Series:

Chemical Entanglements: Oral Histories of Environmental Illness

Topic:

Social Movements

Environmental Illness

Biographical Note:

Interviewed for the UCLA Center for the Study of Women’s Chemical Entanglements: Oral Histories of Environmental Illness series.Lives Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS). Medically retired from career with City of Los Angeles due to chemical exposure after working in chemical testing for many years. Initially diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Interviewer:

Black, Blair

Interviewee:

Ilagan, Rowena

Persons Present:

Ilagan and Black

Place Conducted:

The interview was conducted by telephone.

Supporting Documents:

Records relating to the interview are located in the office of the UCLA Library’s Center for Oral History Research.

Interviewer Background and Preparation:

The interview was conducted by Blair Black, a graduate student researcher, for the Center for the Study of Women in cooperation; PhD student inEthnomusicology, UCLA. Black’s dissertation focuses on identity and representational politics within electronic dance music.

Processing of Interview:

The interviewer prepared for the interview by reading a pre-interview questionnaire completed by the narrator.

Length:

1 hr

Language:

English

Copyright:

Regents of the University of California, UCLA Library.

Audio:

Series Statement:

Chemical Entanglements: Oral Histories of Environmental Illness is a collection of interviews with over seventy individuals living in the U.S. and Canada whose family history, occupation, art practice, or activism have brought them into direct contact with illness experience and disability related to chronic, low-dose exposure to toxicant chemicals. The procurement of this collection (from March 2019 through September 2020) was sponsored by the UCLA Center for the Study of Women under the directorship of Rachel C. Lee, with interviews conducted by six undergraduates, five graduate students, two career staff, and two faculty members at CSW.

Family background--Born in Philippines and moved to Los Angeles in 1985-- Studying chemistry in college and graduated in 1999--Working as high school chemistry teacher--Working for the City of Los Angeles testing chemicals in facilities for seven years-- Medically retired in 2014 after being diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome-- Social isolation while being sick for three years-- Working at nonprofits once feeling better and writing as a hobby--Symptoms of multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) and relationship with medical professionals-- Taking supplements for MCS--Family medical history--Feeling restricted to be in social gatherings due to unpredictable chemical exposure--Career change due to chemical sensitivity--Going to support group meetings for people with chronic fatigue syndrome and joining online support group-- Difficulty in explaining MCS and chronic fatigue to family and friends--Impact of MCS on daily life and relationships--A link between MCS and chronic fatigue--Writing as creative outlet--Receiving accommodations at work--Taking care of her mother who has dementia-- Housing issues for people living with MCS--Wanting to advocate on the housing issue in the future