Overall, I think my interview went well but there are several things I would have adjusted with more time. I definitely didn’t practice enough before the interview, so a lot of my comments say the same thing over and over. Part of me definitely felt like my interview was not meaningful enough compared to some of the others that have already been posted and that people have mentioned in class. The more I thought about it however, the more I realized that oral histories are meant to include people who would not otherwise be recognized. In that account, my interview is very fitting. In going through my transcription again, I realized that the stories my interviewee shared were important. They gave insight into what it was like to come to America with nothing and create a foundation for their children. I also really liked that the interview addressed education both in and outside of America. The only real challenge I encountered was during the transcription process. My narrator has an accent, and some parts of the transcription Zoom provided were inaccurate. Upon listening to the recording, it was occasionally difficult to put down the right words. I didn’t want to make guesses and incorrectly represent my narrator. Sending the finished transcription to my narrator really helped as they provided some corrections. The thing that really helped me through this process is hearing one of my narrators tell me that she checks the website often to see if her post is up because then she’ll be famous. I always tell her that she’s going to be famous for much more than this interview. It’s really nice to see her excitement about this project and it encourages me to work hard in order to exceed her expectations.
May 28, 2024
Reflection
About Race and Oral History Project
The Race and Oral History Project is a collaboration between UC San Diego Institute of the Arts and Humanities and the UC San Diego Library.
Learn more About the Project.