FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 6, 2023
All ages are invited to record stories, share photos, and enjoy performances, activities, presentations, and food
Co-sponsors and partners: Institute of Museum and Library Services, Tacoma Arts Live, Tacoma Community House, City of Tacoma Office of Historic Preservation, Goodwill Industries, Hilltop Action Coalition, Hilltop Artists, Tacoma Historical Society, KTQA, Radio Tacoma, EPIC, and Peace Lutheran Church
TACOMA, WASH.— Tacoma Public Library and community partners invite community members with ties to the Hilltop neighborhood to Hilltop Story Fest on Saturday, May 6 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Tacoma Community House (1314 S L St.).
The event invites attendees to:
- Record their story to share with the community (prompts will be provided in Chinese, Korean, Marshallese, Russian, Somali, Spanish, Tagalog, and Vietnamese)
- Bring a family photo or recipe to have scanned at a Digitization Station
- Hear stories from Hilltop residents
- Create a book with TPL youth librarians
- Learn from presentations about Hilltop by the City of Tacoma Office of Historic Preservation, Association of Colored Women’s Clubs, Hilltop Action Coalition, and Hilltop Artists
- Watch the debut of “Armed: A DanCe Demonstration” by performer Kenya Adams
- Enjoy complimentary lunch from Boss Mama’s Kitchen
"Everyone's story is valid, important, and unique,” said Community Archives Center Associate dindria barrow. “We need to collect these local stories to make our archives truly inclusive. Hilltop Story Fest is an opportunity for the community to contribute their stories, so they are available for future generations.”
“Our goal is to ensure the stories of the people who are a part of the Hilltop community are preserved and made widely available. These stories are so important and by sharing them with the Community Archive Center, they can become a part of Tacoma’s collective memory,” stated Neighborhood Services Manager for Archives and Special Collections Anna Trammell.
The Community Archives Center at Tacoma Public Library was established to begin addressing the gaps and silences existing in the local history record through a community-driven, participatory process. In August 2021, the project was awarded a grant from the Institute for Museum and Library Services.
Over the course of the two-year project, the Tacoma Public Library will partner with the community on digitization, oral history, and storytelling projects aimed at moving our city toward a more inclusive historical record.
For more information, visit tacomalibrary.org/communityarchives.
###
About Tacoma Public Library:
Tacoma Public Library's mission is to empower its community by bringing people together to discover, connect, create, learn, and thrive. Learn more at tacomalibrary.org.
Media Contact: Mariesa Bus, Public Information Officer | mbus@tacomalibrary.org | 253.280.2882
