{"@context":"http://iiif.io/api/presentation/3/context.json","id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/iiif/2b8v980v5p/manifest","type":"Manifest","label":{"en":["Yalamanchili, Charlie and Angela Yalamanchili"]},"logo":"https://d9jk7wjtjpu5g.cloudfront.net/organizations/logo_images/000/000/252/original/HPL_ArchiveBannerCDM2.jpg?1738348845","metadata":[{"label":{"en":["Publisher"]},"value":{"en":["Foundation for Indian Studies"]}},{"label":{"en":["Rights Statement"]},"value":{"en":["\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://rightsstatements.org/page/CNE/1.0/?language=en\"\u003eCopyright Not Evaluated \u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003ePermission to publish or reproduce must be obtained from the Foundation for India Studies, Houston, Texas.\u003c/p\u003e"]}},{"label":{"en":["Source"]},"value":{"en":["Houston Public Library Special Collections"]}},{"label":{"en":["Agent"]},"value":{"en":["Yalamanchili, Charlie ;  Yalamanchili, Angela (interviewee)","Mutyala, Sita (interviewer)"]}},{"label":{"en":["Date"]},"value":{"en":["2014-12-17 (created)"]}},{"label":{"en":["Language"]},"value":{"en":["eng (primary)"]}},{"label":{"en":["Description"]},"value":{"en":["Charlie and Angela Yalamanchili interviewed about culture, family, and educational background, as well as migration, contributions to the community, and work experiences."]}},{"label":{"en":["Format"]},"value":{"en":["digital recording, sound"]}},{"label":{"en":["Subject"]},"value":{"en":["Houston (Tex.) (geographic term)","Oral histories (topical term)","Immigrants (topical term)","Family life (topical term)","Community development (topical term)","Education (topical term)"]}},{"label":{"en":["Keyword"]},"value":{"en":["indoamerican"]}},{"label":{"en":["Type"]},"value":{"en":["Moving Image"]}}],"summary":{"en":["Charlie and Angela Yalamanchili interviewed about culture, family, and educational background, as well as migration, contributions to the community, and work experiences."]},"requiredStatement":{"label":{"en":["Attribution"]},"value":{"en":["\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://rightsstatements.org/page/CNE/1.0/?language=en\"\u003eCopyright Not Evaluated \u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003ePermission to publish or reproduce must be obtained from the Foundation for India Studies, Houston, Texas.\u003c/p\u003e"]}},"provider":[{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/aboutus","type":"Agent","label":{"en":["Houston Public Library"]},"homepage":[{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/","type":"Text","label":{"en":["Houston Public Library"]},"format":"text/html"}],"logo":[{"id":"https://d9jk7wjtjpu5g.cloudfront.net/organizations/logo_images/000/000/252/original/HPL_ArchiveBannerCDM2.jpg?1738348845","type":"Image"}]}],"thumbnail":[{"id":"https://d9jk7wjtjpu5g.cloudfront.net/collection_resource_files/thumbnails/000/210/354/small/open-uri20231027-1243258-l8wlgk_1698432996.jpg?1698418596","type":"Image","format":"image/jpeg"}],"items":[{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108909/file/210354","type":"Canvas","label":{"en":["Media File 1 of 1 - FIS-OH0031.mp4"]},"duration":3294.55793,"width":640,"height":360,"thumbnail":[{"id":"https://d9jk7wjtjpu5g.cloudfront.net/collection_resource_files/thumbnails/000/210/354/small/open-uri20231027-1243258-l8wlgk_1698432996.jpg?1698418596","type":"Image","format":"image/jpeg"}],"items":[{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108909/file/210354/content/1","type":"AnnotationPage","items":[{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108909/file/210354/content/1/annotation/1","type":"Annotation","motivation":"painting","body":{"id":"https://aviary-p-houstonlibrary.s3.wasabisys.com/collection_resource_files/resource_files/000/210/354/original/FIS-OH0031.mp4?1698418589","type":"Video","format":"video/mp4","duration":3294.55793,"width":640,"height":360},"target":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108909/file/210354","metadata":[]}]}],"annotations":[{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108909/file/210354/transcript/60428","type":"AnnotationPage","label":{"en":["Transcript [Transcript]"]},"items":[{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108909/file/210354/transcript/60428/annotation/1","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"in the morning and go to the Milk booth (Satellite Milk collection point) office given by Gram Panchayathi in the village. I collect all the samples and milk from everybody, then to took/measure the percentage of fat, so I can pay them back after the end of the week based upon percentage of the fat content of the milk. I worked there everyday in the morning, an hour, hour and a half, then come back home and go back to school.