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Description
John Villarreal is in the Botanical Division with the job title of Technical Gardener. At the time of Villarreal's interviews, he was 61 years old. Villarreal began work at The Huntington in the Palm and Jungle Gardens; he moved on to the Rose Garden where he has worked for the last six years. Originally a hairstylist, Villarreal developed an interest in gardening and earned an associate's degree in horticulture which led to his interest in The Huntington. John Villarreal devotes considerable time discussing his childhood in a migrant household (his parents came from Nava, Coahuila, Mexico), offering insights into such topics as bilingualism, work, and education. Because his family belonged to the Jehovah's Witnesses Villarreal discusses this aspect of his family life in detail. In addition, he discusses his gay sexual identity and its impact on his family, and how his co-workers view his sexual identity. Villarreal explains his work in the Rose Garden, especially his management of the extensive volunteer program upon which this part of Botanical relies to care for The Huntington's famed roses. The Huntington Library's oral history project documents the work and lives of non-managerial staff employed in Facilities and the Botanical Division of The Huntington. The interviewees were selected because of their length of tenure at The Huntington, generally at least ten years. These extensive tenures at The Huntington provide an overview of the work of Facilities and the Botanical Division during the last quarter of the 20th century and the first two decades of the 21st century. Interviews are either in Spanish or English, depending on the interviewee's preference. The Huntington Library
The Huntington Library California Revealed is supported by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act, administered in California by the State Librarian.
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