Oral History Symposium – Spring 2026
Friday, May 15, 2026. 10-3:30 p.m.
Red Lion Inn, Stockbridge, Massachusetts, 01262
Our overall theme is community building and community based oral history. Our day will include talks and presentations by:
- Alisa Del Tufo, founder and CEO of the Threshold Collaborative and co-founder of Groundswell Initiative. Her work has been dedicated to magnifying the voices, ideas and experiences of marginalized people to support personal and community healing and justice, using oral history, restorative practices, transformative education and participatory action research.
- Sarah-Jane Poindexter, a Roving Archivist for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, travels the state to provide support, advice, and encouragement to cultural heritage institutions working on care and management of their collections, including oral history collections. She is also an oral historian.
- Jean Minuchin, artist and arts educator, and Anaelisa Jacobsen, founder of Manos Unidas, recently completed “Raíces de Cuentos/Roots of Stories,” a community oral history project in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Their project concluded with an art exhibition, and is being archived with the Digital Commonwealth, supported by a grant from Mass Humanities: Expanding Massachusetts Stories.
- There will be ‘table time’ for talking with each other.
We have found this venue and format to be conducive to a comfortable, productive, and invigorating day. All participants will have chances to talk about their work, to learn about others’ projects, and to share concerns and encouragement.
Tickets are $30 per person and includes the symposium, coffee/tea, and lunch!
To register:
https://app.tickettailor.com/events/upperhousatonicvalleynationalheritagearea/2146263
For more information, please send an email to Judith Monachina at jmonachina@berkshirecc.edu