\nSee, that was in my genes already. Then I came over here, I realize with the pressure or something, I came to USA, but my interest is going to a secular college, and then I went back and got an Engineering Degree in Mechanical Engineering.\nSM: Where?\n\nCY: University of Cincinnati.\n\nSM: Okay.\n\nCY: That’s my background.\n\nSM: Very good. So I’m glad we are able to hear a lot of your recollection of you growing gap, and also the conditions at that time. Okay, so you told us what made you come to United States, which year did you come?\n\nCY: In 1973.\n\nSM: ‘73, okay. So it was your own, and you have explained how you got here and your education in United States, and so please complete it in telling us your professional education and also work experience. So you didn’t have professional education in India, you had it here in the United States.\n\nCY: Absolutely.\n\nSM: But you had that business gene in you, so you had some work experience when you were at age 15 itself in India. Okay. So after your bachelor’s, what brought you to Houston and when did you come to Houston? What is your first impression when you first came to Houston?\n\nCY: Well, when I graduate in 1979, some friends in Cincinnati, and in those days, Telugu Indian community was very small. It happened to be that most of my friends were by profession they're physicians. There’s more physicians than engineers at the time in Cincinnati. All of the engineers who worked there were mostly working for the G.E. At the time, most of my friends starting salaries were very low compared to today, but unfortunately, for a four-year college graduate you are getting $16,000, $17,000 per year.\nSM: Right.\n\nCY: My doctor friends, most of them who lived in Cincinnati 5 to 10 years, one day while we were sitting, having a conversation, it happened to be that they received a lawsuit from the court. That’s probably changed my life. Basically my friends invested some money with some other Indian that purchased an apartment complex. That gentleman refinanced the property, took the money and reinvested it in his wife’s name; and after one year, he filed bankruptcy.\nIn those days, each one invested $25,000 Even though they are doctors, in 1979; $25,000 is a lot of money. They asked me, “Hey, if you go get the job, you may make around $17,000. We want somebody to help us to manage our money.” That’s how I started. Then, I actually became more like the investment consultant. I did a lot of homework, then figure out, it is too late to save their investment.  That’s when I realized that since I have a passion for the business. I decided to go into business.\nSM: Okay.\n\nCY: Since in real estate, Apartment Investment, with more physicians asking to manage their investments. I felt like my future would be much better talking to some other close friends, I've decided going to real estate, then I went back to school and then took some classes. I took management, investment classes in 1980. In ‘81, I started real estate business in Cincinnati.\nSM: ‘81, in Cincinnati itself, real estate?\n\nCY: Yes.\n\nSM: Okay.\n\nCY: Then, I learned a hard lesson, what you learn at the school is different than practice, two different things. It took time to learn business negotiations.\nSM: Two different things, okay.\n\nCY: I tried to practice what I learned at the school. I was miserable because there’s no practical experience. After one year, I was really financially suffering and everything I tried to do have failed. Then, I said, “I better go get a job.” Jimmy Carter was the president. I couldn’t find a job, everybody’s laying off and unemployment rate was extremely high, interest rates were 19% to 20%; it’s hard to find a job. Then, I was looking to move out of Cincinnati. I picked out four cities, Miami, Denver, Dallas, and Houston.\n\nSM: Houston won, huh?\n\nCY: Yes. All these four cities have one common denominator, the growth was unbelievable, the real estate appreciated 15%, 16%, 17%. So then I tried to figure out based upon the weather conditions, where would we feel comfortable, where I would have better opportunities. At that time, my uncle, Babji Yalamanchili was here I called him. He encouraged me to “Come and visit.” I came to Houston and applied for a job. I got the job. Actually I got two jobs in one week in Houston.\nSM: In real estate?\n\nCY: No, in engineering.\n\nSM: Engineering, okay.\n\nCY: I worked in oil and gas field for one year in Quality Control Department, while I’m working to do -- in real estate, you have to be native of Houston, resident of Houston for six months. So I stayed six months and then took Real Estate classes again. Once I got my license then slowly started my business.\n\nSM: So which year did you came to Houston?