Yet it was Emeterio’s transition from academic obscurity to established scholar that intrigued his grandsons the most. Emeterio lived in Buffalo, New York and was a member of “the only Puerto Rican family in [his] neighborhood.” His parents emigrated to the Northeast from Puerto Rico during the 1950′s when Emeterio was seven. His father had been a farmer in Cieles, Puerto Rico and Emeterio mentions that his “pops had a can-do attitude.” Emeterio’s dad came to the U.S. first, and his mother came over a year later with him and two of his siblings.

There were scuffles, taunts, and derogatory names throughout his school years. Upon entering high school, Emeterio predicted he’d “drop out in the tenth grade.” The level of uncertainty in his life was overwhelming. In the Summer of 1964, Emeterio joined the military at the age of 17. “The airborne stuff sounded really neat…and it was one of the better decisions I ever made because it taught me structure and discipline. If I had stayed on in the same lifestyle, there’s a good chance I could have been dead. Drugs were coming on strong at that point…but I grew up and got a good sense of myself.”

What he didn’t predict was his desire to help educate others. It was during the Detroit Riots of 1967 that Emeterio came across injustices he’d never before seen. “There was martial law…and then it was a war. I romanticized war…but when I saw people being shot and people being hurt, it took the flowery nature of war away. It really bothered me. But [the riots] solidified my ideas on social justice. At that point, I tuned to the issue of race in America. I think education creates power. It creates a sense of equity. It also creates a sense of social justice and, for me, that’s important.”

He eventually attained a doctoral degree in education and influenced two more generations of Oteros, including his son Christopher, who is currently an English professor at Monroe Community College.

“Community college is the bridge.”, Emeterio says. He only needs to tell his story to prove it.

Related: Eleven Ways To Succeed

A grandmother can be a vibrant source of care and inspiration. She might warm our milk, teach us that hard work is important, or remind us that our place in the world is just as important as anyone else’s.

When Orlando Ortiz (right) — a native New Yorker from the Bronx — recalled visiting Puerto Rico during a trip after he graduated middle school, one very distinct person shimmered beyond everything else: his Abuelita (Grandmother) “Salu.” When Orlando visited the Mobile Booth, he described his grandmother to his partner, Paul Tantillo.

“[Salu] was more casual. She smoked cigars. When she needed a handkerchief, she’d get the hem of her skirt, bend over and blow on it.” He laughed. “[She] was very contemporary. She always cut her hair.”

And to Orlando, his Abuelita “Salu” provided a concept that he’s carried on throughout his life.

“For this to be a world, there has to be everything in it. It’s like, the universe has everything in it.”
“Why did she say this?”
“Well, I think she knew I was gay. It was her way of saying ‘that’s alright.’ You accept everything just the way it is because it’s all part of the world.”

Bob Panara

Bob Panara was NTID’s first deaf faculty member when the school opened in 1968 and founded its English and Theater departments. He became deaf as a young child. Bob loved baseball, so his father once arranged to introduce him to Babe Ruth in hopes that the shock would restore his hearing. It didn’t, but Bob remains an avid baseball enthusiast and is attempting to get a former deaf baseball player, Dummy Hoy, into the Baseball Hall of Fame for his great playing record and for inventing the hand signals still used today in baseball.

Paul Taylor

Bob was interviewed by NTID Media Relations Director Greg Livadas who also arranged an interview with Paul and Sally Taylor.

Sally Taylor

Paul and Sally have been married more than 40 years. About five years ago they decided to get cochlear implants. This journey was documented by their hearing daughter, Irene Brodsky Taylor, and made into a film Hear and Now.

Todd Gordon and Scott Fearing

Another participant, Todd Gordon, is a recent graduate from the NTID. His partner, Scott Fearing, who is hearing, is the program director at Gay Alliance. They talked about how text messaging has changed the way many deaf people communicate. They also compared the experience of coming out as deaf with coming out as gay.

Alan Hurwitz

NTID President Alan Hurwitz recorded his story with the help of interpreter, Jim Orr. Alan was born deaf and earned an engineering degree without the aid of interpreters. He’s been a part of NTID for almost all of the college’s 41-year history. Alan has seen firsthand the changes in education for deaf students over the years and how technological advances have improved education.

Jim Orr

For Heather Zajkowski and her husband Chris it happened by mail. “I got on the mailing list of the band you were in, the Essentials, here in Rochester, New York. And you had your [other] band the Squires of the Subterrain [for which] you were sending out postcards,” recalls Heather. “I was like 15, I think, maybe I’d just turned 16. I’m not sure, but I had babysitting money and you were selling tapes and I was like, ‘Oh wow! Yeah! I’m totally going to buy a tape!’”

“You were hilarious,” says Chris. “You actually responded and  you were probably the first and only person to respond with a check and a silly letter and you asked something about like ‘What is this? What am I buying here?’ But you ponied up the money and it was so exciting!”

“Yeah, the whole five dollars,” says Heather. “That was my tip from babysitting.”

“Obviously, a bunch of time went by during our pen pal relationship and it never went further than that,” recalls Chris

After ten years of correspondence and random encounters around town, however, they finally started dating. When it was time to get married Heather took the bull by the horns by saying: “Well, I’ve found the rings I want. Let’s go order them! Come on!”

“I should have popped the question and been a man,” jokes Chris. “But she was more manly than I.”

WXXI AM 1370 celebrated its 25th Anniversary on our opening day as well. WXXI President & CEO, Norm Silverstein was on hand to receive a proclamation from Jean Howard, Chief of Staff for Rochester’s Mayor Duffy, declaring July 2, 2009 StoryCorps Day!

If that still wasn’t enough birthday fun, July 2, 2009 was also the 25th birthday of outgoing StoryCorps Mobile Facilitator, Alex Kelly. Alex facilitated during our first week of recordings in Rochester and stayed on to help train Alejandro De La Cruz who makes his MobileBooth debut right here in the Ra-Cha-Cha! Happy trails Ms. Kelly and welcome aboard Mr. De La Cruz!

The sweet side allows us to excitedly introduce and welcome Sara Culver, Alejandro de la Cruz, and Lilly Sullivan to the road. Sara, a StoryCorps veteran, has most recently worked as a coordinator for the Alaska Initiative. Alejandro comes to us from Los Angeles by way of Mexico City, where he wrote for online publications (and he’s itching to flex his typing fingers on this blog). Another Californian, Lilly comes to StoryCorps after four years in publishing, most recently at the PEN American Center in New York.

Thanks to all of you who support our efforts to keep the Mobile Tour running. Stay tuned to hear more tales from us on the road!