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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Oral history interview with Mauricia Baca conducted by Claytee D. White on March 7, 2019 for the Remembering 1 October Oral History Project. Mauricia Baca discusses her early life, her education, and her experiences living in New York City, New York before she moved to Las Vegas, Nevada. She also relates her experiences on and after the 1 October mass shooting. Baca relates information on her agency, Get Outdoors Nevada. Baca shares how her agency worked with the City of Las Vegas in the construction and operation of the Healing Garden. Finally, she discusses the book she helped author regarding 1 October.
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Oral history interview with Donna Robinson conducted by Barbara Tabach on December 20, 2019 for the Remembering 1 October Oral History Project. Robinson begins by talking about her family and childhood in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She talks about her family life and how she started working at the American Red Cross as a Disaster Program Specialist. Robinson describes her first disaster situation she worked through, later disaster situations, and the different training that is required in order to handle certain situations. Robinson then begins to talk about October 1, 2017, and how she tried to help as many people as possible that night. Then she talks about the long-term effects of the shooting and how it impacted the survivors and the community. She discusses the mental health aspect of the services Red Cross had and how it still continues to serve the community today.
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Oral history interview with Ernest Oon conducted by Cecilia Winchell, Stefani Evans, and Jerwin Tiu on February 16, 2023 for the Reflections: the Las Vegas Asian American and Pacific Islander Oral History Project. In this interview, Oon recalls his childhood in Singapore, where his father worked on the Health and Sports Council for the Singaporean Government and his mother worked as a television assistant producer. Growing up, Oon recalls being very active, participating in everything from soccer to Tae Kwon Do. In an effort to continue his education without being being interrupted by Singapore's civil service program, Oon applied to college in the United States and ended up attending California State University. Although he was on the medicine track in Singapore, he switched to finance. After a series of jobs within credit banking, he is now a chief credit officer for Bank of Nevada. Throughout the interview, Oon reflects on the changes in his life living in different places, the street food from Singapore, and his unique tennis game.
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Oral history interview with Reika Sun conducted by Kristel Peralta on June 21, 2021 for Reflections: The Las Vegas Asian American and Pacific Islander Oral History Project. Reika Sun discusses her childhood in Shanghai, China during the "one-child policy" and her upbringing by nannies while her parents worked. She shares how her family immmigrated to Las Vegas in 2009 to reunite with Reika's aunt and how Reika moved to Kansas to attend an English as a Second Language (ESL) program at Kansas State University. Reika also talks about her restaurant employment history after returning to Las Vegas, her membership in the Culinary Workers Union, and Chinese traditions and superstitions she grew up learning.
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Oral history interview with Kim You Taing conducted by Vanessa Concepcion, Cecilia Winchell, and Stefani Evans on November 15, 2021 for Reflections: The Las Vegas Asian American and Pacific Islander Oral History Project. Kim discusses his upbringing in Cambodia during the Cambodian Civil War, the death of his siblings from tragedy and his father from racially-motivated war crimes, and his immigration to the United States as a refugee. He shares how he and his mother lived and worked in the United States, first in Seattle, Washington and then in Las Vegas, Nevada. Kim talks about his work in the hospitality industry in various Vegas hotels and casinos and his membership with the Culinary Workers Union advocating for Asian workers. He also discusses family life with his wife and daughter and his plans to retire.
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Oral history interview with Michael Arage conducted by Dalton DuPré on November 12, 2021 for Reflections: The Las Vegas Asian American and Pacific Islander Oral History Project. In this interview, Michael Arage discusses his upbringing in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), Ontario, Canada with his sister and his Filipino-Palestinian heritage. He talks about how his parents immigrated to the United States, his life and education in Toronto, and his relocation to Los Angeles, California where he married his wife. Michael Arage shares how the couple moved to Las Vegas, Nevada in 2012 when his wife started a job at Zappos. Because he lacked a work visa, Michael Arage began playing poker and working in sports betting. In 2019, he founded a community organization to support the people of Palestine, called Nevadans for Palestinian Human Rights. Michael Arage talks about his activism efforts, anti-Arab racism, his cultural upbringing, and of Filipino and Arabic foods and customs. He also shares his views of living in Las Vegas, the difficulties of raising a child away from her cousins, and differing governmental policies and healthcare between Canada and the United States.
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Oral history with Chris Davis, Debbie Davis, and Mynda Smith conducted by Claytee D. White and Barbara Tabach on May 24, 2018 for the Remembering 1 October Oral History Project. In this interview, Debbie and Chris Davis and Mynda Smith discuss the murder of their daughter and sister (respectively), Neysa Davis Tonks, at the Route 91 Harvest Country Music Festival on October 1, 2017. They discuss plans to form Fifty-Eight Loved and Never Forgotten, a foundation to help educate the children of the 58 families affected that night. Neysa, a single mother, left behind three sons, 24, 18, and 15 years of age. The family members recall how they were first alerted to Neysa's death, and having to locate and identify her body at the coroner's office twenty-four hours later. Chris, David, and Mynda reflect on Neysa's life, her work, and legacy. Debbie, Chris, and Mynda believe that "darkness cannot exist in the presence of light. Neysa's light will shine forever."
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Oral history interview with Anita Tijerina Revilla conducted by Marcela Rodriguez-Campo on October 09, 2018 for the Latinx Voices of Southern Nevada Oral History Project. In this interview, Revilla discusses her early life in San Antonio, Texas. She talks about her decision to make education a priority, figuring out the college application process on her own, and her initial interest in social justice. Revilla talks about how her critical consciousness was developed, and her pedagogical approach to teaching. Revilla describes her role in the 2006 May Day march, advocating advocating for the queer community, and disrupting oppressive systems to increase educational access for students. Lastly, Revilla discusses ethnic studies and the history of inequality in the United States.
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Oral history interview with Dr. Javier A. Rodríguez conducted by Elsa Lopez and Barbara Tabach on December 19, 2019 for the Latinx Voices of Southern Nevada Oral History Project. Dr. Javier Rodríguez, Biology Professor at the University of Nevada Las Vegas, talks of his personal and educational history that led him to UNLV. He discusses his migration from Puerto Rico to California where he received his PhD from the University of California Berkley and became a biological museum curator for various animal specimens. He later moved to Las Vegas to teach at UNLV where he has now been for nearly two decades; Dr. Rodríguez shares how UNLV has changed since he first started working here, including the university's increased interest in faculty research to become a Top Tier institution. Subjects discussed include: Puerto Rico; University of California Berkley; University funding; Tier 1 research institutions.
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