Armand was born in Pembrook, NH, and moved to the Maine at the age of 3. He discusses growing up in the Lewiston-Auburn area in the 1930s, his family history with the Bates Mill, and his life as a weaver at the Bates Mill.
Irene worked at the Bates Mill in the winding room with cotton. In this interview, Irene discusses the workers at the mill, including what child labor looked like at the time. She also discusses her family’s transition from Canada to Maine.
Beatrice Caron was a mill worker from 16 to 63 years old. She discusses her family’s transition from Canada to the U.S. and the Quebecois who worked at the mills. The seniority structure of the mill, including how people moved around jobs, is recounted as well....
Araksan Egeuh is originally from Djibouti. She speaks about coming to Lewiston and how she created a community, her family, religion and politics. Araksan talks about her experiences as an asylum seeker and the differences between an asylum seeker, an immigrant and a...
Amran Osman was born in Kenya and moved to Lewiston when she was very young. She speaks of growing up in Lewiston and the importance of her family and her community. Amran is the founder of Generational Noor, an organization which aims to destigmatize the topics of...