Interview with Ronald Bilbao

              Caribbean Diaspora Oral History Collection
Interview with Ronald Bilbao
Miami, FL, November 10, 2015
Interview asm0344000004
Interviewed by Julio Estorino
Recorded by Javier Carrion
Outline by Kriti Sood
Length: 00:43:15
Interview with Ronald Bilbao, Legislative Specialist at the Florida Education Association. Ronald was born in Miami in to Colombian and Venezuelan parents. He attended Miami-Dade County schools, and became involved with social justice at an early age as he led the first student-lobbying program to the state capital to advocate for juvenile justice reform and an anti-bullying legislation. He worked for Bob Levy in Tallahassee as a lobbyist intern before enrolling at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. He founded the North Carolina Coalition for College Access while attending college. In 2010, he moved back to Miami to work for the American Civil Liberties Union where he was a legislative associate lobbying for immigrants, criminal justice reform, and LGBT rights. Ronald then left the ACLU and worked on behalf of nurses and doctors in Miami for the Service Employees International Union and the Jackson Healthcare system. He is on the board of directors for Save Dade, and works for Florida Education Association to represent teachers, bus drivers, and cafeteria workers. He also serves as Chapter Vice Director for the New Leaders Council.
This interview forms part of the Caribbean Diaspora Oral History Collection of the University of Miami Libraries Special Collections.
This oral history expresses the views, memories and opinions of the interviewee. It does not represent the viewpoints of the University of Miami, its officers, agents, employees, or volunteers. The University of Miami makes no warranty as to the accuracy or completeness of any information contained in the interview and expressly disclaims any liability therefor.
Copyright to this interview lies with the University of Miami. It may not be reproduced, retransmitted, published, distributed, or broadcast without the permission of the University of Miami Libraries Special Collections. For information about obtaining copies or to request permission to publish any part of this interview, please contact Special Collections at asc@miami.edu.
INTERVIEW OUTLINE
 00:00:10: Introduction
 00:00:11: Okay, Mr. Bilbao thank you for this interview for the Caribbean Diaspora History projects of UM. First tell me, where were you born, your family, and what you remember of your early childhood?
 00:02:10: Any history of activism in your mom or your dad?
 00:03:03: Some sociologists describe the relationship between border countries as one of a love/hate relationship. How did that in anyway affect you in being of Colombian and Venezuelan ancestry?
 00:04:05: How do you feel about the recent problems about the border between Colombia and Venezuela?
 00:04:55: What made you a social activist? Is there a single incident, or a phase in your life or youth that you can relate to what you are now?
 00:05:53: But, for so many people that is an end when they reach the United States because they come for personal reasons. Due to political situations or social situations, they come mainly for personal reasons to leave behind that sign of suffering and start a new life. What made you try to continue to advocate for people that are still suffering from fleeing their country?
 00:07:20: Now Mr. Bilbao, in high school, if I am correct, you led some of your fellow students to Tallahassee, the state capital, to advocate anti-bullying legislation. Tell me about that…
 00:08:34: Was that your first experience with the inner workings of politics?
 00:09:09: But your first experience later on in politics was when you were in some kind of legislative lobbyist in Tallahassee?
 00:09:53: Tell me about your work with the ACLU.
 00:11:13: You were involved a few years back in a controversy around here because of a book that the Miami Dade County School Board tried to get off the library shelves, because they said it was not a plain children’s book, but that it was partisan propaganda for the Castro regime. What made you go against the school board?
 00:12:57: But specifically in this case, since it was a book to children. Should we exercise some restraint as to what is available to children at that early age?
 00:13:53: And you mentioned you were born in Jackson Memorial Hospital? And later on you were back at Jackson Memorial Hospital, but in a very different role. Not as an infant or as a new born baby, but as an activist on behalf of the nurses. Tell me about that.
 00:15:44: Also you were, or you are, I’m not sure – part of the board of directors of Save Dade. That is a very interesting experience, tell me about that.
 00:17:53: Besides being a part of the board of Save Dade, what are you doing now?
 00:19:22: One of the complains I hear most often about teachers or any kind of public employee, but especially teachers, bus drivers, garbage collectors, is how hard it is to fire to a bad employee – a bad teacher, a bad bus driver. When that process begins, people argue that very powerful unions tend to protect their members regardless of whether they are to blame for. Regardless of if they are to be blamed for any fault or not doing what they are supposed to do. What do you think about that?
 00:21:36: Many people consider politics to be illiterate. Many other people consider that actually the political process is much more controlled with special interests, especially for the rich and the powerful that it is not worth participating in. What do you answer to that?
 00:23:30: You mentioned before immigration and you mentioned health care. And those are two of the hottest topics and not only this presidential election year but even before that, they have been going back and forth in the country. What do you feel about these issues at this minute and stage of the political discussion in this country and what do you foresee as the outcome for these two issues?
 00:27:13: I am pretty sure Mr. Bilbao that in your experience, there must have been members of your family or friends who know you and love you and ask how “did you get involved in all these problems man? Work for yourself and forget about all these crazy things that are going on.” What is your answer to that?
 00:28:29: Can you mention a few of the people that inspired you?
 00:30:58: Will you be a candidate for elected office soon?
 00:31:15: Is there anything I am leaving out that is worth mentioning? Any advice for the Latinos in the United States?
 00:31:31: Thank you very much
 00:31:42: END OF INTERVIEW