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StoryCorps Will Be Setting Up a Recording Room at the Affirmation Conference Hotel by James Morris, member of the 2010 Conference Planning Committee My two kids, now three and a half, love story time. At their age, and even today, I love story time too. My favorite stories were the ones based on real experiences, that allowed me a window into my parents' own childhoods and helped reveal why an aunt or uncle are the people they are today. Recently, I have been able to spend more time with my mother who will be ninety in a few months, and though we enjoy reviewing family lore, we also enjoy delving into more obscure bits of family history. This is a treasured opportunity. Affirmation will have an incredible opportunity this fall to participate in the StoryCorps OutLoud project. Through NPR's Morning Edition many of you may have experienced the wonderful results of StoryCorps ongoing efforts to record and preserve the stories of individuals across the nation. OutLoud is a segment of their project that specifically focuses on members of the LGBTQ community. As with all their other recordings, these will be archived at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress and be made widely accessible through their website, podcasts, books, and CDs. Interested Affirmation Conference attendees will have a chance to share in this remarkable project. StoryCorps will be setting up a recording room at our hotel and we hope do one day's worth of recordings on Saturday and then further recordings on Sunday next door to the Westin at the Contemporary Jewish Museum. So much of the history of the LGBTQ community has been lost because of shame, fear, and censorship. I know one big stumbling block that kept me from keeping a journal as a youth on my mission was the fear of committing to paper all those thoughts and feelings I tried to deny were a part of me. The fear of "What if someone should open my journal and start reading about the real me?" kept me silent. And now there are times I would love to go back and revisit what was going on in the head of that nineteen-year-old I once was. Naturally, it was when I started to come out that I craved reading the life stories of those gays who fearlessly shared their deepest feelings. Their words were a comfort. I knew I was not alone. Others had lived through what I was going through (and worse!) and had survived and so must I. I learned what a huge value it is to have others' experiences help frame my own mortal journey and keep life's challenges and tribulations in perspective. Moreover, by relating to their personal revelations and triumphs, I experienced a feeling of joy and the power of connection to something greater than myself. Thank heavens for their words. No one else can tell our stories. We need to share them and have them preserved as part of history. Our partnership with StoryCorps at conference is a perfect way to continue to make this happen. Please contact me if you would like to be a part of this project. |
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