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.
Oral history interview with Erma Linda Rivera conducted by Laurents Bañuelos-Benitez, Nathalie Martinez, Maribel Estrada Calderón, and Barbara Tabach on January 09, 2019 for the Latinx Voices of Southern Nevada Oral History Project. In this interview, Erma Linda Rivera discusses her early life as a grandchild of immigrants. She shares her experiences growing up in a mining town in Arizona. After marrying, both Erma Linda and her husband Jose became federal civil servants. This would lead Erma Linda Rivera to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1984. Prior to retirement, Rivera worked as an regional Equal Employment Opportunity manager. Rivera discusses her career working for the Department of the Interior, sharing how her job helped fuel her passion for social justice. Erma Linda relates the importance of civic involvement in her life. Finally, she reflects on how Henderson, Nevada has changed over the years she has lived there.
Interviewed by Catherine Bellver. Velma Haselton was born in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1914. She worked as an assistant bookkeeper for Hart, Schaffner and Marx and rose to Assistant Credit Manager. Velma worked at various jobs after she married for the second time and her son was born. She also represented the San Francisco CPA firm Lybrand, Ross Brothers and Montgomery (now Coopers Lybrand) in various capacities, both in California and St. Louis, eventually attaining the position of controller. Velma moved to Las Vegas for the first time in the 1950s, where she and her husband Don ran a coffee shop at the Park Lane Motel on South Fifth Street. Family requirements necessitated a move back to California. In 1971, Velma and her third husband, Charles Haselton, "retired" to Las Vegas. Velma immediately went to work as a cost accountant for United Pipeline, and later as an accountant for Kafoury Armstrong, a CPA firm. She eventually ran her own accounting business. Velma also held memberships and offices in various women's service groups.
Interviewed by Rodrigo Vazquez, Monserrath Hernández, and Barbara Tabach. Sylvia Alvarado talks about growing up in North Las Vegas and her Catholic upbringing in a Mexican household. Her studies in Journalism & Media Studies led her to her career as a radio host on English and Spanish-speaking programs. She also talks about speaking "pocha" Spanish and the Latinx influence in radio programming.
Lori provides a wonderful narrative of her Judaism, her love of teaching children and her devotion to family and music. She talks about growing up in Las Vegas and becoming a bat mitzvah, a rarity for girls in 1973. Throughout her life, including the period where she moved around with her Air Force husband, she sought Jewish connections to help her feel at home no matter where she was.
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.