Interviewer(s): E. Bernier. Houma

Affiliation: University of Arizona

I met Daryl Eshete through Ari Anand back in July of 2001. Ari met him at the library where he works and was turned on to the struggles with unionizing the oil field through Daryl. Daryl is from Houma and his family is an old oyster family. Daryl and his wife are highly educated and extremely liberal and have found it difficult to be in Houma but know that their presence is needed. Daryl is active in a local Socialist organization and is active in the political arena in Houma and the surrounding area. I interviewed Daryl and his wife, Liz, on a Saturday afternoon. It was interesting to get a "young" person's perspective on the crash of the 80's.

Daryl was born in Houma in 1976. His father is from a prominent, old oyster family. In the late 60's, his father worked as a trucker for a wireline company. Daryl's father got hurt in the early 80's and was disabled for the rest of his life. His family went from living to excess to being extremely poor, having to sell their house. His wife had a different story. Her father was involved in the gas business and during the crash he still had a good job. They moved up, as it were, due to the economy and everyone else losing their shirts. They bought a huge house because the prices were so low. Daryl works at the Terrebonne Parish Library.