Jacob Carr Interview
Item
Title
Jacob Carr Interview
Creator
Carr, Jacob
Contributor
Rios, Esmeralda Cortez
Language
ENG
Relation
Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute
Date
4/24/2023
Identifier
SCUAD_pbbi_00063
extracted text
Esmeralda Cortez Rios: Okay, first question, what is your full birth
name?
Jacob William Carr: My full birth name is Jacob William Carr. Yeah, it
doesn't sound Portuguese but I'm Portuguese on my mom's side. Yeah.
So, I have my dad's last name.
Esmeralda Cortez Rios: So, were you named after anyone? Is there a
story behind your name?
Jacob William Carr: Um honestly, my mom named all of our like my
siblings after like biblical names. So, she's pretty religious. I
guess that comes with Port, being Portuguese and a devout Catholic.
But yeah, so Jacob from the Bible and then my middle name is my dad's
name. But yeah, that's really the explanation behind my name.
Esmeralda Cortez Rios: All right, so when were you born?
Jacob William Carr: I was born in January of 1998, so that makes me 25.
Esmeralda Cortez Rios: Where were you born?
Jacob William Carr: I was born in uh Pomona, California, so down south
actually, that's where, yeah, that's where my, my Avô had a dairy down
there and that's where I was born, and I moved to the valley when I
was about 2 and a half. So, yeah, I was born down south in Chino.
Esmeralda Cortez Rios: What early memories do you have of a child of a
child in Portuguese American community?
Jacob William Carr: Um, I actually do have pretty early memories.
Honestly, I've always, when I was younger, going to festas and stuff,
I always had fun going to bullfights and whatnot. Probably, I was
probably six or seven when I first remembered and then not that later
when I was probably like nine, my, my grandpa, my Avô got remarried
and his wedding was in the Azores. So, our entire family went over
there, and I remember that trip pretty well. So, that was probably
like the biggest memory I've had related to my Portuguese heritage.
Esmeralda Cortez Rios: So, when did your family immigrate to the United
States?
Jacob William Carr: Um it was my, my Avô came over from the island of
Terceira and I'm not sure exactly what year, but I'm pretty sure it
was the 1950s. He came over and started working and then eventually
started a dairy down south in Chino and our family still has that
property today, but yeah, that's how, that's when he immigrated. And
my grandpa, he got married to another. Um my grandma is from the
Azores as well, but they met over here in California. So, yeah, both
of my grandparents were first generation immigrants or immigrants
themselves. And my parents and my, my mom was a first generation
American.
Esmeralda Cortez Rios: What was the trajectory of Central California?
Jacob William Carr: So, yeah, after, after um a couple, well, my
grandpa had the dairy for a while down south and then he became
successful enough to become to um get a bigger to have a larger dairy.
So, we bought some property out here in Madea. So, in the Central
Valley started a dairy out here. And then yeah, my entire family moved
from down south up here to Madera. So yeah, that's how we got to the
Central Valley.
Esmeralda Cortez Rios: That's okay. But where did your family settle
and why there?
Jacob William Carr: Um yeah, it was in Madera and it's just all because
the opportunities arose like my grandpa was very successful and very
smart, hardworking man. And he provided, he wanted his goal is to
provide, wanted to provide for all his family and grandchildren. And
so yeah, Madera was just the right fit. We all moved here and now that
my Avô has passed away, my dad and my uncles um run the family farm
here in the Central Valley.
Esmeralda Cortez Rios: Did your parents slash grandparents ever tell
you what it was like to adjust to a new life in a new country? And
what stories were passed down to you regarding the early experiences?
Jacob William Carr: See, that, that question, I can't really answer to
the best because I was, I was, I was no. Yeah, I was 11 when my
grandpa passed away so, I wasn't really too, I wasn't that old enough
to like have like meaningful conversations with him about like his,
his, his experience and stuff coming to America. But yeah, all, all I
like some memories I have of him is just like a really great guy. Like
knew so many people around the valley, especially in the Portuguese
community. And yeah, he was just like really, really important to me
in my life and I look up to him and I basically like have him to think
for everything my family has like to this day. So yeah, it all started
with him and I'm very fortunate about that.
Esmeralda Cortez Rios: So, you're a member of the 1st, 2nd or 3rd
generation of your family to be born in the United States. How
important was it for your parents to raise you with a strong
Portuguese identity?
