Outspoken: A Coph Podcast

In Episode Twenty-Five, Dr. Benjamin Cawthra sits down with former CSUF history graduate student Kiana Nakamura on the anniversary of Executive Order 9066 to discuss her exhibit, "Overlooked Injustice: The Children's Village at Manzanar." In this interview, Kiana discusses why she pursued this project, her family's experience of being interned, what life was like at Manzanar and her pilgrimage to the camp. She also discusses her curatorial process, challenges she faced, and sourcing photos and oral histories. Later, Natalie Garcia introduces clips from our Japanese American oral history collection.

In episode Twenty-four, Dr. Benjamin Cawthra sits down with graduate students, Natalie Vandercook, Angelica Smith, and Kayla Ratliff, to discuss their work on the Great Park Gallery’s new exhibit, Dorothea Lange’s California: 1935-1942. The students talk about the process of researching and mounting an exhibition, and reflect on the impact of Lange’s photography and its continued relevance today.

In Episode Twenty-three, Dr. Benjamin Cawthra talks with CSUF Assistant Professor of Digital Humanities and New Media in History, Dr. Jamila Moore-Pewu, and CSUF History graduate and Digital Ethnic Futures Outreach Coordinator, Scherly Virgill. They discuss the growing field of digital history, its relationship with public history, and collaborating on various digital history projects, including Mapping Arts - Orange County and Networked OC, a digital public humanities project that seeks to document the past, present, and future of Black-owned businesses and community organizations in Orange County through digital maps and data storytelling. Later, in our Out of the Archives segment, archivist Natalie Garcia presents clips from oral history interviews in our African American History collections.

Roz Wyman was the youngest person and second woman ever to be elected to the Los Angeles City Council. While on the City Council she also became an instrumental figure in bringing the Dodgers to Los Angeles. In 2019 she was interviewed for our Women, Politics, and Activism Oral History Project. In her interview Wyman reflects on her expansive career, discussing her work within the Democratic Party and noting the emotions she felt witnessing historic moments for women in politics. We are truly grateful for the opportunity to record Roz Wyman’s oral history and invite you to listen as she reflects on her life and political career.
Interviewed by Dr. Natalie Fousekis in January of 2019, for the Center for Oral and Public History at California State University Fullerton.

In Episode Twenty-two, Dr. Natalie Fousekis steps in as guest host to interview Dr. Benjamin Cawthra about his current exhibition, 52nd Street: Jazz and the Photography of William Gottlieb, held at the Great Park Gallery in Irvine through May 1, 2022. The exhibit focuses on Manhattan's 52nd Street, a hub of musical creativity in the years immediately following World War II. Dr. Cawthra talks about developing the exhibit; his experience interviewing William Gottlieb; the differences between curating exhibits with students versus on his own; and what he hopes visitors take away from the exhibit. Later, in our Out of the Archives segment, archivist Natalie Garcia presents oral history clips from William Gottlieb's interview.

In Episode Twenty-one, Dr. Benjamin Cawthra is joined by COPH archivist, Natalie Garcia; Director of Special Collections, Lisa Mix; and Special Collections archivist, Patrisia Prestinary. The group discuss the 2021-22 One Book, One CSUF selection, "They Called us Enemy," by George Takei, and talk about collaborating on a corresponding event on April 11th, which will highlight Japanese American archival materials held in the Center for Oral and Public History and the University Archives and Special Collections. Later, in our Out of the Archives segment, archivist Natalie Garcia presents oral history clips from interviews with Georgia Day Robertson, Seiko Ishida, Hitoshi Nitta, and Clarence I. Nishizu.

In Episode Twenty, Dr. Benjamin Cawthra sits down with COPH director, Dr. Natalie Fousekis to discuss the Center's brand new space on the 6th floor of CSU Fullerton's Pollak Library. Dr. Fousekis talks about the process and challenges of building a new Center; describes the features and benefits of the larger space; shares her vision for the Center's future; and reflects on the many people that helped make the project possible.

Former California State Assemblywoman Sally Tanner represented California's 60th District from 1978 to 1992. In 2020 she was interviewed for our California State Politics Oral History Project. In her interview Tanner discussed her passion for environmental issues; talked about serving as chair on the Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee; and detailed her role as co-founder of the California Legislative Women’s Caucus. We are truly grateful for the opportunity to record Sally Tanner’s oral history and invite you to listen as she reflects on her life and political career. Interviewed by Brenda St. Hilaire in November of 2020, for the Center for Oral and Public History at California State University Fullerton.

John (Jack) Bedell served CSU Fullerton for more than 40 years as professor of sociology and chair of three departments. He held numerous academic and leadership roles, both on campus and in the community. In 2018 he was interviewed for our Humanities and Social Sciences Founding Faculty Oral History Project. We are truly grateful for the opportunity to record Bedell's oral history and invite you to listen as he reflects on his life and career with CSUF. Interviewed by Abby Waldrop on June 22, 2018, for the Center for Oral and Public History at California State University Fullerton.

