Celebrating Community Connections
On a beautiful blue skied Washington DC day, June 17, 2023, the Humanities Truck joined 15+ DC organizations to celebrate the Ward 8 community, led by Advisory Neighborhood Commission 8E Chairperson Kelly Mikel Williams and Commissioner Deborah Wells. Deborah Wells
Reflections on the 2023 Homeless Memorial in DC
A decade is ten years and every year for the last ten years there has been a Homeless Vigil on the coldest night of the year… the first day of winter to be exact. 77 HUMAN BEINGS PASSED AWAY IN
Native Youth Alliance 2022: “Tipi on the Mall for Native American Heritage Month”
On December 1st, 2022, The Humanities Truck went to “Tipi on the Mall for Native American Heritage Month,” an event that was held by the Native Youth Alliance. The Native Youth Alliance is an intertribal, indigenous youth organization that was
DC History Conference 2022: Revisiting “Downtown Displaced”
On April 1st, 2022, The Humanities Truck went to the DC History Conference, an event that was created through partnership been the DC History Center and the DC Public Library system. The conference, which took places at the MLK Jr.
Dear Chinatown, DC: A Poster Making Workshop with Miu Eng
A People Emerging_ Asian Pacific American Heritage Week Poster designed by Miu Eng for Washington, D.C.’s 1981 observance of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. 1981. Strangers No More_ Asian Pacific American Heritage Week Poster designed by Miu Eng for Washington,
Community and Change: Adams Morgan Day Festival 2021
On Sunday, September 12, the Humanities Truck participated in the Adams Morgan Day Festival, an annual neighborhood celebration featuring vendors, performances, history and culture. We contributed to these last categories by displaying a photo exhibit/essay created by local photographer and
Pandemic Transitions and Uncertainty: Reflections on Corner Store Communities in Covid-19
I am a Store Champion with DC Central Kitchen (DCCK) and have been working with Truck Fellow Melissa Hawkins to talk with DC community members about their Covid-19 experiences, particularly around food access. The mission of DCCK is to use
Friendship Around Food
During the COVID-19 pandemic, we continued our collaboration between the Humanities Truck and the day laborer community that every day seek labor at the Home Depot parking lot. This community has been hit hard by the pandemic as many got
Capitol Hill Village x AU Humanities Truck Event
Taking the Truck OUT! On June 26th and 27th, the Humanities Truck traversed across the city from American University’s campus in Northwest D.C. to Capitol Hill Village’s office in Southeast. Capitol Hill Village, the organization with which we partnered for
Harm Reduction, HIPS, and Community Conversations
Introducing HIPS We’re pleased to announce that we have been and will be collaborating with HIPS this summer. Together we will be mobilizing collaborative community dialogue and events about drug-related harm reduction. HIPS is a local harm reduction organization that
We Stand in Solidarity — Black Lives Matter and Stop Asian Hate
Amidst the escalating violence in the United States against the Asian, Asian-American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities (specifically facing the elderly and women) co-occurring with the continued violence against Black-Americans (as police continue murdering POC) the Humanities Truck team stands
Consolidating Friendships through Food in Pandemic Times
At Food for All alley. Eliza, Peter, Graeme, Julio, and AU student Luke. Nov. 12th, 2020 – Photo Ludy Grandas On Feb 26th, 2020, the Humanities Truck, alongside a group of my Latino Labor Community Based Learning class, and members
Celebrating Indigenous Peoples’ Day at Malcolm X Park
On a sunny Saturday afternoon on October 17, the Humanities Truck team met up at Malcolm X Park to join in a celebration for Indigenous People’s Day. After a week of rain that had led to the postponement of the
Starting a New Year: Humanities Truck programming during a pandemic
When I signed on to be a Humanities Truck graduate fellow for the 2020-2021 school year in May, I thought there was still a chance the semester would be in-person. The Truck would resume programming, and we’d be adjusting to
Panel DC Afro-Latinos and Third Visit to The Corner/La esquina
Last February 20th, in celebration of Black History Month, the DC Afro-Latino Caucus, Trabajadores Unidos de Washington, DC and the Humanities Truck organized the panel DC Afro-Latinos in Action. The event took place at American University. The panelists were activist
The Humanities Truck during COVID-19: Sustaining relationships virtually during a global pandemic
Since March, the Humanities Truck has suspended all events and in-person gatherings due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a grad student at American University, the initial impact of the pandemic felt like whip-lash. Within the span of a week, I
We Stand in Solidarity – Black Lives Matter
During this moment of profound crisis, those of us who work with the Humanities Truck stand in solidarity with protestors around the world who have taken to the streets in response to the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police.
