Chelsea Farrell, Harriet Beecher Stowe Center
Proposal Type
Collaborative Conversation
Seeking
- Seeking Additional Presenters
- Seeking General Feedback and Interest
Related Topics
- Advocacy
- Museums/Exhibits
- Social Justice
- Teaching and Training
- Self Care
Abstract
At the Stowe Center, I lead, as well as supervise interpretive staff who also lead, discussion-based tours through Harriet Beecher Stowe’s home. The tour focuses on Stowe’s inspiration for writing her famous anti-slavery novel by discussing her background and using primary sources related to slavery.
While trying to effectively and compassionately discuss the serious content of our tour, we are often subjected to harmful and racist viewpoints, making this position emotionally traumatizing, especially for our educators who are people of color. I’d like to talk on our self-care and emotional support/repair systems, and how administration can better support individuals on the front lines of social justice/history work.
Description
My goals for the proposal are to set up a structured conversation with other individuals working within the intersections of history and social justice. I’d like for us all to discuss our methods of self-care, in hopes that we can learn from each other and build awareness on the necessity of this issue.
I’m looking for other panelists doing similar work, or experts with backgrounds in self-care.
If you have a direct offer of assistance, sensitive criticism, or wish to pass along someone’s contact information confidentially, please get in contact directly: Chelsea Farrell, [email protected]
All feedback and offers of assistance should be submitted by July 1, 2018. If you have general ideas or feedback to share, please feel free to use the comments feature below.
Hi Chelsea,
This sounds like a great panel and an important topic that we need to talk about as a profession. Are you hoping to include professionals from outside of museums (archives, academia, etc.)?
I think it would also be great is this session could discuss ways employees can prepare staff for this type of work and how pay/employment security plays into self care options.
Best,
Krista
This is a great proposal. I’m sure you have already thought about this but the Sites of Conscience trainers deal with this when they teach facilitated dialogue so it might be good to include someone like Sarah Pharoun.
Hi Chelsea! Your panel is definitely a needed conversation at NCPH and would be very important for prospective emerging public historians to hear. At the Carolina Lowcountry and Atlantic World conference at College of Charleston last year had a panel called “For Colored Interpreters who Considered Quitting when Respect for Our Voices is Enuff,” which featured four African American female interpreters talking about this subject. Ashley Bouknight of the Hermitage was one of them.
Also, you may want to reach out to Seema Rao, who has a book written on this subject: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1979203210/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1509991890&sr=1-2