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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# Faith and Spirituality

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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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Muriel Miguel
Deborah Ratelle

Kuna and Rappahannock native and co-founder of the Spiderwoman Theater, seasoned theater professional

New York, NY

Natalie Diaz
Collection

Muriel Miguel
Deborah Ratelle

Muriel Miguel, alongside her wife Deborah Ratelle, reflects on her Kuna, Rappahannock heritage, founding Spiderwoman Theater, and experiences of identity, queerness, and mentorship in a multifaceted interview.

Natalie Diaz collection

New York, NY

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# Activism and Organizing

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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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