Oral history interview, Tony Shockency, 2014 (video and transcript)

Tony Shockency, who had recently stepped down as Executive Director of the YMCA in Longmont, was born in North Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1956. His family was mixed-race, and he grew up in a predominantly African-American neighborhood. He describes the discrimination he faced as a child and teen, including in athletics. He speaks of why he began working for the YMCA in various places and about the community in Longmont, where he received support for his commitment to inclusion and integration from some respected local leaders. He talks of his success in making the Longmont YMCA inclusive of Latinos, of his activities in the YMCA organization nationally, and of his passionate commitment to civil rights work and social justice.