2018 Theses Master's

The Picture the Homeless Oral History Project

Lewis, Lynn

The Picture the Homeless Oral History Project is an ongoing work in progress. My thesis explores both preliminary findings from interviews with eleven long time homeless leaders of this grass roots organization, and it describes the research methodology guiding the project. The larger purpose of this project is to support the collective political leadership of homeless folks in the social justice movement.

Integrating elements of oral history, participatory action research and community organizing towards a participatory oral history research model, this work reveals how inherited and collective memory may fuel collective resistance, as well as preliminary themes which emerged from the interviews, including resistance relationships, representation, being welcoming, organizing, race, justice, the system and leadership.