\n\nCY: 1982.\n\nSM: ‘82, very good. Excellent! So real estate is your -- thank God, and also a very successful area. Okay. I know we have some more things that I wanted to catch in that area, but I would like to find out, tell us about your family, children and grandchildren, where are they and what fields they are in?\n\nCY: I have five children. My eldest daughter did biotechnology from University of Houston, and now she’s working in a Bio-Tech company in College Station. \nMy second daughter got married; I have two grandchildren, one boy and a girl. She didn’t graduate. My son graduated from University of Dallas in Computer Science. He’s doing Computer Networking. He’s doing really well financially. He got married three months ago.\n\nAY: Yes, we attended.\n\nCY: Our other two children are -- one graduating this year in Automotive Engineering. The other one will be graduating next summer from Waco. She’s doing Linguistic major at Baylor University.\n\nSM: Yes, linguistics. Beautiful children.\n\nAngela, you are with Charlie, Chowdary in all his activities. Please tell us about yourself and your experiences.\n\nAY: Well, I grew up in a small town, a lot like him in an agricultural area like him. I guess that’s why we have a lot in common because we kind of grew up in the same kind of -- even though we’re worlds apart --\n\nSM: In Texas?\n\nAY: No, actually in Maine.\n\nSM: Okay.\n\nAY: Then, I came to Houston shortly after he did. I came in ‘83 and met Charlie actually that same year because I was working for a company that he was doing business with. So that’s where I met him. Yeah, we’ve enjoyed each other immensely.\n\nSM: Excellent! So, Angela, how do you feel in Indian community and gatherings?\n\nAY: Oh, it’s a lot of fun. Yeah, I do. Even though I haven’t learned the language that much, and I’ve learned a lot of words and I do understand a few more things than people might realize sometimes, but it’s been a lot of fun. It’s a very close-knit community. We have a lot of good friends that have been here for so many years I’ve seen over and over and over. I remember before we even got married, I remember the same people. We’re still good friends, so it’s a very good community to be with.\n\nSM: Excellent!\n\nCY: Actually, I don’t know if you remember it or not, you're one of our guest during our wedding.\n\nSM: Oh, yes!\n\nAY: Oh, yeah!\n\nSM: We were good friends in Cincinnati itself and then we attended your wedding.\n\nCY: That’s right.\n\nAY: Actually, yeah. Actually, the wedding was right here, around the corner from here, I think.\n\nSM: Yes. I remember. We are very close friends. Okay. Now, we know that your hand is in India house projects, a project of Houston in a big way. Then, please tell us how you got involved in that big event in Houston, and any other important projects like that you’re involved in. India house is a good, very good and important even to Houston, and then to Houston. So I would like to hear from you.\n\nCY: You’re absolutely right. I was involved due to the community leaders such as Mr. Ashok Dhingra, Dr. Virendra Mathur and Mr. Durga Aggarwal.\nSM:","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108909/file/210354#t=330.0,1153.0"},{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108909/file/210354/transcript/60428/annotation/2","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"CY: Pardon?\n\nSM:","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108909/file/210354#t=1153.0,1155.0"},{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108909/file/210354/transcript/60428/annotation/3","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"CY: One day, Dr. Mathur Dr. Agrawal and Mr. Dhingra, all three with their spouses, myself and Angela had lunch.  I was planning to do small amount, but they convinced me like a larger amount will help our community to put in USA map. No other city did have this kind of vision. Other people can follow you. Because it being philanthropic cause. \nWe agreed to support India House in a big way, like you say, the reason was we wanted to see India House work as ambassador between India and America. The way I understood and I believe, the India House will help the community, Indian community as well as American community, providing cultural exchange.  A lot of people don’t understand what Hinduism is. So we can educate local people about our country -- I mean, this is also my country -- my mother country as well as their culture and everything where we can, by understanding both communities, I felt like we can have better relationship in the community and I wanted to be a part of that.\n\nSM: Excellent!\n\nCY: That’s why I decided to do the best I can do for the growth and the best interest of the community.