Jacob William Carr: Um so my mom, if your parents are immigrants and my
mom's first generation, right?
Esmeralda Cortez Rios: I think so.
Jacob William Carr: Or? All right. All right. Well, yeah, I'm my, my
mom was first generation here and that makes me second generation, I
guess. But yeah, um my mom, like we were involved with like our
Portuguese heritage basically through like the festas and Portuguese
events here in the valley. But yeah, I, my mom knew Portuguese. My mom
knew Portuguese when she was growing up, but her parents learned
English really well. So, they stopped speaking and then my mom never
taught me Portuguese so yeah, I didn't really learn any Portuguese.
That's why I like, I'm enjoying taking this, these Portuguese classes
um, because I wanna learn more about Portugal and hopefully go over
there soon. But yeah, like I wasn't, I wasn't too like, immersed in it
as a child because yeah, my grandpa was pretty proud to be an
American. So, so yeah, like he got his citizenship and all that. So
yeah, I didn't really learn any Portuguese which I wish my grandpa
would have like tried to speak Portuguese with me. But he, he, he
would say a couple words but he, he mainly he would speak really good
English. So yeah, that, that's that.
Esmeralda Cortez Rios: Okay. How was this identity expressed through
language, food, traditions and festivals?
Jacob William Carr: So yeah, so the food and festivals definitely were
a big part of that. Like my mom would cook Portuguese meals sometimes.
Like she still does that to this day, which is nice because she, I
enjoy the food a lot. Yeah, the festivals here all throughout the
valley, there's Portuguese festivals like from south valley and Tulare
all the way down to like Turlock basically farther all throughout the
valley. There's the, the festas that celebrate the, the, the like the
Holy Spirit and our Lady of Fatima. So yeah, like it's, I've been,
I've been like fortunate to have those experiences with like something
that I'm really proud, like I'm proud to be Portuguese and like, I
like, I really like that's why one of the main reasons I want to learn
like the language just because like, I plan on going there um soon to
just live and experience life. So yeah. Yeah, that's pretty much how.
Esmeralda Cortez Rios: Okay, what cultural traditions have you
maintained and why has it been important for you to maintain them?
Jacob William Carr: So, yeah, the, the traditions I have really
maintained is like, just spending time with, like going to the
Portuguese community and with the festas basically mainly and the bull
fights that happened around, like, one of the managers at our farm is
in the touradas, he's on the suicide squad. So, he, uh, he does
bullfights and I've been to a couple of them, I've been to a couple of
them while he's, uh, he's been in the event. So, yeah, it's pretty
cool. Uh and I hope to go back, I've been to Azores the twice but I, I
wanna go back soon and I feel like that would definitely help me like,
feel more like immersed in the culture and get more traditions that I
could maybe follow in the future.
Esmeralda Cortez Rios: Yeah. I know you already answered like, how many
times you've been there? But like what experiences, um what was the
experience like for you?
Jacob William Carr: Oh yeah, it was, it was a, it was amazing. Like I,
I love the, the island life It's, it's like, it's crazy how different
it is and so, so simple how life is so simple out there. And it's just
like you're on island time. It's just so beautiful it's basically,
yeah, like you saying, like Hawaii of the Atlantic, it's some just
beautiful volcanic islands that are in the middle of the Atlantic
Ocean and now a lot of people don't know about it. But yeah, it's part
of Portugal.
Esmeralda Cortez Rios: Okay. Trace some of your experiences growing up
in the Portuguese American community in the valley throughout your
life?
Jacob William Carr: Um, yeah, like being involved and I was in, I was,
uh involved in a couple festas when I was younger, like in the parades
and stuff, but mostly now it's just I mean, what I like really, really
follow, I love, like fo-- football, like football, like soccer, real,
real football. I love, I love Port, like, I love the Portuguese
national team. I watch that. I, I try to catch every game every time
they play. Like, it was unfortunate they got bounced from the World
Cup.
Esmeralda Cortez Rios: Oh yeah.
