Brother Simon-H=a Phan was born in Saigon, Vietnam. Phan left Vietnam near the end of the war by helicopter from the U.S. embassy before the country fell to the Communist Party. Phan and his family sought refuge in Colorado and California. He later made his way to Minnesota to join the Benedictine monastery and completed college in the seminary. He then acquired a Bachelor of Fine Arts in painting and a Masters of Fine Arts in film. He teaches at St. John's University in Collegeville, Minnesota. Subjects discussed include: Family background - Vietnam War - immigration - childhood memories - family business - seeking refuge from the Communists shelling the air force base - warfare and traumatic experiences - education - Asians in Vietnam and America - film and art - religion - celebrating Vietnamese culture - feeling discrimination as a minority - Vietnam Culture camp - being bilingual in Vietnamese and English - and the Vietnamese community.
Kilamphong Kounlavong was born in Savanhnakhet, Laos. Subjects discussed include: Escaping Laos in 1975 - living in a Thai refugee camp - coming to Warroad, Minnesota from Thai refugee camps - Lao community in Warroad, Minnesota - going back to visit family in Laos. COMMENTS ON INTERVIEW: The interview is conducted in Laotian but the transcript has been translated into English.
JinHee Darmer was born in Pusan, South Korea. She immigrated first to Iowa then moved to Minnesota and graduated from the University of Minnesota. SUBJECTS DISCUSSED: Coming to the United States - marrying an American - being a single mom - working multiple jobs - her family - college - discrimination in the workplace - her son growing up and his difficulties being half American half Korean - Korean adoptees finding their birth parents - Korean American Women's Association.
Deepak Nath was born in the U.S. His parents emigrated from India in the 1960s. He attended school in Minnesota and college in Massachusetts. SUBJECTS DISCUSSED: Parents, familiarity with parents' language, childhood memories, socializing with other Indians, maintaining ties to India - family values - discrimination, high school memories, religion, future plans, travels to India, Indian films - Babson Dance Ensemble (Massachusetts) - college life and experiences - balancing Western and Indian cultures, advantages and disadvantages of being a child of immigrant parents.
Neena Gada was born in India and immigrated to the U.S. as an adult. She is one of the founding members of SILC. She has served as a teacher, administrator and board member. SUBJECTS DISCUSSED: Personal background; founding of SILC; purpose and goals of SILC; first day; organizational structure tuition; student and staff recruitment; managing an all volunteer organization; teaching materials; experiences as a teacher; rewards and challenges of teaching; school board; enrollment; secularity; outreach activities; maintaining ties; important visitors; discipline; special events; Festival of Nations; programming for adopted children; parental perspective; SILC experience and trips to India.
Bingkun Chen was born December 4, 1961 in Hegang in Heilongjiang province China. He earned a PhD in pathology from Kochi University in Japan and an MBA from the University of Minnesota. At the time of the interview he was working at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Subjects discussed include: Early life in China - religion - early education and medical school in China and then Germany and Japan - coming to the Minnesota to work for the Mayo Clinic - working for the Mayo Clinic - family in Minnesota - going back to China - living in Rochester, Minnesota - the Chinese community in Rochester - being grateful - diversity.
Tenzin Khenrab was born in Bhandara, India. He grew up in Dharamsala attending the Tibetan Children's Village (TCV). Khenrab moved to the United States in 1997. SUBJECTS DISCUSSED: Parents, family, siblings, Tibetan Children's Village (TCV), difficulties adjusting to American teaching styles, college experiences, youth, future education plans, English, working in the United States, adjusting to food in the U.S., music, Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC), activism, community, citizenship, differences and similarities between Tibetan and American culture, Tibetan Green Book.
Val Vargas was born in Minneapolis. Vargas grew up in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota and later in New Brighton. She attended Oklahoma City University and studied accounting. She worked at Metropolitan Economic Development Association as a business consultant and owns the Vargas Company. Vargas is the founder and current president of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Minnesota. SUBJECTS DISCUSSED: Jobs held - family background - Catholic religion - lack of Latino community in Minnesota - Latino culture and foods - Lake Street - being bilingual in Spanish and English - financial struggles growing up - childhood - Chicanos Latinos Unidos En Servicio - Choices - lack of services for Latino community - growing Latino population - emphasis on Spanish language - layoffs - budget cuts - and politics.
Martha Noyola was born in Houston Texas - her parents are immigrants from Mexico. She graduated from the University of California-Berkeley and works as a multicultural academic advisor for St. Cloud State University. She has served on the board of the Multicultural Center for Central Minnesota, and worked or volunteered for the Latino Coalition, Community Development Coalition, and National Latina Health Organization, and Catholic Charities. SUBJECTS DISCUSSED: Early life - family decision to come to the United States - crossing the border - education and fitting in at school - going away to college - gender roles in family and school - volunteering - family expectations of going to college - moving to Minnesota - racism in small town Minnesota - Latino community in and around St. Cloud - Catholic Charities - nonprofit work - working for St. Cloud State as a multicultural advisor - establishing a community within St. Cloud - being a mom and raising children in a predominantly white community - hopes for the Latino community to become more visible in central Minnesota.
