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. Linda Coco is an anthropologist and law professor who currently resides in Florida. Because of the lack of care and accommodations for her chemical sensitivities, she has faced difficulties after both her office and condo were re-roofed with toxic materials. Coco is also a COVID survivor and is currently dealing with its long-term effects.

Interviewer:

Kim, Kelsey

Interviewee:

Coco, Linda

Persons Present:

Coco and Kim

Place Conducted:

This 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:

This interview was conducted by Kelsey Kim, graduate student interviewer, for the Center for the Study of Women in cooperation with UCLA Center for Oral History Research; PhD student in Anthropology, UCLA. Kim’s dissertation focused on gender and racial inequalities in the Silicon Valley high-tech industry.

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.

Personal Background – smells associated with childhood – part time jobs – sensitivity with chemicals and smells in her youth – college years – experiencing COVID – navigating illnesses and medical professionals – after college – not getting accommodations and empathy from people and for housing – not very involved in activism surrounding environmental sensitivities – life before COVID – coping with sensitivities – race, gender, class and experience with chemical sensitivities – working in environmental law – thoughts on how society’s view on environmental illnesses and sensitivities will change in the future – currently in the process of healing after COVID - frustration and disbelief that people are refusing to wear masks