Gentryfries: Savor Local Stories & Support Civic Engagement!
Gentryfries is a community archiving culinary project that celebrates the rich history and vibrant cultures of Oceanside and North San Diego County supported by FSBN City of San Diego Art and Culture and Prebys Foundation.Gentryfries is created by The Hill Street Country Club in collaboration with local archives, and guest artist Alejandro Arreguin Villegas, Gentryfries transforms family stories, photographs, and documents into artistic archival records—beautifully wrapped around every serving of crispy fries.
Each fry container serves as a vessel of history, offering a delicious and meaningful way for the community to connect with their heritage while engaging in civic action. By highlighting the impact of public policy on housing and displacement, Gentryfries aims to increase awareness and foster a deeper understanding of local history.
Through this project, we create human connections between past and present neighbors, encouraging compassionate support for policies that prioritize keeping people housed and strengthening the fabric of our community. Whether you’re savoring the taste of history or sharing your own story, Gentryfries invites you to be part of a movement that nourishes both body and soul, inspiring us all to build a more connected and just community—one fry at a time.
Join us in celebrating the flavors and stories that shape our neighborhoods and advocate for a future where everyone has a place to call home.
INTERVIEW ROMERO FAMILY
PoZole THEN AND NOW
Featuring Stella Nunez and Jerry Nunez, Bobby Romero, Margaret Hernandez and Dinah Poellnitz
Oceanside may not have been the most diverse city in history on a global or national scale. Still, it has been one of the most diverse cities in Southern California, particularly considering its size and military influence. The city’s diversity, shaped by its military connections, migrant labor history, and community activism, has made it a unique and vibrant place with a rich cultural fabric.
Oceanside, CA ( 2024)
Stella Nunez, née Romero, and Jerry Nunez’s Home
Dinah: Anita is a matriarch of Oceanside.
Stella: She was a midwife. She sold her pozole.
Jerry: Her grandmother is the one that bought all the property, so that's even before her dad. He inherited it from her, but she's the one that bought all the property.
Bobby: She was one of the first Latina, Mexican, Mexican-American women to buy property in the east side. My great-grandmother is a huge part of that history. The barrio pozole was because she sold pozole. She was out there hustling, doing whatever she had to do to make money.
Margaret: Hi, my name is Margaret. This is my tia Stella. She's the oldest of the Romero family, and this is her lovely husband, Jerry, who just turned 80.
Dinah: My parents never told me stories of segregation in Oceanside. They always talked about microaggressions more than anything. What was your experience with racism, segregation, and microaggressions in Oceanside?
Tia Stella: Margaret asked me how come Grandpa didn't buy property downtown by the beach. I said, you know, I don't know. And then I think it was my sister Irene who told me. She said, don’t you remember? Grandpa said that when they were buying property, they were not allowed to buy anything on the other side of Bush Street. That was the only area they could buy property, even on the other side, which is now Center Street. We had one family that finally bought over there by Rockledge, and we were like, "Wow, how did they buy a home over there?" Our property was right there on the east side.
Dinah: So you guys dealt with redlining?
Stella: Yeah.
Jerry: Even the cemetery on the old Coast Highway, south of Oceanside Boulevard. All the white people were buried on one side, and all the Mexican people were buried on the Black people's side.
Stella: A lot of my older relatives, like my great-grandma and my great-grandpa, are buried on the right side of that cemetery. You can see the names on the headstones, and they're all Hispanic and probably Black, maybe. On the other side, it's all white.
Approx 11,000 BCE - 1769 CE:
The "ataaxam" people, ancestors of the San Luis Rey Band of Mission Indians, inhabit the San Luis Rey Valley. They maintain their customs through arts like song and dance. They are the first to encounter European visitors from Spain.
Source: San Luis Rey Mission Indians
1769:
Gaspar de Portolá lands in Oceanside, naming the port Santa Margarita. The first baptism in Alta California is conducted on land now part of Camp Pendleton.
Source: Camp Pendleton Historical Society
1798:
Mission San Luis Rey is established, leading to the forced relocation and conversion of the Native Ataaxam people. Many suffer from disease, forced labor, and the destruction of their way of life.
Source: San Luis Rey Mission Indians
1821:
Mexico becomes independent from Spain, acquiring territories including present-day California. Disputes over these territories culminate in the Mexican-American War (1846-1848).