\n\nSM: Very good! Now, I like to hear any more involvements like that in town, in Houston that you are helping or involved for the future and for the better of the future.\n\nCY: Well, we did different things. I was involved in developing one of the communities for low-income people, I got some awards, and working with the city councilman, and they were very thankful. I did this one 14 years ago or 15 years ago. We helped a lot of communities, not based on whether they are Indians or not. We strongly believe our interest to help humanity based on the need rather than national origin, color, sex, religion. What’s important to me is help humanity the best way we can because God blessed us, so we give back to community what we can.\nThe other major thing we are committed to contribute to MD Anderson Cancer Institute. We’re trying to contribute under our family Trust name. I believe in MD Anderson, they are doing great. We want to support great, fine institutions.\n\nSM: Very good! I know you’re working with real estate, residential development, commercial development in several areas in Houston, not only in Houston, all over United States and abroad, also. So you contributed to Houston in so many ways too along with what we’re talking about. Please tell us some of those contributions that you have not covered yet. I know we’ve covered some of them. You can even mention about the development areas as well, too.\n\nCY: We develop like the low-income housing in South Houston for the community’s purpose, a few million dollars of investment. Besides that, in all parts of the town, we do real estate investment and we do it in a way and improve the quality of the life of those people. Doing that in the process, we created mutual benefit; benefit to the investors, as well as benefit to a lot of employees, we create employment. A major thing we do is creating employment, you’re helping the community. With some of the profits, we try to give back to communities, different small organizations.\n\nSM: Okay. Very good! Now, what do you think and how Houston contributed to your professional and personal growth? Can you elaborate on how Houston influenced you in your life?\n\nCY: Houston is a great city. It’s really different, unique, diverse city. In Houston you don’t feel like you’re a stranger here. You will see almost from every nation representing their embassies here, when you go out to International Festivals; it is amazing world culture you see here. When you go there you see a lot of ethnic stalls. You feel like you don’t have to go to South America or Africa or India or Philippines, either to taste their food and meet all kinds of exciting people, you come across. So, I think living in Houston is kind of a blessing. Houston helped in our growth because Houston is a unique city where the city itself helps entrepreneurs like me. If you believe in something, you can achieve your American Dream. If you want to develop the land or start a new business, you can create your own journey and development. In lot of other cities, there are too many restrictions, but Houston,  it is easy to obtain permits and set up business. \nSM: Excellent point.\n\nCY: And it’s much easier restrictions. For people like me, and a lot of other entrepreneurs,  much easier to establish business at a lower cost and export/import to/from other countries or do business nationwide, it’s relatively easier.\n\nSM: Very good! Angela and Chowdary, either one of you are instrumentally in founding any associations or organizations in Houston? What has been your involvement in social, cultural, religious organizations in town?\n\nCY: We have a lot of them. I can't give you specifically -- quite few different way we try to associate with them. In each organizations -- one of the biggest problems we have, we both work, 60, 70 hours for a week. Because of that, we involve with limited capacities. So we have very limited time for social life. Whenever we are available? We are involved in a lot of social, religious as well as political organizations. We try to do our best to support these organizations.\nSM: Excellent! That’s why my next question is going to be, what has been your involvement in political and also professional organizations.\n\nAY: Well, as far as I made -- like he said, since we work so many hours, we don’t start organizations of our own, but we do support a lot of other organizations that help anywhere from digging wells for villages in Africa, to giving shoes to people that don’t have shoes, to helping those girls in human trafficking, getting them out. There are so many opportunities to support a lot of those organizations. We don’t personally run them, but we certainly support a lot of organization.