No. 870 Mickey Ibarra, 2010

File — Box: 79, Folder: 3

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

Mickey Ibarra was born in Salt Lake City, Utah. Ibarra’s father came to the United States during World War II as laborer to help with harvesting crops. His father then got a job at Kennecott Copper Mine on the demolition crew. Ibarra’s mother was born in Salina, Utah. She met Ibarra’s father when she was 16 years old. Ibarra describes the difficulties his parents faced because of their interracial marriage in Salt Lake City, Utah, in the 1940s. When Ibarra was two, his parents were divorced and they were turned over to the State of Utah while their father was in the service. He and his brother were in foster care until their father returned from the Army. They were then raised by a couple outside the foster system when their father’s second marriage dissolved. Ibarra describes his relationship with his brother during this time. During junior high and high school, Ibarra excelled as a student and as an athlete. As teenagers, Ibarra and his brother moved to Sacramento to live with their father again. In the next interview, Ibarra describes the process of working with the NEA to endorse Bill Clinton during the 1992 presidential campaign. He talks about the work he did with the Democratic National Committee and the people he worked with in the DNC. Ibarra talks about participating in the National Education Association Convention in Washington DC in 1992, where Bill Clinton made an appearance. After Bill Clinton was elected, Ibarra went to the Political Transition Office in Arkansas to assist Clinton with the transition. Ibarra was also in Washington DC for Bill Clinton’s inauguration. After the inauguration and the transition, Ibarra returned to the NEA and served as a liaison to the White House. He helped the NEA maintain access to the president, made sure they had a voice, and ensured that they had an influence on policy. In 1996, Ibarra became a member of the Clinton re-election campaign staff. After helping re-elect Bill Clinton, Ibarra took a position as manager of international relations at the NEA. He was preparing to work in Ethiopia and Djibouti when Erskine Bowles, President Clinton’s chief of staff, called him to a meeting. Bowles offered Ibarra the position of deputy assistant to the president for public liaison. Ibarra declined that offer but was subsequently offered the position of assistant to the president and director of the office of intergovernmental affairs. Before starting in that position, Ibarra finished his Africa mission for NEA. While there, his new position with President Clinton afforded him enough influence to meet with the prime minister of Ethiopia. Ibarra talks about his responsibilities, as well as the challenges and the rewarding aspects of working at the White House. He also details the many people he collaborated with in that position.
Project: Ibarra oral history project.
Interviewer: Gregory C. Thompson.

Dates

2010

Conditions Governing Access

Twenty-four hour advanced notice encouraged. Materials must be used on-site. Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law.