Oral history interviews with Judy Corbisiero conducted by Dennis McBride on September 05, 2003; and April 21, July 02, and December 10, 2004 for the Las Vegas Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Archives Oral History Project. In the interviews, Corbisiero recalls her early childhood in New York City, New York, coming out in the late 1970s, and meeting her then-partner, Janice Summers. She describes forming Summercor, Incorporated (a portmanteau of their last names) with Summers to produce women musicians, with a focus on lesbian artists, while living in New York. Corbisiero also talks about musicians she worked with, running political fundraisers during music events, and meeting her next partner, Gudrun Fonfa. She then explains moving to Las Vegas, Nevada with Fonfa in 1983 to promote women's music and culture in Las Vegas and throughout the West Coast.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Roy D. Baker conducted by Dennis McBride February 08, 2004 for the Las Vegas Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Archives Oral History Project. In this interview, Baker discusses Fred Schoonmaker, a Reno, Nevada gay activist and his husband, Alfred Parkinson. Baker details their efforts to create Stonewall Park, a town for LGBTQ members in Nevada that was never realized. Schoonmaker attempted to establish Stonewall Park three times in three different locations: Silver Springs, Nevada; Rhyolite, Nevada; and Thunder Mountain, Nevada. Baker talks about his personal relationship with Schoonmaker, his opinion on Stonewall Park, and legal issues that Schoonmaker faced during the development of the town. Baker describes opposition from local residents against Stonewall Park and Schoonmaker's health after being diagnosed with HIV.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Leah Chan Grinvald conducted by Stefani Evans and Claytee D. White on January 22, 2024 for the Reflections: the Las Vegas Asian American and Pacific Islander Oral History Project. In this interview, Grinvald discusses growing up with a large Chinese family on her father's side, and an Orthodox Jewish family on her mother's side. Grinvald talks about family, identity, traditions, and schooling. She discusses how she became interested in law, her legal career, and volunteer work with the affinity Bars in Nevada, the State Bar of Nevada Board of Bar Governors, and the Association of American Law Schools Deans Council Executive Committee. She also talks about meeting her Israeli husband, marrying him in Israel, and living there for a year.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Count Guido Roberto Deiro conducted by David G. Schwartz on January 30, 2002 and November 22, 2017 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. Deiro gives his personal recollections of living in Las Vegas, Nevada, including his father’s career, his upbringing, and fondest memories of the city.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Mirta G. Feinberg conducted by Jeffrey Smith on April 22, 2006 for the Public School Principalship Oral History Project. In this interview, Feinberg reflects upon her 38-year career in education, with the bulk of her career taking place in California. She describes the process by which she became a principal, and her experiences working with bilingual education. She discusses challenges that she faced as a principal such as school safety, and describes her working relationship as a principal with assistant principals.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Christie Young conducted by Dennis McBride on October 18, 1998 for the Las Vegas Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Archives Oral History Project. In the interview, Young talks about her early life in Reno, Nevada and her experiences with race and sexuality during this time. She then describes attending University of Nevada, Reno in 1974, getting pregnant, having an abortion, and the social implications of abortions. Young recalls moving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1979 to study anthropology at University of Nevada, Las Vegas, learning about gay culture, and attending the Metropolitan Community Church. She then explains joining gay rights organizations as a straight woman, gay rights activism in the 1980s and 1990s, and stories of individuals within the Las Vegas gay community.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Victoria and Brad Babich conducted by Claytee D. White on November 22, 2013 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. In this interview, the Babich couple describe their family histories and life in Las Vegas, Nevada during the mid-twentieth century. Brad Babich discusses his father's work in the gaming industry of Las Vegas, the prevalence of organized crime in the city, the influence of Howard Hughes and the federal government, and other aspects of Las Vegas history. He also talks about nuclear weapons tests at the Nevada Test Site and the health problems some employees acquired there. The two talk about recreational activities of the time, as well as the entertainers that performed on the Las Vegas Strip. Other topics of discussion include race relations in Las Vegas, casino history, and changes that have occurred over the years in the city.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Sarah Serna conducted by Dennis McBride on December 04, 1998 for the Las Vegas Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Archives Oral History Project. Serna opens her interview by discussing her move to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1993, and her first assignment as a Methodist minister to a small congregation in North Las Vegas. Serna then explains how she became involved in LGBT social justice issues after witnessing expressions of homophobia and prejudice within her church. She discusses her involvement with the Las Vegas LGBT community and the development of a pastoral care outreach program, the development of the World AIDS Day prayer vigil, and the foundation of the Community Counseling Center, later renamed Lighthouse Ministry. Serna then talks about her decision to transition from the Methodist Church to the Episcopalian Church and becoming the first Episcopalian priest in Las Vegas to bless same-sex marriages. She also discusses the development of a transitional housing program, changes in the LGBT community in Las Vegas, and many individuals involved in LGBT social justice programs in Las Vegas.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Barbara Rosenberg conducted by Rebecca Richey on April 22, 2002 for the Public School Principalship Oral History Project. In this interview, Rosenberg reflects upon her nearly 40-year career as a teacher and administrator in New York and Nevada from the 1960s to the 2000s. She discusses her approach to school administration, and describes her regular responsibilities. She also compares her different roles as teacher, dean, assistant principal, and principal.
Archival Collection