Medalin Garcia grew up in the Edcouch-Elsa area and remained there until she enlisted in the Air Force due to the fear she felt in her home life. After leaving the Air Force in 1988, Garcia returned home to find that many of her friends were involved in local politics. This inspired Garcia to help with their campaigns and elections. Garcia considers herself an organizer and has strived to involve the community in election processes by building political education.
Audio Clips
Interviewed by Cristina Salinas on March 3, 2023 in Elsa, Texas
Garcia describes what life was like for her after leaving the Air Force and how she became politically involved.
Medalin Garcia: La politica? I got into la politica after I got out of the Air Force back in ‘88, and I returned back to the Valley. At that time, I only had my son and my daughter. My two oldest and I have always been more, uh. . . I get along more with older people. So when I came back, I really didn't have any friends or anything, so my friends became Esperanza, Choche, all those older folks, you know, and they were into politics. They were running,. aAnd so I got involved because of them. And I started going to meetings. I started hanging out with them. And that's what got me really excited and involved and what they wanted to do. What they wanted to make things happen here in this city. And, you know, sometimes even the school district really caught my eye and my ear. And I thought it was good for the community. So that's how I got involved. And so I went ahead and I would help out. Every election. And give out cards, get ballots, have ballots filled out, mail them for the elderly and just do block walks and things like that.
Garcia describes how organizers took care of each other’s families and how the culture of the community was present in organizing spaces.
Medalin Garcia: Well, I think it really helped the community when our party won. Definitely. And what they said they were going to do, they did, you know? So it was a win win. I'll tell you a little story. I got so involved that my third child, it was my, let me see, my third and my fourth, I think, when I was working the elections. But the day of the election, I had my doctor induce labor two days before the actual election so I could work the election. My daughter was born and then a couple of days later she was out there with me. She was born like two days and she was out there, and I remember her. She was all red and from the sun and in and out of the car. That year, I remember she was.... everybody took care of her. Everybody would take care of her. She was like, that year, she was the election baby. I don't know what she was. And everybody till this day remembers. So that's how bad that year I wanted to work the election, that I had the doctor induced labor.
Digital Archive
Uniformed Air Force Portrait of Medalin Garcia in the 1980s.
Logo for Hidalgo County Housing Authority where Garcia worked.
