Memory and Healing: Photographic Archives and Community Documentation - Fall 2026

This workshop explores photography as a professional documentation tool and a practical method for preserving community memory. We will investigate how the camera can record artifacts, stories, and physical spaces, transforming the act of preservation into a sustained collaborative effort. By focusing on the lived textures of history, the course ensures that stories often excluded from institutional records are documented with technical precision and dignity.

The curriculum is built upon an inclusive documentation approach that prioritizes the voices and experiences of the community. Participants will learn to use photography to address historical gaps and assert the visibility of overlooked narratives. Through this process, we shift from being the subjects of history to becoming informed stewards of our own narratives. The final presentation is the Community Documentation Project—a substantive record that synthesizes technical skill with a professional, trauma-informed approach to storytelling.

Students can expect a combination of instructor-led presentations, in-class activities, technical demonstrations focused on archival practices, along with assignments and discussions centered on developing personal projects.

By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

• Evaluate the power dynamics of traditional archives and explain how community-led documentation serves as a tool for historical inclusion.
• Apply professional archival techniques, including artifact lighting, high-resolution scanning, and metadata entry.
• Design a personal ethical framework for documentation that prioritizes community ownership and informed consent.
• Synthesize documentation into a cohesive narrative sequence accompanied by a professional artist statement.
• Formulate a strategy for sharing archival work through exhibits, digital platforms, or publications to ensure a long-term community legacy.

This workshop is a space for those who believe the preservation of history is a shared responsibility. We welcome:

• Beginners looking for a purpose-driven entry point into photography.
• Artists seeking to ground their practice in inclusive documentation.
• Archivists interested in community-led archives and "shared authority" models.
• Activists and educators using visual media for advocacy and historical truth-telling.
• Community storytellers dedicated to preserving family and neighborhood narratives.

Because this workshop addresses histories of erasure, trauma-informed facilitation is the standard. We acknowledge that the act of remembering requires intentionality and care, and we commit to the following:

• Safety and Ethics: We utilize a documentation process that prioritizes subject agency and prevents historical harm.
• Emotional Sensitivity: Each session begins with a grounding exercise and concludes with a closing circle to process the impact of the work.
• Mutual Respect: We practice active listening and maintain professional confidentiality regarding personal stories shared during the course.

Images © Zorn B Taylor