History Commons^™

We Exist Series 1: Family - Quotes, Lance Gibbs Phd

Series 1: Family - Quotes

In this section, we have selected quotes that represent how Black residents in Maine view their family life. The quotes are taken from transcripts of the oral history project “Home Is Where I Make It”: African American Community and Activism in Greater Portland, Maine.” The interview subjects are all native to Maine or are longtime residents of Maine. The original intent of the “Home Is Where I Make It” project was to highlight Black residents’ history and struggle for community in southern Maine in both their formal organizational memberships and day-to-day activities. The interviews, however, unearthed a wealth …

On Many Routes: Internal, European, And Transatlantic Migration In The Late Habsburg Empire, Annemarie Steidl

Central European Studies

On Many Routes is about the history of human migration. With a focus on the Habsburg Empire, this innovative work presents an integrated and creative study of spatial mobilities: from short to long term, and intranational and inter-European to transatlantic. Migration was not just relegated to city folk, but likewise was the reality for rural dwellers, and we gain a better understanding of how sending and receiving states and shipping companies worked together to regulate migration and shape populations.

Bringing historical census data, governmental statistics, and ship manifests into conversation with centuries-old migration patterns of servants, agricultural workers, seasonal laborers, …

French Canadian Heritage In New England, Emmanuel Kayembe Phd

Original Research

Readings on French culture and history in Canada and the United States.

Creole & Multiracial (Research Report #122), Michael Cope, Nile Patterson, Mark Schafer, Dari Green, Amanda Cowley, Troy Blanchard

LSU AgCenter Research Reports

This is the eighth in this series of reviews. This review focuses primarily on the Creoles. It also describes some multiracial groups with a historical presence, as well as the current trends in multiracial identity in the Gulf of Mexico region. Concentrated in coastal Louisiana, Creoles represent one of the larger and more well-known multiracial (or mixed-race) groups that have long histories in the region.

African Americans (Research Report #121), Nile Patterson, Mark J. Schafer, Troy Blanchard

LSU AgCenter Research Reports

From the early 18th century to now, African-Americans have lived in Louisiana and the other Gulf states and played an integral role in shaping the linguistic and cultural traditions of the region. The seventh in the series discusses the experiences of African-Americans in the region.

S

Oral Histories

Age when Interviewed: 21

Date of Interview: Summer 2013

Race: White

Gender: Female

Keywords: Housing insecurity, Frequent moves

ACE Factors: ---

Born in northern Minnesota, S is a White woman who participated in the Voices of Homelessness project as a junior at St. Catherine University. She first experienced homelessness in her late teens and in her interview discusses frequent moves, couch-surfing, staying with family, and the depression and anxiety she experienced trying to find safe and secure housing.

Sirena

Oral Histories

Age when Interviewed: 35

Date of Interview: Summer 2013

Race: Hispanic

Gender: Female

Keywords: Housing insecurity, Immigrant, Intergenerational poverty, Food insecurity

ACE Factors: Criminal household member, Household substance abuse

Born in the Twin Cities, Sirena is an Hispanic woman who participated in the Voices of Homeless project after graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree from St. Catherine University in the summer of 2013. Since infancy she experienced housing insecurity, with her immigrant family moving frequently in the United States and Mexico. In her interview she discusses intergenerational poverty and food insecurity.

Lahens

Oral Histories

Age when Interviewed: 29

Date of Interview: Spring 2013

Race: Haitian

Gender: Male

Keywords: Housing insecurity, Immigrant, Intergenerational poverty, Food insecurity

ACE Factors: Physical abuse, Sexual abuse, Lack of education

Born in Haiti, Lahens is a Black St. Catherine University staff member who participated in the Voices of Homelessness project.. From birth he experienced housing insecurity and spent part of his childhood in an orphanage, begging at times, and living on the streets. At age 12 he was adopted by Sister Andrea Lee (IHM), former President of St. Catherine University, who helped him immigrate to Michigan and then to Minnesota. …

Mary

Oral Histories

Age when Interviewed: 19

Date of Interview: Fall 2012

Race: African American / White

Gender: Female

Keywords: Housing insecurity, Intergenerational poverty

ACE Factors: Parental separation or divorce, Domestic violence

Born in the Twin Cities, Mary is an African American/White woman who participated in the Voices of Homelessness project as a first year student at St. Catherine University.Beginning around age 4 and then throughout her childhood she experienced homelessness, frequently being passed between parents and relatives and spending time in foster care. In her interview she discusses intergenerational poverty and her experiences, as an adolescent, couch-surfing and being kicked out of …

Nora

Oral Histories

Age when Interviewed: 25

Date of Interview: Fall 2012

Race: White

Gender: Female

Keywords: Housing insecurity, Single parent

ACE Factors: Physical abuse, Domestic violence, Household substance abuse, Criminal household member, Parental separation or divorce, Mental illness in household