\n\nSM: You do support in the","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108909/file/210354#t=1155.0,1760.0"},{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108909/file/210354/transcript/60428/annotation/4","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"involved and that’s something that’s very important and good cause organizations.\n\nCY: Yes, we go by the – mostly where we can, we spend money towards the humanity as well as education side. We believe that’s the best kind of charity you can give, we believe at that.\n\nSM: Very, very good! Okay, very interesting information and all of that. I want to ask this particular question. Even though this is a sensitive subject, I’d like to go ahead and ask. Have you experienced, witnessed or noticed any discrimination personally or distantly in Houston or any of the other places you lived in the United States?\n\nCY: Discrimination?\nSM: Over the years.\n\nCY: In the beginning when I came here, when I’m working to some different -- when I was doing some hard jobs, people told me they may discriminate you because you have brown skin or black skin, and mostly some other black-skinned people told me that, too. But I never really saw, I never really paid attention. The reason, I believe -- I have a lot of American friends. I felt and believed I am as good as they are. I believed the way you treat others will make a lot of difference. I heard people telling me they were discriminated, fellow Indians and some fellow African-American, some other people by whites, but I don’t know. My belief is, if you’re confident about what you do, if you have a strong will of communicating with respect, with good moral values, , I believe people will respond back to you the same way you treat them. What I believe is I like everyone. If you don’t like me, that is your problem.\nSM: Excellent way of putting it. I believe in that 100%, too. Okay. Like you were talking about how Houston is a very cosmopolitan city, we have so many different Indian communities in our city like Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Gujarati, Marathi, Punjabi, Marwari, Kannada, et cetera. What are your feelings on the future of these communities? Will they all slowly unite as one big Indian community or maintain unity and diversity? I want both of you to give your own personal --\n\nCY: I don’t know how much she knows about other communities. But in my opinion, I discussed this particular item with other members. Since we are India House, we should not take India House granted for Telugu people or Gujarati people or anyone community or your friends are my friends. This should be for all Indians. It means it doesn’t matter what cast, what religion, as long as you’re Indian, we should help other Indians who comes to India House. We should invite every community, every Indian organization to come and take active part in the activities. I requested them to go after these communities, offer them our service, offer them that we want to be one. We want to show the American community, we are the American Indians, the India House, not just Telugu, Marati, Kannada or Bengali’s housing. Some day, I’m hoping -- at least we’re trying to create that we are one proud American of Indian Heritage. Hopefully someday, that’s my dream.\n\nSM: Are we going in that direction?\n\nCY: That’s my goal someday. The reason “someday” means, right now I’m just 60 years old. I have still a very active business life, but I’m planning to retire. But, people won't believe I'm going to retire, but I'm going to work part time in some capacity, until I die --\n\nSM: We don’t believe you.\n\nAY: I have you on tape now.\n\nCY: I want to retire at least part-time. Your question is excellent. We need to show the world we believe in unity – one country one nation not caste nor religion. I really, really love to see one day other communities in this country such as Chicago Indian community, New York Indian community, San Diego Indian community, San Francisco Indian community. Look at Indians in Houston, they are one. They work as one organization under India House community even though they have 20 different organizations --\n\nSM: They work together.\n\nCY: I hope they work together for the best of the organization as long as we are fair and equitable to everyone.\nSM: Excellent!\n\nCY: That’s my dream. If I can help do it then I’m semi-retired that would be my goal.\n\nSM: Okay. We wish you all the best and I’m sure several people would feel that way and help you in that regard.\n\nCY: Yes, I can’t do it by myself, we need all the help.\nSM: Exactly.\n\nCY: We need support from every leader from each organization.\n\nSM: Please tell us about any significant award you’ve received? Either one of you or both of you.