Chanmany Sysengchanh was born in 1983 in a refugee camp in Napo, Thailand. His parents were refugees from Laos. At the time of the interview he was working for Saint Cloud University as part of a pre-college program for minorities. Subjects discussed include: Early life and family - coming to Minnesota as an infant - his parents silence about their struggles in Laos and Thailand - living in a large Lao community in south Minneapolis from an early age - going to school, and not speaking English - excelling at school - struggling to identify as Lao or American - working for Saint Cloud State University and the importance of higher education - helping kids get into college - being a positive Asian role model in the school environment - his writing and poetry - being the first in his family to graduate high school - how tempting it was to sell drugs or steal - thinking college was out of his reach - Asians clubs and support groups - his influence on a younger generation of Lao kids - his hope for more Lao civil engagement in the community - being happy that he ended up in Minnesota.
Manuel Guerrero was born in Indiana and was brought up in Catholic schools. Guerrero attended the University of Notre Dame and later law school at Indiana University. He practiced law in Marion, Indiana and was elected as a state court judge. He landed a professor position to teach criminal justice at the University of Minnesota. Guerrero pursued his second law degree in juvenile law at Georgetown University, but afterward moved back to Minnesota. He gave back to the community by heading the Chicano Latino Resource Center and forming the Minnesota Latino Federation. He aspires to have the Latino community become more educated and involved in Minnesota. SUBJECTS DISCUSSED: Family support - immigration - baseball - scholarships - Latino culture - lack of diversity - his education path - Latino community - Chicano Studies Department at the University of Minnesota - growing diversity in Minneapolis - drug use and poverty in Latino communities - racism differences in the metro area compared to rural cities in Minnesota - and a Latino voice in politics.
Patrick Faunillan was born in Quezon City, Philippines but moved to the United States when he was three years old. He graduated as Salutatorian from the Main Street School of Performing Arts in Hopkins, Minnesota. He is a student at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota and hopes to become a nurse anesthetist. SUBJECTS DISCUSSED: Childhood in the U.S. and Philippines - transportation - Filipino foods - family structure - education - high school - theatre - dance - college - Filipino-American Youth Organization - volunteering - heroes - race and growing up - goals.
Phiengtavanh Savatdy was born in 1981 in Vientiane, Laos. She enlisted in the Army National Guard, and attended St. Cloud College. Subjects discussed include: Early life in Laos - nicknames given to her as a child - coming to the United States - coming to Minnesota and going to public schools in Minneapolis - being different and wanting to fit in - educational achievements - becoming a citizen and enlisting in the National Guard - coming home from Iraq and going to college - being active in extracurricular groups in college - not being active in the local Lao community - personal, and career goals and goals for the Lao community.
Abdi Sheikh is from Somalia and came to Minneapolis in 2001. He attended Abraham Lincoln High School and transferred to Wellstone International High School. After high school graduation he plans on attending Normandale Community College. SUBJECTS DISCUSSED: Attending Koraning School in Kenya; moving to Nairobi from Somalia; troubles with the police in Kenya; learning English and Swahili; thoughts on America pre-immigration; leaving friends in Kenya; immigrating to the United States; struggling in high school; transferring to Wellstone International High School; being interested in religious history; high school graduation; plans to attend Normandale Community College; recreational activities in the city.
Frank Rodriguez was born March 28, 1920, in Sheridan, Wyoming, moved to St. Paul at age two, and was educated in the St. Paul schools. Subjects discussed include: Family life on the lower West Side of St. Paul while he was growing up during the Depression - his interest in athletics - his activities with the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party - his work with the Hod Carriers' Building and Common Laborers' Union, Local 132 - his involvement in Our Lady of Guadalupe Church and various civic organizations - and the importance of his Mexican heritage.
Ida Levitan Sanders was born in Russia in 1900 and arrived in Minneapolis in 1905. She married Max Sanders - they had two children, David and Mrs. Deera Tychman. She is an active member of Talmud Torah Auxiliary and Alumni and is a founder of Young People's Synagogue and Beth El Synagogue. SUBJECTS DISCUSSED: Early childhood experiences - secular and religious education - the founding and early history of Minneapolis Talmud Torah - anti-Semitism - the Depression - her home and neighborhood - and child-rearing experiences.
Noi Sinkasem was born in Bangkok, Thailand on September 20, 1961. At the time of the interview she owned a Sawatdee Thai restaurant in Saint Cloud, Minnesota. Subjects discussed include: Early life and family in Thailand - education - coming to the United States - applying to immigrate and waiting - going back to school in Minnesota - moving to Saint Cloud, Minnesota - owning Sawatdee Thai food restaurant in Saint Cloud - difficult owning a business and being a minority - her children.
