Leslee Dean has an MA in Latin American Studies from Tulane University and is fluent in Spanish. She recorded oral history interviews for the Coney Island History Project in 2016. Leslee has helped document the experiences of post-Katrina construction workers in New Orleans, used oral history to analyze the impact of education policy on an indigenous community in Ecuador, and traveled to seven cities across the U.S. as a bilingual mobile facilitator for StoryCorps.
Interviews
Homeowner and community activist in Coney Island's West End for almost 30 years
Grace Lo and her family moved from Chinatown to Coney Island's West 35th Street in 1989 when they bought one of the homes built by Astella Development. Lo was elected Vice President of the West End Residents Association, which covers West 32nd to ...
Ecuadorian-born Gravesend resident is among NYC's fastest long-distance runners in his age category
This interview was conducted and recorded in Spanish. Read Leslee Dean's transcript and translation below.
Julio Sauce, 44, is a resident of Gravesend who has been running marathons, including the Coney Island 5K, Brooklyn Half Marathon and New...
Working year-round at Deno's Wonder Wheel Park for 30 years
This interview was conducted and recorded in Spanish. Read Leslee Dean's transcript and translation below.
Jorge "Chico" Gallegos is a native of Ecuador who lives in Coney Island and has been working at Deno's Wonder Wheel Park since 1986. Having...
Dalia Vazquez and Raymundo Bardomiano own Tacos Doña Zita on Coney Island's Bowery
This interview was conducted and recorded in Spanish. Read Leslee Dean's transcript and translation below.
Dalia Vazquez and Raymundo Bardomiano live and work in Coney Island, where they are the owners of Tacos Doña Zita, a popular Mexican...