At the southeast corner of Lexington Parkway and Interstate 94 in St. Paul sits the Oxford Community Center, bustling with a water park, playground, and gyms. But behind its walls and athletic fields lies a deep history of community resilience that has remained untold – until now. A group of Rondo community members and elders has teamed up with an oral historian to preserve the story of Oxford through an oral history project.

To learn more about Rondo’s connection to Oxford and the project itself, host Dr. Chantel Rodríguez sits down with members of the Oxford team. Two are Rondo community legends: Lisa Lissimore, a trailblazing Oxford athlete, and Frank White Jr., an Oxford coach and Rondo historian. Chantel also speaks with Kim Heikkila, the project convener and a professional oral historian. They are joined by voices from the Oxford Oral History Project, including Bill Peterson, the formidable coach and director of Oxford.

Together, they honor the Rondo community’s resilience in transforming Oxford from a rocky playground into a sports powerhouse and a cornerstone of the community.

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