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Every chapter in My Life Story includes information about me, my work, my family and my friends.It also includes information about events that took place locally and nationally, etc. that I thought important enough to include. You’ll also find that I’ve included films, musicians and recordings/videos, in addition to books that were released in a given year.
While I have included many personal photos, most of the graphic content included below is borrowed from the Internet. I do not claim to own this material. I am just adding it for educational purposes. If the owners of any of the content in the “My Life Story” series want their stuff removed, I am happy to oblige. My email address is jrdiaz@arizona.edu. Thanks!
1995 was a busy time in my life. I turned 36 in the middle of January, and Ruben and I were living in our apartment on Shannon Road. I was still working at the University of Arizona Library as Assistant to the Dean for Staff Development, Recruitment and Diversity, and Ruben was in beauty school. Early in the year, we decided we wanted our own house, so we started looking around. It took about three months to find one, and by May we were moved into our own home on N. 10th Ave, just south of Speedway. Getting our own house was the highlight of the year. We could not have done it without Ruben’s parents’ help. They gave us money for the down payment, and we were able to get a loan from the VA. The house was small, but it had a very big lot, and it was close to my job. It wasn’t perfect, but it was a start.
Ruben graduated from beauty school in February, which was another highlight for us, and he started working immediately thereafter at Supercuts.
I did a lot of traveling this year. I attended ALA Midwinter in late January/early February in Philadelphia, where I gave a presentation on recruitment in a team-based environment and where I had the privilege of meeting the great gay rights leader, Barbara Gittings, and then Ruben and I went to Disneyland at the end of February. It was a fun trip. We have a photo that was taken of us when we rode the canoe on the Splash Mountain ride. It was hilarious. Ruben and I were in the front and the looks on our faces spoke volumes. In April, I attended the ACRL National conference in Pittsburgh, where I got to spend time with Mary Lynn and Doreen, two colleagues that I met at the University of Michigan, and hear the great historian Ronald Takaki, author of “A Different Mirror: A HIstory of Multicultural America,”speak. In June, I attended the ALA Annual conference in Chicago, and gave a presentation on GLBT issues in the workplace, and marched in the gay pride parade with my friend Richard DiRusso. That was great fun. In September, I traveled to San Francisco to attend the National Staff Development and Training conference with my good friend Karen Downing. I met Sue Miller Hurst, a motivational speaker and educator there and found her very inspiring.
Work was hell. I worked with a number of consultants and coordinated scores of training sessions for the staff, including anti-racism training, communication skills training, and customer service training, to name a few topics. I found this work to be thankless. It never seemed to be enough. It was in other areas of my job, however, that I found some fulfillment. Working with the Diversity Council was a lot of fun. We held a number of very interesting programs, including a session called “Not So Straight: A Dialogue with your Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Colleagues”, and a Juneteenth celebration with Barbea Williams and her dance troupe. Kriza Jennings, a diversity consultant with the Association of Research Libraries, visited in October and was a big hit with all the groups she met, both on campus and in the community. As Assistant to the Dean, I had many other responsibilities as well and attended hundreds of hours of meetings.
I was also heavily involved in professional service this year, and was a member of the REFORMA National board of Directors, the ALA GBLT Book Award Committee, the AZLA Services to the Spanish Speaking Roundtable, as well as a number of other organizations.
I also gave presentations, worked on publications and taught.
In other areas of my life, my dear friend Ana Elias’s husband Thad died in the Spring. It was a very sad time for the Elias family. In July, my niece Valerie married Wade Colwell, who was one of Anthony Quinn’s grandsons. My Aunt Carmen and Helen celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary, and my niece Estrella gave birth to her daughter Gabriela.
In terms of hobbies, I continued to build my music, film and book collections. This particular year saw the release of several great music recordings, including Wrecking Ball, by Emmylou Harris and Joyas de los Siglos by Ana Gabriel, just to name a couple. Ruben and I continued to buy classic movies on vhs. We helped make Blockbuster and Bookman’s rich!
Overall, Ruben and I did well this year, even though we were a bit deeper in debt than before. We spent a lot of time furnishing our new home and making improvements to it. All in all, we made some big strides together in just over two years. We had a lot to look forward to as we settled into our first home.
