Slide 1

Street Level Stories: Using Special Collections to Re-Imagine Community Narratives Nicole Dixon nicole_dixon@cbu.canicoledixon.ca

Slide 2

writer + librarian

Slide 3

The Bras dOr Collection Thousands of reports, studies, and documents on various aspects of the Cape Breton economy and living conditions on Cape Breton Island.

Slide 4

The Bras dOr Collection

Slide 5

5 Realizations/Connections BDC = story ideas/material creating a database is a lot like telling a story (e.g., relationships; collections) research and creative writing ask the same questions (esp., why and how) BDC = Cape Breton revitalization aid Special collections, databases, and short stories are all tools we can use to re-imagine our collective narratives.

Slide 6

6 Why Reimagine Our Narratives? A Tale of Two Reports: ONeill Report (2010) Ivany Report (2014) the commission is calling for an attitudinal change, one where the population collectively comes together to focus on an overarching goal, with each person and sector looking at what they can do to contribute to the province as a whole rather than any one particular area. [is] the provincedestined for a long-term downward-sloping line or the creation of an alternative reality [?] The commissions hope is the report will serve as a living document that people can build on and use as a guide for future work

Slide 7

7 Changing Our Narrative of Decline STU gerontology professor, William Randall: ...there is this over-arching master narrative which... sees aging Cape Breton as a downhill slide, as a decline... We need counter-stories. Rich, more positive counter-stories of what aging Cape Breton is all about What if we all cultivated our own good, strong stories and acknowledged our mutual responsibility to strengthen each others stories? Cape Bretons story = narrative of decline We need a new story. A narrative of resilience/positivity/action, etc.

Slide 8

8 There are two main problematic cornerstones of this Cape Breton attitude... the first is that we really do seem to have a poor self image. As a whole, we can be quite self-deprecating Cape Breton is a beautiful place with so many great and unique characteristics and so much potential for progress. Many... from away see this but we ignore it. In our young people it breeds a desire to escape and not return. Two Prevalent Negative Attitudes in Cape Breton How Cape Breton Attitudes Shape the Decisions of Our Youth

Slide 9

9 we have an us vs them attitude more so than anywhere I have ever been. We talk about our problems and we talk about the mainland and/or out west like theyre some demon that were fighting. Really, we should be trying to cooperate with these places... This attitude... provides very easy scapegoats Its always someone elseits never us... Theres no solutions that can be reached with this attitude. If we believe that our problems are caused by everyone else, we dont need to address those problemscause its their fault... even if it is someone elses fault, its our responsibility to fix them... this combative nature... negates the desire to take risks... Risk is essential to the development of any community... And if you dont take risks were going to be stuck in the same time for the rest of eternity. Two Prevalent Negative Attitudes in Cape Breton How Cape Breton Attitudes Shape the Decisions of Our Youth

Slide 10

Using the BDC to Counter Negative Attitudes: Research/Outreach history of community economic development what have we tried? lessons learned? what ideas can we build upon and/or never try again? what have we yet to try? record of experiences example of all facets of a community working together

Slide 11

Using the BDC to Counter Negative Attitudes: Modeling database: Open Mine open access Open Mine built with Drupal community-based, social Drupal allows for (social) tagging; folksonomy databases are a community = a collection of items with relationships (Internet Collection of Things) image: Wilgengebroed on FlickrWilgengebroed on Flickr

Slide 12

Using the BDC to Counter Negative Attitudes: Creativity stories = literal rewriting of our narrative (imagination/reimaging); ways of seeing another way to disseminate information art = empathy Imaging what it is like to be someone other than yourself is at the core of our humanity. It is the essence of compassion, and it is the beginning of morality. Ian McEwan art = revitalization Detroits Heidelberg Project attracts touristsHeidelberg Project Chicagos Dorchester Project creative projects based on a community-based special collection come with a built-in audience asset-based community development

Slide 13

Examples of Community-Based Creativity http://stagingvoicesforchange.wordpress.com/

Slide 14

14 from Ducks, Kate Beaton Kate Beaton : We had to go, but we want to come back. Leaving is something we learned to do, but I think now and then on what it would be if we were taught to stay instead, and shown we could. If we invited others to join us. I mean, there's a pretty nice view. And like I said, the tea is on.

Slide 15

Write What You Dont Know I always say, Forget about write about what you know. Write about what you dont know. The point is that the self is limiting. The selfsubjectivityis narrow and bound to be repetitive. We are, after all, a species. When you write about what you dont know, this means you begin to think about the world at large. You begin to think beyond the home-thoughts. You enter dream and imagination Cynthia Ozick, The Paris ReviewThe Paris Review

Slide 16

Street Level Stories

Slide 17

Slide 18

The Culture of Community Every community creates its own culturethe way the community members learn, through time,how to survive and prosper in a particular place Our Way is the culture of community, and something you cannot buy. Nor can it be createdbyprograms. A culture is the creation of people who are seriously related to each other. It takes time because serious relationships are based upon trust, and trust grows from the experience of being together in ways that make a difference in our lives. The Asset-Based Community Development Institute

Slide 19

Conclusion local assets [are] the primary building blocks of sustainable community development. The basic tool for community building with the gifts of individuals and of the power of associations is making connections. Asset-Based Community Development Institute The Bras dOr Collection isnt just a special collection of Cape Bretons history, but, by demonstrating our successes and failures and highlighting our local assets, is also the root of and blueprint for an integrated, prosperous, more empathetic, culturally-rich community. It is a collection of our individual yet connected stories. References