Parsippany Library Launches Oral Histories Project

PARSIPPANY — The Parsippany Library launched a partnership with coLAB Arts to produce oral histories and photo essays documenting the local and immigrant experiences of the Asian community. With the support of a Morris County Heritage Commission re-grant award, oral histories, and photos were created and will be displayed at a public exhibition hosted by the library. The library will host a reception for this project on Wednesday, July 10th, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

The photographer for this project is Shravya Kag. Shravya is a queer, brown photo and video documentarian based in Brooklyn, New York. Born and raised in Vijayawada, India, she moved to Brooklyn in 2015 and received a Master’s in Photography from the School of Visual Arts. Captivated by oral histories and how they can shape a culture, her work is an exploration of home, identity, and personal space, mainly focusing on the intimate and interpersonal stories of people of color and queer people. Shravya’s work has been internationally commended and exhibited at locations such as Somerset House London, Photoville, and Art Space NYC and featured in publications like Vogue India and NY Times.

All oral histories will be annotated by coLAB Arts’ research team with support from Professor Karen Pechilis, Professor of Religious Studies and NEH Distinguished Professor of Humanities at Drew University. Annotation research is intended to provide historical and social context for the oral history collection through sourcing policy, legislation, and journalism. The finished project will serve as an open-source archive for researchers, policymakers, and storytellers who wish to understand Parsippany’s immigrant experience better.
This project is meant to directly benefit the community reflected in its stories, to provide an increased sense of place and identity, and to facilitate conversations around what makes Parsippany a resilient and safe space for immigrants to create a home.
 
Photos can be viewed by clicking here.