Jacob William Carr: But yeah, like, I'm a big fan of Cristiano Ronaldo
and like my, my team that I support is Real Madrid and like, when he
was on it and Pepe and stuff. So, I just, I really like, I really like
soccer and that's something that I think my Portuguese heritage has
help grown because, yeah, I just love that sport. I think it's like
the sport of the world and a lot of people, well, like a lot of
Americans don't really care for it, but literally every country
outside of America is, that's like the biggest sport uh in the
country. So, yeah, that's definitely, I like, I credit that to being
Portuguese as well. So, yeah, that's something that I liked. I enjoyed
to watch and as well.
Esmeralda Cortez Rios: I was like, my team actually won the World Cup.
Jacob William Carr: Oh, yeah, that was cool when Messi-- Like it was,
it was sweet. I, I didn’t even remember who Portugal, who did they
lose to? France? No, they lost.
Esmeralda Cortez Rios: Dude, I don't even remember.
Jacob William Carr: I don't remember I mean, the World Cup final, the
final was the, like the best final I've ever seen. And I've only, well
I've only been like, I really remember it since like 2014, South
Africa World Cup or, but yeah, like it was, it was cool to see Messi
win.
Esmeralda Cortez Rios: I know, I was so happy. Okay, let me see. Okay,
of all, okay out of everything that you've accomplished, what are you
most proud of? And what moments do you remember in the Portuguese
American community?
Jacob William Carr: Um honestly, the one of the biggest moments I'm
proud of is it was like kind of like sad at the time. But like I said
a speech at my, my Avô's funeral when he passed and I was like,
probably, yeah, I was like 11 years old and in a church full of
people, full of people all there who knew him and I set up like a uh
what's the word, um. Well, just like a remembrance speech about him
and like, I was like, bawling my eyes out, like I couldn't get, well,
I, I eventually couldn't get through it and I was crying through it,
but I eventually finished and yeah, it's probably like just all the
people there that like supported him and yeah, I was just like, I'm
very proud of that because like, he's like probably the biggest
support, like influence in my family and I just aspire to be like him
one day. So, yeah.
Esmeralda Cortez Rios: Okay. To what extent do you believe being
Portuguese American has shaped the way that you have moved throughout
life both professionally and personally?
Jacob William Carr: Um, well, professionally I think since my family’s
always been involved in agriculture just because of that, like, I've,
I'm an ag business major. So, that's what I'm graduating with, and I
plan on working here in the Central Valley or maybe another
opportunity somewhere else. But um definitely continuing, working in
the agricultural field and continuing what my grandpa did and
eventually one day taking over and helping the family farm and
managing the family farm once my dad retires, yeah and then personally
it's like I said, like with, with soccer, like I love that, I love
that sport so much and like, yeah, like Cristiano Ronaldo, like I know
a lot of people don't like him but I, I don't really like him that
much honestly. But yeah, he's, he's really good. So like, you can't
deny that and like, but yeah, like definitely, like just following
that personally is probably like the tradition of mine that I've like
really continued and like I support like Benfica as well, like the
Portuguese team, they just got bounced from the Champions League by
was it Inter? Yeah, but they made it to the quarterfinals, which was
pretty cool. Yeah.
Esmeralda Cortez Rios: Okay. What does being Portuguese American mean
to you?
Jacob William Carr: Hm. That's a good question there. Yeah, it means, I
don't know. I think I relate it a lot to family and how close knit,
like my Portuguese side of the family is and just growing up with
them. Like we all grew up, uh like I had, I had me, I have three
siblings and my mom has two sisters and they all have, I have eight
cousins. Every one of my mom's, my mom and her two sisters all have
four kids. So, I grew up with like we were there was there's 12 of us,
12 cousins just living on the dairy here in Madera and like growing up
together. So yeah, definitely family is probably the thing that like I
can relate to most just because of how cool and unique of an
experience I had growing up with so many family relatives like in a
close space. And yeah.
Esmeralda Cortez Rios: How do you see the Portuguese American community
here today?
Jacob William Carr: Um It's definitely, in my opinion, it's definitely
getting a little older, like a lot of the younger people aren't going
to the festas as much. And like the language is kind of like the
Portuguese language is being spoke less here in the valley, I think.
But a lot of the older people still speak it. But a lot of the younger
um Portuguese like descendants don't know Portuguese that well. Um so
yeah, but I think there's a lot of support for it still. Um, yeah, and
I just hope there's a future for it as well.
Esmeralda Cortez Rios: Um, is there anything we didn't cover that you
would like to share?
