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Oral history interviews with June Monroe and Kazuko Atomura conducted by Cecilia Winchell and Stefani Evans on July 14 and July 19, 2022 for Reflections: the Las Vegas Asian American and Pacific Islander Oral History Project. In the first interview, Kazuko Atomura describes her childhood in Taiwan and Tokyo, Japan, and shares both happy and difficult mememories of that time. Atomura eventually moved to Los Angeles, California, where she reconnected with a man she previously met in Japan. She married him and together had their daughter, June Monroe, and another son while living in Corpus Christi, Texas. After difficult medical procedures involving Atomura's husband and Monroe's younger brother, Brian, the family relocated to Las Vegas, Nevada. Monroe recalls attending Las Vegas High School and Bonanza High School, and the struggle of making new friends as a young person. In the second interview, the mother and daughter discuss racism, discrimination, and identity. Kazuko Atomura recalls her many experiences with discrimination as a result of both her appearance and language barriers. June Monroe discusses how she came to be proud of her Japanese heritage, while Atomura discusses some of the community activities she has been involved in since living in Las Vegas including the Japanese Culture Club and odori dancing. Then, both Atomura and Monroe discuss Monroe's brother, Brian, who received two kidney transplants; one from Monroe's father and one from Monroe herself. Atomura talks about the shrines she has built for Brian, the experience of him being on dialysis, care taking, and his final days. Monroe shares about her activism with organ donation, being regularly involved with the Nevada Donor Network and helping to pass significant pieces of legislation within the area of organ donation.
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Oral history roundtable video with members of Temple Sinai: Jack Kaufman, Meera Kagemai, Sue Rhodes, Amy Stein and Jeff Klein. The participants discuss the creation of Temple Sinai from the merger of Temple Beth Am and Adat Ari El Congregation, and their experiences serving on the board of directors of the temple.
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Oral history interview with Ingrid Ruffin conducted by Claytee D. White and Stefani Evans on May 16, 2024 for the UNLV Remembers: an Oral History of the 6 December 2023 Shootings project. In this interview, Ruffin shares her recollections from December 6, 2023. She begins the interview discussing her childhood, attending college, and enlisting in the U.S. Air Force from 1999-2005. Ruffin then describes her journey to her current role as Associate Dean at UNLV Libraries, where she was working the day of the shooting. She remembers more than 1,000 people sheltering in the library and walking to Thomas & Mack to debrief before returning to campus and driving home. She recalls how her military training helped her remain calm through the events of that day and the next, but how the trauma broke through on Friday, manifesting as pain. Digital audio available.
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