Dear Future Students,
What you can expect from the Race and Oral History in San Diego class is to learn about the experiences of many different communities from people that are extremely passionate about their work. During the course of the class we had the opportunity to learn from researchers that were conducting oral histories in, for example, the Palestinian community and the Vietnamese one. It is a unique occasion since you do not only get to learn about the methodology of conducting oral history, but also about a variety of different themes and experiences which you would have difficultly come in contact with otherwise.
In approaching the oral history I believe one of the most important things to do is listen and understand that the voice of the interviewee and their perspective is the objective of the project, it is thus essential to put them first. Regarding community work, I think that the best way to be useful is to understand the mission of the organisation you are working with and find a way to use your skills at the best of your ability.
Best of luck!
Gaia Grippa