\nCY: I don’t know if you can call these awards or not, but a philanthropic award I received from late Dr. Nageswara Rao Akkineni. I was very honored of that, recognizing my philanthropy. I’ve received a lot of awards from the City of Houston Development Project. I’ve received a lot of awards from community, regarding the way we negotiated the loans or what I did with some banks and everything. My awards are mostly more business related rather than community related.\n\nSM: Would you like to contribute?\n\nAY: No. I mean, there’s probably so many. He wouldn’t even remember. He gets all these plaques and statues and different things, so it’s hard to remember.\n\nSM: All right. Now, Chowdary, with having Angela as your wife, we can see that you both are integrated in Houston mainstream community quite a bit. Can you add additional things in this line?\n\nCY: Maybe you can answer that.\n\nAY: I don’t know. In what way?\n\nSM: In your whole life. I mean, life or activities or as years going by and getting involved in the mainstream activities.\n\nAY: I don’t know. That’s a hard one.\n\nSM: I’m sure you are. I know it’s hard to pinpoint like that.\n\nCY: It’s hard to pinpoint.\n\nSM: Pinpoint like that. Okay. I like to ask about your children. Do they feel as Indians or Americans or a little bit of both? What difficulties do they face among the family get together and the language and other cultural values?\n\nAY: Now, I haven’t heard where they’re having any difficulties in friends or family. They pretty much have both of us together, so they can pretty much go around.\n\nSM: Best of both?\n\nCY: Yeah, they got Like my granddaughter. She goes to ballet, she goes to Indian dances. You saw my daughter took some Telugu classes. They interact with both communities. But they believe they are American Indians.\nSM: Very true!\n\nCY: My daughter Anne was mad at me, I didn’t teach her enough Telugu. I'm fortunate that three of my kids speak very good Telugu. The other two, they understand some. But, Anne wanted to learn. My grandchild wants to know more Telugu. They like the Indian music. She watches Telugu movies with their cousins, like my sister’s daughter. Anne will be graduating from Baylor University in Linguistics. So they do have influence from their cousins about the Indian culture. I don’t believe they have any difficulties at all.\n\nSM: What do you think about the future generations of Indian background in Houston? Will they maintain any identity as Indians for a long time or will they be mixed in the","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108909/file/210354#t=1760.0,2355.0"},{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108909/file/210354/transcript/60428/annotation/5","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"parts?\n\nCY: For this kind of question, I’m sure everybody has different opinion.\n\nSM: Of course. That’s why I wanted to capture your opinion, both of your opinion.\n\nCY: Based upon their life experience, my belief is, I believe most Indians have very strong moral values and they have a strong belief about how to raise the children. Most Indians has influenced on the first generation of Indians. Hopefully second generation learned from their parents and so on and will continue for a while. \n\nI'm noticing that quite few families, and it may not be all the families, quite few families have interracial marriages, they're practicing with similar strong moral and ethical values and standards raising their children, because it’s passed from generation to generation. I believe it will be there because I've noticed businesses in South America and South Africa and Caribbean Islands. Some Indians left India almost 200 years ago. Now, they’re culturally related to everything, they’re still carrying Indian names, and practicing customs of Hindu culture - first time when I met these people and I'm surprised, they’re carrying Indian names. They never went to India but, they do practice some holidays, maybe 50% of the tradition is gone, but 50% tradition after 200 years, they’re still carrying in these countries.\n\nTo me, in those days, they have a less connection between India and foreign countries than today because of lack of communications. Today, the communications with the internet and everything is much easier to maintain between India and here. Because of the communication era we’re in, I strongly believe we will take a long, long time to go away or leaving our traditions. At least, I strongly believe, you will see at least your children, your grandchildren. That’s my belief.\n\nSM: Okay, Angela, any comments in that line? What’s yours?