Zakery Munoz (Composition & Cultural Rhetoric, PhD, bottom left) worked in Summer 2021 with La Casita, the Central NY Library Resources Council, and with SU Libraries on the project, "Creating Access to La Casita's Cultural Memory Archive.” In this project Zak worked to document and create digital access to the history and experience of Latinx/Hispanic communities in Central and Upstate NY toward the advancement of scholarly research and a more profound understanding of largely underrepresented cultures in Syracuse and Central New York. In addition to his archival work, Zak led a writing group for local Latinx youth. The group published a 90-page chapbook of original writing at the end of the program.

Jordan Loewen (Religion, PhD, top right) worked in Summer 2021 with directors and staff of the Skä•noñh Center and with representatives of Onondaga Nation to develop a series of public podcasts mirroring existing Skä•noñh exhibit themes. Jordan also collaborated on a virtual reality prototype to create an interactive game based on the Great Law of Peace narrative at Onondaga Lake

Jacob Gedetsis (English/Creative Writing, MFA, bottom center) in Summer 2021 with directors and teachers at the North Side Learning Center on the ongoing community writing project, Write Out. Jacob coordinated a team of SU creative writing students and worked with Prof. Jonnell Robinson and students from SU’s Community Geography program to lead daily writing sessions using food as a point of access to learn about research and writing techniques and to produce original creative work and a chapbook. Participants visited local farms, grocers, and area restaurants to learn about food production, sustainability, and food pathways.

Aley O’Mara (ENG, PhD, bottom right) worked in Summer 2021 with Joann Yarrow, Syracuse Stage’s Director of Community Engagement and Education, on the theatre’s upcoming The Most Beautiful Home… Maybe project designed to bring together performance artists, policymakers, activists, residents, and housing developers to shift current housing policy to reflect the needs of the Syracuse community. Aley worked to collect oral histories and fill archival gaps around housing insecurities and reform in Syracuse and to coordinate a series of community dialogues on the pasts and futures of housing policy and planning in Syracuse.