Fullerton: Then & Now

For this episode, I sat down with Jody Agius Vallejo, Professor of Sociology and American Studies and Ethnicity and Associate Director of the USC Equity Research Institute. In Part 1 of our conversation, we talk about the climate of hostility and fear in Southern California created by widespread ICE raids, and we give context to the current moment by examining the history of immigration to places like Fullerton.Here are some references provided by Prof. Vallejo:Seven Facts on Immigration that Every American Should Know, by Jody Agius Vallejo and Clara Alvarez Caraveo, USC Equity Research InstituteNew Gallup poll on immigration: note the record high support of immigration as a benefit to the nation as well as the substantial support for a pathway to citizenship for undocumented people currently in the country now. Also of note is that the majority of Americans disapprove Trump’s handling of immigration.THE groundbreaking source on the development of the Mexican communities in OC as a result of the citrus industry:Gonzalez, Gilbert. 1994. Labor and Community: Mexican Citrus Worker Villages in a Southern California County, 1900-1950My most recent op-ed2025 Californians Must Refuse to Abandon the Immigrants Among Us. Los Angeles Times (with Manuel Pastor).Academic articlesLee, Erika. 2007. “The ‘yellow peril’ and Asian Exclusion in the Americas.” Pacific Historical Review. 76:4 pp. 537-562Ngai, Mai. 1999. The Architecture of Race in American Immigration Law: A reexamination of the Immigration Act of 1924. The Journal of American History. 86: N1 pp. 79-92Excellent substacks to follow to stay up to date on evolving immigration issues:Migrant InsiderLetters from an AmericanAustin KocherData SourcesUSC Equity Research Institute’s California Immigrant Data Portal (CIDP)Deportation Detention ProjectRead Jesse's Brief History of Immigration to Fullerton HERE.To follow Jesse's research and writing about the history of Fullerton, check out www.fullertonhistory.com.

For this episode, I sat down with Judith Kaluzny, retired attorney/author and community activist. Last year, she was given the Woman Warrior Award by the Women’s Club of Fullerton. We discussed her involvement with the Fullerton Fair Housing Council, Maple School desegregation, stopping a planned road through Craig Park, founding a Community Open School, helping establish the first Women’s Shelter in Fullerton, and more.Purchase Judith's book Marriage License Handbook HERE.Read more about The Safe and Sane Divorce Project HERE.To follow my research and writing about Fullerton history visit www.fullertonhistory.com.

For this episode, I sat down with Jodi Balma, professor of political science at Fullerton College and host of the podcast A Slice of Orange to talk about Orange County politics, past and present. We discussed factors that contributed to OC's conservative political history like the Cold War, megachurches and the prosperity gospel. We also discuss wild OC politicians past and present, how demographic and other changes affected OC's shift from red to blue to purple, the impact of Trump's attacks on higher education, and more!Check out A Slice of Orange podcast HERE.RSVP to the Fullerton Charter City Workshop HERE.Check out The Truth OC substack HERE.To follow my research and writing about Fullerton history visit www.fullertonhistory.com.

For this episode, I sat down with Robert Jensen, retired Dean of Fine Arts at Fullerton College, and co-author of the new book Legends & Legacies: Over 100 Years of Fullerton College, which he wrote with Gary Graves. We discuss the history of Fullerton College, the oldest continuously-operating community college in the state of California, including famous alumni like Leo Fender, Ruby Berkeley Goodwin, and James Cameron. We also discuss diversity on campus and how larger events and social changes have impacted the college over the years.To purchase a copy of the book visit www.fullertonlegends.com.To follow my own research and writing about Fullerton history visit www.fullertonhistory.com.

For this episode, I sat down with my brother, Seth La Tour, to talk about our memories of growing up in Fullerton in the 1980s and 1990s. We discuss roller hockey, the cement slides at Gilman Park, exploring oil fields, the year of the Superballs, Soup Exchange, Pogs, and more.To follow my research and writing about Fullerton visit www.fullertonhistory.com.

For this episode, I sat down with Angela Lindstrom, who is president of the Friends of Coyote Hills–the group that is working to preserve West Coyote Hills, a large natural open space in northwest Fullerton. We discuss the history of the land, the unique plants and animals who live there, the decades-long effort to preserve it, the politics of development, and more.To learn more about Coyote Hills visit www.coyotehills.org.To follow my local history research visit www.fullertonhistory.com.

For this episode, I sat down with Todd Huffman, who is on the board of the Fullerton Historic Theater Foundation–the group that is working to renovate the Fox Theater. This year, the Fox celebrates 100 years of existence. In 1925, C. Stanley Chapman built this iconic movie palace. For decades, it was Fullerton’s premiere theater. It closed in 1987 and barely escaped the wrecking ball in 2004–when it was saved. Since then, the community has been working to restore the theater to its former glory. To learn more visit www.foxfullerton.org.To learn more about local history visit www.fullertonhistory.com.

For this episode, I interviewed Farrell Hirsch, CEO of the Muckenthaler Cultural Center in Fullerton. This year, The Muck celebrates its 100-year anniversary with a number of art exhibits, shows, and gala events.Visit www.themuck.org to lear more about what's happening at The Muck.To follow my research and writing about Fullerton history visit www.fullertonhistory.com.