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.
Oral history interview with Horacio Lopez conducted by Laurents Bañuelos-Benitez on September 05, 2018 for the Latinx Voices of Southern Nevada Oral History Project. In this interview, Lopez discusses his early life in Cordova, New Mexico and arriving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1963. He recalls the establishment of the Nevada Association of Latin Americans (NALA), the increase of Latin Americans in the southwest region of the United States, and his role as the Vice President of the Latin Chamber of Commerce. Lastly, Lopez discusses his thoughts on the future of Latino culture.
On July 15, 1975, Pamela Larkins interviewed Mary E. Habbart (born 1897 in Boothwyn, Pennsylvania) in her home in Las Vegas, Nevada. The two discuss Habbart’s personal family history and her family’s reasons for moving to Las Vegas. Habbart also describes social and economic changes to Las Vegas and her local dairy farm.