Born in St. Paul, Minnesota, Nora is a single mother who participated in the Voices of Homelessness project as a junior at St. Catherine University. She experienced housing insecurity from her mid-adolescence until her mid-twenties. She went on to earn a Bachelor’s from St. Catherine University in 2014, prior to which she earned an Associate’s Degree in Health Care and Human Services. …

Helen

Oral Histories

Age when Interviewed: 23

Date of Interview: Fall 2012

Race: Hispanic

Gender: Female

Keywords: Housing insecurity, Immigrant, Frequent moves, Intergenerational poverty, Food insecurity, Domestic violence

ACE Factors: Domestic violence

Born in Florida to an immigrant Hispanic family, Helen participated in the Voices of Homelessness project as a junior at St. Catherine University. From birth she experienced housing insecurity and throughout her life her family moved frequently, often doubling up with friends and relatives. In her interview she discusses intergenerational poverty, food insecurity, and domestic violence.

Stacy

Oral Histories

Age when Interviewed: 19

Date of Interview: Fall 2012

Race: White/Asian

Gender: Female

Keywords: Housing insecurity, Frequent moves, Food insecurity

ACE Factors: Parental separation or divorce

Born in rural Minnesota, Stacy is a White/Asian woman who participated in the Voices of Homelessness project as a first year student at St. Catherine University.. She experienced housing insecurity beginning at the age of 6 and throughout her childhood. In her interview she discusses frequent moves, couch-surfing, getting kicked out of her home, and being passed around from relative to relative, as well as food insecurity and poverty.

Cajuns (Research Report #118), Crystal Paul, Amanda Cowley, Mark J. Schafer

LSU AgCenter Research Reports

This review discusses the experiences of Cajuns in the region. Acadians, or Cajuns, are a unique group of people who now reside primarily in 22 parishes in south Louisiana and are often characterized by their unique culture.

Jazz

Oral Histories

Age when Interviewed: 32

Date of Interview: Fall 2012

Race: African American

Gender: Female

Keywords: Housing insecurity, Frequent moves, Food insecurity, Intergenerational poverty, Single parent

ACE Factors: Parental separation or divorce

Born in Illinois, Jazz is an African American, LGBTQ-identified, single mother who participated in the Voices of Homelessness project as a senior at St. Catherine University. At the time of her interview, she lived in public housing and was experiencing housing insecurity. In May 2013 she graduated with a bachelor’s degree from St. Catherine University, and before that she obtained an LPN degree from a non-accredited trade school. Beginning …

Shaleen

Oral Histories

Age when Interviewed: 31

Date of Interview: Fall 2012

Race: White

Gender: Female

Keywords: Housing insecurity, Food insecurity

ACE Factors: Parental separation or divorce

Shaleen is a White woman who moved to the Twin Cities as a young child and she participated in the Voices of Homelessness project as a junior at St. Catherine University.. Prior to transferring to St. Kate’s, she earned a G.E.D. and took community college courses. Before this, starting at age 13 and throughout her adolescence, she experienced homelessness and in her interview she discusses couch-surfing and sleeping under bridges, as well as eviction from various …

Canepa Family: Thomas Canepa (Youth), Lucy Buck

Italian American Stories

As the alarm sounds, a teenager wakes up from his slumber and begins his daily routine. It is Friday morning, so after school, he’ll be able to hang out with his friends. Unfortunately, the teen, Thomas Canepa, won't be able to stay out late. The next day is Saturday, and he has to work. When he was younger, Thomas relished the freedom of playing with his friends without having any family obligations. But at age 16, Thomas has a part time job at the family business, a car wash where he pumps gas and prints receipts for customers…

Podesta Family: James (Ernie) Podesta (Elder), Brent Kaufman

Italian American Stories

James Ernest Podesta, or “Ernie” as most people call him, is today in his 80s, the proud patriarch of an Italian American family. He has traveled a long road from his adolescence when he was uncomfortable with his ethnicity, to success as an adult in business and in the broader community. His parents were immigrants from Northern Italy. They chose Northern California because its climate and terrain were similar to what they had known in Italy. They were part of the second wave of Italians to migrate to Calfornia, and like others who came with them, hailed from a rural …

Podesta Family: Pamela Salmon (Middle), Chris Bauer

Italian American Stories

Pamela Salmon wants her children and grandchildren to know that farming is a wonderful way to bring families together and to feel closer to the earth. To Pam, farming is much more than a business. Its special rewards cannot be measured in dollars and cents…

Podesta Family: Kathleen Salmon (Youth), Jessica D'Anza

Italian American Stories

Kathleen Salmon is that rare young American who thoroughly enjoys being rooted in family life. Now, 20 years old, she loves her Italian American family, its customs, teachings and celebrations. As an only child, Kathleen Salmon was the center of her parents attention. Raised on a farm in Linden, she was part of a loving, extended family. She came to value rural life—the natural surroundings and the integration of work and home. She has never rebelled against her background, but instead prided herself on the strengths and values that have framed her world…

