Focus Groups
In 2025, the Southern Memory Workers Collaborative held focus groups with 10 memory workers who participated in past events.The findings are categorized into notable quotes, key themes, feedback and recommendations to inform future Institutes, and interest and ideas for the further development of the Collaborative.
Notable Quotes
“It’s not just enough to hold the memory. It’s how holding that memory helps with present work around movement building.”
“It [Memory work] is about recovering what’s lost when
we’re not able to connect with the lands that we come from…
and what’s possible when we bridge those disconnections.”
“The relationship building and the bonding were absolutely amazing. One
of the biggest things was for my personal sense of self as a memory
worker. Prior to the invitation to the Southern Memory Workers’ Institute,
I had never really placed myself in any context; I always felt like I was
floating... So, it was amazing to get to that point where I could identify
myself as a Southern Memory Worker. So, really appreciative of that.”
Value of the Events
Building a Shared Identity as a Memory Worker
Importance of Peer-Led Workshops
Relationship Building
Resource Sharing
Building Connections for Ongoing Collaboration
Past participants shared in the sentiment that they benefited from attending events. They left the Institute feeling like they had a better understanding of themselves as memory workers and expanded their ideas of what memory work is and can be.
Ideas for Growth
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More hands-on workshops to introduce participants to, or further their skills in, areas such as software, tools, storage, digital records management, and disaster preparedness and remediation.
Additionally, project management, development, and focus on how to make memory work actionable and take what they have learned back to their communities.
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Develop ways of talking and writing about memory work as it applies to their specific practice.
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Bringing materials or collections to digitize and archive in real time. A goal could be to go home with a completely processed collection.
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Create space for participants to workshop their ideas and projects in various stages of development.
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Create a space and/or materials for participants to learn more in advance about their cohort. This could also provide an opportunity to better understand the group’s needs when developing the curriculum.
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creating source material, resource guides, lesson plans, and workbooks for people to take home and share
Implementation of Feedback and Suggestions
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Request in advance details about experience, goals, stages of projects/ideas/organization projects of potential participants.
Additionally, consider choosing a theme and selecting participants based on a pre-designed curriculum to better tailor the workshops.
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Host a least one virtual space for a participant meet-and- greet and consider interactive ways for them to learn about one another and their work.
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Supplement the peer-to-peer workshops, with more hands-on training. Consider what training can be made available virtually after in-person events.
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Create a repository of resources from previous institutes and the current landscape analysis to share with participants.
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Make it a requirement that participants bring digital or physical materials and create intentional space for them to work on their collections.
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Designate opportunities for participant to share about their project, the stages they are in, and where they need the most support. This will allow for peer feedback and could foster collaboration.
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encourage more writing, either in groups or independently, and create space at the end of the Institute for participants to share and read their
writings. Prompts could be based on an intended purpose (that may not yet exist), including: project description, grant writing, community program, etc. -
Events may need to be longer (perhaps a full week) to build depth in learning and outcomes.