Oral history interview with Christine Barrett conducted by Claytee D. White on March 19, 2021 for African Americans in Las Vegas: a Collaborative Oral History Project.
Christine Barrett talks of her educational background and previous employment history that led her from California to Massachusetts, Virginia, and California again before her final move to Las Vegas. She has worked in management positions related to Las Vegas Valley water use for 38 years, and in the past decade has begun working for the Clark County School District in various professional capacities.
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Oral history interview with Chelsy Carter conducted by Jerwin Tiu and Stefani Evans on October 17, 2022 for the Reflections: The Las Vegas Asian American and Pacific Islander Oral History Project. In this interview, Chelsy Carter recalls her childhood growing up on a Norfolk, North Virginia military base in a predominately white community. Carter recounts becoming pregnant and getting married at a young age, and later divorcing and moving back with family. After moving back with her parents, Carter began working as a piano instructor, and as Carter gained a bit more flexibility she moved in the technical industry for small company in the Navy. After obtaining a masters degree in Humanities, Carter went on to work for the first digital weather website companies, and eventually became Vice President of Services and Support and Knowledge Management at Gannett. Carter discusses encountering both discrimination as someone with Filipino heritage and as a woman in her industry. After retirement, Carter and her husband moved to Las Vegas, Nevada where they now volunteer in many organizations, including the Jazz Outreach Initiative and Three Square.
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Oral history interview with Fluff LeCoque conducted by Joyce Marshall on May 05, 1997 for the Women's Research Institute of Nevada (WRIN) Las Vegas Women Oral History Project. LeCoque discusses the history of Las Vegas, Nevada’s entertainment industry. LeCoque recalls her dance experience in Las Vegas including work at the Thunderbird Hotel and Casino, and performing as a principal dancer for Arden-Fletcher Productions at the Desert Inn. LeCoque retired from dancing in 1970 but recalls being lured out of retirement by Donn Arden to become company manager of Jubilee at the new MGM Grand Hotel (later renamed Bally's). Finally, she talks about the economic, social, and political changes that occurred in Las Vegas after World War II.
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Oral history interview with Nittaya Parawong conducted by Cecilia Winchell, Stefani Evans, and Jerwin Tiu on March 17, 2022 for Reflections: The Las Vegas Asian American and Pacific Islander Oral History Project.
In this interview, Nittaya Parawong discusses her upbringing in Northeastern Thailand, her parents' restaurant and family recipes, and her business education in Bangkok, Thailand as a teenager. Wanting more than a corporate lifestyle, Parawong decided to immigrate to the United States, briefly living in Orlando, Florida before moving to Las Vegas, Nevada. She recalls bussing tables at a local Thai restaurant and attending English classes at College of Southern Nevada (CSN) before opening her own restaurant, Jasmine Thai Gourmet, at the age of 25. Now, Parawong is the owner of Nittaya's Secret Kitchen, Nittaya's Little Kitchen, and Block9 Thai Street Eats in Las Vegas. She shares memories and traditions of Thai celebrations, her views on Buddhism, personal cooking philosophy, and restaurant offerings.
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Oral history interview with Marian Wojciechowski conducted by Claytee D. White on June 16, 2009 for The Boyer Las Vegas Early History Project. Wojciechowski discusses being born in Poland at the beginning of World War I, participating in the Polish underground resistance movement at the beginning of World War II, and being sent to Auschwitz. He also talks about a woman who rescued 2,500 Jewish children during World War II.
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Oral history interview with Mary and Bob Campbell conducted by Claytee D. White on January 19, 2011 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project.
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Oral history interview with Janis Walker conducted by Claytee D. White on July 03, 2006 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. In this interview, Walker discusses her career as an African American showgirl in Las Vegas, Nevada during the 1970s and 1980s. Walker describes dancing in the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino productions of
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Oral history interview with Gordon Christie conducted by Larry DuRussel on June 30, 1975 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview Christie discusses working on the building of the MGM Grand Hotel, Fremont Hotel, Sahara Hotel, Desert Inn Hotel, and the Frontier Hotel. He also discusses religion, politics, family life in Las Vegas, Nevada, and the growth of Las Vegas.
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Oral history interview with J. K. Russ conducted by Claytee D. White on December 22, 2017 for the Remembering 1 October Oral History Project. In this interview, Russ discusses her early life in New Zealand and growing up on a tobacco farm. She remembers arriving to the United States and establishing a career as an artist. Russ talks about the 1 October shooting, creating an art exhibit using cards and letters received from people all over the world, and Las Vegas’ response to the tragedy. Lastly, Russ describes the art community in Las Vegas and the Arts District.
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Oral history interview with Jon Cobain conducted by Claytee D. White on March 4, 2022 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. In this interview, Cobain describes his childhood growing up in Las Vegas, Nevada and living in a trailer while his father built the family's home. Cobain is the first graduate from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), as he walked across the stage first, thus becoming the first to receive a degree from UNLV. After graduating with a bachelor's degree in business, Cobain attended Northwestern for graduate school. He discusses time spent working in Venezuela, and the value of learning other cultures and building international relationships. At the time of the interview, Cobain is matching gifts to the Jon Cobain Lee Business School at UNLV up to $2.3 million to help first-generation scholars. Other subjects discussed include the Nevada Test Site, Frank Sinatra, and Hoover Dam.
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