\n\nAY: Well, I think if you just go to any of the Indian weddings here, they’re very, very traditional. They can last for almost days, almost like in India. So, no, I do think that the Indian culture will stay a long time even if they’re interconnected or go to other countries or mixed marriages and all that. I still think generation after generation, there will still be a lot of that culture, still there.\n\nCY: I think most people are proud about that. I think our children, they’re not ashamed. We are all proud of our culture, and heritage. I say it will last long time due to internet.\n\nSM: Very good. Any regret for coming to America? What are your feelings about the future of your children, grandchildren growing up in American culture and -- we just talked about the tradition of Indian culture and religious values. You’ve already mentioned about your strong opinion on that. But what about, by any chance, do you have any regrets for coming to America?\n\nCY: My personal family concern, I don’t have any regrets. I think I have more freedom. I can express much better like American dream; I can do whatever I wanted to do. I believe if you want to be President, Politician, Movie Actor, or want to organize anything, you can make it.  In India, no matter how much money you have, if you don’t have the recommendation and as well as money, it is very hard to go from bottom to top. American dream, if you believe in your heart, you can be any person in United States. That is the opportunity here. I had it. I mean, I got an opportunity to do whatever I wanted to do, raise as high as I wanted to without money and recommendation. The freedom I and my children have it.\nI only have small regrets. The regret is because I was raised in India, because of that I have strong ties with India, I respect human life so much. Every time I see, I hear my loved ones passing away, my uncles, aunts so close to me feel very bad I am not with them when they’re passing away, it hurts. Let’s accept. Except that, I’m very happy here.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108909/file/210354#t=2355.0,2710.0"},{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108909/file/210354/transcript/60428/annotation/6","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"SM: Very good. I know you both very well for a long time. I know you have a very successful marriage and interracial marriage, but I’d like to ask you this. What are your comments? Each one of you, I wanted you to tell me, what are your comments into interracial marriages?\n\nCY: Do you want to go first? Ladies first, you now begin.\n\nAY: Well, since I married him, you can tell that I have no problem with interracial marriage. I know my family was afraid at first because they didn’t know any Indians. There are no Indians Northern Maine, I guess. There are few now, but not many.\n\nSM: Not at that time.\n\nAY: I think my mother’s biggest fear was that I would go to India and not come back. She was very afraid of that. Other than that -- but no, after they met him, they absolutely love him like their own son. Actually, his parents and my parents are about the same age. They’re very similar. So, he grew up with the same values that I did. We grew up in the same -- a lot of the same things when we were kids. We grew up very happy. We grew up loving work, to find joy in work. There’s not a whole lot of difference between us other than the fact that we’re from opposite sides of the world. But no, we’d have more common than you would have thinked.\n\nSM: Still in the same world.\n\nAY: That’s right.\n\nSM:","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108909/file/210354#t=2710.0,2823.0"},{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108909/file/210354/transcript/60428/annotation/7","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"CY: Yes. My parents, they weren’t happy about it. Maybe it’s my fault. I didn’t tell them because I know they're not going to approve it. I got married first, and then I told them. After a while they approved it. They were mad at me for more than a year. Once they met Angela, they forgot about everything because they also in love with Angela and her values and her caring about family.\nI think most people I know who have interracial marriages are really successful. I believe the reason my parents had a negative opinion about interracial marriages, they don’t know the truth about Americans here. They go by rumors. \nAY: Right.\n\nCY: I believe American have a same strong moral values. What do you see in movies is not true. The biggest problem everybody see such in stupid movies, they believe all the Americans like that. But once you start engaging in the society, people here are as much loyal to their husband as in Indian. They’ve been married 30, 40, 50 years. They have strong opinions about marrying to one person and living the rest of their lives. I’m really fortunate to meet a lot of people in this society with similar behavior. I have no regrets. I’m extremely happy with my wife.