Interviews - I See My Light Shining

Interviews

836 Hours

Oral history interviews are firsthand testimonies of people’s experiences of history. These interviews invite narrators (interviewees) to talk about their own histories, giving unparalleled insights into life decisions, actions, and experiences that may not already be part of the public record.

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    Kelvin Alexander

    Human resources professional

    Rowlett, TX

    April Reign
    Collection

    Kelvin Alexander

    Alexander grew up in a large Texan family and reflects on foundational childhood experiences, his passion for human resources, preserving family legacies, the significance of Juneteenth, and teaching his children to give back.

    April Reign collection

    Rowlett, TX

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    Linda Alexander

    Church events coordinator and educator

    Rowlett, TX

    April Reign
    Collection

    Linda Alexander

    Alexander describes a childhood immersed in laughter and faith and experiences of navigating identity in diverse settings. She reflects on commitment to education, the cultural imprints of Juneteenth, her family legacy, and faith.

    April Reign collection

    Rowlett, TX

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    Armando Banchs

    Educator and social justice advocate

    Dallas, TX

    April Reign
    Collection

    Armando Banchs

    Banchs reflects on his upbringing as an army brat with Puerto Rican roots, the dynamics of racial identity in Texas, his dedication to education and community work in Dallas, and his hopes for his children's future.

    April Reign collection

    Dallas, TX

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    Ada Bello

    Activist, founder of Philadelpha Daughters of Bilitis chapter

    Philadelphia, PA

    Denice Frohman
    Collection

    Ada Bello

    Bello reminisces about her early life in Cuba, moving to the US for education, and navigating life as a gay Cuban immigrant. She also discusses her activism and experiences co-editing the Daughters of Bilitis newsletter.

    Denice Frohman collection

    Philadelphia, PA

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    Shereen Beverly

    OB-GYN turned financial services professional

    Los Angeles, CA

    Robin Coste Lewis
    Collection

    Shereen Beverly

    Beverly discusses her experience as a Black OB-GYN navigating inequities in healthcare, her childhood marked by activism, and her leap from medicine to financial planning, aspiring to empower Black financial literacy and wealth.

    Robin Coste Lewis collection

    Los Angeles, CA

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    Ruth Boirie

    Brooklyn barber shop owner and LGBTQ+ advocate

    Brooklyn, NY

    Denice Frohman
    Collection

    Ruth Boirie

    Drawing from her life experiences in Brooklyn, Boirie shares her journey as a pioneering gay barber, reflecting on opening her own shop, creating sanctuary, and the importance of community, mentorship, and staying true to oneself.

    Denice Frohman collection

    Brooklyn, NY

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    Velynn Brown

    Faith & Equity founder, anti-racist facilitator, and community healer

    Portland, OR

    Renée Watson
    Collection

    Velynn Brown

    Brown recounts her life in Portland, Oregon, highlighting her family's deep roots in the community, struggles with maintaining identity amidst gentrification, efforts to preserve Black culture, and finding joy despite grief.

    Renée Watson collection

    Portland, OR

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    # Politics

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    Julian Dorcelien

    Brooklyn-born, Connecticut-raised owner of a historic guesthouse

    New York, NY

    Jenna "J" Wortham
    Collection

    Julian Dorcelien

    Dorcelien discusses his evolving connection to Fire Island, the Pines, and Cherry Grove, touching on their significance for queer and Black communities and his commitment to maintaining safe spaces for queer people.

    Jenna "J" Wortham collection

    New York, NY

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    Michell Houston

    Professor of nursing and Juneteenth historian

    McKinney, TX

    April Reign
    Collection

    Michell Houston

    Having journeyed from Chicago to Texas, Houston reflects on her family's history and her nursing career. She also discusses raising an adopted son, her transition to academia, and understanding Juneteenth's significance.

    April Reign collection

    McKinney, TX

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    Dana Johnson

    Writer and professor exploring gender, race, class, and identity

    Los Angeles, CA

    Robin Coste Lewis
    Collection

    Dana Johnson

    Johnson discusses her journey from a Los Angeles childhood marked by creativity and rebellion, through her academic advancement and struggles as a female writer, to her current life as an acclaimed author and professor.

    Robin Coste Lewis collection

    Los Angeles, CA

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    Sylvester Harvey Jr.

    Chicago native and retired park police officer

    Chicago, IL

    Eve Ewing
    Collection

    Sylvester Harvey Jr.

    Harvey discusses his upbringing in Chicago and Brookhaven, Mississippi, detailing his experiences with racial tension, family dynamics, personal growth amidst societal shifts and finding oneself through service and travel.

    Eve Ewing collection

    Chicago, IL

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    Christine Kim

    Influential curator focusing on artists of color and modern technology

    Los Angeles, CA

    Robin Coste Lewis
    Collection

    Christine Kim

    Kim details her upbringing in the Bay Area, her parents' immigrant journey, her work at Harlem's Studio Museum, her exploration of Black and Asian art, and recent projects that aim to memorialize and celebrate community histories.

    Robin Coste Lewis collection

    Los Angeles, CA

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    Michelle Lewis

    Wellness practitioner and co-founder of Portland's only Black-owned bookstore

    Portland, OR

    Renée Watson
    Collection

    Michelle Lewis

    Lewis recounts her journey from a childhood in Portland to awakenings through military service and motherhood. She also details becoming a light worker and bookstore founder, inspired by ancestral wisdom and recovered histories.