Canepa Family: Remo Canepa (Elder), Regina Beltrama

Italian American Stories

During his first 18 years, Remo Canepa lived the conventional life of an only child. As the twinkle in mother’s eye, and the future of the family name, Remo was the source of pride and joy for his parents. They wanted only the best for him, as most parents do. But the day would soon come, when he would have to stand on his own…

Canepa Family: Steven J. Canepa (Middle), Christopher Anderson

Italian American Stories

Many early Italian immigrants to Stockton were entrepreneurs and quite industrious. Steven’s grandfather was a partner in a thriving grocery/delicatessen, and his father founded Canepa’s car wash, which has remained a family business. As others from Steven’s generation, Italians had the choice either to begin their own careers or to join an established family enterprise. At the age of 10, Steven began helping out in his father's car wash business. After he began working, he noticed his family began to treat him more like an adult…

Lo Family: Chue Lo (Elder), Nancy Snider

Hmong American Stories

At the age of 55, Chue Lo is the elder of his family. Chue was born in Laos the second of six children. While his parents might have known a time of stability in Laos, Chue and his siblings grew up with difficult and unstable conditions caused by a period of political unrest. Despite this, Chue’s parents insisted he continue to attend school. In his studies, he learned to speak several languages in addition to his native Hmong. According to Chue, there are no specific rituals to signify coming-of-age. His family recognized him as an adult when he had completed …

Lo Family: Shoua Lo (Middle), Amy E. Smith

Hmong American Stories

Coming-of-age can happen abruptly, through a single experience—or it can be a process. For Shoua Lo, a cheerful man who laughs easily, the process began at age 19, when he decided to marry and start a family of his own. For Americans of all ethnicities, starting a family is a rite of passage that can open the door of adulthood. When you have children of your own, it is harder to continue to think of yourself as a child. Shoua, born the second oldest in a family of seven sons and three daughters, knew very well what sort of responsibilities …

Lo Family: Teng Lo (Elder), Amy E. Smith

Hmong American Stories

“If you work like a slave first—eventually, you’ll get to eat and live like a leader. If you eat and live like a leader first—eventually, you’ll have to eat and live like a slave.”

These are words of wisdom, words that anyone can learn from. They’re words that Teng Lo has never forgotten. Now seventy years old, he has learned many things in life—but those words, spoken by his Hmong elders, are as meaningful today as when he first heard them, years ago and in a very different place, as a twelve-year-old boy.

Lo Family: William Yang (Youth), Christina Conrardy

Hmong American Stories

Seeing San Francisco for the first time, at the age of three, after immigrating from Loas will always be a special memory for William Yang now age 16. The sky scrapers of San Francisco were a great contrast to the jungles and life he had just left. In Laos, he lived with his family in a typical rural village where the houses were made of bamboo, thatched roofs and had dirt floors. The villagers would work in their fields to gather food, which they cooked on an open fire. Leaving his parents behind, accompanied only by his grandfather, the trip …

Lo Family: Toubee Yang (Middle), Andrew Gelber

Hmong American Stories

Toubee Yang is a Stockton citizen who traveled over the ocean from his birthplace to find a new home and culture that he now embraces. His life is memorable partly because of the experiences he has had traveling and learning about the culture of the United States. His story is about a family broken in the aftermath of the Vietnam War, of a child growing up in a nation that did not readily respect his heritage, and also as a refugee in a totally foreign environment…

Lo Family: John Lo (Youth), Jillian Altfest

Hmong American Stories

John Lo’s parents were often away from the home, so John took on the parental responsibilities when they were gone. By age 13, he cooked, cleaned and took care of his younger brothers and sisters. Older siblings were not available to help. Although often frustrated, he accepted these responsibilities. Looking back he feels he did a good job; in fact, this may have been his first step toward adulthood…

Juanitas Family: Eudosia Juanitas (Elder), Tucker Corriveau

Filipino American Stories

Eudosia Juanitas is a registered nurse among a family of physicians, pharmacists and scientists. Upon first glance, it might appear that Eudosia simply took advantage of the opportunities presented to a woman in a privileged family. However, deeper inspection reveals a woman who has fought against difficult odds to create a life of realized dreams…

Juanitas Family: P. Felomina Hufana (Middle), Gina Beltrama

Filipino American Stories

Football games, pep rallies, basketball games, and dances—these are the memories that Felomina cherishes most about her past. Coming from a large family of seven children, there was always something going on in the Juanitas’ household. Attending cultural events, along with high school activities, was a significant part of life for Felomina and it is something that she still treasures today…

Carido Family: Gloria Nomura (Middle), G. Lee

Filipino American Stories

Gloria Carido Nomura was the second to youngest child in a large, close-knit family. Until she was 11 years old, Gloria spent her days as did many youngsters: doing a few chores, but mostly going to school and playing with her friends. Sometimes, she would daydream about what she would do when she got older—places she might visit, where she might attend school, jobs she might attain. As a child, there was always an adult to supervise and guide her…