Summary: Interview with Ira Rogers for On The Record: The BC Jewish Queer & Trans Oral History Project in collaboration with JQT Vancouver. Interviewed by Carmel Tanaka via remote Zoom video call. Ira (he/him) is a gay Jewish man, born in Manhattan and currently residing in Vancouver. Ira describes his parents’ history and some of his early memories in New York City, and in Los Angeles with family friends. Ira describes coming out at 21, two years after Stonewall, and how it was largely met without resistance in the Jewish community in NYC; a contrast to his time living in Nashville as a songwriter and musician. He talks about his transition out of pre-med in college to major in music at Brooklyn College and how his 19 years in Tennessee allowed him personal and career growth. Ira explains how he was prompted to move away from Nashville to find a place that aligned more with his queer, liberal Jew identity and eventually settled on Vancouver. Ira talks about being married to a woman, while still wanting to explore his queer sexuality and how this complicated their relationship. He then talks about his current partner of over 17 years that he met soon after moving to Vancouver. Ira closes with reflections on being gay and Jewish, and the advice that one’s care, compassion and kindness can be the keys to fulfilling relationships alongside being oneself.

Oral Interview with Jack Rootman for the JMABC Artists Scribe. Interviewed by Carol Herbert via remote Zoom call. Jack describes his early artistic influences attending children’s art classes at the Kost House in Calgary where he grew up. Jack speaks about how he fell in love with sciences in his teens, which lead him to a career in medicine as an ophthalmologist and ophthalmic surgeon. He discusses how his studies by night at Emily Carr aided him in his medical practice by day, but also how attending workshops, and working in his own studio propelled his painting career forward in BC and beyond. Jack talks about the different mediums he works with, including oils and watercolours, and what influences his paintings, like nature and colourscapes. Jack discusses is work in the arts community, including his thematic shows at various galleries and creating a program for having art in hospitals. Jack speaks about advice for other artists and doctors.

Oral history interview with Jack Rose who was born in Vancouver in 1920, just one year after his parents had moved to the city. When the Second World War broke out Jack joined the Signal Corps in April 1940. Division was brought to Hong Kong in November and was captured by the Japanese and wasn't released until 1945.

Oral Interview with Jeannie Kamins for the JMABC Artists Scribe. Interviewed by Bill Gruenthal. Jean was born in San Francisco, California. She offers an extensive history of her family’s roots in Europe and early American settlement, and shares about her marriages, children both biological and fostered. Jean stayed in California until she was 28, before she moved to Canada in protest of the Vietnam War. She talks about how she has always been entrenched in politics and public demonstration for causes such as Women's Rights, Black Rights and against conflicts in North America and abroad. Reflecting on her time as an arts student, Jean decided to make her art her permanent way of protest. Jean talks about doing political commentary in public murals, having her art used in event posters and sending a message through an expressive style. Jean shares her recent interest in erotic art, and how some of her previous art has been too risque for some gallery shows. Jean also talks about her volunteerism with the 411 Seniors Centre as well as food banks, as she says she doesn’t do art as much as she did before. Jean describes her most recent project which is a collaborative erotic calendar she is working on, alongside grant writing to raise funds for arts in the Seniors Centre where she volunteers.

Oral history interview with Josephine Lancaster and Daisy Minchin, cousins, both were born in Victoria, in 1893 and 1892 respectively. The cousins recall the communities reaction, demolishing a number of Jewish businesses, to the sinking of the Lusitania in May 1915; because Victoria's Jewish community consisted of mainly Germans and Englishmen, when they found out that Lieutenant James Dunsmuir, Jr., Robert Dunsmuir's son, has perished. Josephine is a member of the Victoria Chapter Hadassah while Daisy is associated with B'nai B'rith Auxiliary in San Francisco, in L.A. divisional president of Council of Jewish Women; Florence past president of B'nai B'rith.

Oral Interview with Julia Lucich for the JMABC Artists Scribe. Interviewed by Bill Gruenthal via remote Zoom call. Julia was born in the Bronx, New York, but was raised primarily in Miami, FL. She speaks briefly about her family history and her immediate family including her children and husband. Julia discusses her education towards sociology and criminology in the United States and Jerusalem and her former career in public administration and as a life insurance agent. She also talks about the beginning of her interest in portraiture art which led to her artistic studies. Julia discusses her work in galleries and art shows, including a gallery in Texas and the Calgary Stampede. She speaks about her family’s relocation from San Jose, CA to Eugene, OR to Salt Spring Island, BC which allowed her to live rurally but close enough to good schooling options for her children. Julia discusses her artistic style as representational portraiture usually done with soft pastels, including her series ‘Party Animals’ which helped kickstart her art career. Julia talks about her teaching workshops in BC, showing Party Animals and the Pooka Project at the Calgary Stampede, and how she decides who she will paint. She closes discussing finding joys in art, even for those who are not artists themselves.

Interview with Lauren Nackman for On The Record: The BC Jewish Queer & Trans Oral History Project in collaboration with JQT Vancouver. Interviewed by Carmel Tanaka via remote Zoom video call. Lauren (she/her) is a Jewish lesbian, born in Middletown, NY, and residing in Victoria, BC. Lauren retraces her family history from Eastern Europe to the Bronx in New York, and touches on the intergenerational legacies of immigrant life seen in her parents and grandparents. She talks about her siblings and memories of coming out. Lauren recalls going to university in Virginia where she realized she was gay in a place not safe to be openly out, prompting her to co-found a group for lesbians on campus. Lauren talks about moving to Oakland with her then-girlfriend, and working with a women’s need clinic, attempting teachers college, but ending up in LA working in the Gay and Lesbian Community Services Center which introduced her to gay activism. She talks about attempting to reclaim Judaism multiple times but not being inspired by the services and experiencing financial barriers to participating. She talks about moving to BC, and becoming active in lesbian Seders where the Klezbians were formed. She talks about marrying her partner Michelle when they moved to Canada. She talks about her parents growth in acceptance of her being gay. She talks about being thankful to be part of a history that aided present-day queer acceptance and closes with reflections on queer and Jewish community.