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Oral history interview with Rodel Fuentes conducted by Tracy Fuentes on December 4, 2021 for Reflections: The Las Vegas Asian American and Pacific Islander Oral History Project.
Rodel Fuentes tells stories of his upbringing in Manila, Philippines, where he was raised in a shared family home amongst his parents, siblings, aunts, and uncles. He talks about his parents' immigration to the United States and how he later joined them in Los Angeles, California where he met and married his wife. Rodel Fuentes shares the couple's decision to move to Las Vegas, Nevada, his work at Dunn Edwards paint company, and how he became a licensed general contractor and real estate agent where he now owns his own company. Rodel Fuentes discusses his thoughts on Las Vegas' diversity, affordability, restaurants, and Asian community. He also talks about experiencing anti-Asian hate, worsened by misconceptions and discrimination that came from the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Oral history interview with Tina and So Lin Kwan conducted by Cecilia Winchell and Stefani Evans on November 6, 2021 for Reflections: The Las Vegas Asian American and Pacific Islander Oral History Project.
Tina Kwan and her mother, So Lin, discuss their family's history within Guangzhou, China and the United States. So Lin shares how her siblings immigrated to the United States and sponsored the rest of their family to join them in Las Vegas. Tina, So Lin's daughter, discusses her educational career pursuing medicine with degrees from the University of Nevada, Reno; the University of Arizona; and with a fellowship at Arkansas Children's Hospital before joining Children's Heart Center Nevada where she is a pediatric cardiologist. Tina and So Lin talk about the Kwan's restaurant, the Fortune Inn Restaurant, which was open for 15 years and closed in 2005. They also discuss Chinese superstitions and customs, diversity within Southern Nevada, anti-Asian discrimination, and learning English as a second language.
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Oral history interview with Randy Char conducted by Cecelia Winchell and Stefani Evans on December 15, 2021 for Reflections: The Las Vegas Asian American and Pacific Islander Oral History Project.
Randy discusses his family history, his childhood growing up in California, and his undergraduate education. He shares his employment history that ranged from selling life insurance to trading stocks and finally selling luxury real estate. Randy talks about pursuing an MBA program at Pepperdine University during the 2008 financial crisis and how his capstone project idea of luxury real estate lounges helped him to open his own brokerage in Las Vegas in 2014 before becoming a real estate broker for Sotheby's. Randy also shares his thoughts on diversity within Asian cultures and different Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) organizations that helped him to "reclaim his Asian identity" including the Asian Real Estate Association of America (AREAA) and the Leaders Forum.
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