Voces Oral History Center Interview with Armando Trejo

1347_Trejo_Armando_NIU_1

Thu, 9/3 11:47AM • 14:56

SUMMARY KEYWORDS

Pandemic; Elgin, Illinois; Elgin Community College; COVID-19 --State Regulations; Public Health Measures; Social Distancing

LOC SUBJECT HEADINGS

Hispanics (United States); Colleges; Social Interaction--United States; COVID-19 (Disease)--Safety measures

-- Armando Trejo 00:00

I used to come to the United States to visit my family, you know? I came several times.

-- Anthony Villanueva 00:07

Is the recording, is the recording light on?

-- Armando Trejo 00:10

Yes, it is.

-- Anthony Villanueva 00:12

Good.

-- Armando Trejo 00:16

So, I came here-- in 1986 to stay and I started working in a bar. And uh, several jobs. Then I started working at the libraries, you know. Gail Borden Public Library and Elgin Community College.

-- Anthony Villanueva 00:45

About what year was that? About what year was that?

-- Armando Trejo 00:47

That was in 1994. That was May at the Gail Public Library and August at the Elgin Community College. Once I was, once I, once I started there, I was a-- invited, pushed--

-- Anthony Villanueva 01:10

Right.

-- Armando Trejo 01:11

To go for my master's degree in library science by the, by my, by my uh former boss Jack Weiss. So, I decided to go to the uh, to the uh, to get my master's degree. I got my master's degree. I started working as a reference librarian. There was a time I was made a archivist.

-- Anthony Villanueva 01:43

Okay.

-- Armando Trejo 01:45

And then I started taking some courses about archival digitals and now, I have been there for 26 years.

-- Anthony Villanueva 01:55

And this is at the Elgin library?

-- Armando Trejo 01:58

Elgin Community College Library.

-- Anthony Villanueva 02:01

Okay. And you handle all the archives for the college?

-- Armando Trejo 02:05

That's right.

-- Anthony Villanueva 02:08

And at what point did you become aware of the COVID-19 virus?

-- Armando Trejo 02:17

Ah--ah from the first day that I've read about the virus in China.

-- Anthony Villanueva 02:23

Was that at the beginning of the year beginning of 2020?

-- Armando Trejo 02:28

Yes, yup. I think that was in January or something like that.

-- Anthony Villanueva 02:31

And did you think it was serious?

-- Armando Trejo 02:33

Yes, I did.

-- Anthony Villanueva 02:34

Right from the beginning?

-- Armando Trejo 02:36

I thought that it was serious. In the moment that China took the measures to insulate that region, I knew that it was serious. I knew. I know what's a virus, you know, we have [InAudible], virus and other ones and I know what's a virus, so I know that was serious.

-- Anthony Villanueva 02:55

Did you experience any major viruses before this in your lifetime?

-- Armando Trejo 03:04

I, I, I didn't experience I never got sick, but I hear, and I've read about that two previous pandemics.

-- Anthony Villanueva 03:15

And when you, uh, became aware of the COVID, in the early part of this year, did you start to take any precautions? Or did you just follow it in the news?

-- Armando Trejo 03:26

I just follow the news because there were no cases here, and but I start thinking, when are we going to do something to kind of kind of to avoid this kind the virus coming here?

-- Anthony Villanueva 03:43

And when you started to wonder, what, what, protocols are going to go forward or what you what people, people, are going to be done, did you discuss that with, with your family members or did you discuss it with colleagues at work?

-- Armando Trejo 04:00

I [InAudible] with both family members, you know--

-- Anthony Villanueva 04:03

Ok.

-- Armando Trejo 04:04

--my church members, colleagues at work, you know, because I was reading about what was happening in, uh, Europe.

-- Anthony Villanueva 04:12

Right.

-- Armando Trejo 04:13

You know, that kind of regions and it was very, very serious. Yes, we did.

-- Anthony Villanueva 04:20

Mmhmm, and did you, did you, uh, come in contact or do you know of anyone that contracted the COVID virus?

-- Armando Trejo 04:29

No, I don't know--

-- Anthony Villanueva 04:30

No.

-- Armando Trejo 04:31

--a single.

