Oral history interview with Joy Rineer conducted by Claytee D. White on December 07, 2017 for the Remembering 1 October Oral History Project. In this interview, Rineer discusses her upbringing in Las Vegas, Nevada. She describes her career as an architect, designing the Resilience Center for those affected by the 1 October shooting, and the city’s response to the shooting. Later, Rineer describes helping the grief-stricken city through architecture, establishing the Leadership Las Vegas program, and organizing blood drives. Lastly, Rineer discusses the changes in Las Vegas after the tragedy.
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Oral history interview with Rick Arpin conducted by Claytee D. White and Stefani Evans on May 22, 2024 for the Game On! The Oral History of Las Vegas Sports project. In this interview, Las Vegas native Rick Arpin reflects on his East Las Vegas childhood, his career in accounting and finance, and his role with MGM Resorts in conceiving, building, and operating the T-Mobile Arena, home of the Vegas Golden Knights. Arpin mostly focuses on the idea of what would become T-Mobile arena, possible sites and designs for the arena, and putting everything on hold through the financial crisis (2008-2009) and the building of City Center (2008-2010). He talks about MGM Resorts realizing they had to manage all sports and entertainment venues across the company, including security, vendors, booking, and all operations. Arpin recalls the multiple people, institutions, and determination that helped chip away the "stigma" that professional and collegiate sports felt clouded Las Vegas as a location for professional or collegiate sports. Digital audio available.
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Oral history interview with Mei Yang conducted by Jourdin Wilson on November 10, 2021 for Reflections: The Las Vegas Asian American and Pacific Islander Oral History Project. University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) professor and graduate coordinator Mei Yang talks about her family and childhood in Shanxi Province, southwestern China. She shares her educational background pursuing her bachelor's and master's degrees in China before immigrating to the United States to earn her PhD in Computer Science from the University of Texas, Dallas. Mei Yang talks about her move to Las Vegas, Nevada, her work and professorship at UNLV, and her thoughts on pursuing a STEM (science technology engineering math) career as a woman. She shares how she raises her daughters in the United States away from her husband overseas, the Chinese community within Las Vegas, and traditions she celebrates.
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Oral history interview with Su Kim conducted by Ashley Brooke Fuentes on November 21, 2021 for Reflections: The Las Vegas Asian American and Pacific Islander Oral History Project. In this interview, Su Kim discusses her family and life in Seoul, Korea. She talks about immigrating alone to the United States to study in Provo, Utah and later transferring to the College of Southern Nevada. Su Kim talks about her immigration experience, the culture shock of coming to America, and the discrimination and racism she has seen since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Su shares how she met her husband, details of her employment as an office manager, and her plans to pursue a degree in hospitality from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
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Oral history interview with Bunny Harris conducted by Kenneth P. Young on February 28, 1979 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project. This interview offers an overview of the history of Las Vegas, including transportation, mining, farming, ranching, and housing. During the interview, Mrs. Bunny Harris discusses the Elks Club, Cashman Field, McCarran Airport, Howard Hughes and Nellis Air Force Base.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Bess Hanson conducted by Debra Puepke on February 25, 1971 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project. In her interview Hanson discusses growing up in Las Vegas, Nevada and raising a family there.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Cynthia Mun conducted by Vanessa Concepcion and Stefani Evans on March 31, 2021 for Reflections: The Las Vegas Asian American and Pacific Islander Oral History Project. Cynthia Mun discusses her upbringing near Seoul, South Korea and her family's immigration to Los Angeles in 1974. She talks about her parents' employment as a seamstress and a janitor, as well as the educational mentors she encountered who helped her to succeed at Westridge School for Girls in Pasadena and later at Yale University. Mun shares her corporate employment history, including helping to launch the Pandora streaming service and creating an accessible platform for E-book use before the creation of Amazon Kindle. Mun talks about her career working at MGM International and how this opened the door for her mother to become an MGM employee and access better working conditions with union employment.
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Oral history interview with Linda Hartley conducted by Pauline Marchese on March 10, 1978 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. During the interview, the two discuss Hartley’s personal history, such as schools that she had attended and her recollection of local recreational activities. The two go on to talk about changes in crime, the environment, and briefly discuss a variety of issues at the time, including: segregated schools, prostitution, and effects of the Nevada Test Site.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Rodel Fuentes conducted by Tracy Fuentes on December 4, 2021 for Reflections: The Las Vegas Asian American and Pacific Islander Oral History Project. Rodel Fuentes tells stories of his upbringing in Manila, Philippines, where he was raised in a shared family home amongst his parents, siblings, aunts, and uncles. He talks about his parents' immigration to the United States and how he later joined them in Los Angeles, California where he met and married his wife. Rodel Fuentes shares the couple's decision to move to Las Vegas, Nevada, his work at Dunn Edwards paint company, and how he became a licensed general contractor and real estate agent where he now owns his own company. Rodel Fuentes discusses his thoughts on Las Vegas' diversity, affordability, restaurants, and Asian community. He also talks about experiencing anti-Asian hate, worsened by misconceptions and discrimination that came from the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Oral history interview with Sonny V. Mallari conducted by Chanele Mallari on November 26, 2021 for Reflections: The Las Vegas Asian American and Pacific Islander Oral History Project. Sonny Mallari talks about his childhood in Masantol, Pampanga province, Philippines with his five siblings. He discusses his family's immigration to Salinas, California and details of his life and parents' lives in the United States. Sonny shares stories of being bullied in school and what the immigration process was like from his point of view at the age of seven. He also talks about his professional work as a cook, moving to Las Vegas, Nevada for work, and becoming a Culinary Workers Union member.
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