For a more complete look at my work and accomplishments, click here.
The following section is a compilation of photos and graphics of all the things that happened this year.
From the Arizona Daily Star, January 14, 1995. The Barraza-Aviation Parkway was named after my partner Ruben’s uncle Maclovio Barraza, Ruben’s mother’s brother. Barraza grew up in Superior and was a miner at Magma Copper Co. He became a union leader and fought hard for worker’s rights. My dad knew him well.
I grew up just to the east of the intersection of the Barraza Aviation Parkway and 22nd St. A dedication ceremony for the parkway was held sometime in the summer. Ruben and I accompanied his parents and his uncle’s family at the ceremony. From the Arizona Daily Star, January 14, 1995.
I turned 36 on January 15. These were birthday cards from Carla Stoffle and Libby Hilmar, two colleagues at work. Carla, who was the Dean of the Library and my supervisor, sent me both birthday cards and Christmas cards every year for approximately 20 years. Libby sent me the same birthday card three years in a row. I still have all three.
Getting positive feedback from my boss was a rare occurrence. When it happened, it sure felt good! She had high standards and expected her staff to work 50 to 60 hours a week. It was insane. The affirmative action committee worked very hard on the report.
After the successful Leslie Feinberg visit that I coordinated in 1994, the folks at Wingspan offered me a seat on their Board of Directors. I accepted the offer. However, after a couple of months, I realized this assignment wasn’t for me, and unfortunately, I had to resign. I had too much going on and this job required more time and attention than I could give it.
The Library Diversity Council made presentations to all the teams in the Library, starting in mid-January. The information we shared can be found here:
Ruben and I made a quick trip to Nogales on January 22nd. I don’t remember why we went. At times, we would just go for the drive or to eat and shop for the day.
I attended ALA Midwinter in Philadelphia in February. (2/2-2/7).
This was my first visit to Philadelphia. I’ve since been there several times.
This program was held on Friday, February 3 from 2 to 5 in the Four Seaasons Hotel. I was a bit nervous, but ended up doing very well on my presentation.
Barbara Gittings was a legendary figure in the gay rights movement. She was also a librarian, and at this conference she spoke about how gays at ALA made a stance about the need for acknowledgement and acceptance. I just had to include the famous steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Scenes of the movie “Rocky” were shot here.
Ms. Gittings shared the following document about the history of the ALA GLBT Task Force with the attendees at her presentation in Philadelphia: Gays in Libraryland
I attended several programs in celebration of the 25th anniversary of the GLBT Task Force.
The gay bars in Philadelphia were in the downtown area. I had a great time.
My hotel was located at Penn’s Landing, a bit off the beaten path. I had to take the Philly Phlash shuttle back and forth every day to the conference.
More scenes from Philadelphia. The public library is on the bottom right. I fell in love with the music room.
The Reading Terminal Market was a blast. It was next door to the Gallery shopping mall. The bridge took one over to the New Jersey side of the river.
Ruben graduated from beauty school. (2/8/95)
Ruben started working at Supercuts almost immediately. He would stay with the company for many years and worked at various locations in town.
Tucson’s own Lalo Guerrero paired up with Los Lobos to create this wonderful music for children of all ages, released on February 14, 1995.
On February 20, the Library Diversity Council sponsored a program featuring scholar, oral historian and educator Ruth Edmonds Hill, who discussed her work on the Black Women’s Oral History project.
I went to Disneyland in Anaheim with Ruben in February (2/25-2/28).
We took the “northern” route (Interstate 10) to Anaheim and arrived in less than 8 hours.
Ruben and I were all freaked out, as one can tell.
We just had to go on this ride, because you know what they say…. It’s a Small World after all…
This time we took the I-8 to Tucson. It’s always nice to avoid the Phoenix traffic.
This is an amazing album. It was released on March 6, 1995. The following video is a work of art. I love the song!
I gave a presentation on resumes and cover letters on February 15 at the Library school.
I attended the ACRL National conference in Pittsburgh March 28 through April 1.