Playful Reflections (pt.2): Future Design Ideas
This reflection on the DC Storytelling System was originally posted on the project’s website. This is part 2 of my personal reflection on the DC Storytelling System and the AU Humanities Truck. If you have not read part 1 about
Playful Reflections (pt.1): Personal Insights
This reflection on the DC Storytelling System was originally posted on the project’s website. Over the past year, I’ve been iterating on the interactivity of the DC Storytelling System. Primarily, I’ve worked on updating the hotline, deploying installations at DC
COVID-19: CCNV May 10th Update
The Humanities Truck works with diverse populations to collect, create, interpret, and curate stories that can return to the communities they originated from and circulate throughout the DMV. As we confront a global pandemic, we aim to record social responses
COVID-19: CCNV May 8th Update
The Humanities Truck works with diverse populations to collect, create, interpret, and curate stories that can return to the communities they originated from and circulate throughout the DMV. As we confront a global pandemic, we aim to record social responses
Community Voice Screening Event at the National Day of Empowerment Community Fest
On a cold Saturday in November 2019, the Fellows of the Community Voice Lab (CVL) drove the Humanities Truck to an event called “Building Equity For The Future,” a Community Fest in Southeast Washington D.C. The event was part of
Group Portrait Journey
I’m really bad with directions. I got lost trying to find my way home after the first day of high school. Google Maps was indispensable and inseparable as I tried to figure out the winding streets of my own hometown.
COVID-19: CCNV May 2nd and 3rd Update
The Humanities Truck works with diverse populations to collect, create, interpret, and curate stories that can return to the communities they originated from and circulate throughout the DMV. As we confront a global pandemic, we aim to record social responses
COVID-19: CCNV April 29th Update
The Humanities Truck works with diverse populations to collect, create, interpret, and curate stories that can return to the communities they originated from and circulate throughout the DMV. As we confront a global pandemic, we aim to record social responses
COVID-19: CCNV April 22nd Update
The Humanities Truck works with diverse populations to collect, create, interpret, and curate stories that can return to the communities they originated from and circulate throughout the DMV. As we confront a global pandemic, we aim to record social responses
COVID-19: CCNV April 17th Update
The Humanities Truck works with diverse populations to collect, create, interpret, and curate stories that can return to the communities they originated from and circulate throughout the DMV. As we confront a global pandemic, we aim to record social responses
COVID-19: CCNV April 11th Update
The Humanities Truck works with diverse populations to collect, create, interpret, and curate stories that can return to the communities they originated from and circulate throughout the DMV. As we confront a global pandemic, we aim to record social responses
COVID-19: CCNV April 9th Update
The Humanities Truck works with diverse populations to collect, create, interpret, and curate stories that can return to the communities they originated from and circulate throughout the DMV. As we confront a global pandemic, we aim to record social responses
COVID-19: CCNV April 8th Update
The Humanities Truck works with diverse populations to collect, create, interpret, and curate stories that can return to the communities they originated from and circulate throughout the DMV. As we confront a global pandemic, we aim to record social responses
COVID-19: CCNV April 7th Update
The Humanities Truck works with diverse populations to collect, create, interpret, and curate stories that can return to the communities they originated from and circulate throughout the DMV. As we confront a global pandemic, we aim to record social responses
COVID-19: Servicio de alimentos gratis
The Humanities Truck works with diverse populations to collect, create, interpret, and curate stories that can return to the communities they originated from and circulate throughout the DMV. As we confront a global pandemic, we aim to record social responses
COVID-19: Letter from Trabajadores Unidos de Washington, DC
The Humanities Truck works with diverse populations to collect, create, interpret, and curate stories that can return to the communities they originated from and circulate throughout the DMV. As we confront a global pandemic, we aim to record social responses
COVID-19: Información de ayudas sociales si usted vive en DC
The Humanities Truck works with diverse populations to collect, create, interpret, and curate stories that can return to the communities they originated from and circulate throughout the DMV. As we confront a global pandemic, we aim to record social responses
COVID-19: CCNV April 6th Update
The Humanities Truck works with diverse populations to collect, create, interpret, and curate stories that can return to the communities they originated from and circulate throughout the DMV. As we confront a global pandemic, we aim to record social responses
COVID-19: CCNV April 4th Update
The Humanities Truck works with diverse populations to collect, create, interpret, and curate stories that can return to the communities they originated from and circulate throughout the DMV. As we confront a global pandemic, we aim to record social responses
COVID-19: CCNV April 3rd Update
The Humanities Truck works with diverse populations to collect, create, interpret, and curate stories that can return to the communities they originated from and circulate throughout the DMV. As we confront a global pandemic, we aim to record social responses
COVID-19: CCNV April 1st Update
The Humanities Truck works with diverse populations to collect, create, interpret, and curate stories that can return to the communities they originated from and circulate throughout the DMV. As we confront a global pandemic, we aim to record social responses
COVID-19: Homeless Tent Cities Left Susceptible And Lacking Info
The Humanities Truck works with diverse populations to collect, create, interpret, and curate stories that can return to the communities they originated from and circulate throughout the DMV. As we confront a global pandemic, we aim to record social responses
“Dear Chinatown” at Lunar New Year
Gung hay fat choy! Happy New Year! On Sunday, January 26, I joined forces with the 1882 Foundation, the Humanities Truck, and the Anacostia Community Museum to host the first prototype of the Dear Chinatown project at this year’s Lunar
Bringing D.C. Communities Together with the Humanities Truck
As a graduate assistant working with Humanities Truck fellow Laura Waters Hinson, I am privileged to help highlight the diverse voices and stories of community members around Washington D.C. Professor Hinson leads American University’s Community Voice Lab (CVL) and graduate
Day Laborers at the Corner: Coming to Light
This Fall, the Humanities Truck went on the road once again with an exhibit featuring day laborers as photographers of their own everyday lives, alongside portraits of day laborers at the corner of the only Home Depot in Washington, DC.
