Richard Polanco: Building the power of Latinos in Sacramento

Richard Polanco rarely slowed down during his 16 years in the California Legislature, rising from community activist involved in anti-gang efforts to become, in the words of the Los Angeles Times, “the man driving the Latino machine.”

Journalist and author Dan Morain conducted the interview, presented here in three parts.

Part One.

Part Two.

Part Three.

Transcript for Part One.

Transcript for Part Two.

Transcript for Part Three.

This oral history, recorded Oct. 24, 2022 at the offices of Telacu in Los Angeles, was made possible by a grant from the California State Library. It has been edited for clarity and continuity.