Dr. Catalina Garcia isn't a Dallas native, but she fell in love with the city when she came for medical school. She learned about President Kennedy's assassination from a patient. She didn't pay much attention to politics at the time, but she learned quickly of the simmering tensions in Dallas.
Interview Highlights:
On being Catholic in Dallas:
I didn’t keep track of politics at that time. But I did hear all the anger at this president who was Catholic and since I was born and raised Catholic, I was a bit puzzled as to why being Catholic was a problem. I didn’t really understand why they didn’t like him.
On understanding the political climate in Dallas at the time:
I was really shocked at the attitudes at the time in Dallas and my family was very aware of the civil rights situation. It hasn’t been wonderful for Latinos in Texas either. What this anniversary has done is just brought back the realization that we have to do something in this country about more exchanges, more understanding about the differences among us, more discussion where we really hear each other.