DIMAS M. CHAVEZ
Potomac, Md.

As a former resident of Los Alamos I read the Los Alamos Daily Post frequently. April 25, 2021, I read with keen interest the letter to the Editor titled “Growing Up As Asian American – The Model Minority Myth” by Olivia Koo.

Ms. Koo touched on a topic of great interest to me, and she presented it  eloquently. Her statement “One could say that Los Alamos is a manifestation of the model minority myth” was spot on.

I am Mexican-American. My family moved to Los Alamos Aug. 15, 1943, when I was six years old. When I began the first grade at Central School, when K-12 were all located under one roof, I did not know how to speak English. My father had a better command of English than my mother and myself, which was still limited.

Through a great deal of work and private tutoring assistance from wives of scientists who lived near our log cabin not far from bathtub row, my mother arranged to teach many of them how to prepare various Mexican dishes in exchange for their tutoring services. Eventually, I became the first male student in Los Alamos to go through the entire 1-12 grades in the Los Alamos school system graduating June 2, 1955.

Going to school with children of eminent scientists was not an easy task. I recall John Bradbury who was in my class whose father was Dr. Norris Bradbury who became the second Director of the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory.

I experienced a great amount of teasing for not being able to speak properly, and what words I learned were spoken with a very pronounced accent. There were very few other Spanish speaking students in my class, but they were more advanced then myself as they had grown up in an English speaking environment.

I have read countless books about Los Alamos, the laboratory and most of all, Dr. Robert Oppenheimer who I proudly recall being his paper boy. In the historical books, journals, documents I have viewed none have touched on what it was like for the Spanish-speaking workers and families who lived and worked in Los Alamos while strongly supporting both the community and the laboratory.

I recall when I accompanied my mother to the Army Post Exchange or the one grocery store run by the U.S. Army, how she was usually overlooked and treated by those fluent in English as they elbowed their way past my mother to be heard by the butcher or whomever was assisting with what limited food we had access to. I could see the hurt she felt, and sometimes humiliation.

At our dinner table the conversations were always in Spanish as my father would share with Mom how favoritism was generally displayed towards the none Hispanic workers. This was also very prevalent when promotions were awarded, so racial discrimination was alive and present during the War Years in Los Alamos.

Dad’s employment in Los Alamos began with the Army Corp of Engineers, then later the Robert E. McKee Construction Company out of El Paso, Texas. April 1, 1946, after negotiations with the McKee Company, Zia Company was formed, which became officially the primary construction company in Los Alamos, and my father worked for Zia for 37 years.

Zia began their primary responsibility by maintaining both the laboratory, and its expansion for new facilities, and also building and maintenance of the township. They addressed essential items such as gas, carpentry, heat, water, repairs of streets, trash collection, maintenance of all office and work areas, official supplies, maid and janitor services for the dorms, fuel, oil, ice, wood, plumbing needs and repair, electrical services, taxi services, upkeep of numerous government vehicles, community facilities, fire department, police facilities, recreation, schools, warehouses, and homes. The majority of the workers were predominately Hispanic, and Native Americans who made the daily trip from the valley.  

These Mexican-American and Native-Americans made up the nucleus of the Model Minority Myth that involved those who helped usher in the final development of the atomic bomb, and the finalization to World War II.

What has always been bothersome to me, and continues, is that these pioneers, side by side with the scientists and technicians, sacrificed and endured many hardships while overcoming racial hurdles at the work site to help end World War II, and yet all the pomp and congratulatory praise that followed the end of World War II was totally focused on the scientific input.

The Los Alamos National Laboratory Museum serves as a reminder to the scientific achievements, and stands as a constant reminder to the residents of Los Alamos and the many visitors that frequent the museum. Nothing of praise was ever written or erected to honor the many men and women from Zia, and other contributing factors who equally made this historic achievement a reality.

Ms. Koo is once again correct by summarizing “growing up in Los Alamos is often seen as a blessing and as a curse” for which I totally agree. I remember hearing that Los Alamos is a community that you either like or dislike, no in between.

Thank you Zia Company, and all the blue collar workers who gave so much to the laboratory and community, and the opportunity I was given to work at the laboratory beginning as a truck driver/fork lift operator to a senior management position as the Employee Relations Manager and Special Assistant to the Director, Harold Agnew, Don Kerr, and Sig Heckler.

I am hopeful that one day a well known professional writer will research and present the huge support that was given to the laboratory and the community of Los Alamos by Zia and others so that their tireless efforts will not be forgotten.

Thank you Ms. Koo for lighting this fire within me to vent my Minority Myth, and the very best to you and your future.