Latinx Voices of Southern Nevada

In December 2017, the National Endowment for the Humanities awarded a $100,000 challenge grant to the UNLV University Libraries to launch a project titled Latinx Voices of Southern Nevada.Under the direction of Claytee White, the Director of our Oral History Research Center, and Barbara Tabach, our project coordinator, we will hire 8-12 bilingual UNLV students to collect 90 oral histories from Latinx residents of Southern Nevada. These in-depth oral histories will capture the life stories and perspectives of these individuals, and will cover topics such as immigration and settlement, aspirations and challenges, family life, employment and economic issues, religion and culture, gender, neighborhoods and businesses, politics, social and community events, discrimination, activism, and more. In addition, we will host three community events to encourage dialogue between generations about their experiences living and working in Southern Nevada.

Why are the life stories of Southern Nevada’s Latinx communities important to preserve and share? These individuals and groups have played a significant role in Southern Nevada’s history, but are underrepresented in our region’s historical record. Today, approximately 29% of Southern Nevada’s residents and more than 25% of UNLV’s student body are Latinx. We want to ensure that the contributions of these diverse communities are part of our region’s historical record and that future generations can learn more about their achievements, aspirations, and experiences. By collecting oral histories, we will weave a more diverse, comprehensive tapestry about the lives and thoughts of all our residents for the future to study.