MGM Gives $25K To UNLV's Latinx Voices Of Southern Nevada Project

LAS VEGAS, NV - The Latinx Voices of Southern Nevada project of the UNLV University Libraries is receiving a $25,000 grant from MGM Resorts. The project was launched in December 2017 after UNLV received a $100,000 challenge grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities to compile an oral record of Southern Nevada's Latinx history.

"We greatly appreciate the support of MGM Resorts in funding this important project to expand the Las Vegas and Southern Nevada historical record to include more stories highlighting our region's Latinx communities," said Maggie Farrell, Dean of UNLV University Libraries, in a press release.

According to a release, approximately 25 percent of UNLV's student body are Latinx.

A fundraiser for the project has raised $1,075 of its $25,000 goal as of Wednesday. According to the fundraiser, UNLV will hire 8-12 bilingual students to conduct 90 interviews for the project.

"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 challenge, family life, employment and economic issues, religion and culture, gender, neighborhoods and businesses, politics, social and community events, discrimination, activism, and more," the fundraising website says.

The project will also hold three community events to "encourage dialogue between generations about their experiences living and working in Southern Nevada."

“By collecting these stories, we will weave a more diverse, comprehensive tapestry about the lives and thoughts of all our residents for future study,” said Michelle Light, Director of Special Collections and Archives. “With the generous support of MGM Resorts, we will begin hiring and training students to collect these oral histories."

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