Interview with Melissa Peña: Archivist at the Museum of South Texas History

Illustration by Beyond the Clock Storyteller + Illustrator-in-Residence, Nhatt Nichols.

In this conversation with Melissa, we explored themes of archiving the stories of one's community and the trust and reciprocity required to do so, considering questions like: in rural communities, where humility often reigns, how do we invite humble leaders to document their stories and archive their own journeys? How do we prioritize what stories or artifacts to keep and what to let go of? And, as cultural workers, what resources and/or boundaries do we need to sustain doing archival work?

About Melissa:

Melissa Peña, an Edinburg, Texas native, graduated from the University of Texas-Pan American with a Bachelor of Arts in History. During her internship at the Museum of South Texas History, she volunteered in the Margaret H. McAllen Memorial Archives, which encouraged her to pursue a Master in Archival Studies from Clayton State University. Since joining the staff in 2015, Melissa has worked in various positions at MOSTHistory, reinforcing the importance of preservation and community storytelling. Now, as the archivist she advocates for a broader collecting mission and a more accessible archive.

A CONVERSATION BETWEEN Melissa Peña AND NHATT NICHOLS:

Nhatt:  

What are you finding when you set out to document a border culture?

Melissa:

So the thing that I always find most interesting is how we're we're viewed by the outside world, and how that compares to actually living here and experiencing it. We are very fluid with our border situation as citizens. So there are areas along the border where the kids are American citizens, but they live in Mexico, and they cross the bridge every day to go to school and cross back to go back home. But their families have businesses or stores in Mexico, the parents might even be American citizens. So for us, it's very fluid. Where I live, you drive about an hour north, and there's a checkpoint. I know people who have never crossed that checkpoint, not because they're not legal, but the idea of being questioned about it is scary. There's a lot of generational trauma. I'm a seventh-generation Texan and I still get nervous crossing that checkpoint. Even though I'm an American citizen. So when I collect the valley’s experiences, I want to hear stories of life here and life across the border. And how that situation is more than this lens that the rest of the world sees us through.

Nhatt:

This idea of what's actually there instead of the external perception is at the heart of being a documentarian.

Melissa:

Absolutely. And so when they started putting up the wall, we went in and documented that too. A lot of people don't take into consideration that there are people who were living here before Texas was Texas. There are ranches that start off in Mexico and continue into the United States. When they started putting up the wall, they divided ranches. So there are people who have trouble accessing all of their land because it's in two different countries. We were really truly here before the United States. My family has just always been here; we predate the United States and Texas, so we tried to make sure that was documented as much as possible. They were trying to build a wall through land that should not be divided; there are a lot of people who put their cemeteries close to the water because water is holy. It's part of what we put on our Dia de los Muertos alters, you put water because our ancestors needed it. Cemeteries, a lot of times, are near water. The river is what's dividing us, the wall goes near the river, and cemeteries are divided. This is difficult as people who have always been here having to deal with this kind of situation, so it's really our job to document the community's feelings.

Nhatt:

What are you able to place in an archive?

Melissa:

In our collections, we have a ladder. The Border Patrol works with us, so when they come across things, we get a call. They understand the need as well, a lot of them are from here, and so they understand. We have a homemade ladder that somebody strung together, and they found it at the wall. We also have clothing and these blue barrels with a flag that says ‘agua’, and they'll fill those up with water because it gets 110 degrees down here, and we don't have natural water sources. We have pictures of a couple of backpacks that have been taken across that have been left behind somewhere, objects that show the journey that people have taken and the things that they've left behind. We've also done some oral histories with Border Patrol agents.

We have not done any oral histories with people who have crossed because they have not been willing, and I want to respect them in that way. I think if we were to get a phone call from someone, that would be different.

Nhatt:

The concept that human beings can be illegal is very heartbreaking.

Melissa:

Yes, and absolutely insane to me because they didn't come over here on some ship. Their families have always been here. If you're indigenous to this area, your family probably passed through here; we have the salt lake. Everyone came here for the salt. It's been fluid until we put up fences.

Nhatt:

With so much in this world that’s broken, what's the thing that drives you to the role of archivist?

Melissa:

Growing up here, you are told so many times as a kid to get a good education, graduate from high school, leave the valley, and don't come back. I want people to understand the valley is not a bad place, we have this amazing history and culture. I feel like I'm an advocate for ‘you don't have to leave to be successful’. Take a look at our history, take a look at what we've done in the past and how we've shaped our future, because we've forgotten so many times. My dad told me stories about how they fought against the short-handled hoe, they fought against long hours. We're not these dumb people living in the valley, we've advocated for ourselves. We've marched, we've done what was necessary to move ourselves forward. Don't leave, we need you.

My motivation is the valley’s needs.

Nhatt:

The more I see documentation of uprisings and people advocating for themselves, the more I realize that the future can be better.

Melissa:

Yes. People in general have short memories, we forget to pass down that knowledge. So maybe my dad hasn't told me every story about the things that he did as a migrant. But I'll sit down, and one of my uncles will start telling a story. And we need to pass those stories down. And if they're not doing it, let me at least archive those stories so that we can read them. We might move back a couple of steps, but we at least know that we have been there at one point in time.

Many thanks to both Melissa and Nhatt Nichols. Beyond the Clock is made possible with support from the Rural Assembly, in partnership with Voices for Rural Resilience.