Oral history interview with Juliana Chen conducted by Cecilia Winchell and Stefani Evans on March 21, 2021 for Reflections: The Las Vegas Asian American and Pacific Islander Oral History Project. In this interview, Juliana Chen shares her upbringing in Hunan, China and her experiences as a teenager training to become a professional ballet dancer. She discusses her rigorous training and troupe career that ended when Chen sustained a knee injury. With a desire to try something new while still being able to perform, Chen immigrated to Vancouver, Canada and began practicing magic. Chen shares that although she didn't know anyone or speak English, she practiced her craft and broadened her knowledge by joining professional organizations including the International Brotherhood of Magicians. After winning several magic competitions, Chen performed on the Las Vegas Strip at Caesar's Palace and the Riviera Hotel and Casino. She shares her current professional pursuits, her connection to the Las Vegas magician community, and her thoughts on Chinese culture and cuisine.
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Oral history interview with Gregory T. H. Lee conducted by Stefani Evans, Ayrton Yamaguchi, Cecilia Winchell, and Kristel Marie Peralta on December 1, 2020 for Reflections: The Las Vegas Asian American and Pacific Islander Oral History Project. Gregory discusses his birth in Honolulu, Hawai'i, his upbringing in San Francisco, California, his education from Harvard University, and his moving to Las Vegas in 1988 with his family. He shares how his parents, Doris Shoong Lee and Ted Lee, purchased a casino on East Sahara Avenue and renamed it the Eureka before Gregory left Las Vegas to earn his Juris Doctorate degree from USC Gould School of Law. He talks about his employment history related to law and the joint venture with his parents to open Eureka's sister property in Mesquite, Nevada. Gregory also discusses his Chinese and Japanese heritage, the Hawaiian culture, and his current affairs as well as his take on current events and discrimination in the United States, with particular regard to Black Lives Matter and COVID-19. Subjects discussed include: Kyushu, Japan and "China virus."
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Oral history interview with Dana Su Lee conducted by Stefani Evans, Vanessa Concepcion, and Cecilia Winchell on February 10, 2021 for Reflections: The Las Vegas Asian American and Pacific Islander Oral History Project. Dana talks about her childhood growing up in California and her parents who were both born in China. She discusses her educational background and her move to Las Vegas with her husband in 1997. Dana also shares her various community and philanthropic pursuits related to education and the arts. Subjects discussed include: Greg Lee; otherness; Nevada Women's Philanthropy (NWP)
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Oral history interview with Robert Kim conducted by Kristel Peralta, Cecilia Winchell, Ayrton Yamaguchi, and Vanessa Concepcion on March 05, 2021 for the Reflections: The Las Vegas Asian American and Pacific Islander Oral History Project. In this interview, Kim describes his career in law. He talks about his Korean roots, the model minority myth, and experiencing racial discrimination. Lastly, Kim discusses the Las Vegas Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community, his involvement with the Asian Bar Association of Las Vegas, and the importance of electing Asian Americans into political positions.
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Oral history interview with Marvelys Lopez Omaña conducted by Monserrath Hernandez and Barbara Tabach on February 21, 2020 for the Latinx Voices of Southern Nevada Oral History Project. In this interview, Marvelys Lopez discusses her childhood and growing up in Caracas, Venezuela, where her father owned a toy store. She attended an all-girls Catholic School and from a young age knew that she wanted to be a doctor. In 1993, at the age of seventeen, she was able to study abroad in the United States for one year and moved to Las Vegas, Nevada. She returned to Venezuela to attend medical school and while attending medical school she met her husband, who was studying to be a registered nurse at the time. Lopez Omaña recalls volunteering as a firefighter in Venezuela, and discusses the political change that happened in Venezuela during her last years in medical school. She moved to back Las Vegas with her husband in 2003 and began working as a caregiver. She recounts Her first son's birth story, and describes how she became a Certified Professional Midwife.
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Oral history interview with Simon Lamsal conducted by Jerwin Tiu, Cecilia Winchell, and Stefani Evans on December 16, 2022 for Reflections: the Las Vegas Asian American and Pacific Islander Oral History Project. In this interview, Lamsal describes growing up in Kathmandu, Nepal, and growing up with his grandparents. After graduating in Nepal, Lamsal applied to college in the United States and started in Arkansas studying computer science but later relocated to Las Vegas, Nevada and continuted at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). Lamsal describes joining CSUN, the National Millenial Community, and investing in his community. Currently, he is in graduate school and an information technology intern at MGM. Thoroughout the interview, Lamsal touches on a number of other topics regarding finding community, cultural foods, and family life.
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Oral history interview with Kathia Quiros Pereira conducted by Monserrath Hernández on March 6, 2020 for the Latinx Voices of Southern Nevada Oral History Project. Pereira discusses her personal history and immigration from Lima, Peru to the United States. She also talks of her educational background as a student at the William S. Boyd School of Law at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and her current work as a founding partner of Pereira Immigration Law Group where she exclusively practices immigration law in Las Vegas.
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Oral history interview with Jose Leonardo Martinez conducted by Barbara Tabach and Nathalie Martinez on August 19 and 29, 2020 for the Latinx Voices of Southern Nevada Oral History Project. Session 1: Jose discusses his childhood and what it was like growing up during the Salvadoran Civil War. He recounts the dangers he's faced and how he made his way to the United States after traveling through Guatemala and Mexico. Subjects discussed include: Salvadoran Civil War; Ciudad Arce, El Salvador; Guatemala; Mexico; Los Angeles, California. Session 2: Jose continues his discussion of growing up in El Salvador and the violence he witnessed in the country's army during the 1980s. He also talks about his personal life after moving to the United States and his experiences navigating gang culture in Los Angeles, California. Jose recounts his previous jobs, his schooling, how he met his wife, and his family's move to Las Vegas. Subjects discussed include: El Salvador army; gang violence.
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Oral history interview with Bryan Chan conducted by Vanessa Concepcion, Cecilia Winchell, and Stefani Evans on October 18, 2021 for Reflections: The Las Vegas Asian American and Pacific Islander Oral History Project. Bryan Chan discusses his life growing up in California, his family's migration stories to the United States, and his education. He discusses his appearance on a reality television show which led to becoming a singer for boy band LMNT. Bryan talks about his entertainment career, including his move to Las Vegas to sing and host for the Chippendales show at the Rio Hotel and Casino. He also shares insight into his family's traditions and his favorite foods that his father and grandmother cooked. Subjects discussed include: chain migration; Chippendales; giglife; virtual events; traditional foods.
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Oral history interview with Katrina Sandigo conducted by Nathalie Martinez and Barbara Tabach on August 28, 2020 for the Latinx Voices of Southern Nevada Oral History Project. Katrina talks about her family's history and her grandfather's immigration to the United States from Nicaragua. She discusses her education and her time spent studying at the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) and her work with the Clark County School District (CCSD). She is currently the Education Director for Nevada's Anti-Defamation League (ADL). Katrina also shares her religious faith and how she is active in the Jewish community of Las Vegas.
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