Olivia Yancey's Oral History Project

Interviewing Ma

My Grandmother, Willene Collins, was born December 28, 1940, in a small town in the city of Tulsa, Oklahoma called Tallahassee. She grew up there with her 3 sisters and her baby brother. At the age of 18, just after her high school graduation, she moved to San Francisco to live with her maternal grandparents for school, just like me! She attended San Francisco City College to study business. She at first wanted to become a dental hygienist but that, and school got put to the wayside as she got married and started her family. At age 26, going on 27, she gave birth to my mother Adrienne, and her sister Lisa 3 years later. From her two girls, she has 5 grandchildren including me. We spent many holidays and breaks up here in San Fran visiting her and my grandfather. While in her presence, she uses the wisdom she has garnered throughout her life to teach us and make us better people; although we didn't always appreciate it. Still, throughout her moving away from home, the civil rights movement, raising a family and having to deal with their bratty offspring, retiring, and my grandfather’s death, she has always used God as a pillar of support to push her forward.

Table of Contents

1. Childhood

2. Family, Education, and Work

3. Growing older, God, and your favorite part of being. . .

Segment 1

0:03 - 1:01 What was it like growing up in the South, in Oklahoma?

1:01 – 2:04 Did you experience any hate growing up there?

2:04 – 3:15 Why did you decide to move to San Francisco?

3:15 – 4:21 What was it like living through the civil rights movement?

Segment 2

4:21 – 5:17 What was it like getting married and having kids?      

5:17 – 6:10 Did you ever feel like you wished you waited longer to get married?
6:10 – 7:05 You decided to go back to school after starting your family, can you tell me a
little bit about that?
7:05 – 7:32 Do you ever feel resentment. . .? (In response to the answer of the last question)
7:32 – 8:46 While going to school and starting your career did you ever face any prejudices?
8:46 – 9:54 What job was that, that you were happy about? (In response to the answer of
the last question)

Segment 3

9:54 – 11:06 What has it been like growing older, and how has God and church played a role

in your life?
11:06 – 12:27 What’s your favorite part about being a woman in America?
12:27 – 13:03 What’s your favorite part about being black?

In Conclusion:

Being able to interview my Grandmother was such an honor. Getting to know more about her, things I didn't even try to know, really made me love and appreciate her more. It also opened my eyes to the fact that I take for granted everything she does for me. She's done so much for me like letting me stay with her rent free, eating all her food, while I go to school getting my education. Not a lot of people would do that even for the people they love. She is honestly, truly, genuinely one of the most amazing women, that I just so happen have the pleasure to love.

The Niqabi Life: Zahia Khan

                                            The Niqabi Life: By Raeesah Khan

I got the opportunity to interview my cousin Zahia Khan, who is a niqabi. I got to learn more about her, her lifestyle and why she chooses to cover.

Table of contents:

Background

What is niqab?

Daily Life

Headlines

 Segment #1 Background: Zahia speaks about her family background and talks a little bit about her artistry.

Segment #2 What is niqab? Zahia speaks more in depth about why SHE covers as well as her concerns and challenges wearing niqab.

Segment #3 Daily life: Zahia talks about where she feels most accepted and also speaks against terrorists/terror attacks.

 

Segment #4 Headlines: In this segment Zahia answers how it feels to be Muslim post 9/11.

 

Irene Wong: Home on the Other Side of the Shore

Irene Wong: Home on the Other Side of the Shore

I interviewed my mom, Irene Wong. Since she was raised in a communist country, she was taught not to make unfavorable comments about the Chinese government out of fear of punishment. She was a bit hesitant to participate in this interview, but decided to go through with it anyway.

FAMILY BACKGROUND/LIFE IN CHINA

In the video segment above, my mom shares with us that she was born in 1959 in Guangzhou, China. Both of her parents worked in medicine: her mother in Western and her father in Chinese medicine.

My mom describes her life growing up in China as being very simple with much less options and opportunities than American citizens have. Since she (along with many others) did not have mtoys or a television, her daily routines would typically include spending her days in school, helping around the house, or enjoying time with friends.

Irene Wong: Teenage years

However, since she was born in a communist country, there were strict regulations on how much money each family could spend per month on food, clothing and even everyday objects due to their country’s over population (leading to China’s one-child policy later introduced in 1979). There were rations on everything; countless families did not have enough to eat and many children went hungry.