A Small But Changing World
On Saturday, November 9th, the Humanities Truck Team joined members of the Petworth community to explore D.C. history, public art, and storytelling, at its second “It’s A Small World After All” event. Organized by community historian Peter Stebbins and the
A Look in the Rearview Mirror: Annual Report 2018-2019
It has been well over a year now since I first picked up the Humanities Truck in Manassas, Virginia and drove it back to American University to start the fall semester in 2018. To this day, as I enter the
AU Golden Eagles: the Class of 1969
On Friday, October 4th, the Humanities Truck welcomed the Class of 1969 to the Golden Eagles Reunion at American University’s All-American Weekend. The event marked the 50th anniversary of the 1968-1969 academic year, dubbed “A Year of Protest, a Year
Celebrating 50 Years of Malcolm X Park
Celebrating 50 Years of Malcolm X Park On any given Sunday, one can find vivacious energy and various patrons gathering at the historic landmark, nestled between Columbia Heights and Adams Morgan, called Meridian Hill/ Malcolm X Park. Drummers, old and
Memories of Community Change at “Celebrate Petworth”
This past Saturday, September 18th, the Humanities Truck participated in the 2019 “Celebrate Petworth” Festival. The event, organized “by and for the residents of Petworth” brings together the community to celebrate the neighborhood’s history with food, drink, and live entertainment.
Summer in the Parks, Punk Music, and Displacement: The Humanities Truck at Art All Night
The usually quiet streets of Tenleytown came to life for Art All Night on Saturday evening. Before Art All Night festival, I thought the town is so quiet (and dead), but it changed my mind tonight. The Humanities Truck was
Adams Morgan Day 2019
The Humanities Truck kicked off the 2019-2020 school year at the 41st annual Adams Morgan Day this past Sunday, September 8. As a first year graduate fellow working with the truck, this event was my first chance to see it
Invisible hands: Jornaleros/ Manos Invisibles: Day laborers
This Spring, the Humanities Truck has been on the road with an exhibit featuring day laborers as photographers of their own everyday lives. The exhibit, Invisible Hands: Jornaleros Manos Invisibles: Day laborers, was inaugurated at the Katzen Museum on September,
“We Can See the Finish Line:” Origins on the Walk and 5K to End HIV
On December 1, 2018, the 30th anniversary of World AIDS Day, the Humanities Truck joined thousands and participated in Whitman-Walker Health’s Walk & 5K to End HIV. Parked at Freedom Plaza, the Truck housed a pop-up exhibit entitled “We Can
Jeremy Brecher – “Fifty Years of Doing History from Below”
On Wednesday, March 20th at 4pm, we launched the Humanities Truck Lecture Series with Jeremy Brecher’s “Fifty Years of Doing History from Below.” Jeremy Brecher is author of History from Below: How to Uncover and Tell the Story of Your Community,
Scotland Oral History Day
On Sunday February 17th, Scotland AME Zion church hosted the first Scotland Oral History Day. First-year graduate students in the “Craft of Anthropology” course organized the Humanities Truck event. The Humanities Truck is a museum-on-wheels, equipped with a recording studio, exhibition
“Whose Downtown?” at the DC History Conference
This weekend, the Humanities Truck was at the DC History Conference! We greeted over 200 conference attendees and passers-by on the University of the District of Columbia campus and met so many people with brilliant ideas for projects. This event has
Come See the New “Whose Downtown?” Exhibit November 2, 2018
The Humanities Truck will be on the UDC campus today, Friday, November 2, as part of the DC History Conference. Read about the conference in this Washington Post news story. Our exhibit, “Whose Downtown?”, was created by American University Public
Class of 1968 Exhibit
This weekend is American University’s All-American Weekend. As part of the Golden Eagles Reunion, the Humanities Truck partnered with the American University archives to present the Class of 1968 exhibit on the AU quad Friday, October 19th. Archivists Leslie Nellis
Adams Morgan Day 2018
The Humanities Truck made its first public appearance on September 9th at Adams Morgan Day 2018. It rained most of the day, but that didn’t dampen the spirits of those who set up the truck and its exhibits or the