HEADLINE: Voices Unheard Archive Unveils “Reclaimed Histories” to Diversify British Columbia’s Archives
SUBHEADING: Innovative project aims to integrate marginalized narratives into British Columbia’s historical record
DATELINE: Vancouver, BC – March 18, 2024
The Voices Unheard Archive (VUA), a repository for the unheard, is set to transform British Columbia’s historical archives with Reclaimed Histories, scheduled to be released in the spring of 2024. This innovative project is intended to set right the omission of the forgotten tales of the people who had always suffered in the conventional records. Through this, VUA disrupts the conventions of colonial historiography so that the province’s history will be seen through a wider lens that offers a better and more inclusive version of the past. Reclaimed Histories stands for the real step towards the inclusivity that embraces the whole spectrum of history and its unique contribution to the British Columbia narrative. By means of this undertaking the Voices Unheard Archive (VUA), is not only saving history; it is making the narrative wider and including those who have been unmentioned before, so a complete and fair historical account is created.
The project director Jordan Lee of Voices Unheard Archive led Reclaimed Histories. It was a culmination of in-depth work with Indigenous peoples, peoples of color, and other underrepresented groups in the British Columbian context. Lee, a long-time advocate for inclusive historical narratives, emphasizes the project’s significance: “For the purpose of filling the gap in our past knowledge, the archives were created, but they have been telling us only half of the story.’ Reclaimed Histories is about amplifying these invisible voices, and allowing a more complete and complex image of our past, and its landscape. This ground breaking historical project is not only to keep records but also to make the script more accepting. As an active participant of the local community, VUA is ready to cooperate with historians and cultural organizations to develop a more complete and authentic historical record that includes the stories of all the people who helped build the province. The Canadian Historical Association’s recent report emphasizes the necessity of more inclusive models of archiving, thus the necessity of projects like “Reclaimed Histories” that cut the gaps in historical record and, instead, create a more nuanced and complex understanding of our collective past.
Voices Unheard Archive (VUA) is a non-profit archive that has a unique mission which is to showcase the voices that were not heard lying in the background of British Columbia’s history. VUA utilizes the approach of teamwork, digital displays and educational campaigns so that all the stories of all kinds of people, regardless of their origin, remain valued and preserved. In 2022, the organization was established with the purpose of taking the lead in this endeavor, by having the history be more reflective of the society, and to be fair in the presentation.
Contact Information:
Voices Unheard Archive (VUA)
456 Heritage Way, Vancouver, BC V5T 1A2
Contact: Jordan Lee, Executive Director
Email: jlee@vua.org
Phone: (604) 555-7890
Website: www.vua.org