Oral history interview with Stella Kalaoram conducted by Kristel Peralta and Cecilia Winchell on August 2, 2021 for Reflections: The Las Vegas Asian American and Pacific Islander Oral History Project. Stella Kalaoram discusses her childhood in Singapore, the occupations and ethnic diversity of her family, and the four languages she speaks: English, Mandarin, Malay, and Tamil. She shares her immigration journey to the United States with her husband, from Singapore to San Bernardino, California in 1990, and their move to Las Vegas in 2000. Stella also shares her employment experiences as a dental assistant, a housekeeper for the Cosmopolitan Hotel and Casino, and as a shop steward for the Culinary Workers Union. She also talks about contracting COVID-19 and her hospital experience, her family's differing religious faiths, and her translation work to empower the Asian-American community. Subjects discussed include: insurance benefits; Volunteer Organizer (VO); mask mandates; vaccine hesitancy; food traditions; language barriers; Baba and Nyonya cultures.
Text
Around the turn of the century, Ramon Sanchez emigrated from Spain to the United States where he became a rancher in Tremonita, New Mexico. Many years later, his son, Cesario, migrated to Liberal, Kansas, to work on the railroad. It was there that his daughter, Marcelina, pictured above, was born and raised and where she eventually met and married her musician husband, Gene Sandusky. In 1941, the Sanduskys moved to Las Vegas where they settled in a new housing tract called Sunrise Acres. Some 45 years later, Mrs. Sandusky stands in her back yard with the original Sunrise Acres community well and water tower looming prominently in the background. Presently, Mrs. Sandusky is working hard to gather the history of that still cohesive neighborhood, one of the earliest in Las Vegas.
Image
In 1981, Doris Rodriguez (center) moved to Las Vegas from Topeka, Kansas, with her husband and young son. In 1983, her younger sister, Yvette Carrero (right) and her boyfriend moved to Las Vegas from Lorain, Ohio. The next year, 1984, her brother David Carrero (left), his wife and young son also moved to Las Vegas. In 1985, Doris' sister, Elizabeth and her husband moved here with their two daughters from Lorain, Ohio. In the years since moving to Las Vegas, Doris gave birth to another son as did her brother's wife. Such interfamilial migration patterns and subsequent family expansions are responsible in large part for the impressive growth of Las Vegas, Nevada.
Image
The Publications series (1979-2006) contains a variety of newspapers and newsletters related to environmental issues. Notable among the titles are several years’ worth of High Country News and the Sierra Club Toiyabe Chapter’s bimonthly newspaper, Toiyabe Trails. Other titles are related to issues such as population growth, air pollution, and wildlife.
Archival Component
Each year the Sands Hotel held an anniversary party celebrating their opening in 1952. Included in this collection is the 1st party in 1953 through the 4th party in 1956. Continuing with the 6th party in 1958 through the 17th party in 1969, finishing with the 19th party in 1971. Included are photographs, invitations, and guest lists.
Archival Component
Text
Ralph Vandersnick was interviewed on October 18, 1997. Ralph owns Snick's Place, the longest-operating gay bar in Las Vegas and whether he'd agree or not, he's one of the most respected members of the Las Vegas gay community.
Text