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Interviews

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Interview with Louis Lovelace and Fernando

Fernando Lastname, Louis Lovelace, Darleen Feldman, and Jen Stevens

Louis Lovelance, maneger of Fiesta Mexicana Restaurant and Fernando, an employee, talk about the differences between the United States and Mexico, the Latin community in Knox County, learning English, and immigration.
Interview with Helen Zelkowitz and Margo Waddell

Helen Zelkowitz, Margo Waddell, Christina LeStage, and Darlene Feldman

Helen Zelkowitz and Margo Waddell discuss being Jewish in a small Protestant town, their family histories, and Margo's transition from Germany to America. They mention the rise of anti-semitism in Europe again, the Berlin Wall, and their Jewish practices, despite not having a Synagogue, a Rabbi, or access to Kosher food.
Interview with Carol and Fabien Contreras

Carol Contreras, Fabien Contreras, Darleen Feldman, and Abby Kennedy

Carol and Fabien Contreras discuss the discrimination they face as a interracial couple. They explain how Fabien struggles to find a job despite being a skilled laborer, how their children struggled in school for being mixed and how they have isolated themselves to avoid hurtful comments.
Interview with Amanda Yabes and Bethany Smith

Amanda Yabes, Bethany Smith, Suzanne Nienaber, and Katie Hitchcock

Amanda Yabes and Bethany Smith discuss coming out while at Kenyon College, the gay community at school, in Mount Vernon, and in Columbus, and sexuality. They touch on their relationships, living together, and religion.
Interview with Charlie Kilkenny

Charlie Kilkenny, Jen DiLisi, and Alice McCunn

Charlie Kilkenny, an Irish American describes growing up in the Great Depression, his Irish heritage, and the Irish community in Columbus.
Interview with Henry Coeblentz

Henry Coeblentz, Molly Birkhead, and Claire Beckett

Henry Coleblentz and his two grandsons discuss Amish beliefs, the differences between the orders, their view on technology, and schooling. They explain the organization of their churches, dating in an Amish community, and their opinions of English (non-Amish) people.
Interview with Melissa Pankuch

Melissa Pankuch, Ondine Geary, and Jenny Owens

Melissa Pankuch, a single mother on welfare, explains her family history, how she came to be on welfare, her job history, and her devotion to her daughter. She talks about 'welfare addicts', self-esteem, and stereotypes in a small town.
Interview with Alejandro Gomez

Alejandro Gomez, Darleen Feldman, and Abby Kennedy

Alejandro Gomez, a young engineer from Caracas, Venezuela explains what it's like living in small town Mount Vernon, Ohio and how the community received him. He compares discriminatory practices in the United States with Venezuela, wonders about rednecks, and comments on the Spanish speaking community in Mount Vernon.
Interview with Bob Bennett

Bob Bennett, Kate Hitchcock, and Suzanne Nienaber

Bob Bennett, a homosexual professor at Kenyon College, describes coming out to students and co-workers, the discrimination he and his partner have faced over their lifetime, and how things have changed in public opinion since his youth. He addresses the theory of homosexuality as innate or as a choice, and describes his relationship with the Episcopal Church.
Interview with Harold Bower

Harold Bower and Seth Swihart

Harold Bower discusses his Native American heritage, the history of various tribes, conditions on reservations, and the discrimination he faces for identifying his Seneca ancestors. He explains why he moved to Knox County and why many members of the community who could identify as Native American choose not to.
Interview with Louis Lovelace

Louis Lovelace, Darleen Feldman, and Abby Kennedy

Louis Lovelance, owner of Fiesta Mexican Restaurant speaks about being Puerto Rican, the term 'hispanic', and the hispanic community in Mount Vernon. He discusses learning English in Puerto Rico and how he retains that culture in America.
Interview with Homer and Ruth Blubaugh

Homer Blubaugh, Ruth Blubaugh, Alice McCunn, and Jen DiLisi

Homer and Ruth Blubaugh talk about their Irish heritage, concern about marrying within the family, the Catholic Church, and the family legands. They discuss how they keep in touch with extended family and the Irish community in Knox County.
Interview with Mark McClintok

Mark McClintok and Jenny Owens

Mark McClintok, an employee for the Department of Human Servicces in Mount Vernon discusses women on welfare, the administration of the Department, the community's reaction to welfare recipiants
Interview with Libby Henderson

Libby Henderson and Jenny Owens

Libby Henderson discusses being a single parent on welfare, making ends meet, minimum wage jobs, and how she ended up where she is today.
Interview with Melissa Drain

Melissa Drain and Kate Hitchcock

Melissa Drain, a gay student at Kenyon College tells her coming out story, gives her opinion of Mount Vernon and Kenyon College in terms of acceptance, and speaks briefly on feminism and gay/lesbian history.
Interview with Chuck Hogan

Chuck Hogan, Anne Smetak, and Maggie Ahearn

Chuck Hogan discusses how small town life has changed over the years and how there is less of a community. He mentions Kenyon College and the reaction to African-Americans there.
Interview with Kim Staiger

Kim Staiger and Ondine Geary

Kim Staiger, case manager for the Department of Human Services in Knox County discusses the stereotype associated with welfare, the generational aspect of receiving welfare, and the the community within the welfare system.
Interview with Rosemary Rios

Rosemary Rios, Abby Kennedy, and Laura Vasquez

Rosemary Rios, a migrant worker who has settled down in Knox County talks about the work, her family, and her opinion of the community.
Interview with Holly Severin and Zada Louis

Holly Severin, Zada Louis, Christina LeStage, and Michelle Demjen

Holly Severin and Zada Louis, two jewish high schoolers in Mount Vernon, OH, discuss being Jewish in a primarily Christian town, discrimination they face at school from their peers, and their upcoming barmitzvahs.
Interview with Liam and Cassidy James

Liam James, Cassidy James, Jessica Carney, and Seth Swihart

Liam and Cassidy James discuss their American Indian heritage, the history of their families, the history of the Wyandot, and why they don't identify as Native American.
Interview with Peter Rutkoff

Peter Rutoff, Michelle DemJen, and Christina LeStage

Professor Peter Rutoff at Kenyon College talks about raising his children Jewish, his own history with the religion and the culture, and the anti-semitism he has experienced.
Interview with Ruby Rouse Thompson

Rudy Rouse Thompson, Anne Smetak, and Maggie Ahearn

Rudy Rouse Thompson, an African American woman living in Mount Vernon, OH, discusses the old and new black community, growing up in a primarily white town, the careers open to black women at her age, and raising her son by herslef. She talks about the church as a central point for the black community and her mother's embaressment at being identified as black.
Interview with Sheri Bohannon

Sheri Bohannon and Kate Hitchcock

Sheri Bohannon discusses her coming out story, attending religious schooling, stereotyping, and the discrimination she has experienced. She talks about her family's reaction and why she started a support group in Mount Vernon.
Interview with David Greer

David Greer, Jen DiLisi, and Alice McCunn

David Greer, a Knox County farmer discusses his family history in Scotland, the Cathlic/Protestant split that used to exist in Knox County, and the history of his last name.
Interview with Earl Harris

Earl Harris, Maggie Ahearn, and Anne Smetak

Earl Harris, an African-American man in Knox County, Ohio, explains the differences between Ohio and the South where he grew up. He discusses workplace discrimination and his marriage.