Columbia INCITE | Oral History_Justice-Antonio Ponce De Leon-3-6-19 Q:
OK, today is--
WOMEN:
[INAUDIBLE] please report to the main--
Q:
Let's start. OK, today is March 6, 2019. This is Justice interviewing Antonio at the Art Start office. Antonio, do I have your permission to record this interview for 2019 Portrait Project?
DE LEON:
Yes.
Q:
Here we go. OK, this year we're focusing on young men of color in Milwaukee. And through these images, participants can illustrate how they see themselves and how they wish to be seen. The purpose of this interview isn't to pry. Let us know if there's anything you'd like for us to include or not include. OK, so tell me a little bit about-- not a little bit, as much as you want, your most memorable childhood experience that you can recall.
DE LEON:
Let me see. I have to think about this one. It has been a while. I think going back to Florida to see my dad again. I think I was around eight or nine. My dad finally came back, because I haven't seen him since I was seven. So then he had came. And I guess he came back and he asked my mom permission to go to Florida with him and meet my family, because I haven't seen them since I was a little kid.
Q:
Like the other half of your family?
DE LEON:
Yeah, on my dad's side.
Q:
OK.
DE LEON:
And so then she had said, yeah. And we went to the airport. And as soon as we got on the airplane, it just felt like a whole new experience in life, because I think it was like my first time going on an airplane.
Q:
And meeting dad and all of that, right?
DE LEON:
Yeah.
Q:
Everything one time. How did that make you feel.
DE LEON:
I felt really excited. But at the same time I was kind of scared, because like meeting new