Ronald Takaki was one of the keynote speakers at this conference. Listening to him speak was a high point of the event.
The David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh, where our conference was held.
My friend Mary Lynn and I visited the Cathedral of Learning at the University of Pittsburgh. Wow, what a beautiful place!
My dear friends Doreen Simonsen and Mary Lynn Morris both attended the ACRL conference, and I spent time with them while there. It had been three years since I left the University of Michigan, which is where this photo was taken. Doreen and Mary Lynn are shown here standing at the reference desk at the Undergraduate Library. I spent an average of 12 hours a week at this desk for over five years.
My friend Doreen and I visited the Penn Brewery and had a scrumptious German dinner.
Tejano star Selena’s life came to an abrupt end on March 31, 1995. Fans from all over the US and Mexico mourned her death.
On April 5, the LIbrary Diversity council sponsored a program featuring Felipe Molina who spoke about the Easter traditions of the Yaqui people. Molina is a Yaqui deer singer who has served as governor of Yoem Pueblo and as a member of the Pascua Tribal Council. He is also co-author of Yaqui Deer Songs, a book of Yaqui poetry.
Sandra Bernhard performed at Spring Fling on April 7 on a stage at the intersection of Cherry and University Blvd. I didn’t know she could sing so well. She tore it up when she sang the song, “Janie Got a Gun”. She also trashed the Catholic Church as she looked toward the bell tower of the Newman Center. I am glad I saw her perform. She was pretty wild. Below is her version of “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry”. She is not from Arizona, however.
She’s amazing.
April 19, 1995 was a very sad day indeed. 158 people lost their lives and over 500 were injured when Timothy McVeigh bombed the federal building in Oklahoma City.
I loved seeing Los Lobos in concert. I’ve been attending their shows since the mid-80s.
Released on May 2, 1995. Alejandro Fernandez would soon become an international superstar. The following song, which appeared on this album, was a big hit for Fernandez.
Released on 5-3-95. I really enjoyed this movie. It was really well done.
Ruben’s parents treated me like one of their own sons. They gifted us $10,000 for the down payment on our new home. We could not have bought it without their help.
We put an offer on this house in March and by April were notified that it was accepted. We were all moved in by the first week of May.
in the Spring, we bought this small, two bedroom house on 10th Ave, just south of Speedway, and moved in at the beginning of May. The neighborhood was built on top of “the Court St. cemetery”, Tucson’s old city cemetery. Unfortunately, in some cases, only the headstones were moved…
Carla Stoffle, my boss at work, sent us this beautiful dracaena as a housewarming gift. We kept it alive for years, and it got very tall.
This sideboard/buffet was the first big piece of furniture we bought after we moved in to our new home.
Then we found this beautifully preserved upright baby grand piano. The clock was purchased shortly afterwards.
Then we bought this beautiful table. The chairs came later. We also purchased a big sectional couch and a china cabinet. Our little house soon began to feel even smaller….
The Equity Institute visited the UA Libraries in 1994 and again this year. They also did community training, sponsored by the YWCA, later in the summer. Staff enjoyed these sessions, although they could get pretty intense.
Elizabeth Montgomery 4/15/1933-5/18/1995. One of my favorites.
The Diversity Council sent out to the staff a training needs assessment survey, and by mid-June, we had compiled the results.
This is one of my favorite Juan Gabriel albums. It was released on June 19, 1995. He was such a great singer/songwriter. Nobody else has come close since he passed. The following song was part of this album. It protested Proposition 187, which was passed in California the previous year, but eventually deemed illigal by the courts.
Barbea Williams and her dance troupe visited the UA Library on June 20, 1995 and did a performance centering around Juneteenth.
I attended ALA Annual in Chicago in June. (6/23-6/28)
Chicago is my favorite big city.
Things I did at the 1995 ALA Annual conference in Chicago, according to my report to Carla
Not a very pleasant trip. Too humid and uncomfortable.
Gave a presentation on gays and lesbians in the workplace at the GLTF Pre-conference.
Attended a LAMA program on leadership development for minority librarians
Attended a LAMA Cultural Diversity Committee meeting.
Attended the ACRL Personnel and Staff Development Officers discussion group meeting.
