RWU’s Co-Lab to Host “(Re)Telling: Crafting New Stories of
Race and Place in Southeastern New England”

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Roger Williams University’s Public Humanities and Arts Collaborative (Co-Lab) will hold the second annual regional public humanities convening – “(Re)Telling: Crafting New Stories of Race and Place in Southeastern New England” – at the Providence Public Library on Friday, June 7.

Supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities, this conference will unite organizations, groups, and institutions engaged in the vital work of crafting stories about race and place to stimulate new research and programming collaborations through a public humanities consortium. The daylong gathering will serve as a platform for vibrant discussions that delve into methods for fostering and amplifying both new and established narratives, encouraging public dialogue that nurtures collective understanding, and utilizing stories to propel justice-oriented action in our contemporary society.

“There is so much incredible work going on in our region focused on sharing stories of race and place across time and through different methods and mediums. At (Re)Telling, we will explore strategies for amplifying narratives, engaging publics, and fostering action, as well as opportunities for collaboration and cross pollination,” said Co-Lab Faculty Director Elaine Stiles. “Whether an organization is just embarking on this work or has been doing it for decades, we invite them to join and add to the conversation.”

The program will focus on promoting and amplifying new narratives, engaging the community in dialogue to foster collective understanding, and utilizing stories to drive meaningful change around race and the community of Southeastern New England.

In addition to the panels, the keynote program will feature Elon Cook Lee, Director of Interpretation and Education at the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Lee will share her impactful work as a public historian, educator, curator, and interpreter, highlighting initiatives at the National Trust that focus on interpreting historic spaces through frameworks of repair and equitable collaboration with descendants of slavery, exclusion, and colonization.

Established in 2021, Co-Lab at RWU is a mission-driven public humanities center committed to amplifying inclusive narratives, representations, and histories. Its work is dedicated to making historically marginalized or erased populations audible and visible, fostering knowledge through authentic, reciprocal, and ethical collaboration between scholars, communities, and arts and humanities practitioners.

Since its inception, Co-Lab has been supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities, enabling the sponsorship of curriculum development and the establishment of a minor in Public Humanities at RWU. Additionally, Co-Lab has facilitated the renowned "Hidden Truths: Stories of Race and Place" lecture series, conducted public humanities and arts pedagogy workshops for faculty, and initiated an anti-racist community engagement campus training series.

The event is free and open to the public and will take place from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Friday, June 7, 2024, at the Providence Public Library. To register, visit https://www.rwu.edu/academics/co-lab-rwu/retelling-conference.