Social Justice and Preservation of Place
Presented in partnership with the Tenement Museum, this webinar focused on the intersection of social justice and preservation. How can the act of preserving and stewarding a building tie directly into a broader social justice mission? We wanted to explore the idea that preserving, restoring, rehabilitating, and stewarding a physical place can be integral to social justice work. In this conversation, we dig into how different kinds of organizations can incorporate preservation practices, without necessarily being a “preservation” organization.
A new museum focused on uplifting immigrant stories in Kingston, a nonprofit that has been providing direct services on the Lower East Side for almost 130 years, and a residency and gallery for BIPOC artists on the Shinnecock Indian Reservation each demonstrate how community-based work and preservation can go hand in hand. Taking these examples as a jumping off point, our panel discussed the implications for the wider field — including challenges, opportunities, and other points of intersection.
Speakers
Jeremy Dennis (b. 1990) is a contemporary fine art photographer and a tribal member of the Shinnecock Indian Nation in Southampton, NY. In his work, he explores indigenous identity, culture, and assimilation. Dennis holds an MFA from Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, and a BA in Studio Art from Stony Brook University, NY. He currently lives and works in Southampton, New York on the Shinnecock Indian Reservation.
Dennis launched Ma’s House & BIPOC Art Studio Inc. in June 2020 which serves as a communal art space based on the Shinnecock Indian Reservation in Southampton, New York. The family house, built in the 1960s, features a residency program for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), art studio, library, along with hosting an array of art and history-based programs for tribe members and the broader local community.
Sarah Litvin, PhD, is Director of the Reher Center for Immigrant Culture and History. She was formerly on the curatorial team of the New-York Historical Society’s Center for Women’s History, a researcher and guide for Turnstile Tours, and the exhibits and education teams at the Tenement Museum from 2008-2013. She came to Kingston in 2019 to become the Center's first director after completing her PhD in U.S. history with a dissertation on how women used the upright parlor piano to pursue their far-flung ambitions and expand women’s roles at the turn of the twentieth century. When not talking history, Sarah enjoys running and cycling in the natural beauty of the Hudson Valley.
Kathryn Lloyd is the Senior Director of Programs and Interpretation at the Tenement Museum, where she collaborates on museum programming and educator training to explore social issues through personal experiences, and to connect people to each other through interpretation of the past. Most recently, she led the project team that developed the museum’s newest tour, Reclaiming Black Spaces, and collaborated on the launch of the museum’s virtual program initiative. Prior to joining the Tenement Museum, she worked in Education at the Brooklyn Historical Society and taught English as a Second Language.
Maggie Oldfather has been working at Henry Street Settlement as a Facilities Officer since 2015. She is responsible for overseeing a variety of projects throughout Henry Street’s portfolio of 20 buildings. She received her Masters in Historic Preservation from Columbia University in 2006 and worked as a Preservation Associate for the Rockefeller Brothers Fund’s Pocantico Conference Center for eight years before coming to Henry Street. Her work for the RBF exposed her to a variety of social justice issues through the organization’s grantmaking and interacting with conference participants who came to the site. By transitioning to Henry Street Settlement she was able to continue working directly with buildings, some National Register listed, some individual landmarks, many not considered officially historic except by virtue of their actual age while also seeing the impact of her work directly on communities in need. Maggie enjoys exploring creepy basements, noticing distinctive paving materials, and learning about what makes every building tick. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and 6-year old daughter.
The Future of Preservation webinar series is sponsored by the Peggy N. & Roger G. Gerry Charitable Trust.