Jacob William Carr: Um, I don't think so.
Esmeralda Cortez Rios: Okay. All right. So, we're done.
Jacob William Carr: All right. Sweet.
name?
Jacob William Carr: My full birth name is Jacob William Carr. Yeah, it
doesn't sound Portuguese but I'm Portuguese on my mom's side. Yeah.
So, I have my dad's last name.
Esmeralda Cortez Rios: So, were you named after anyone? Is there a
story behind your name?
Jacob William Carr: Um honestly, my mom named all of our like my
siblings after like biblical names. So, she's pretty religious. I
guess that comes with Port, being Portuguese and a devout Catholic.
But yeah, so Jacob from the Bible and then my middle name is my dad's
name. But yeah, that's really the explanation behind my name.
Esmeralda Cortez Rios: All right, so when were you born?
Jacob William Carr: I was born in January of 1998, so that makes me 25.
Esmeralda Cortez Rios: Where were you born?
Jacob William Carr: I was born in uh Pomona, California, so down south
actually, that's where, yeah, that's where my, my Avô had a dairy down
there and that's where I was born, and I moved to the valley when I
was about 2 and a half. So, yeah, I was born down south in Chino.
Esmeralda Cortez Rios: What early memories do you have of a child of a
child in Portuguese American community?
Jacob William Carr: Um, I actually do have pretty early memories.
Honestly, I've always, when I was younger, going to festas and stuff,
I always had fun going to bullfights and whatnot. Probably, I was
probably six or seven when I first remembered and then not that later
when I was probably like nine, my, my grandpa, my Avô got remarried
and his wedding was in the Azores. So, our entire family went over
there, and I remember that trip pretty well. So, that was probably
like the biggest memory I've had related to my Portuguese heritage.
Esmeralda Cortez Rios: So, when did your family immigrate to the United
States?
Jacob William Carr: Um it was my, my Avô came over from the island of
Terceira and I'm not sure exactly what year, but I'm pretty sure it
was the 1950s. He came over and started working and then eventually
started a dairy down south in Chino and our family still has that
property today, but yeah, that's how, that's when he immigrated. And
my grandpa, he got married to another. Um my grandma is from the
Azores as well, but they met over here in California. So, yeah, both
of my grandparents were first generation immigrants or immigrants
themselves. And my parents and my, my mom was a first generation
American.
Esmeralda Cortez Rios: What was the trajectory of Central California?
Jacob William Carr: So, yeah, after, after um a couple, well, my
grandpa had the dairy for a while down south and then he became
successful enough to become to um get a bigger to have a larger dairy.
So, we bought some property out here in Madea. So, in the Central
Valley started a dairy out here. And then yeah, my entire family moved
from down south up here to Madera. So yeah, that's how we got to the
Central Valley.
Esmeralda Cortez Rios: That's okay. But where did your family settle
and why there?
Jacob William Carr: Um yeah, it was in Madera and it's just all because
the opportunities arose like my grandpa was very successful and very
smart, hardworking man. And he provided, he wanted his goal is to
provide, wanted to provide for all his family and grandchildren. And
so yeah, Madera was just the right fit. We all moved here and now that
my Avô has passed away, my dad and my uncles um run the family farm
here in the Central Valley.
Esmeralda Cortez Rios: Did your parents slash grandparents ever tell
you what it was like to adjust to a new life in a new country? And
what stories were passed down to you regarding the early experiences?
Jacob William Carr: See, that, that question, I can't really answer to
the best because I was, I was, I was no. Yeah, I was 11 when my
grandpa passed away so, I wasn't really too, I wasn't that old enough
to like have like meaningful conversations with him about like his,
his, his experience and stuff coming to America. But yeah, all, all I
like some memories I have of him is just like a really great guy. Like
knew so many people around the valley, especially in the Portuguese
community. And yeah, he was just like really, really important to me
in my life and I look up to him and I basically like have him to think
for everything my family has like to this day. So yeah, it all started
with him and I'm very fortunate about that.
Esmeralda Cortez Rios: So, you're a member of the 1st, 2nd or 3rd
generation of your family to be born in the United States. How
important was it for your parents to raise you with a strong
Portuguese identity?
Jacob William Carr: Um so my mom, if your parents are immigrants and my
mom's first generation, right?
