The Jewish Family Service Agency (JFSA), founded in 1977, provides professional social services to clients in need, including counseling, senior services, adoption, a food pantry, and emergency financial aid. Its focus is on the Jewish community, but the JFSA serves families and individuals regardless of their religion, race, age, disability, sexual orientation, or national origin. Services are provided in a confidential setting, and many are offered free of charge or on a sliding scale.
Hermina Washington was born December 23, 1957 in Henderson, Nevada. To take advantage of emerging opportunities for African Americans, her parents migrated from Arkansas to Las Vegas, Nevada, joining several extended family members already settled in the city. Growing up during the Civil Rights Movement, Washington was surrounded by strong, inspiring role models, including her grandmother and educators.
Born in 1934 in Lahaina, Maui, Hawai'i as the seventh of seven daughters of a sugar plantation crew boss, Rozita Villanueva Lee recalls a privileged life, because when her father became a boss, the family got electricity, a telephone, indoor plumbing, and fluorescent lighting in their house. The camps were organized by nationality: the Filipino workers and their families lived in one camp, and the Japanese, Chinese, Portuguese, and "haole" workers and their families each lived in their own.
Oral history interview with Roger Bryan conducted by Paul Murphy on February 27, 1979 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Bryan, who was the principal of Harvey Dondero Elementary School at the time of the interview, mainly discusses his background in education and his experiences teaching at various schools around Southern Nevada. Bryan mentions several of the cities he lived in prior to coming to Las Vegas, Nevada as well as the various parts of town he lived in after arriving. He also talks specifically about the schools he attended in Las Vegas, superintendents in charge of the district, his decisions while on the school board, the extent of vandalism in schools, and how the school district has changed over the years. Bryan finalizes the interview with a discussion of the most influential teachers he had when he was a student.
Roger Bryan (born 1938 in Cedar City, Utah) is interviewed by Paul Murphy in his office about his experiences living in Las Vegas. Bryan, who was the principal of Harvey Dondero Elementary School at the time of the interview, mainly discusses his background in education and his experiences teaching at various schools around Southern Nevada. Bryan mentions several of the cities he lived in prior to coming to Las Vegas as well as the various parts of town he lived in after arriving. He also talks specifically about the schools he attended in Las Vegas, the superintendents in charge of the school district, the decisions he made while on the school board, some of his experiences in being a teacher and principal, the extent of vandalism in schools, and how the school district has changed over the years. Bryan additionally recalls the visits of political figures to Las Vegas, some of the developmental changes in Las Vegas over time, the role of the Mormon religion in his life, and the types of recreational activities he and his family took part in. Bryan finalizes the interview with a discussion of the most influential teachers he had when he was a student.