FHS Oral History Project
The Florida Historical Society Oral History Project is an effort to continue diversifying the archival collections at our Library of Florida History by creating a digital and physical archive of oral histories, focusing on diverse and typically underserved communities in our state. These interviews preserve personal recollections, experiences, and perspectives on past events. These interviews capture the voices and memories of individuals who lived through significant historical periods, contributing to a richer understanding of the past.
FHS Oral History Project – Valerie Boey Ramsey Click for full page.
Valerie Boey Ramsey was born in New York in 1967. She recollected memories of her upbringing, particularly growing up in a middle-class Chinese home in New York. She shared stories of her family’s Asian lineage. In 1991, Valerie moved to Florida to work for WINK News in Fort Myers. In 2003, TSP Tampa hired her, initially covering state...
Valerie Boey Ramsey, oral history
Daniel Lam was born in Providence, Rhode Island, in 1990. Daniel recounted his upbringing, particularly the cultural and ethnic challenges he faced growing up as a Cambodian American, as well as stories he learned from his family as refugees from the Khmer Rouge, Pol Pot Cambodian killings. Around 2005, Daniel and his family moved to Palm Coast,...
Daniel Lam, oral history
FHS Oral History Project – Brittney Keophoxay-Lam Click for full page.
Brittney Keophoxay-Lam was born in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, in 1993. She recollected stories that her family had passed down about their experiences in Laos, particularly how the Laotian Civil War, which lasted from the 1950s to the 1970s, affected them. Her father unofficially served in the Royal Lao Army and survived a harrowing incident in which he witnessed the death...
Brittney Keophoxay-Lam, oral history
FHS Oral History Project – Silvia Huddleston Click for full page.
Silvia Huddleston was born in Lima, Peru, in 1969. She recollected memories of her upbringing in Lima, particularly the challenges growing up with terrorist attacks across the city during the 1970s and 1980s. Silvia discovered dance as a way to gain a deeper understanding of her native culture, one in which, as she explained, Peruvian schools did not...
Silvia Huddleston, oral history
Paulina Lu was born in Shanghai, China, in 1971. She recounted memories of her upbringing, particularly growing up in the hospital as her parents worked as physicians. At the age of eleven, the state-sponsored Chinese Ballet Society selected Paulina to attend the Shanghai Dance School, a boarding school in which students professionalize in ballet dancing....
Paulina Lu, oral history
FHS Oral History Project – Kymbat Iglikova Click for full page.
Kymbat Iglikova was born in Talshik, Kazakhstan, in 1984. She recounted memories of her upbringing, particularly the uncertainty that followed Kazakhstan’s independence after the fall of the Soviet Union, as well as fond recollections of her parents and grandparents. Kymbat wished to pursue a career in chemistry; however, her mother discouraged her...
Kymbat Iglikova, oral history
Puxiao Cen was born in Guangzhou City, China, in 1968. She recounted her upbringing, particularly her father’s crucial influence in developing an affinity for medicine, as well as her understanding of the centrality of self-critical thinking and questioning while living under the Chinese communist regime during the 1970s and 1980s. In addition to...
Puxiao Cen, oral history
Gauen Lee was born in Cheongju, South Korea, in 2001. She recollected memories of her upbringing, particularly her fascination with living abroad and her frustration with adhering to cultural norms, such as respecting elders. The combination of these factors prompted her to leave South Korea and emigrate to Florida in 2018 through a student exchange...
Gauen Lee, oral history
FHS Oral History Project – Matthew Peddie Click for full page.
Matthew Peddie was born in Saskatoon, Canada, in 1976. At around a year old, Matthew and his family moved to Christchurch, New Zealand, after a brief stint in England from Canada. Matthew recollected memories of his upbringing in New Zealand, particularly enjoying the various outdoor activities offered by Christchurch's diverse landscape. Matthew...
