Eric Volz's Hispanic autobiography

Born in Sacramento

Mexican-American family

Grew up hearing Spanish and answering in English

Eric Volz, the immigrant from Nashville to Nicaragua who was cleared of a murder conviction in that Central American country in a case that is still not over, told a group of Belmont University students about the Hispanic portions of his autobiography in the context of a media ethics lecture.

Excerpts from the Tennessean:

Volz was born and raised in Sacramento and considers himself a Californian. He was 13 when his father, a musician, decided to move to Nashville to pursue a musical career.

Growing up, family members spoke to Volz in Spanish and he would answer in English.

His Mexican grandfather was the catalyst for his immersion.

"It was because of him that I really learned the language," Volz said in Spanish. "I learned about the culture, how to read it, write it and talk with the accent."

Volz's Mexican-American family lived in border towns. His mother, Maggie Anthony, was raised in Nogales, Ariz.

He went to several high schools and remained interested in Latin America and added another hobby — photography. He went to school at the University of California, San Diego, and majored in Latin American cultural studies.

Photo source: Friends of Eric Volz