Myriam Quiñones interviewed by Roxy Ruedas March 26th, 2022 Northampton, MA

Narrator
Myriam Quiñones was born in Yauco, Puerto Rico and though she briefly moved to NYC, she spent much of her childhood there and considers it to be home. While she grew up poor, she grew up in a safe and “healthy” environment. She moved to Holyoke, MA at the age of 18 with her first husband and baby looking for prosperity. She has lived in Holyoke for all of her adult life, and has raised both of her children there. While she did not immediately go to college after immigrating, she eventually attended UMass Amherst to get her Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education and Psychology. Although she started out working in infant development services, she soon got a position at Holyoke Community College and worked there for over 20 years, starting out in the English as a Second Language program. She would later become the Senior Special Programs Coordinator for the Multicultural Academic Services Program, which is dedicated to helping ESL students, international students, and high school students transitioning into college- intentionally targeting underserved, low-income, first-generation Latinx students. In addition to her work at HCC, she is also an active member of the Holyoke community and organizes a lot around the Latinx community in the area and LGBTQ+ youth. She met her wife,
Jossie Valentin, 15 years ago and came out as a lesbian when she fell in love with her at the age of 36. She was a regular attendee of Northampton Pride for almost 30 years, and she and her wife were invited to be on the planning committee for Noho Pride in 2018, but were not invited back after that year. After living in Holyoke for 33 years, they have decided to move back to Puerto Rico and now live in Yauco.

Abstract:

In this interview, Myriam Quiñones reflects on her life in Holyoke, Massachusetts as she is moving to Puerto Rico with her wife. She discusses moving to the United States as a young adult with a brand new family in 1989 and her experiences as an immigrant in Holyoke. She talks about her experience as a community organizer in Holyoke and the ways that she has been a liaison for the community of Holyoke to Holyoke Community College. She also discusses her experience coming out later in life and her life as a lesbian mother. Additionally, she shares insight on her time attending Northampton Pride and being on the organizing committee and subsequently not being invited back. She shares her vision for the future of Holyoke and what she would like to see in the community once she has left.

Interviewer:
Roxy Ruedas is a student at Smith College, Class of 2023, majoring in the Study of Women and Gender and Education and Child Study.