In Episode Nineteen, Dr. Benjamin Cawthra sits down with graduate students, Luca Azuma, Fernando Lopez, and Melanie Vigil to discuss Mapping Confederate Monuments, a web-based archive created by students in Cawthra’s Introduction to Public History class at Cal State Fullerton. The project examines the creation, history, and current status of 40+ Confederate monuments. The students share their research, reflect on the recent protests for racial justice, and talk about how the Confederacy has been remembered in public spaces and the current debate over the removal of Confederate monuments. Later, in our Out of the Archives segment, archivist Natalie Garcia presents oral history clips from interviews with Judge Loren Miller, Melina Abdullah, Regine Smith, and Matt Gush.

In Episode Eighteen, COPH director, Dr. Natalie Fousekis sits down with Dr. Benjamin Cawthra to discuss the challenges and new opportunities presented by COVID-19 in 2020. Dr. Fousekis talks about the necessity of putting certain projects on hold; developing new oral history projects focused on those affected by the pandemic, as well as those involved in activism surrounding the Blacks Live Matter protests; and finally, adapting to the process of remote interviewing.

In Episode Seventeen, COPH archivist, Natalie Navar-Garcia sits down with 2019 Hansen Lecturer, Greg Williams. As director of Archives and Special Collections at CSU Dominguez Hills, Williams has spent the last several years working on the CSU Japanese American Digitization Project (CSUJAD.com). In this interview, he talks about how the project got started; describes his own history with archives; and provides some advice for aspiring archivists. Later in the episode, Natalie Navar-Garcia introduces clips from our Japanese American oral history project.

In this episode, Dr. Cawthra is joined by Associate Director of COPH and Professor of German history, Dr. Cora Granata, along with students, Emily Ortiz, Erin Waldner, and Scott Torres. The group shares their experience organizing and participating in Lange Tafel, a public history project that took place this year on the CSUF campus, and in Berlin, as part of this summer's Study Abroad program. Later in the episode, COPH archivist, Natalie Navar, introduces clips about the immigration experience, from COPH's "From Hitler's Europe to the Golden State" oral history project.

In this episode, Dr. Cawthra sits down with graduate students, Cynthia Castaneda and Scotty Coyne, to talk about the history of the Orange County Great Park (OCGP), once the home of Marine Corps Air Station El Toro. The students talk about developing an interpretive site plan for OCGP as part of Dr. Cawthra's 2018 public history class, and how they incorporated research from COPH's El Toro Oral History Project. Later in the episode, COPH archivist Natalie Navar introduces several clips from men and women stationed at El Toro.

In this episode Dr. Cawthra talks with graduate students, Cynthia Castaneda, Patrick Guarte, and Brenda St. Hilaire. The students share their experiences working with the North Long Beach community to create a walking history tour on Atlantic Avenue, and a corresponding educational website. You'll also hear clips from oral histories with longtime Long Beach residents.

In Episode Thirteen, COPH director, Dr. Natalie Fousekis, joins Dr. Benjamin Cawthra to recap the results of the 2018 midterm elections. They discuss the current political climate and its effect on the midterms, as well as the record number of women elected to Congress, and the shift from red to blue in Orange County. Relevant oral history clips from Dr. Fousekis' Women, Politics, and Activism project are featured throughout and include: Gloria Molina, Katherine Spillar, Kelsey Brewer, Michelle Antenesse, and Mary Ann Gaido.

In this episode Dr. Cawthra sits down with Dr. Jonathan Markley, associate professor of history at CSUF. Dr. Markley, a native New Zealander, talks about his archival research and shares what he has learned about his family's involvement in World War I. Later, COPH archivist, Natalie Navar, introduces clips from oral history narrators who share their experience of the Great War.

In Episode Eleven, Dr. Benjamin Cawthra talks with graduate students, Jessica Buckle and Helen Yoshida about their experience conducting interviews for the Women, Politics, and Activism oral history project, and sharing their research as part of a panel presentation for the annual Southwest Oral History Association conference, held right here on the Cal State Fullerton campus. Music: www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music

In this episode, the Center for Oral and Public History celebrates its 50th anniversary with a look back at the history of California State University, Fullerton. Listen as Dr. Cawthra introduces clips from leading faculty and administrators who got the university started and later helped it on its way. Music: https://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music

In Episode Nine Dr. Cawthra sits down with author, documentarian, and 2017 Hansen Lecturer, Sam Stephenson to discuss his latest book, "Gene Smith's Sink: A Wide-Angle View"--the culmination of over two decades of research into the life and work of pioneering photographer, W. Eugene Smith. Stephenson also talks about his upbringing in North Carolina, how he got involved in documentary work, and his experience conducting hundreds of oral histories.