-- Anthony Villanueva 04:32

No family member here or in Mexico?

-- Armando Trejo 04:35

No, I don't know nobody with the virus.

-- Anthony Villanueva 04:39

And once the virus got more serious, uh, did you start taking precautions?

-- Armando Trejo 04:47

Yes, we took like a-- started keeping the social distancing, you know? No gloves, no, no, mask until March 14th, 15th that it was declared a pandemic here in Illinois. So that's when we close the school and that's when we start taking all, I start taking all the precautions.

-- Anthony Villanueva 05:14

And once the school closed, uh, I understand that it closed for spring break on March 12th and then, uh, you had a week off and then you-

-- Armando Trejo 05:26

It was it was before spring break.

-- Anthony Villanueva 05:30

That you started taking precautions?

-- Armando Trejo 05:32

That the school closed.

-- Anthony Villanueva 05:34

Oh okay.

-- Armando Trejo 05:35

That was before.

-- Anthony Villanueva 05:36

Okay. And then once the school closed, it hasn't opened up again?

-- Armando Trejo 05:41

Nope. Limited.

-- Anthony Villanueva 05:43

Limited?

-- Armando Trejo 05:44

Yep.

-- Anthony Villanueva 05:45

And are you still employed by the school library?

-- Armando Trejo 05:49

Yes, I am.

-- Anthony Villanueva 05:50

And you, uh, work remotely?

-- Armando Trejo 05:54

Yes, I do. Sometimes I go to the archives, but uh--

-- Anthony Villanueva 05:58

Okay.

-- Armando Trejo 05:59

--totally safe because I'm the only one in the whole library.

-- Anthony Villanueva 06:03

Okay.

-- Armando Trejo 06:04

And of course, to get in, I have to wear my mask. Once I'm in the office I take it out.

-- Anthony Villanueva 06:10

Okay. And what about uh, do you, you have family in Mexico?

-- Armando Trejo 06:15

Yes, I do.

-- Anthony Villanueva 06:17

Uh, do they have any concerns about the virus?

-- Armando Trejo 06:20

They are very concerned, and they are taking a lot of precautions. They are following all the protocols to avoid that that virus.

-- Anthony Villanueva 06:30

Does the in the region where your family lives, has anybody contracted or died from COVID?

-- Armando Trejo 06:39

The, the region yes.

-- Anthony Villanueva 06:42

What region, region is that?

-- Armando Trejo 06:43

Well, l got family several regions.

-- Anthony Villanueva 06:47

Oh.

-- Armando Trejo 06:48

But, uh, we don't know anyone personally that contract that.

-- Anthony Villanueva 06:54

Good. That's good. And um-- have has anybody told you, uh, any stories of people that they know that got the virus?

-- Armando Trejo 07:11

Uh no. All my friends, family, they don't know nobody that, uh, that, uh, contract the virus the COVID-19.

-- Anthony Villanueva 07:23

You mentioned before that you go to church. Um, do the people in, do you have a meetings, uh, of as a congregation? Or do you have the meetings, uh, remotely through Zoom?

-- Armando Trejo 07:35

Well, we, we used to have a, meetings in the congregation but, uh, after March--

-- Anthony Villanueva 07:42

No.

-- Armando Trejo 07:43

--just, uh, services online.

-- Anthony Villanueva 07:45

Online. So, the service is-

-- Armando Trejo 07:48

And then I go, I go, uh, every other Friday to clean the church.

-- Anthony Villanueva 07:53

Yeah.

-- Armando Trejo 07:54

But uh two three people, you know, wearing masks and that's it.

-- Anthony Villanueva 07:59

And um. How it the -- the COVID virus and the pandemic here in Illinois, has it affected your, your, income? Has your income been reduced because of the pandemic?

-- Armando Trejo 08:17

No, no, just keeping my regular salary.

-- Anthony Villanueva 08:20

Okay. Did anybody in the in the in the school system or in the library lose a job or got downsized?

-- Armando Trejo 08:32

Nope. Everybody's getting their salary.

-- Anthony Villanueva 08:37

Okay and what do you think is going to be the, the, long-term outcome of this pandemic?

