Our Collaborators
Our collaborators were our true north in this work. They let us know which stories were missing, which strategies were working, and when our assumptions were wrong.
Like the question that begins a research journey, community-driven work begins with a motivated and engaged community with a vision for a project.
Our Community-Driven Archives project emerged from our collaborations and relationships with four pilot partners:
- Appalachian Student Health Coalition
- Eastern Kentucky African American Migration Project
- Historic Black Towns and Settlements Alliance
- San Antonio African American Community Archive and Museum
We initially connected with each of these projects or organizations through a community champion, who acted as the conduit as we built a relationship with local community leaders.
Beyond our pilot partners, our team has also launched collaborations with individual history keepers interested in preserving and sharing their communities’ histories.