reclamation of identity.

Dave Eggers founded Voice of Witness, an innovative nonprofit that records the narratives of those who've survived some of the most harrowing experiences on earth.

Voice of Witness was awarded the Smithsonian American Ingenuity Award for Social Progress on November 20, 2013 in Washington, DC.

Excerpt from December 2013 Smithsonian Magazine article Upending the Narrative of the Great Man of History:

“So many people have had their narratives taken from them, or been called prisoner, guilty, slave, illegal—all of these different terms where people feel like their identity isn't under their control,” says Eggers. He found a model for his work in journalist Studs Terkel, who got his start as a writer for the Works Progress Administration using oral history to chronicle the lives of Americans during the Depression in Hard Times. “Suddenly being able to tell your story, to have it told expansively—anything you want to include you can include from birth to the present—there’s a reclamation of identity.”

I am very proud of the work that Ann and I did to tell her story and create this video.

Student Summit on the Ocean & Climate :: Wash, DC Feb 14 - 17

The Summit is designed to teach high school students about the interconnectedness between the ocean, Great Lakes, inland seas and climate with particular focus on climate change and help prepare them for future careers in ocean and climate science and policy.

Delegations of students will work in teams - conducting research, taking trips, and visiting with local experts to identify a local issue related to the above theme. Each delegation will create and implement an action plan on that issue for their community, and will create a three minute video, poster, wiki and blog about their plan.

The posters will be on display in the Ocean Hall, Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. While in DC the students will present their ideas to a panel of judges and will meet with their Members of Congress to present their action plans.

RSVP by Feb 8 for the events and/or reception.

Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History
10th and Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC

Program Events

Opening Ceremony
“Our Changing Ocean, Coasts & Climate”
Dr. Nancy Knowlton (Sant Chair of Marine Science, Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History)
8:30 am Baird Auditorium (Ground Floor)

Student Presentations of Regional Action Plans
9:00 am - 4:00 pm Baird Auditorium (Ground Floor)

Poster Session: Student Regional Action Plans
4:30 - 5:30 pm Sant Ocean Hall (First Floor)

“The Great Ocean Adventure”
Jean-Michel Cousteau (Ocean Explorer and President, Ocean Futures Society )

5:30 pm Baird Auditorium (Ground Floor)
“A Celebration of the Ocean, Coasts & Great Lakes”

Reception/Dinner & Special Poster Session
6:30 - 8:30 pm Sant Ocean Hall (First Floor)
Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

The summit will be webcast from 8:30am – 6:30pm EST on Feb 15, here. The JASON Project Interactive Broadcast with students will take place from 12nooon to 3pm EST on Feb 16, here.