Esmeralda Cortez Rios: I think so.
Jacob William Carr: Or? All right. All right. Well, yeah, I'm my, my
mom was first generation here and that makes me second generation, I
guess. But yeah, um my mom, like we were involved with like our
Portuguese heritage basically through like the festas and Portuguese
events here in the valley. But yeah, I, my mom knew Portuguese. My mom
knew Portuguese when she was growing up, but her parents learned
English really well. So, they stopped speaking and then my mom never
taught me Portuguese so yeah, I didn't really learn any Portuguese.
That's why I like, I'm enjoying taking this, these Portuguese classes
um, because I wanna learn more about Portugal and hopefully go over
there soon. But yeah, like I wasn't, I wasn't too like, immersed in it
as a child because yeah, my grandpa was pretty proud to be an
American. So, so yeah, like he got his citizenship and all that. So
yeah, I didn't really learn any Portuguese which I wish my grandpa
would have like tried to speak Portuguese with me. But he, he, he
would say a couple words but he, he mainly he would speak really good
English. So yeah, that, that's that.
Esmeralda Cortez Rios: Okay. How was this identity expressed through
language, food, traditions and festivals?
Jacob William Carr: So yeah, so the food and festivals definitely were
a big part of that. Like my mom would cook Portuguese meals sometimes.
Like she still does that to this day, which is nice because she, I
enjoy the food a lot. Yeah, the festivals here all throughout the
valley, there's Portuguese festivals like from south valley and Tulare
all the way down to like Turlock basically farther all throughout the
valley. There's the, the festas that celebrate the, the, the like the
Holy Spirit and our Lady of Fatima. So yeah, like it's, I've been,
I've been like fortunate to have those experiences with like something
that I'm really proud, like I'm proud to be Portuguese and like, I
like, I really like that's why one of the main reasons I want to learn
like the language just because like, I plan on going there um soon to
just live and experience life. So yeah. Yeah, that's pretty much how.
Esmeralda Cortez Rios: Okay, what cultural traditions have you
maintained and why has it been important for you to maintain them?
Jacob William Carr: So, yeah, the, the traditions I have really
maintained is like, just spending time with, like going to the
Portuguese community and with the festas basically mainly and the bull
fights that happened around, like, one of the managers at our farm is
in the touradas, he's on the suicide squad. So, he, uh, he does
bullfights and I've been to a couple of them, I've been to a couple of
them while he's, uh, he's been in the event. So, yeah, it's pretty
cool. Uh and I hope to go back, I've been to Azores the twice but I, I
wanna go back soon and I feel like that would definitely help me like,
feel more like immersed in the culture and get more traditions that I
could maybe follow in the future.
Esmeralda Cortez Rios: Yeah. I know you already answered like, how many
times you've been there? But like what experiences, um what was the
experience like for you?
Jacob William Carr: Oh yeah, it was, it was a, it was amazing. Like I,
I love the, the island life It's, it's like, it's crazy how different
it is and so, so simple how life is so simple out there. And it's just
like you're on island time. It's just so beautiful it's basically,
yeah, like you saying, like Hawaii of the Atlantic, it's some just
beautiful volcanic islands that are in the middle of the Atlantic
Ocean and now a lot of people don't know about it. But yeah, it's part
of Portugal.
Esmeralda Cortez Rios: Okay. Trace some of your experiences growing up
in the Portuguese American community in the valley throughout your
life?
Jacob William Carr: Um, yeah, like being involved and I was in, I was,
uh involved in a couple festas when I was younger, like in the parades
and stuff, but mostly now it's just I mean, what I like really, really
follow, I love, like fo-- football, like football, like soccer, real,
real football. I love, I love Port, like, I love the Portuguese
national team. I watch that. I, I try to catch every game every time
they play. Like, it was unfortunate they got bounced from the World
Cup.
Esmeralda Cortez Rios: Oh yeah.
Jacob William Carr: But yeah, like, I'm a big fan of Cristiano Ronaldo
and like my, my team that I support is Real Madrid and like, when he
was on it and Pepe and stuff. So, I just, I really like, I really like
soccer and that's something that I think my Portuguese heritage has
help grown because, yeah, I just love that sport. I think it's like
the sport of the world and a lot of people, well, like a lot of
Americans don't really care for it, but literally every country
outside of America is, that's like the biggest sport uh in the
country. So, yeah, that's definitely, I like, I credit that to being
Portuguese as well. So, yeah, that's something that I liked. I enjoyed
to watch and as well.
