Research, Record Keeping, and Resistance

What does it mean to document in the face of erasure, and to make knowledge accessible as an act of resistance? Research and recordkeeping are more than practices of documentation; they are powerful acts of resistance, especially in carceral settings. In a space where stories are often shaped by those in positions of power, the act of gathering, preserving, and sharing information becomes a way to challenge dominant narratives and reclaim stories that might otherwise be lost. This discussion, facilitated by Alison Pelegrin, will explore how research, archives, oral histories, and community-based documentation serve as tools for resistance. Panelists Calvin Duncan, Marianne Fisher Giorlando, and Doran Larson will reflect on the importance of questioning whose knowledge is valued and what knowledge is valuable, as well as how to preserve and make heard frequently-silenced histories. One of the most powerful examples of recording one's story as an act of resistance is Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave, Written by Himself. The first 40 attendees will receive a FREE copy of this book, thanks to supoprt from the NEA's Big Read program. This project was supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts. To find out more about how National Endowment for the Arts grants impact individuals and communities, visit www.arts.gov. This project is also supported by Arts Midwest. Free and open to the public; donations gratefully accepted. Donations support One Book One New Orleans' year-round work. The Andre Cailloux Center for Performing Arts and Cultural Justice is accessible to community members who require mobility-related ADA accommodations. Parking near the venue is free, though somewhat limited. The nearest RTA stop is at N. Broad and Columbus.