"I haven't been to a show in years where I took away so much." Hansel Meith (June 1991)

The Sonoma County Survivor Project

The Sonoma County Survivor Project shares the dramatic stories and images of seemingly ordinary community members, including Japanese Americans, European Jews and Cambodians, who have survived severe loss of their human and civil rights. The exhibit is composed of present day photographs, informal portraits and reproductions of precious family documents, along with excerpts from oral history interviews. The exhibit's aim is to document neighbors' histories and celebrate the resiliency of their spirit, in the hope that an intimate acquaintance with these individuals will help us prevent similar episodes in the future.

The Sonoma County Survivor Project is an online exhibit and freestanding traveling show created by photographer, teacher, and Executive Director of Listening for a Change Phyllis Rosenfield and oral historian/computer scientist Lisa Slater. The exhibit of black and white photographic portraits combined with colorful observations of personal experience and the world today is extremely powerful alone. It can also be combined with our other programs, Essence of Acceptance and Community Listening Project.

See the Survivor Exhibit

Listed are participants from three communities who have suffered dramatic losses of human rights. Click below to view photos and read biographies and oral history excerpts in the interviewees' own words. Be sure to scroll down each page to view the exhibit in its entirety.

Batzdorff, Alfred and Susanne
Benko, Paul
Hang, Sopheap and Sophear
Hang, Thay Hor
Hirabayashi, Ed
Kang, Borin and Thy
Korkus, Vera
Kuttner, Walter
Masuoka, Margaret Murakami and Henry
Nakano, Mei and Shiro
Newman, Renée
Otani, Janice
Piotrkowski, Irv
Pok, Chhuon
Sem, Jameson
Shimizu, Henry, Sawame, Martin and Bruce

Acrobat Reader is required to view the pdf files above. Click below for a free download.

Teachers Guide

This guide accompanies The Sonoma County Survivor Project Exhibit.

Sample Lesson from Essence of Acceptance Curriculum
Introduction
Suggested Use of Exhibit
Historical Information on the Holocaust
Resources on the Holocaust
Historical Information on the Japanese American Internment Camps
Resources on the Japanese American Internment Camps
Historical Information on Cambodia
Resources on Cambodia

Acrobat Reader is required to view the pdf files above. Click below for a free download.

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