy: And so, you see among your generation that same
level of enthusiasm that you saw among your parents’ generation?
Isabela Caso: I'm hoping, um I know like it's, it's hard to get people
to want to be a part of it. That it's, it's really hard, but I've seen
the work that's been put into it with my mom being part of the
committee and being president and I've definitely seen that. But uh
it's definitely a great sacrifice to do it in honor of the same.
Isabela Caso: Hi.
Kelley Campos McCoy: So, what is your full name?
Isabela Caso: Um I am Isabela Caso.
Kelley Campos McCoy: Okay. And you were queen, right?
Isabela Caso: I was.
Kelley Campos McCoy: Can you explain to me what that means? What is it
to be queen?
Isabela Caso: Um well, especially to be queen for this celebration. Um
it's definitely changed throughout the period that I wasn't queen. Um
back in 2012, we didn't have as many of the traditions as we have now.
Um as 2018. Um when I was becoming a big queen, we did have a lot more
of these traditions.
Kelley Campos McCoy: Okay. So, when you, you, you mentioned big queens.
So, that must mean there's a little queen.
Isabela Caso: There is.
Kelley Campos McCoy: So, can you tell me how many queens there are in a
festa?
Isabela Caso: In a um usually depending on the location, um If it's a
really huge celebration, there will be a lot! More of like visiting
queens from different counties. Um there are a couple of places who
have three queens they have a small queen, they have a middle queen
and then they have a senior queen. Um but in Tulare, we do have just a
junior and a senior queen.
Kelley Campos McCoy: So, what is the difference between a junior and a
senior queen?
Isabela Caso: Um, there's not really a difference. Um, more of the
senior queen. Um, pretty much gets to pick. Oh, like what the color,
what lace they wanna use if the little queen wants to, um, go with the
same thing if they want to match. Um, because when I was little queen,
um, my big queen wanted to have red. Well, my mom thought it was, red
was just gonna be too dark because I was very young. I was only nine
years old when I was little queen. And um she, she wanted more of like
an ivory and gold. So, we worked it out with my big queen and we
pretty much settled on that. Um In 2018, I picked that I wanted to
have more of like a cream and a and a like a rose gold. Um and
thankfully because my sister was little queen with me. Um My mom was
pretty much like, OK, this is how I want her stuff to be, and you can
choose how you want to do your stuff. And I was like, ok, like, and
it, it went, it was very pretty to where it, it matched.
Kelley Campos McCoy: So, is little queen and big queen then is the
primary distinction age?
Isabela Caso: Um there is. So, um for a little queen, you have to be uh
you have to have your first little communion and you have to be a
participating Catholic. Um for big queen. You have to be in high
school and you have to be pretty much going to church and being of
Portuguese descent. Um there are some places who, where they um they
have it where their senior queen has to be in confirmation. We don't
do that here in, you just have to be in high school and you have to be
of Portuguese descent and Catholic.
Kelley Campos McCoy: So, was there ever any question in your mind about
running for queen?
Isabela Caso: Oh, no. Um I knew that I was, this is what I wanted to
do. I would represent my county, my, my community, my Portuguese
community. And um I would be representing the saint that I'm named
after.
Kelley Campos McCoy: And so, what saint are you named after?
Isabela Caso: Rainha Saint Isabel.
Kelley Campos McCoy: Okay. So then explain to us if you will, what
exactly the role of the queen is?
Isabela Caso: Um well, as the role like we would be representing Rainha
Saint Isabel and our community and we would travel, travel everywhere
in California. There are other places in like Toronto, um Idaho, Rhode
Island. There are different places in the United States that have
celebrations, but it's mostly really big in California where um
different queens travel to different celebrations in honor of
different saints. So, there are different celebrations. So, like we're
we're [inaudible] um there's Saint Anthony, there's um Nosistra de
Fatima. We have that one too. Um but we mostly just represent our
community, the saint that we were crowned after and um in honor of her
and the Holy Spirit.
Kelley Campos McCoy: Okay. So, to make sure that I understand this, the
saints that you represent are associated with you specifically or with
the particular community you're from?
Isabela
saints.
Cecilia
there's
Caso: With the particular community. So, Tulare has two other
So, it's um [inaudible] the Portuguese band has um Saint
and then there's a Fatima celebration. So, there's different
different committees for the different saints.
Kelley Campos McCoy: Okay. So as if as a queen, you're representing a
particular saint. Um what exactly does that involve? How do you honor
that saint? What specifically do you do?
Isabela Caso: Um so each saint is completely different. Um for us, we
do it where the whole week we do rosary um in honor of Saint Isabel
and the Holy Spirit. Um and there's different symbols. So, for the
Holy Spirit celebration, we have a, we have what's called a crown and
it's a crown, a scepter and a plate and each, each piece of that is
represented to Rainha Saint Isabel. Like the plate is where the, the
bread would be. Um the scepter, I'm not pretty sure about the scepter,
but the crown is for royalty in Saint Isabel because her story is just
beyond amazing to where she denied her husband um to, to help her
people.
Kelley Campos McCoy: That's a sacrifice.
Isabela Caso: Mmhmm.
Kelley Campos McCoy: So now what was the appeal for you um to get
involved to the extent that you did because were not only little
queen, you came back and you were a big queen?
Isabela Caso: Yeah.
Kelley Campos McCoy: Why were these things important to you?
Isabela Caso: My family has been a part of this celebration since 1981
where we started the [inaudible] tradition um and it was, it was
definitely an honor to just be able to uh make my family proud. Um
get, getting to represent them um especially being second generation
Portuguese American. Um and, and wanting to represent my family.
Kelley Campos McCoy: Now, family sounds like it's very important to
you. Tradition is very important to you. Um would you someday like
for, if you have a daughter, for her to kind of continue in this
tradition?
Isabela Caso: Oh, definitely, um I would, I would want what my mom did
with me um where um she got to be the queen and she wanted me to have
the experience and just like my sisters, she wanted them to have the
same experience. And I would, I would definitely want my own daughter
to have the same experience as I did.
Kelley Campos McCoy:
And why would you want that?
Isabela Caso: Um just to see, like just to show her that um you can
sacrifice anything and represent um so beautifully um for her
community, for her community and, and how big that this community is
together.
Kelley Campos McCoy: So, it sounds like the community is very important
to you. Why is it so important to you?
Isabela Caso: Um It's made me who I am today. I can honestly say that
I've been a part of almost everything in Portuguese um from being
queen to being part of the filarmônica. And um it's definitely made me
who I am today.
Kelley Campos McCoy:
So, how old are you now?
Isabela Caso: I'm 18.
Kelley Campos McCoy: 18. Would you say that you're unique among
Portuguese Americans your age or do you think that there is a as much
enthusiasm in uh in terms of wanting to get involved in the Portuguese
American community among your generation?
Isabela Caso: I think, um I think more enthusiastic because um recently
um we just started the new, the new generation of taking over the
celebrations and, and watching that transition I definitely,
definitely myself personally, I would want to be in that trans,
transition to keep, to keep it going. To, to one day having my own
grandkids possibly be a part of it.
Kelley Campos McCoy: And so, you see among your generation that same
level of enthusiasm that you saw among your parents’ generation?
Isabela Caso: I'm hoping, um I know like it's, it's hard to get people
to want to be a part of it. That it's, it's really hard, but I've seen
the work that's been put into it with my mom being part of the
committee and being president and I've definitely seen that. But uh
it's definitely a great sacrifice to do it in honor of the same.