Met with Kriza Jennings.
Marched in the gay pride parade in the gay librarians contingent on Sunday.
I marched in the gay pride parade this year with my friend Richard. We had a blast.
Meanwhile, back home, my nephew Marcus was doing this…
The heat wave that hit the Midwest in mid-July, 1995 took the lives of over 500 people in Chicago, and just as many across the rest of the Midwest. I had just been there to attend the ALA Annual Conference. Wow.
Selena’s English-language album, Dreaming of You, was released on July 18, about 3 1/2 months after she was killed by a deranged fan. The title cut of the album follows.
To see the actual work, click on the words “”Latin America” below.
The great Jerry Garcia died on August 9, 1995. Deadheads all over the world were devastated.
This photo was taken in 1992 in my office at the University of Michigan Undergraduate Library. That’s my good buddy Mike Robbins sitting next to me. He died in 1997. The news hit me pretty hard.
An amazing compilation of live performances by Joan Baez and friends. Released in September, 1995. The following song was not included in the original cd, but was released later on the collector’s edition of this album. I just love this old song. She first recorded it on one of her “in concert” albums way back in 1962.
I attended a conference on staff development in San Francisco in September. (9/10-9/13)
I roomed with my good friend Karen while at this conference. We worked at Michigan together and this photo was taken in my office at the Undergraduate Library.
AULC Trip to Flagstaff in September 9/21-9/22.
I’ve been going up to Flagstaff for one thing or another since I was six years old. This particular trip was a quick, work-related visit.
Released on 9/26/95. What a joyful album! The following tune is just lovely, as are all of them!
Also released on 9/26/95 and a stark contrast to the one by Gloria Estefan. Heavy stuff, this one. The title cut follows.
I raised over $600 for this year’s Aidswalk. Most contributors were library staff.
OJ was found not guilty, but nobody believed that. He was later arrested on other charges and spent a lot of time in prison. The first magazine is dated 10/9 and the second one is dated 10/16.
As a librarian who was continuing status eligible, I had to prepare a candidate’s statement for my four-hear review, which was a critical point in the process leading toward achievement of continuing status. My statement, which summarizes my work and accomplishments for the past three years, is linked here: Joseph R. Diaz: Curriculum Vitae Statement of Objectives for 4-year review 10-15-1995
This is one of my favorite country artists. The album was released on 10-31-95.
Released on 11-21-95. Reminds me a lot of Springsteen’s Nebraska album. It’s rather dark, but so, so soulful. The song “Across the Border” follows. This is a live version Springsteen recorded in the studio. Linda Ronstadt later recorded the song on the album, “Western Wall: The Tucson sessions, which she recorded with Emmylou Harris in Tucson.
I was invited back again in the Fall to do another resumes and cover letters workshop for the students at the UA Library School. I enjoyed this work immensely.
My favorite Ana Gabriel album, released some time in November, 1995. I wish she would do another one like this. She performed the following song “Reconciliacion” live on a special program hosted by Raul Valasco on Mexican music back in the 90s. I was lucky to record it and still have it.
Coordinating staff development programming and training as well as providing the staff with funding for training and conferences was a big, big part of my job. The work was endless, and unfortunately, the staff were never satisfied. It was a thankless job. I didn’t like it, but I had to do it. I was very frustrated doing this work because I had certain colleagues breathing down my neck all the time who tried very hard to get me to resign, and worked behind the scenes to sabotage my work. I stuck it out for eight years, however. I’m glad I kept records of my work, because it’s proof of what I accomplished. To this day, I can’t stand when people use words like “competent” or “incompetent” to describe other people’s capabilities in the workplace, because I know from experience that it’s all political. These words become weapons used to attack others. They serve no useful purpose.
I don’t remember much about this particular event, but I was elected secretary of this group in late 1995. It was not my favorite assignment, if I recall correctly. I do not like the job of secretary. It is very tedious, but I’ve served in this role a couple of times over the years. I was also national secretary of REFORMA in the early 90s.
Dean Martin 6/7/1917-12/25/95. I love his voice. I think it’s gorgeous. I used to love to play the following song on my radio show.
