Irma Payan is a longtime educator who retired from the Roosevelt School District. She grew up north of the Salt River in Harmon Park, and her family members were among the original congregants at Betania Presbyterian Church. She is currently the Community Archivist for AZ Barrio Stories.
In April of 1957, Irma Payán was born at Good Samaritan Hospital in Phoenix, Arizona. Her family grew up next to the Marcos De Niza government housing projects. Her mother would remind her that her family was not from the Marcos De Niza projects but rather from Harmon Park. These two barrios sat adjacent to each other. She attended Lowell Elementary School for Kindergarten and half of 1st grade. The family moved and she would attend Garfield Elementary School for the other half of 1st grade. She remained there through 5th grade. She found herself at Edison Elementary for 6th grade. Irma then returned to Lowell to complete 7th and 8th grade. Her high school years were spent at East High School.
The Payán’s arrival can be traced back to her great grandfather’s migration from Batopilas, Mexico through El Paso, TX in 1909. Through census information, they ascertained that her great grandfather, grandmother and siblings arrived in Greenlee County in 1910. By 1918 Irma’s grandmother Adelaide had her first child and winds up in Metcalf for a spell. During this time Irma’s mother Gloria was born in 1920.
Because they were from a family of miners, they moved where the work was and found themselves in Allison and Socorro, NM. A few of Irma’s aunts and uncles passed away at birth or shortly thereafter and are buried in New Mexico. Lastly the family would find themselves here in Phoenix. Irma’s grandfather Mercedes died from the Black Lung and her grandmother Adelaide rented a home near Grant and 2nd Avenue. Finally, her grandmother had a house built a little south of Grant, on Pima Street and settled there in the early 1940’s.
Around the 1940’s, Hispanics and Blacks could not buy property nor live north of Van Buren Street. The Depression was coming to its end in 1940. World War II was just starting, and the Bracero Program was bringing in the Mexican workforce to the valley to ease labor shortages.
Irma was an educator for 33 plus years; within these years she was able to be a part of several elementary schools within the Roosevelt and Isaac districts. Within these decades changes occurred in South Phoenix. As she would drive to and from school each day, she was able to see the physical changes that South Phoenix would endure each passing year. She would enjoy the orange blossoms and flower scents that permeated the air on her drive but had to watch the plots of land disappear.
Irma is currently a community activist as she preserves local and state cultural history with Arizona Barrio Stories. She uses historical photos that the public provide to tell the stories of real-life Phoenicians that represent the Hispanic community. Not only does she accomplish this with Arizona Barrio Stories she also participates in interviews with Latino USA TV.
Payan said, “Once you set your mind to something, don’t let your focus be removed from that.” Stay focused. You can do it. Don’t let anybody tell you, you can’t do it because you can”. Don’t set limitations for yourself before you know what your potential can be.
Coming Soon: Irma Payan Index
| Narrator | Irma Payan |
| Birthdate | April 1957 |
| Place of Origin | Phoenix, AZ |
| Place of Residence | Phoenix, Arizona |
| Role | Educator, Storyteller, Archivist |
| Years active in South Phoenix | 1957- |
| Interview Date | November 7, 2023 |
| Location | South Mountain Community College |
| Duration | 56:48 |
| Interviewed by | Faculty Researcher: Dr. Summer Cherland |
| Story Written by | Student Researcher: Kimberly Muro |
South Phoenix Oral History Project 