Oral history interview with Nora Mirabal conducted by Elsa López on August 30, 2019 for the Latinx Voices of Southern Nevada Oral History Project. In this interview, Mirabal discusses her upbringing in Coralillo, Cuba. She describes her family's life in Cuba and shares her family's reasons for leaving the country. Mirabal talks about the immigration process, which involved Cuban migrants temporarily living in Spain, and moving from Spain to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1973. She recalls schooling, taking English as Secondary Language (ESL) classes, and being involved with the 28th street gang for protection. Later, Mirabal discusses attending the College of Southern Nevada (CSN) and the University of Las Vegas, Nevada (UNLV). She describes the Jumpstart Concurrent Enrollment Program, education funding in Clark County, and CSN’s collaboration with Jumpstart Concurrent Enrollment Program. Lastly, Mirabal talks about Cuban traditions, Cuban community in Las Vegas, and her involvement with the Latin Chamber of Commerce.
Archival Collection
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The Clarabelle Decker Papers (1926-1980) reflect the varied career of Clarabelle Decker as a teacher, librarian, and writer who worked in Nevada, Northern Arizona, and Southern California. Materials include Decker's writings and other published works, including books, booklets, poetry, as well as teaching aids, a grammar guide, posters, and fliers. Teaching materials primarily date from 1926 to 1952, while her library and writing materials date from 1954 to 1980.
Archival Collection
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.
Archival Collection
In this clip, Hermina describes her family roots and early schooling in Las Vegas.
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