Warning: This interview contains language that may not be suitable for children (there's a beeped version available here), and it also contains descriptive war scenes that may be uncomfortable for some listeners. Listener discretion is advised.

The Museum of South Texas History hosted the spotlight exhibit "Hometown Heroes of South Texas: A Veterans Day Exhibit" during November 2022. 

Exhibits & Collections Coordinator Melissa Peña curated this exhibit with personal items from four veterans: Gina Guajardo, Jerry Arteaga, José Villarreal and Jessica Villarreal. The veterans also shared their stories through a video produced by the MOSTHistory Communications team, which inspired more recordings of other individuals with similar experiences. This podcast season will feature veterans from across South Texas.

In this first episode of season five, Communications Officer Pamela Morales de Hendricks interviews veteran Reynaldo Leal, who enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in the early 2000s. He shares stories on joining the military and participating in the Iraq War. Currently he lives in the Rio Grande Valley with his family.

Links to Reynaldo's work:

Instagram

IMDb

Self-portrait at The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

In the fourth season of "Stories from the Rio Grande," the local nonprofit Village in the Valley shares how it was created and its missions to "[elevate] and [unite] the Black community while connecting cultures in the Rio Grande Valley." Through this virtual platform, MOSTHistory will use the terms African American and Black interchangeably.

In this final episode, Sabrina Walker-Hernandez and Al Gatling, both Valley transplants, discuss why they moved to the Rio Grande Valley, and why it's home. Both are board members of Village in the Valley and will share the future vision of the organization.

Learn more about Village in the Valley by visiting the website at https://villageinthevalley.org and following the organization on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/Villageinthevalleyrgv) and/or Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/vivargv).

This podcast was made possible by the Betty Stieren Kelso Foundation. Thanks for listening to "Stories from the Rio Grande," a podcast by MOSTHistory.

In the fourth season of "Stories from the Rio Grande," the local nonprofit Village in the Valley shares how it was created and its missions to "[elevate] and [unite] the Black community while connecting cultures in the Rio Grande Valley." Through this virtual platform, MOSTHistory will use the terms African American and Black interchangeably.

In this episode, Matthew Pollock discusses how he became part of the grassroots effort to establish the Village in the Valley organization--and teaching his children to become multicultural.

Learn more about Village in the Valley by visiting the website at https://villageinthevalley.org and following the organization on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/Villageinthevalleyrgv) and/or Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/vivargv).

This podcast was made possible by the Betty Stieren Kelso Foundation. Thanks for listening to "Stories from the Rio Grande," a podcast by MOSTHistory.

In the fourth season of "Stories from the Rio Grande," the local nonprofit Village in the Valley shares how it was created and its missions to "[elevate] and [unite] the Black community while connecting cultures in the Rio Grande Valley." Through this virtual platform, MOSTHistory will use the terms African American and Black interchangeably.

In this episode, Mamie Anodjo discusses why she moved to the Rio Grande Valley and became part of the grassroots effort to establish the Village in the Valley organization.

Learn more about Village in the Valley by visiting the website at https://villageinthevalley.org and following the organization on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/Villageinthevalleyrgv) and/or Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/vivargv).

This podcast was made possible by the Betty Stieren Kelso Foundation. Thanks for listening to "Stories from the Rio Grande," a podcast by MOSTHistory.

In the fourth season of "Stories from the Rio Grande," the local nonprofit Village in the Valley shares how it was created and its missions to "[elevate] and [unite] the Black community while connecting cultures in the Rio Grande Valley."

In this episode, co-founders of Village in the Valley Theresa Gatling and Marsha Terry discuss how the organization formed and sharing experiences on living in the Rio Grande Valley.

Learn more about Village in the Valley by visiting the website at https://villageinthevalley.org and following the organization on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/Villageinthevalleyrgv) and/or Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/vivargv).

This podcast was made possible by the Betty Stieren Kelso Foundation.

Thanks for listening to "Stories from the Rio Grande," a podcast by MOSTHistory.

Through this virtual platform, MOSTHistory will use the terms African American and Black interchangeably.

In the fourth season of "Stories from the Rio Grande," the local nonprofit Village in the Valley shares how it was created and its missions to "[elevate] and [unite] the Black community while connecting cultures in the Rio Grande Valley."

In the first episode, we interviewed Alberto Rodriguez, a professor from Texas A&M Kingsville, to provide context on the history of Black culture, influence, and presence in South Texas. Rodriguez research includes interracial relations between Black and Brown communities in South Texas and across the country.

Learn more about Village in the Valley by visiting the website at https://villageinthevalley.org and following the organization on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/Villageinthevalleyrgv) and/or Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/vivargv).

This podcast was made possible by the Betty Stieren Kelso Foundation.

Thanks for listening to "Stories from the Rio Grande," a podcast by MOSTHistory.

Through this virtual platform, MOSTHistory will use the terms African American and Black interchangeably.

The Museum of South Texas History closed its doors to the public during the pandemic of 2020 but, behind closed doors, museum staff worked hard.

In July 2020, museum staff faced what many families were enduring: a death in the family, due to COVID-19 complications. This episode highlights the memory of Sandra Luna, the Visitor Services host, who spent 21 years at MOSTHistory working to establish relationships with the community and its FRIENDS.

Thank you for listening to MOSTHistory. Stay tuned for season four.

The Museum of South Texas History turned 50 in 2020 but, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it concludes its celebrations in April 2021. During the month of April, the MOSTHistory Communications team will publish a five-episode series with current and former staff members, and a tribute to Visitors Services host Sandra Luna, who died of COVID complications in July 2020.

This episode features former staff member Lisa Adam, the curator of collections. She shares some stories about the museum's valuable collections, the creative process in producing educational programming and some of the people who volunteered at the museum.

Thanks for listening to "Stories from the Rio Grande," a podcast by MOSTHistory.

The Museum of South Texas History turned 50 in 2020 but, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it concludes its celebrations in April 2021. During the month of April, the MOSTHistory Communications team will publish a five-episode series with current and former staff members, and a tribute to Visitors Services host Sandra Luna, who died of COVID complications in July 2020.

This episode features former staff member Judy McClelland, the former Education Officer. She shares some stories about the school tours, puppet shows and what she hopes for the museum in the next 50 years.

Thanks for listening to "Stories from the Rio Grande," a podcast by MOSTHistory.

The  Museum of South Texas History turned 50 in 2020 but, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it concludes its celebrations in April 2021. During the month of April, the MOSTHistory Communications team will publish a five-episode series with current and former staff members, and a tribute to Visitors Services host Sandra Luna, who died of COVID complications in July 2020.

This episode features former staff member Barbara Stokes. She was part of the Collections team with lots of memories and stories about working in the archives and helping during special events.

Thanks for listening to "Stories from the Rio Grande," a podcast by MOSTHistory.