Salvador Espino
(51 pages)
Listen to the interview
Biography:
Fort Worth attorney Salvador Espino was born in Ciudad Juaréz, Mexico in 1967 and came to Fort Worth, Texas with his family in 1972. He graduated valedictorian from the Magnet High School for Finance Professions (renamed Polytechnic High School) in 1986 and became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1987. He graduated magna cum laude from Texas Christian University with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in 1990 and received his law degree from Southern Methodist University in 1993. He has served as president of the Latin Arts Association and as a member of the board of the Texas Boys Choir, and was active in the Fort Worth-Tarrant County Young Lawyers Association. He was elected a Fort Worth city councilman for District 2 in 2005 and specialized in real estate law at the time of the interview.
Interview Summary:
Salvador Espino begins with his personal and family background and cites his family's involvement in All Saints Catholic Church for launching his community interests. He relates his work with the Hill Gilstrap law firm with his choice to concentrate on real estate law and refers to his service with the Latin Arts Association and the historic Rose Marine Theater. He contrasts his own bilingual experience with English and Spanish to that of his parents and his children and points to his earlier civic activities prior to running for public office. He shares his vision for the city of Fort Worth and his district in North Fort Worth, covers his election campaign strategy as a candidate for Fort Worth city council against incumbent Jim Lane and two other candidates, and mentions previous Hispanic American councilmen, Louis Zapata and Carlos Puente. He projects how incumbent mayor Kenneth Barr's decision not to seek reelection will play in his own campaign and provides details of his campaign financing and political advertising options. He talks about instilling basic values in Mexican American youth to stem dropout problems and praises programs for encouraging their achievement. He debates the issue of dual nationality in Mexico and notes the longterm domination of the Partido Revolucionario Institucional in Mexican party politics. He explores the effect of immigration and economic development on relations between Mexico and the United States and examines African American and Hispanic American relations. He expresses his political aspirations for the future, comments on prominent public figures Henry Cisneros and former presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton, and discusses the problems of the Republican and Democratic parties.
Locations of residence or activity:
Fort Worth
Interview Date:
3/13/2003