In 1980, Sunrise Hospital was looking to provide specialized services for pediatrics. They recruited a young pediatric ophthalmologist named Dr. Kathleen Melanie Kahn Mahon. Intrigued by the opportunity to relocate to Las Vegas, Dr. Mahon became one of the first female pediatric ophthalmologists in the city. Dr. Mahon is a highly accomplished pediatric ophthalmologist: Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Fellow of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, Fellow of the American Academy of Quality Assurance and Utilization Review Medicine. Raised in Santa Fe, Dr. Mahon is the family historian and recalls parts of the family’s ancestral history through the generations. She speaks of her family’s Jewish immigration from Germany and Austria, and a deep historical legacy in New Mexico, which can be traced to the 1800s. As the Mahon family settled into southern Nevada, community involvement was a high priority for her. Among the local organizations that she devoted much of her time to were the Rotary Club, Ronald McDonald House, and Junior League. Dr. Mahon and her husband William were early members of Congregation Ner Tamid. She recalls both her and her son’s b’nai mitzvahs held at the synagogue. She includes anecdotes of enjoying Las Vegas -- stories that range from knowing respected banker Selma Bartlett to the famous Nat Hart from Caesars Palace.

Ivory H. Blue II was born and raised Las Vegas, specifically in the Westside neighborhood projects during the 1980s and 1990s. He describes his early childhood and what he remembers as a strong sense of community. Though grade school had its challenges, Ivory excelled in sciences and came under the watchful mentoring of Dr. Eugene McGaugh, a professor at UNLV. Ivory graduated with a master’s degree and has a long career already with NV Energy. Theresa Harris, Ivory’s mother, was from Hawthorne, Nevada and his father, Ivory Blue I, was originally from Edwards, Mississippi.

Oral history interview with Christian Giovanni conducted by Cecilia Winchell, Jerwin Tiu, and Stefani Evans on May 17, 2022 for the Reflections: the Las Vegas Asian American and Pacific Islander Oral History Project. In this interview, Giovanni describes her early life being born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada. She discusses her mother, Oywan, who first worked for the casinos before turning her focus to community building. Throughout Oywan's life, she did everything from start the first temple in the city to the first Thai newspaper, Las Vegas News. Giovanni mentions having what she considers a normal childhood, especially because of her more Western appearance, and did not embrace her AAPI identity until much later in life after she started helping her mother with different organizations. Currently, Giovanni is involved in many organizations, from the AAPI County Commission to the Thai Culture Foundation.