When the pandemic hit in March 2020, the oral history project that I have facilitated with my upper level Spanish elective since 2012, “We, the People: Voices of the Immigrant City” went remote. We called that season “Remote Oral History: Physically Distant. Socially Connected.” and doubled down on our commitment to continue documenting voices of Lawrence community members, many of whom suddenly found themselves on the frontlines of a global crisis.
This book was put together as we culminated 10 seasons of oral history in the Immigrant City and is a testament to the power and resilience of two vibrant gateway cities. If you are able, please pick up a copy of the book from one of our local vendors or online. Also, look out for an expanded and dynamic exhibit on the history of Lawrence, soon to be installed at the Lawrence Heritage State Park, featuring previously collected oral histories as well as an opportunity to lend your own voice to the story of Lawrence.
Thanks to the oral history narrators for 10 amazing seasons of “We, the People.” While the Spanish class is currently on hiatus, the spirit remains alive and well. Stay tuned for more oral histories in the Merrimack Valley, TBD!
La narración de historias en una pandemia: una experiencia informativa
¡Hola a todos! ¡Gracias por visitar nuestro blog para aprender más sobre las personas de Lawrence y sus experiencias! Tuve suerte de tomar una clase en el invierno sobre la historia de esta ciudad increíble, la cual dio contexto a este proyecto y ayudó a alimentar mi deseo de tomar esta clase. Pero para decir la verdad, había querido tomar esta clase desde que aprendí de su existencia. Me encanta contar historias, pero usualmente las historias que cuento son ficticias y a través de las palabras en una página o actuando en escena. Sin embargo, creo que es importantísimo contar historias reales también, y quería aprender cómo contar mejor este tipo de historia diferente a través de un medio diferente. Estoy tan feliz y orgullosa de haber podido contribuir a este proyecto, y estoy muy agradecida por las habilidades que aprendí.
Cuando empezábamos esta clase, recuerdo que exploramos un sitio web llamado StoryCorps para observar cómo las personas en este sitio web contaron historias sobre otra gente. Entonces aprendíamos sobre la importancia de la escucha activa antes de entrevistar a Cristie, la narradora de nuestro grupo. Después de la entrevista y por el resto del trimestre, trabajamos para crear un video corto que representa la historia más larga de la narradora. Para mi grupo, mi papel principal fue corregir el video. Estaba nerviosa cuando decidí asumir este papel, pero estoy feliz que lo hice. Porque aunque el proceso era difícil y algunas veces tedioso, fue increíble mirar cómo el video fue creado pieza por pieza.
Me encantó ayudar con este proyecto, y me inspiró a grabar más historias orales en el futuro. Porque todos tienen historias, y cada persona merece compartir su historia con el mundo.
June 3
Storytelling in a Pandemic: An Informative Experience
Hello everyone! Thank you for visiting our blog to learn more about the people of Lawrence and their lives and experiences! I was lucky to take a class in the winter about the history of this incredible city, which gave context to this project and helped fuel my desire to take this course. But to tell the truth, I have wanted to take this class ever since I learned of its existence. I love telling stories, but usually the stories I tell are fictional and through words on a page or acting onstage. However, I believe it is extremely important to tell true stories as well, and I wanted to learn how to better tell this different kind of story through a different medium. I am so happy and proud that I could contribute to this project, and am very grateful for the skills I learned.
When we started this class, I remember we explored a website called StoryCorps to observe how people on this site told stories about other people. We then learned about the importance of active listening before interviewing Cristie, our group’s narrator. After the interview and for the rest of the term, we worked to create a short video representative of the narrator’s larger story. For my group, my main role was editing the video. I was scared when I decided to take on this role, but I am glad I did. Because even though the editing process was difficult and sometimes tedious, it was incredible to look at how the video was created piece by piece.
I loved helping with this project, and it has inspired me to record more oral histories in the future. Because everyone has stories, and each person deserves the opportunity to share their story with the world.
Voces del pueblo: Historias de la Ciudad de Inmigrantes 