At the time, China had a law that required high school graduates at the age of 16 to live and work in farm villages to learn the trade. My mom was assigned to a farm village many, many miles away from her home. She was only able to visit her family once a year due to the distance and the lack of financial funds. During this time, she lived in a communal home with other students among the villagers. At the young age of 16, she had to learn to live independently without any guidance or even a familiar face. This requirement lasted 3 years. After working on the farm, she was sent to work in factories (another government requirement).

Irene Wong (left) at 17 years old with a high school friend (right) from the farming villages. 

LEAVING CHINA

My mom wanted to leave China to start a new life in the U.S. for more opportunities and options in life and for her future children. She knew that if she came to the U.S., she would be able to help her family immigrate as well and to provide a better future for her loved ones. She also felt a tinge of excitement at the thought of seeing a different part of the world and experiencing a foreign culture.

At the age of 25, she was presented with an opportunity to start a new life in the U.S., the moment felt bittersweet. She had mixed emotions of being frightened of the unknown and excitement from her newfound sense of hope. She knows she’ll miss her family and beloved friends who she must leave behind, but she is determined to succeed.      

SETTLING/LIFE IN THE U.S.

Before arriving to the U.S., my mom pictured it to be absolutely beautiful with tall buildings and skyscrapers and life in America to be very comfortable. After all, everyone back home swore that if you make it to America, you’d be filthy rich.

Once she arrived to San Francisco in 1984 with her new husband, she quickly realized life wound not be so easy. Much like her younger farming days, she found herself once again alone in a foreign environment, but she was ready to take on the challenge. Since she did not speak any English, she was confined to minimal job opportunities in Chinatown, many of which were in unfavorable working environments with very low wages. Finding a job was challenging because of the high demand and tough competition with so many other Chinese immigrants.

Irene Wong visiting Hollywood, LA 

During this time, she would spend her days at work, and then buy groceries to cook dinner and do other chores or errands, and on top of it all, she would attend a night class with other Chinese immigrants to learn English. She knew that if she learned to communicate better with other Americans, she would feel more confident leaving the comfortable, convenient bubble of Chinatown which reminds her so much of home, and she would be able to expand her job opportunities and life experiences. After all, this is her new home now, and she must adapt to survive but more so to thrive.

Mom (Irene Wong) & Me

Finally, she landed a job at a high-end restaurant in Downtown and my father worked in construction. She and my dad had to work long hours living paycheck by paycheck. Their first home in a foreign country was simply one room in a small building with communal kitchens and bathrooms in Chinatown. As the years passed, our little family grew: first my brother, then my sister, and finally me (later with our pups Max and Taro). Although she didn’t have much money, she would enjoy taking the kids to the movies for a treat. After years of saving money, she and my dad were able to move into a two-bedroom apartment at the edge of Chinatown (the brick building right next to the Stockton St. Tunnel). Later, she and my dad were able to save more money and felt confident enough to move out of Chinatown and to put a down payment on a house, and place of their very own.

REFLECTIONS

Although she’d love for her children to pass on the Chinese customs and traditions to future generations, she admits that life in America has made her adapt to the American lifestyle, especially since Chinese customs and holidays are not officially recognized or celebrated in America.

Sister (Flora) , Dad, Mom (Irene Wong), & Me on vacation in Hawaii in 2015.
Not pictured: Brother (Henry)

She often reminiscences of the delicious food back in China and would love to go visit her hometown and reconnect with old friends, but she doesn’t see herself moving back there. She enjoys the life she’s built here and cherishes the friendships she’s formed. She believes that she is living not just the “American Dream,” but living the life that that little girl working on the farm envisioned and dreamed of for herself.

Max (RIP)

Taro

Amiel Vengco Oral History

Jojo Vengco's Story

Interviewed by Amiel Vengco

My mother Jojo is a Filipina woman who was born and raised in Angeles City, Philippines. Shortly after having her second child, she moved to the United States alongside her husband and children and currently resides in California. 

Jojo and her two children during their first years in America (2005)


Table of contents 
Background and Life in Philippines
Leaving Philippines
Life in America
Being Filipino in America

Background and Life In Philippines

Jojo tells a little bit about herself and shares stories about growing up in the Philippines. 