Mathew Peddie, oral history
Lai Fai “Anne” Tsoi was born in Hong Kong in 1958. Anne recollected memories of her upbringing, particularly growing up in a single-mother household. As the eldest child, Anne understood that she needed to fill in the vacancy of her father, who was held in a concentration camp by the Chinese government, and began working...
Annee Tsoi, oral history
FHS Oral History Project – Akshay Manohar Click for full page.
Akshay Manohar was born in New York City in 1986. Only roughly a year old, his family moved to Bombay, India, where Akshay spent most of his formative years. He particularly recollected memories of attending a boarding school in India. After completing the boarding school in 1999, Akshay returned to the United States, specifically Gaithersburg,...
Akshay Manohar, oral history
FHS Oral History Project – Asawin “AJ” Jockkeaw Click for full page.
Asawin “AJ” Jockkeaw was born in Bangkok, Thailand, in 1970. AJ recollected memories of his formative years, particularly the linguistic challenges he faced when he and his family moved from Bangkok to Northern Thailand. At the age of eighteen, AJ worked as a professional musician, citing financial difficulties as the primary reason for performing in...
Asawin “AJ” Jockkeaw, oral history
Xiongwei “Will” Cao was born in Hangzhou, China, in 1977. Will recounted his upbringing, particularly the economic challenges his parents faced as poor communal farmers. He shared stories that his family passed down regarding China’s Cultural Revolution from 1966 to 1976, particularly how the Red Guards tortured his great-great maternal grandmother...
Will Cao, oral history
FHS Oral History Project – Lisa Gong Guerrero Click for full page.
Lisa Gong Guerrero was born in Guangdong Province, China, in 1977. Lisa emigrated to Tampa, Florida, at around five years old with her family. She explained the circumstances that prompted her family to leave China, emphasizing the limited opportunities, especially for young girls and women. Lisa recalled her K12 education experiences, particularly...
Lisa Gong Guerrero, oral history
FHS Oral History Project – Kannan Srinivasan Click for full page.
Kannan Srinivasan was born in Madras, India, in 1966. Kannan recalled stories that his family passed down about India’s independence movement in 1947, particularly how his father’s participation and how Mahatma Gandhi encouraged him not to abandon his studies for the fight for freedom. Inspired by his father’s engineering career, Kannan studied...
Kannon Srinivasan, oral history
FHS Oral History Project – Adrianna Tran Click for full page.
Adrianna Tran was born in Pine Hills, Florida, in 1998. She recalled memories of her upbringing, particularly the stories she learned about her family’s Vietnamese heritage. Her maternal grandparents left Vietnam with their four children in 1985, experiencing the aftermath of the fall of Saigon in 1975. Additionally, Adrianna recounted her schooling...
Adrianna Tran, oral history
Hana Son was born in Grozny, Chechnya, Russia, in 1986. Hana recounted her upbringing, particularly how the increasingly violent circumstances in Chechnya at the turn of the 1990s prompted her father to move the entire family to Kazakhstan. Hana explained her Koryo-Saram heritage and how it presented unique opportunities and challenges in all phases...
Hana Son, oral history
Henry Kwan was born in Winter Park, Florida, in 1988. His parents fled China in the early 1980s. Henry recollected stories his grandmother told about China’s authoritarian regime, particularly memories about Mao Zedong’s Cultural Revolution in the 1960s and 1970s. In addition to seeking economic prosperity, these conditions prompted Henry’s...
Henry Kwan, oral history
Shally Wong was born in Kowloon, Hong Kong, in 1969. She recounted her upbringing, particularly growing up in a single-mother household as the youngest of four. She mentioned how the Cultural Revolution in China affected her family, particularly her father’s absence during her early years. She recalled the financial difficulties...
Shally Wong, oral history
Mina Raky was born in Cairo, Egypt, in 1981. Mina recounted his upbringing in Cairo, specifically the challenges he faced as a religious minority practicing Christianity in a Muslim-majority country. His mom recognized his musical talents at an early age, and he attended the Conservatoire to learn how to play the piano professionally. Mina deepened...
Mina Raky, oral history
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