(1/15) Community Engaged History in the Midst of Community Displacement.
The Humanities Truck exhibit “Downtown Displaced” evolved from a five-month long collaboration with Homeless Filmmakers Co-op (HFC) in Washington, DC. #NCPH2020 #s49 #humanitiestruck
The Humanities Truck exhibit “Downtown Displaced” evolved from a five-month long collaboration with Homeless Filmmakers Co-op (HFC) in Washington, DC. #NCPH2020 #s49 #humanitiestruck
(2/15) The project embraced a model of research justice. HFC defined the topic, the research questions, and the project themes. Through workshops, they co-interpreted the research, co-created the exhibit, and solely authored a performance. #NCPH2020 #s49 #humanitiestruck
(3/15) Community Based Research depends on fluidity, an ability to change course, ditch preconceptions, and explore new directions that have yet to be conceptualized. Be comfortable with perplexity and be prepared to be patient and flexible. #NCPH2020 #s49 #humanitiestruck
(4/15) HFC had been invited to do a presentation at the May 2019 opening of Apple’s store in DC’s Carnegie Library, the heart of a formerly thriving African American and immigrant community – ground zero for displacement in DC. #NCPH2020 #s49 #humanitiestruck
(5/15)HFC sought to clarify Apple’s culpability in community displacement and approached me seeking assistance with historical research after seeing the truck exhibit “Whose Downtown?” HFC sought to understand the long history of displacement. #NCPH2020 #s49 #humanitiestruck 
(6/15) HFC defined the topic and the chronological scale. I gained a commitment to do events in the community for a Grassroots Audience. HFC understandably sought a Mainstream Audience. Given our positions, both strategies made sense. #NCPH2020 #s49 #humanitiestruck
(7/15) Research Justice calls for knowledge flows that contribute to building power on the left side of the Knowledge Grid. My university position puts me in the upper right corner. From there, RJ entails cultivating a Grassroots Audience. #NCPH2020 #s49 #humanitiestruck
(8/15) Research Justice stands in contrast to a colonial model of knowledge extraction – documenting grassroots information for university based archival collections, scholarly research, and mainstream audiences. #NCPH2020 #s49 #humanitiestruck
(9/15) Historical Society of Washington DC crafted an exhibit on the “official history” of the building that focused on the its preservation as an unqualified success. They also assisted with our project, providing images and information. #NCPH2020 #s49 #humanitiestruck
(10/15) Our historical interpretation arose from workshops with survivors of homelessness who identified the themes that shaped our research and exhibit creation. They defined what the Carnegie Library and its renovation meant for them. #NCPH2020 #s49 #humanitiestruck
(11/15) The themes required Researching Up, documenting “hidden plans” and “false promises.” Research Justice involved bringing Institutional Information to the Grassroots who interpreted documents and further refined research questions. #NCPH2020 #s49 #humanitiestruck
(12/15) Drawing from months of workshops, we co-crafted an interpretive plan, an exhibit script, a performance script, and an exhibit and performance. HFC members worked alongside truck staff to construct and mount the exhibit in the truck. #NCPH2020 #s49 #humanitiestruck
(13/15) The exhibit Downtown Displaced traces two separate displacements, one that preceded the construction of the library and the other that culminated with the arrival of Apple. bit.ly/33zwnvL #NCPH2020 #s49 #humanitiestruck
(14/15) The truck brought the exhibit to Grassroots audiences, creating spaces for discussion and reflection within the community of people experiencing homelessness. HFC members directed their presentation and demands to Apple Corporation. #NCPH2020 #s49 #humanitiestruck
(15/15) The work on this project has been heavily inspired by Helen Lewis’s work on Participatory Research as well as Reem Asil, Miho Kim, and Saba Waheed’s reflections on Research Justice. For further readings, see the image attached. #NCPH2020 #s49 #humanitiestruck
Thanks for following this thread! The students in my Engaged Community History course did amazing research throughout this project. Their work was critical to the success of our collaboration. See bit.ly/33zwnvL for a list of project participants.
