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Hayward Is Home

UNDERSTANDING AND BELONGING IN THE HEART OF THE BAY

SPEAKERS

  • BRIDGET FORD
  • MARGARET BALK
  • LEIGHANN DAVIS
  • EMMA LINDSAY
  • JHON RALPH D. QUIZON
  • MAC REED
  • MARCO ANTONIO TAPIA RICO

Digital Humanities Course &
Community Engagement Grant

FALL 2022: 15-WEEK “DIGITAL HUMANITIES” COURSE, WITH 15 HISTORY MAJORS, CREATED A DIGITAL EXHIBIT

FALL 2023: CALIFORNIA HUMANITIES “HUMANITIES FOR ALL QUICK GRANT,” FOR $5,000, FOR THREE COMMUNITY DISCUSSIONS

Big Themes:
Meanings of Home, Belonging, Understanding

MEANINGS OF HOME

BELONGING

UNDERSTANDING

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:
BUILDING TRUST ON A HARD DEADLINE

  • Gumshoe detectives: Finding persons most knowledgeable
  • Diplomacy: Letters, phone calls, meetings, and email etiquette
  • First meetings: Getting the questions right
  • Know Thy Co-Sponsor: Community partners
  • Legal Rights: Recordings add complexity

Challenges:
Local History Runs Very Deep

  • Themes complex and significant
  • Academic schedule and project scope
  • “Off campus” means out of tech support and out of comfort zone
  • Advertising and marketing: Where and how?
  • Time for sociability
  • No validation needed

Community Feedback to Survey Question:
“What is ‘the big idea’ you are taking away from today’s program?”

September 8: HOME

“Respect for the Japanese American community and how they endured and prospered despite what was thrust upon them.”

“What a surprise to discover the richness of the culture here where I grew up in Hayward!”

“There’s always an opportunity for conversations and connections to build understanding and community. ”

October 6: BELONGING

“More history of Hayward needs to be shared. ”

“Learning about the Latino community and how active they were was super interesting. ”

“Made me proud of Hayward’s history and the people who spoke out for justice.”

Nov 3: UNDERSTANDING

“How important this issue is and how vital community involvement now is and will continue being. ”

“I loved learning about the history of Hayward and the connection to CSUEB.”

Achievements: The Practice of Local History

  • Real field experience for History majors
  • History in emotional terms: Gave up detachment
  • Power of community engagement to extend knowledge
  • Extend the historical record: Ongoing oral histories
  • Future collaborations: Community and local organizations
  • Humility and listening
  • Profound histories in a locality

Comments and Questions