The 2018 Oral History Workshop held by the Southern Foodways Alliance was my first week back in school in nearly a decade. The program was fun, challenging and incredibly energizing for someone who loves learning about other people and is passionate about food in the South.
I was one of the few professionals attending the workshop. Most attendees were graduate students pursuing advanced degrees in the humanities, and I was a little nervous I wouldn’t be able to keep up.
Of course, the SFA is nothing if not inclusive, so I felt right at home once the workshop began. I focused instead on the skills and experiences I’d hoped to gain when I applied to the program.
First, I wanted to become a better interviewer. Annemarie Anderson, the SFA’s Oral Historian, shared her best practices for conducting and recording interviews, and I know those will come in handy as I continue my career in food media.
Second, I wanted to learn how to use audio as a storytelling device. In my own work, I do plenty of writing, photography and video. But audio is a different beast, and I wanted some professional instruction on how to tame it.
Most importantly, I wanted to meet people outside of my everyday circle and create connections that wouldn’t otherwise be possible. In true SFA form, I met people from all over the map.
Both in class and our free time, we had deep, productive discussions about the important subjects tackled by the SFA. I learned a lot from the program and inspiring speakers like Alysia Steele, author of the incredible book Delta Jewels, and I learned even more from my fellow classmates.
At the end of the week, I drove away from Oxford with tangible new skills, a valuable learning experience, and new connections that I plan to keep for as many years as I can.
Our final project was a video, which you can see below.