The Legacy Project: Students Serving Hispanic Older Adults

California Baptist University, College of Behavioral and Social Sciences, was awarded a grant through the Council of Independent Colleges that supported a community project, The Legacy Project. This project involved roughly 20 undergraduate students participating in service to the senior population in the neighboring community of Casa Blanca, in Riverside, California.  Additionally, both students and seniors were immersed as participant-observers, gathering data, to include the collection of over 20 oral histories.  These oral histories were of significant importance to the preservation of cultural and social history in the region, and specifically as related to the community of Casa Blanca, with roots in the Bracero Program. Data analyzed from the oral histories revealed three predominate themes: Faith and Spiritualty, Resiliency, and Oppression and Discrimination. Both project strengths and challenges were identified, most notably, both students and senior participants reported the significant benefit of their relationship built upon mutual respect and learning.