Erasmo Salgado
Oral History Transcription
Oral History Audio
Name of interviewer: Enrique Alvear
Date of Interview: June 27, 2016
Location: Chicago, IL
Interview Language: Spanish
Native from Buenavista de Cuellar, Guerrero, Mexico, Erasmo Salgado arrived in Chicago when he was 17 years-old. He came to the United States thanks to an aunt’s invitation to work and save money to help his family in Guerrero. He had finished grammar school but had to work to economically support his family as the oldest son in his family group. Helped by his brother in law, Erasmo crossed the Tijuana-San Diego border and traveled to Chicago, Illinois. At the beginning, he worked as a janitor at the W.F. Hall Printing Company while he also served at a friend’s restaurant every weekend. After that, he started his own cleaning business and studied English as a Second Language during seven months at a church in the city. At this time, he also moved in with his partner and they had four children. He is a former member of the first Federación de Guerrerenses in Chicago and is cofounder of Clubes Unidos Guerrerenses del Medio Oeste, a regional federation with approximately 17 affiliate clubs from California, New York, and other states. Clubes Unidos has a membership of approximately 120 clubs in the Midwest. This Federation of Clubs from Guerrero was founded with the purpose of implementing projects of social development in the communities of Guerrero, Mexico.
