Delta Area Civic Organization (DACO | organización cívica de la zona Delta)
Ubicación
Elsa, Texas
Biografía
Medalin García creció en la zona de Edcouch-Elsa y siguió viviendo allí hasta que se alistó en la Fuerza Aérea debido al miedo que sentía en su vida familiar. Tras abandonar la Fuerza Aérea en 1988, García regresó a su casa y se enteró de que muchos de sus amigos se dedicaban a la política local. Esto inspiró a García a ayudarles en sus campañas y en las elecciones. García se considera una organizadora y se ha esforzado por involucrar a la comunidad en los procesos electorales mediante la educación política.
Clip de audio
Entrevistada por Cristina Salinas el 3 de marzo de 2023 en Elsa, Texas
García describe cómo fue su vida después de dejar la Fuerza Aérea y cómo se involucró en la política.
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.
García describe cómo los organizadores cuidaban de las familias de los demás y cómo la cultura de la comunidad estaba presente en los espacios de organización.
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.
Archivo Digital
Retrato de Medalin García con uniforme de la Fuerza Aérea en la década de 1980.
Logotipo de la Autoridad de Vivienda del Condado de Hidalgo, donde trabajaba García.
