Hear audio of full interview aired on KNSJ

October 20, 2024 (San Diego) -- Victor Crosthwaite Contreras is the founder of  Early California Speaks, an organization that provides historical recreations for schools and other locations. East County Magazine recently interviewed him for our radio show on KNSJ, where he spoke about the multicultural programs offered. He also provided a dramatic reading bringing to life a soldier from the first Spanish expedition here.

Early California began in 2019, “direct of my ancestry and working with Old Town San Diego State Park,” Contreras says. He became involved in Old Town through his  mother for the 200^th anniversary of San Diego, where descendants of those early residents were asked to provide documents and stories and artifacts of early California.

“I’m a retired teacher, so schools are close to my heart, and of course California history is close to my heart because of my ancestry,” he says. Also an accomplished actor, Contreras was the head of the theater department at the school of performing arts in Chula Vista, as well as Cal State San Marcos.

By Miriam Raftery

Deadly is May 31 to submit scripts for Twainfest August 18 in Old Town

May 6, 2018 (San Diego) – Victor Crosthwaite Contreras, an actor, educator and descendant of two Spanish soldiers who served at the San Diego Presidio, sat down with East County Magazine on KNSJ Radio for an interview about a script-writing competition that seeks to depict historical characters from the 1800s in our region.

Hear his interview, along with his dramatic historical interpretive reading of infamous bandito Joaquin Murrieta on whom the legend of Zorro was based, by clicking the audio link. Fior more information, scroll down.