Oral history interview with Yvanna Cancela conducted by Monserrath Hernández and Barbara Tabach on February 27, 2020 for the Latinx Voices of Southern Nevada Oral History Project.
Yvanna Cancela, Nevada State Senator, discusses her personal history growing up in Miami, Florida and her studies at Northwestern University. She talks of working for Senator Harry Reid's campaign in Las Vegas, which led to her organizing efforts for the Culinary Workers Union Local 226. Yvanna recalls being appointed to the Nevada State Senate in 2016 as the first female state senate majority. In addition to fulfilling her duties as the Co-Majority Whip, she worked on the Joe Biden campaign and is the Executive Director of the Citizenship Project. After this interview was conducted, Yvanna received her Juris Doctorate from the William S. Boyd School of Law at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
Subjects discussed include: Miami, Florida; Nevada State Senate; The Citizenship Project
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Black and white photograph of topless showgirls posing in thigh high stockings.
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Anna Bailey was born May 14, 1921 in Savannah, Georgia. Bailey arrived in Las Vegas in 1955 to perform as a dancer for the opening of the Moulin Rouge Hotel and Casino. Six months later the Rouge closed, leaving both Anna and her husband, Bob, without work, since Bob had been the house singer and emcee at the Hotel. Nevertheless, Anna and Bob decided to make Las Vegas their home, convinced in the growth potential of the city.
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Alpha Kappa Alpha, Incorporated (AKA), is one of the oldest Black sororities in the United States, and was founded on January 15, 1908 at Howard University in Washington, D.C. AKA is an international service organization that comprises nearly 300,000 members in over 1,000 graduate and undergraduate chapters worldwide.
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Ruth Urban was born November 16, 1948 in Los Angeles, California. At the age of ten, she moved to Las Vegas, Nevada with her mother and older sister. Urban spent most of her childhood in the Huntridge area and was always involved with Temple Beth Sholom. After graduating from Las Vegas High School, Urban attended the University of Nevada, Las Vegas where she received a bachelor’s degree in social work, and later, a master’s degree in counseling.
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