Interview with Diana Clewett, March 31, 2022

Interview Summary

Clewett talks about growing up one block away from the city of Chicago. She attended public school, went to college at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and then went to Smith to pursue schooling and a career in social work. She dropped out while at a work placement in Cincinnati, and then moved back to Chicago where she met her husband, Rick. They moved to Richmond, Kentucky when he was offered a position at Eastern Kentucky University. They missed living in a city, and therefore moved to Lexington, where they have been since. Although politics were not discussed at home and she does not recount being politically active as a child and young adult, Clewett has been very involved with the League of Women Voters of Lexington, the Lexington Democratic Executive Council, and the Foster Care Review Board. She has served as Membership Chair and has sat on the executive board for the League, and was also involved with the Environmental committee, candidate forums, voter registration, and naturalization ceremonies. She recounts the League's work on studies and a landfill project in the 70s. Clewett also mentions several members she befriended and worked without throughout her involvement with the League.

Interview Keyword

Chicago Illinois University of Illinois school education math psychology social work Civil Rights Civil Rights Movement Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Climate change environment landfill Lexington Kentucky Richmond Eastern Kentucky University husband Smith College Massachusetts Cincinnati Ohio pre-school League of Women Voters Voter registration Candidate forum committee naturalization Democratic Party canvassing Mayor fellowship children Jewish Jew Judaism foster care

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