This month, Voice of Witness led a comprehensive oral history project planning and archiving workshop for The National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture (NMPRAC) as they prepare to launch an ambitious new initiative.
As part of the activation of their new exhibit, “Archivos Vivos” by Adrián Viajero Román, NMPRAC is developing an oral history project called “Voices of Resilience: Puerto Rican Migration and Identity in Chicago.” The project represents an expansion of their archives and collections, ensuring that community stories—told by them, for them, and future generations—remain alive and accessible for years to come.
VOW’s workshop focused on equipping staff with the knowledge and tools needed to conduct ethical, intentional oral history work. NMPRAC’s project launched this year, and the first phase includes an invitation to individuals of Puerto Rican heritage who migrated to Lincoln Park, Humboldt Park, Logan Square, or other Chicago neighborhoods between the 1940s and 1980s to share their stories. Throughout our training session, the staff demonstrated remarkable dedication and enthusiasm for learning how to approach this sensitive work with the care and consideration it deserves, understanding that these stories will become treasured resources for their community.
Their commitment to the project’s vision was evident, and staff members shared how meaningful it was to have a space to connect with Puerto Rican culture and experiences. The museum’s founder, Billy Ocasio, expressed that one of the main motivating factors for creating an archive was to “give people a place to go find themselves”—a profound mission that captures one of the transformative powers of oral history archives.
Our training with NMPRAC reflects VOW’s growing partnership and consulting work, advising organizations on collaborative, community-based documentation, oral history, and storytelling. Interested in working with us? Reach out to inquire!