Esmeralda Cortez Rios: I was like, my team actually won the World Cup.
Jacob William Carr: Oh, yeah, that was cool when Messi-- Like it was,
it was sweet. I, I didn’t even remember who Portugal, who did they
lose to? France? No, they lost.
Esmeralda Cortez Rios: Dude, I don't even remember.
Jacob William Carr: I don't remember I mean, the World Cup final, the
final was the, like the best final I've ever seen. And I've only, well
I've only been like, I really remember it since like 2014, South
Africa World Cup or, but yeah, like it was, it was cool to see Messi
win.
Esmeralda Cortez Rios: I know, I was so happy. Okay, let me see. Okay,
of all, okay out of everything that you've accomplished, what are you
most proud of? And what moments do you remember in the Portuguese
American community?
Jacob William Carr: Um honestly, the one of the biggest moments I'm
proud of is it was like kind of like sad at the time. But like I said
a speech at my, my Avô's funeral when he passed and I was like,
probably, yeah, I was like 11 years old and in a church full of
people, full of people all there who knew him and I set up like a uh
what's the word, um. Well, just like a remembrance speech about him
and like, I was like, bawling my eyes out, like I couldn't get, well,
I, I eventually couldn't get through it and I was crying through it,
but I eventually finished and yeah, it's probably like just all the
people there that like supported him and yeah, I was just like, I'm
very proud of that because like, he's like probably the biggest
support, like influence in my family and I just aspire to be like him
one day. So, yeah.
Esmeralda Cortez Rios: Okay. To what extent do you believe being
Portuguese American has shaped the way that you have moved throughout
life both professionally and personally?
Jacob William Carr: Um, well, professionally I think since my family’s
always been involved in agriculture just because of that, like, I've,
I'm an ag business major. So, that's what I'm graduating with, and I
plan on working here in the Central Valley or maybe another
opportunity somewhere else. But um definitely continuing, working in
the agricultural field and continuing what my grandpa did and
eventually one day taking over and helping the family farm and
managing the family farm once my dad retires, yeah and then personally
it's like I said, like with, with soccer, like I love that, I love
that sport so much and like, yeah, like Cristiano Ronaldo, like I know
a lot of people don't like him but I, I don't really like him that
much honestly. But yeah, he's, he's really good. So like, you can't
deny that and like, but yeah, like definitely, like just following
that personally is probably like the tradition of mine that I've like
really continued and like I support like Benfica as well, like the
Portuguese team, they just got bounced from the Champions League by
was it Inter? Yeah, but they made it to the quarterfinals, which was
pretty cool. Yeah.
Esmeralda Cortez Rios: Okay. What does being Portuguese American mean
to you?
Jacob William Carr: Hm. That's a good question there. Yeah, it means, I
don't know. I think I relate it a lot to family and how close knit,
like my Portuguese side of the family is and just growing up with
them. Like we all grew up, uh like I had, I had me, I have three
siblings and my mom has two sisters and they all have, I have eight
cousins. Every one of my mom's, my mom and her two sisters all have
four kids. So, I grew up with like we were there was there's 12 of us,
12 cousins just living on the dairy here in Madera and like growing up
together. So yeah, definitely family is probably the thing that like I
can relate to most just because of how cool and unique of an
experience I had growing up with so many family relatives like in a
close space. And yeah.
Esmeralda Cortez Rios: How do you see the Portuguese American community
here today?
Jacob William Carr: Um It's definitely, in my opinion, it's definitely
getting a little older, like a lot of the younger people aren't going
to the festas as much. And like the language is kind of like the
Portuguese language is being spoke less here in the valley, I think.
But a lot of the older people still speak it. But a lot of the younger
um Portuguese like descendants don't know Portuguese that well. Um so
yeah, but I think there's a lot of support for it still. Um, yeah, and
I just hope there's a future for it as well.
Esmeralda Cortez Rios: Um, is there anything we didn't cover that you
would like to share?
Jacob William Carr: Um, I don't think so.
Esmeralda Cortez Rios: Okay. All right. So, we're done.
Jacob William Carr: All right. Sweet.