Leaving Philippines

Jojo opens up abut her reason for leaving the Philippines and her expectations for her new life in a new country

Life in America

Jojo talks about the ups and downs of moving to a new country and the adjustments to a new life. 

Being Filipino in America

Jojo shares her stories about adjusting to American culture while still maintaining a grasp on her Filipino roots

Jojo and her two children on a plane ride back to Philippines for their yearly vacation (2014)

Oral History Project - Catherine G

My interview with Rosemary Bell

Roses journey:

by Catherine Garcia

This is professor Rosemary Bell. She was born in Brooklyn, New York in  1951. Her grandparents immigrated to the U.S from Germany in the turn of the 20th century. When Rose was in her thirties She came to the United States in 1980 and when she arrived here she thought it was a much slower paste and less crowded compare to New York. While her first couple weeks here she had second thoughts if she was going to stay or not because of number of reasons. Teaching never accrued to her as a career, she wanted discovered many opportunities in life and see what is the world about and it surprises her that she became a teacher but she loves her job more than anything. Rosemary father and mother passed away when she was younger and she believes she carried actuates from both of her parents and not so much of her to sisters she quoted "we are completely opposite". My experience with the interview was a little nervous at first but it is very interesting learning things about someone you don't know as well.

Contents

1. what made you decide to come to the U.S?
2. where there any differences between living in New York and the U.S?
3. did you have a set career when you were younger?
4. what were some actubutes did you pick up from your family?

What made you decide to come to the U.S?

Where there any difference between living in New York and the U.S?

Did you have a set career when you were younger?

What are some actibutes did you pick up from your family?

 

N. Ereikat Oral History Project

November 22, 2016

Linda's Journey:

by Nadeen Ereikat

I had the pleasure to interview my cousin Linda who was born and raised in San Francisco, California. Linda is a twenty years old Palestinian Muslim woman living in America. Even though my cousin Linda was raised in America, that never stopped her from learning about her culture and religion. It never stopped her from expressing her love and educating the world about Palestine. It was an honor to be able to interview Linda because I thought I knew everything about my cousin until I heard her speak so deeply about her devotion towards everything she has been through and fights for.

Linda's Background:
Linda gives us her background story about who is she and where she comes from. She explains her history and how her parents got to America. Linda tells us about how she began to get so involved in the Arab community and how this helped her educated herself more about Palestine and what was going on in the world.
Linda's Experiences:
Linda explains how her involvement in the Arab community followed her to college and how she joined more Palestinian groups in college to help her find herself and educate herself more on Palestine. She shared with her experiences with how she got verbally attacked and cyber bullied by people who were going against her for fighting for Palestine. She goes in depth by explaining her passion for Palestine and why it means the world to her to fight for Palestine and try her all. Linda goes on by explaining to us where she finally realized where she comes from culturally.

Linda's understanding of where she comes from:
Linda talks about when she first realized she was a true Palestinian. She shares her experience with us of how she came upon really starting to notice where she comes from and her roots. She speaks about joining the Arab Youth Organization because they also helped her educate her more on Palestine and guided her through a lot.

Understanding One Love:
Linda shares with us her experience with protesting for Palestine. She explains the pros and the cons, what she wish she could have done, and what she wish she did not do. She then tells us about how it is important for us to not only understand one person's struggle, but everyone's struggle and understanding is key so we can help the people who are lost and need guidance.

All in all:
Linda ends this interview with explaining how she did not regret anything she has done because it made her the person she is today. She continued by giving us advice to how we can better our communities and how to get active and educated.

History Oral Project

I interviewed my Mom and she was born and raised in the Philippines. She went to the United States very young and struggled fitting in, however it didn't stop her from staying within her roots and being able to be a successful woman here in America.




0:00 - 1:35 How old were you when you went to America? How was the process?

1:35 - 2:00 Was it hard to start all over in a new state? How’d you cope with it?

2:01 - 2:16 What was the most difficult adjustment you had?

2:17 - 3:05 Any differences you noticed between the United States vs the Philippines?

3:06 - 4:13 Are you happy in the United States? Would you go back?

4:14 - 5:41 Have you had more opportunities living in the U.S than the Philippines?