In 2023, VOW launched our Exploratory Year, a dedicated time to deepen community-driven processes and listen to community partners.
During the Exploratory Year, VOW will facilitate a series of meetings and convenings with our partners, as well as new organizations, to identify the urgent stories that they believe are misrepresented or underrepresented and must be lifted up. Through this process, we will co-develop new oral history projects that will support education and advocacy efforts and prioritize the needs of community members.
Over the course of the year, we will emphasize relationship building, trainings, and create space for community-based nonprofits, advocates, and educators to lead on project planning and development.
We’re aiming to identify 2–3 new oral history projects with partners and to establish a solid network and advisory group for each project. These partners will inform and guide the storytelling projects and their impact.
By supporting organizations to use personal narrative and oral history storytelling, VOW works to inform long-term efforts to advance human rights and dignity and dismantle systems of oppression.
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