-- Armando Trejo 08:47

Well it's hard to say because we don't know how the virus is going to behave. But, uh, I mean, there's variables. If they get with that vaccine, uh, in October that will be another way to do things. If there is no vaccine as today--

-- Anthony Villanueva 09:12

Right.

-- Armando Trejo 09:13

--we will have to live a new normality that will be wearing masks, you know, keep your the distance, wash your hands often, avoid parties, avoid going to restaurants, you know, movies, you know that's what I've been foreseeing.

-- Anthony Villanueva 09:32

Do you think that the um, the state of Illinois, uh, followed proper procedures to prevent the spread of COVID?

-- Armando Trejo 09:45

Yes, I think that the, our governor is doing a good job. Unfortunately, you know, uhh, the solution is on the citizens. They are the one that can control it by following the protocols.

-- Anthony Villanueva 10:05

And have you noticed any, any, particular, um, age bracket that doesn't follow the protocol?

-- Armando Trejo 10:17

I have seen all people and young people not following the protocol.

-- Anthony Villanueva 10:24

And you've been maintaining, uh, quarantine, uh, since, uh, the school closed?

-- Armando Trejo 10:34

Sort of.

-- Anthony Villanueva 10:35

Okay, but you do, you do go out?

-- Armando Trejo 10:38

Yes, I do.

-- Anthony Villanueva 10:40

Are you, are you fearful, uh, to come in contact with people when you go out?

-- Armando Trejo 10:46

Uh I'm not fearing to come in contact with the people, but I don't get close to people that is no wearing mask.

-- Anthony Villanueva 10:58

So that's, that's, a change in your behavior?

-- Armando Trejo 11:01

Yes. No hugs. No nothing. No contacts at all. Elbows.

-- Anthony Villanueva 11:10

Elbows. So, you foresee this as being the new normal going forward?

-- Armando Trejo 11:18

As, as long as we don't have a vaccine--

-- Anthony Villanueva 11:22

Right.

-- Armando Trejo 11:23

--yes, it's not going to be the same.

-- Anthony Villanueva 11:26

Now you a, you told me your opinion of the, how the state of Illinois, uh, handled the situation. Uh, what's your opinion of how the federal government handled the situation?

-- Armando Trejo 11:39

You know, comparing with another countries, the, uh, Federal [Inaudible], they, they don't know, they deny the gravity of this pandemic. They never believed that there was a pandemic. They thought that, uh, it was just another a virus like the flu, and it will it will disappear by itself. Yeah, they didn't take the proper precautions. They didn't advise people properly. They didn't hear the, uh, the signs. They did not hear the specialists. They were in complete denial. So, I will give you minus five to the how they behave from facing the situation.

-- Anthony Villanueva 12:37

Okay. Okay and in thinking about, uh, thinking about the future use you don't see a very bright future with this situation.

-- Armando Trejo 12:50

Bright future for who?

-- Anthony Villanueva 12:53

For yourself, your neighbors, the students, the students at school.

-- Armando Trejo 13:00

Well that has to do with two things. First, with this leadership there's no future. Second, if they don't find a vaccine for the virus, I don't see no--a good future, you know, a bright future. [InAudible] if they create a vaccine and if they don't know how to distribute it properly, there's no [InAudible]. I'm sure that this this, uh, government the federal government is total totally inadequate to face any crisis.

-- Anthony Villanueva 13:51

So, is there is there anything that you would like to say that we haven't touched on?

-- Armando Trejo 14:02

Uh, the federal government should take responsibilities in how to face this epidemic. And they need to stop denying it because so far there is 150,000 deaths, and we are the worst in all the world. So, yes, I would like the federal government to take responsibility about this.

-- Anthony Villanueva 14:32

Okay. Well, I think I'm going to thank you for taking the time out to contribute your thoughts on this situation. And if there's nothing else then I thank you and we'll close the meeting.

-- Armando Trejo 14:49

Very welcome Tony.

-- Anthony Villanueva 14:50

Thank you very much Armando.

-- Armando Trejo 14:52

See you.

-- Anthony Villanueva 14:53

Okay, bye bye.

-- Armando Trejo 14:54

Take care bye.