Oral history interview with the Congregation Ner Tamid roundtable conducted by Barbara Tabach on September 21, 2016 for the Southern Nevada Jewish Heritage Project. In this interview, Rabbi Sanford Akselrad and five members of the congregation discuss the founding of Congregation Ner Tamid, the first reform synagogue in Las Vegas, Nevada, in 1974. They go into detail on how the synagogue was formed, the building-hopping they did until they built their current structure, and the funding it took to get to that point. The interviewees reveal a few donors, such as Morris Dalitz and Frank Sinatra, who helped to build their synagogue and school. The interview ends with meaningful stories and memories the members have relating to Congregation Ner Tamid.
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Oral history interview with Brad Jerbic and Tom Perrigo conducted by Claytee D. White on June 26, 2019 for the Remembering 1 October Oral History Project. Brad Jerbic and Tom Perrigo share their experiences working with landscape architect Jay Pleggenkuhle to create the Healing Garden of Las Vegas after the October 1 shooting. They discuss how the community was in need of a place to mourn and heal after the tragedy, and how imperative it was for the space to be constructed quickly. Brad and Thomas share how the garden was constructed in four days and the various members of the community who helped to make it possible.
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Oral history interview with Chris Lee conducted by Cecelia Winchell and Stefani Evans on December 14, 2021 for Reflections: The Las Vegas Asian American and Pacific Islander Oral History Project. Judge Chris Lee reflects on the lives of his parents, their occupations and experiences during the Korean War, and his family's decision to immigrate from Incheon, South Korea to Las Vegas. He recalls memories from his childhood visiting family in Korea, Korean traditions and food, his educational pursuits, and the livelihood of his parents after immigrating. Chris also shares details of his employment history as Deputy District Attorney for the Clark County District Attorney's Office, as Deputy Secretary of State for Southern Nevada, as the first Asian American elected to the Clark County Justice Court bench, and presently as Judge in Department 1 of the North Las Vegas Municipal Court.
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Oral history interview with Irene Bustamante Adams conducted by Monserrath Hernández and Claytee D. White on May 13, 2020 for the Latinx Voices of Southern Nevada Oral History Project. Irene discusses her personal history, her culture and family traditions, and her previous employment. She also talks about her time in Las Vegas and how she came to be a representative for District 42 in the Nevada Assembly. Subjects discussed include: Migrant Farmworkers; California; Mexican culture; Equal Opportunity Program.
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Oral history interview with Alex de Castroverde conducted by Monserrath Hernandez on April 17, 2019 for the Latinx Voices of Southern Nevada Oral History Project. In this interview, De Castroverde discusses his family's background and his parent's emigration story from Cuba to the United States. He talks about growing up in Reno, Nevada, his father becoming a lawyer, and attending the University of Nevada, Reno. De Castroverde remembers the establishment of De Castroverde Law Group, the significance his father had on the Hispanic community in Las Vegas, Nevada, and taking over operations of the law firm with his brother. Lastly, De Castroverde talks about his involvement with Cristo Rey St. Viator College Preparatory High School, the Guinn Center, and the Las Vegas Business Academy.
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Oral history interview with Francis Oh Allen-Palenske conducted by Stefani Evans on June 30, 2022 for Reflections: the Las Vegas Asian American and Pacific Islander Oral History Project. In this interview, Francis describes her childhood growing up in Lousiana with a white father and Korean mother. She recalls the family relocating to Reno, Nevada in 1983 where Francis obtained her bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Nevada, Reno in 1999. She describes serving as a staffer in Washington, D.C. for Representative Jim Gibbons (R-NV) before moving to Las Vegas, Nevada. She discusses her Korean mother, maternal grandmother, and maternal aunts as strong, smart, business-minded women. Throughout the interview, she discusses Korean traditions, celebrations, clothing, and foods, as well as Korean cosmetics and views about skin color.
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Oral history interview with Casiano Corpus Jr. conducted by Cecilia Winchell and Stefani Evans on February 14, 2023 for the Reflections: the Las Vegas Asian American and Pacific Islander Oral History Project. In this interview, Corpus Jr. details a difficult childhood in the Philippines, where society is highly socioeconomically stratified. He recalls his parents working a number of jobs to support their large family, and as soon as he finished his primary schooling, he also started working in construction. When his father was finally petitioned by his uncle to move to the United States, Corpus was at first reluctant to go, since he had a familiar life in the Philippines, but has come to love the United States and the life he created for himself. Immediately after moving to the United States, their family landed in Las Vegas, Nevada, and Corpus began working a number of jobs. He started out as a busboy at a Chinese restaurant before deciding that he wanted to work in a casino and moved to Union Plaza. His current job is as a porter at Palace Station, where he has been for the past 31 years. He has also been working to unionize Palace Station and Station casinos with the Culinary Union for the past twelve years. He talks about the hunger strike he organized, why he organizes with no fear, and what he hopes to see out of his efforts throughout the interview.
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Oral history interview with Luceanne "Lucy" Taufa 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, Taufa describes growing up on the Tongan island of Vava'u in a large family and later immigrating to the United States. She recalls her father first immigrating to Hawaii, and after obtaining a green card, her and her siblings following shortly after. While Kaufa's older siblings continued to pursue higher education and her younger siblings were too young to work, she took on a bulk of the responsibility to provide income and navigate life in Hawaii for her family. Eventually, Lucy moved to Dallas, Texas, met her husband, and moved to Las Vegas, Nevada for her husband's job. Later in the interview, she discusses joining the Culinary Union after experiencing racial discrimination at her workplace and her pride in her identity as a Tongan woman.
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Oral history interview with Sandra Gray conducted by Elsa Lopez and Barbara Tabach on December 13, 2019 for the Latinx Voices of Southern Nevada Oral History Project. In this interview, Dr. Gray discusses her family history, and describes how her parents are immigrants from Durango, Mexico and moved from East Los Angeles, California to East Las Vegas, Nevada in 1991. After getting her bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) she started a behavioral health agency that provided rehabilitative mental health services to children primarily in the foster care system. She went on to earn a master's degree in mental health counseling, a master's in psychology, and a doctoral degree in clinical psychology. She is the founder of Empower LV, which strives for equitable access to sports and tutoring. Dr. Sandra Gray is also the owner and operator of Innovation Behavioral Health Solutions, LLC.
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Oral history interview with Cindy Baca conducted by Barbara Tabach on May 22, 2019 for the Remembering 1 October Oral History Project. Cindy Baca, born and raised in Las Vegas, talks about her family and occupation as a librarian at Escobedo Middle School. Cindy's twin daughters were present and injured during the Route 91 Festival and October 1 shooting. She describes their experiences and the Random Acts of Kindness project she piloted at her school after the incident.
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