1848-1850:
1848: The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ends the Mexican-American War. Under the treaty, Mexicans living in the newly acquired U.S. territories are granted the right to retain their property and become U.S. citizens. However, many Mexicans face discrimination and legal challenges, eventually losing their land.
1850: California becomes the 31st U.S. state. The Gold Rush attracts over 300,000 people.
Source: Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
1852:
Harriet Beecher Stowe publishes Uncle Tom's Cabin, which becomes a bestseller, contributing to the abolitionist movement.
1861-1865:
The American Civil War ends with the abolition of slavery through the 13th Amendment.
Source: National Archives
1866:
Construction of the California Pacific Railroad begins.
1869:
Fred Coleman, a Black rancher, discovers gold in Julian, California.
1877-1890:
Jim Crow Era: After Reconstruction, Southern states implement Jim Crow laws to disenfranchise and segregate Black Americans. These practices extend into California, affecting Black residents in Oceanside and throughout the state.
Source: Jim Crow Laws
1888:
Oceanside is founded and incorporated as a city. Tourism and agriculture drive early economic growth.
1920s:
The Romero family moves to Oceanside from Guanajuato, Mexico. Many Spanish-speaking families begin to settle in the area, and the Oceanside School District segregates students by language.
Americanization Schools: These schools are established in Oceanside and across California to assimilate non-English-speaking students, particularly Mexican and Spanish-speaking children, into U.S. culture by teaching them English and American customs. The Crown Heights Community Resource Center, originally built in 1931, was part of this movement.
Source: Americanization Schools1924: Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church, the first Black church in Oceanside, is founded.
1929: The Yasukochi family establishes a farm in Oceanside, becoming part of a small but significant Japanese American farming community.
1930s-1940s:
Redlining begins in Oceanside and across the U.S. This discriminatory housing practice, enforced by the FHA and local lenders, prevents Black, Mexican, and other minority families from purchasing homes in "white" neighborhoods.
Bessie Brown, a prominent Black businesswoman, opens Bessie’s Café on Hill Street (now Coast Highway). The café becomes a safe space for locals and servicemen from nearby Camp Pendleton, offering a haven during segregation.
Source: Redlining, Bessie’s Café
1942-1964:
The Samoan Community during WWII: During and after World War II, Oceanside sees a significant increase in its Samoan population, largely due to military service and the establishment of Camp Pendleton. The community becomes an integral part of Oceanside’s multicultural identity.
The Bracero Program brings Mexican laborers to Oceanside, contributing to the local agricultural and construction industries.
Source: Bracero Program
1960s-1970s:
1968: The Oceanside NAACP works with activists to address issues of police brutality. Tensions arise between law enforcement and civil rights groups.
1968: The Green Machine, a pro-military group made up of Marines stationed at Camp Pendleton, clashes with anti-war protesters and civil rights activists, including the Black Panthers. In a high-profile incident, a shootout occurs between the Green Machine and Black Panther Party members. This conflict reflects growing tensions in Oceanside surrounding race, politics, and the Vietnam War.
Source: Green Machine/Black Panther ShootoutCivil rights movements in Oceanside focus on fighting housing discrimination and redlining. The California Fair Housing Act (Rumford Act) of 1963 is passed, though enforcement remains a challenge.
Redlining continues to impact minority communities, and advocacy groups push for fair housing.
1980s-1990s:
1992: After the Rodney King verdict, Oceanside experiences protests against racial injustice. Civil rights groups, including the local NAACP, push for police reform and fair housing.
1994: The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) establishes a free-trade zone between the U.S., Mexico, and Canada, impacting the agricultural industry and immigration patterns.
1997:
The Oceanside Museum of Art is established.
2005:
The Oceanside Art and Cultural District is founded to amplify BIPOC voices and promote cultural expression.
2010s:
2010: Hill Street Country Club (HSCC) is conceived as an inclusive art space for BIPOC and working-class communities.
2014: HSCC secures its first location on South Coast Hwy in Oceanside.
Rising housing costs and gentrification increasingly impact marginalized communities in Oceanside, leading to concerns about displacement.
2021:
Oceanside updates its short-term rental (STR) regulations to address tourism and housing challenges.
2024 and Beyond:
Oceanside faces ongoing challenges balancing its multicultural heritage with rising housing costs and gentrification. The Samoan and Filipino communities, among others, continue to play an important role in shaping the city’s identity.