\n\nSM: Very good. We can definitely see that. That’s excellent! Okay, I would like to find out, would you like to add anything we have not talked about?\n\nCY: We have not talked about.\n\nAY: I think we’ve covered about everything.\n\nCY: I know you asked a lot of questions and I’m glad I was able to have answered it.\n\nSM: What about you, Angela? Can you think of anything that you would like to add, any message that you like to leave to the future generations or anything you like, any comments, anything that you want to do?\n\nAY: No.\n\nCY: I’d like to say something, because this is for a legacy they want to see, second generation, third generation, but I would like to say one thing to encourage others.\nI don’t know if other people may like it or may not like it. I believe if you’re confident on whatever you do and put your mind to work. If you try hard enough, you will succeed in this country without doubt, because -- especially in this country, your opportunities to improve are much higher to grow because you have no cast, or religion issues. Not having money, none of those will stop you to grow. If you have that eagerness, courage to be something, the passion will get you there. That’s the difference between USA to and other countries. So if anybody comes to this country from India they should believe in the system and work hard believing in themselves, you certainly will shine. Go by the majority winners, successful people shined with nothing, don’t go by the minority propaganda. Somebody got discriminated by one percent of the people or something happened to one person, don’t take that as a good example. See all the successful people, what they went through.\n\nI didn’t tell you, you asked me if I want to share something. I just wanted to share something that nobody knows. Today, I may be successful, maybe I have a dollar to give to charities. For the sake of humanity, I’m doing that because it is important to know the value of the dollar. When you work hard, there should be no shame to do any kind of honest job. My wife last said to me, “I won’t something because you need nothing to be ashamed.” When I walk on the street, in front of the stop-and-go, people got lazy; they dump everything in their car. You’ve got a whole bunch of nickels and dimes, I just pick up and wash my hands and come home. And I use coupons. Saving money is nothing to be ashamed. No matter how much you have. Donate excess to others. \nAY: I do the same.\n\nCY: it’s like I donate to somebody. She laughs at me, “Why are you picking? Why are you always --?”\n\nAY: I do that, too.\n\nCY: I didn’t steal the money.\n\nSM: So respect with that money. That’s hard earned.\n\nCY: Yeah. I have been washing my hands from picking up. To me, there’s nothing wrong, nothing should be ashamed of what you do as long as you’re not stealing or lying.\n\nSM: Right, righteous.\n\nCY: Yeah. Because there isn’t -- I believe, I was successful because -- first, we have to save money. That’s why I was very cautious about saving. I save the money. When I was young just like you, when we came to this country, for almost four to five months, I slept on the floor because I wasn’t able to buy a bed. I had a blanket, pillow and a mat. I bought an old car for 250 bucks. That’s the life I led when I was a student. Used to buy used furniture and taking donations for furniture. I came to this country with seven dollars.\n\nSM: Not eight? Like, I think you mean eight dollars?\n\nCY: That’s the greatness of this country. People are very generous.  I want people to know, the generations to come. I’m so thankful to America, the Americans gave me a warm welcome all the time. They treat them with respect and received back same manner. I was talking to my wife and I told this to a lot of people, “If we’re in India, not in America, these many Americans coming to India in Andhra Pradesh, would we welcome them like this, like they’re welcoming us?” I have my doubts. But this is a courteous and charitable and great country, everybody can survive. I think people should believe in themselves, work hard and respect other people. God will bless you.\nSM: With that excellent note, I want to thank you both of you, Mr. and Mrs. Yalamanchili, Charlie Chowdry and Angela for giving us this opportunity. It has been excellent talking to you both and I wanted to thank FIS, Houston Community College and Houston Public Library for this great opportunity.\n\nCY: It’s my pleasure. We really appreciate taking time and interviewing us.\n\nAY: Thank you.\n\nSM: Thank you so much and have a good afternoon.\n\nTotal Duration: 55 Minutes","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108909/file/210354#t=2823.0,3294.55793"}]}]}]}