    Renée Watson collection

    Portland, OR

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    Yoseñio Lewis

    Activist, educator, and advocate for queer and trans rights

    San Francisco, CA

    Carolina De Robertis
    Collection

    Yoseñio Lewis

    Lewis reflects on his journey of self-identification, from growing up feeling disconnected from his community to finding a sense of belonging, overcoming internalized prejudice, as well as advocating for trans and queer rights.

    Carolina De Robertis collection

    San Francisco, CA

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    Lenton Malry

    New Mexico's first African American state representative

    Albuquerque, NM

    Ellery Washington
    Collection

    Lenton Malry

    Malry reflects on his life experiences, including growing up on a Louisiana farm, teaching on Navajo reservations, becoming Albuquerque’s first Black principal, and his impact as the state's first Black representative.

    Ellery Washington collection

    Albuquerque, NM

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    Joyce McClellan

    Chief Development and Diversity Officer at Tulsa Technology Center

    Tulsa, OK

    Caleb Gayle
    Collection

    Joyce McClellan

    McClellan discusses her community-centered childhood in Tulsa, education and achievements in adulthood, work at American Airlines, leadership at the Tulsa Technology Center, and future aspirations in educational leadership.

    Caleb Gayle collection

    Tulsa, OK

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    # Gender Identity

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    Natalie Owens

    Louisiana-born Pasadena resident and healthcare worker

    Los Angeles, CA

    Robin Coste Lewis
    Collection

    Natalie Owens

    Owens charts her own life experiences against the changing social and cultural fabric of America, describing her marriages, family dynamics, education, while offering an important glimpse at 20th-century Black life in Los Angeles.

    Robin Coste Lewis collection

    Los Angeles, CA

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    Cryille Phipps
    Maria-Elena Grant

    Long-time partners and visitors of Cherry Grove

    Fire Island, NY

    Jenna "J" Wortham
    Collection

    Cryille Phipps
    Maria-Elena Grant

    Phipps and Grant share their evolution as a couple, reflections on gentrification in New York, cherished summers in Cherry Grove, and their pursuit of community, joy, and solace amidst changing landscapes and social dynamics.

    Jenna "J" Wortham collection

    Fire Island, NY

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    Joe Powdrell

    Veteran, Albuquerque community leader, and NAACP President

    Albuquerque, NM

    Ellery Washington
    Collection

    Joe Powdrell

    Powdrell reflects on life in segregated rural Texas, his family's move to Albuquerque, his education and athletic achievements, and the establishment of a successful family business intertwined with cultural heritage and activism.

    Ellery Washington collection

    Albuquerque, NM

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    Cheryl Russey

    Long-time educator and Albuquerque native

    Albuquerque, NM

    Ellery Washington
    Collection

    Cheryl Russey

    Russey shares her deep roots in Albuquerque, reflecting on her family's legacy, her career as a public school teacher for 45 years, raising children in a changing city, and her community involvement through church and relationships.

    Ellery Washington collection

    Albuquerque, NM

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    Melissa Smith-Hohnstein

    Clinical director, adoptee, and child advocate

    Portland, OR

    Renée Watson
    Collection

    Melissa Smith-Hohnstein

    Smith Hohnstein reflects on foster care, adoption complexities, her search for and reunion with her biological family, motherhood, navigating identity, and the implications of her heritage in personal and professional life.

    Renée Watson collection

    Portland, OR

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    Vada Tate

    New Orleans native, government retiree, and world traveler

    Los Angeles, CA

    Robin Coste Lewis
    Collection

    Vada Tate

    Drawing from a lifetime of experiences, Tate reflects on being a military spouse, raising four children, embracing life in the desert, finding strength in faith, her government career, and her values.

    Robin Coste Lewis collection

    Los Angeles, CA

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    Francisco Treviño

    Nonprofit leader and former head of Tulsa Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

    Tulsa, OK

    Caleb Gayle
    Collection

    Francisco Treviño

    Born in Monterrey, Treviño reflects on culturally adapting to Oklahoma, challenges in the education system, and his extensive community work focusing on immigrant rights, preservation, and cross-community understanding.

    Caleb Gayle collection

    Tulsa, OK

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    Clarence Washington

    Retired engineer, faith-based author, and pastor

    Albuquerque, NM

    Ellery Washington
    Collection

    Clarence Washington

    Washington shares his journey from Chicago to Albuquerque in 1964, discussing his work at Sandia Labs, efforts to enhance the local Black community, the joy of fishing in New Mexico's lakes, and his work as an author and pastor.

    Ellery Washington collection

    Albuquerque, NM

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    Floyd Webb

    Film professional, photographer, and founder of Blacklight Festival

    Chicago, IL

    Eve Ewing
    Collection

    Floyd Webb

    Webb reflects on witnessing the Great Migration, becoming a photojournalist and filmmaker influenced by social movements, his encounters with Fred Hampton, and the impact of historical figures and events on work and philosophy.

    Eve Ewing collection

    Chicago, IL

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    Robert Williams

    Teacher, writer, and photographer

    Los Angeles, CA

    Robin Coste Lewis
    Collection

    Robert Williams

    Williams details his upbringing in Pasadena, his experiences growing up as a Black man, exploring his sexuality, artistic endeavors, friendships, and his family's history—including connections to the Tuskegee Airmen.

    Robin Coste Lewis collection

    Los Angeles, CA

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    ‘These are little victories that are worth celebrating.’
    Nancy Rosado & Myrna Villalobos
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