Reclaimed Histories is a blog campaign that seeks to bring to the fore the Voices Unheard Archive initiative which is committed to a diversification of British Columbia’s historical narrative. The main purpose of this campaign will be to draw attention to the need to include the voices of those who were overlooked in the past in our understanding of history.
AUDIENCE
The main audience comprises students, instructors, historians and the community members who seek to promote inclusive history and cultural sustainability. Among the second audiences are the policymakers and potential donors who are keen to contribute to preserving cultural and educational initiatives.
RESEARCH
Digital channels are the best tool to reach our various audience, among which blog is a brilliant source of deep-dive information. Digital media consumption study shows that blogs are the top authority for education related content, especially when the content is unique and not just featured in the mainstream media (Hudders et al., 2021).
SPOKESPEOPLE
- Student Contributors – Two students who identify with the Indigenous or multicultural communities will talk and share their experiences on the impact of learning an inclusive history.
- Professor Contributor -The professor from the Indigenous Studies and Cultural History Department will share her academic perspective on the issue and talk about the need to change the historical narratives and be inclusive.
- Community Leader – A local Indigenous community leader will recount tales, myths, and viewpoints on the occurrences that were not usually recorded in the mainstream archives.
CONTENT
The voice of each blog post will be written in the first person to get the audience closer to the author. The content will focus on;
- Stories and experiences in relation to inclusive history teaching or learning at a personal level.
- The contribution of Reclaimed Histories to the level of community recognition and historical truth.
- Interviews with the people who are newly narrating their stories in the archive.
- The significance of carrying on these varied histories to the generations after.
To make the campaign more effective, visual material such as photos and infographics will be incorporated, to complement the written stories, thereby making the campaign more engaging and understandable.
CALENDAR
- Launch Date: Our campaign is set to be unveiled in April 2024, in line with National Heritage Month.
- Frequency: Three-month run with weekly posts totaling 12 posts. By using the timeline, we are able to maintain a lasting relationship with our audience, developing the campaign momentum and continuously growing it.
- Special Events: We’ll book live Q&A sessions with contributors and the VUA staff on social media platforms for the middle and last days of the campaign to boost audience engagement and create interactive opportunities.
PROMOTION
Voices Unheard Archive (VUA), will be able to promote their campaign using the channels that they already have such as through social media, newsletters and networks of the partners. By partnering with schools and community organizations, our campaign will extend its reach further.
MONITORING AND EVALUATION
Measuring criteria such as blog and social media posts view count, shares, and comments will be used to analyze the campaign impact. At the end of the campaign, an online or paper survey will be handed out to capture audience feedback about how the educational content was perceived by the respondents.
CONCLUSION
Reclaimed Histories blog campaign is a tactical communication tool to encourage as many people as possible to take part in a general discussion about the role of a diversity-based historical narrative. The VUA project will achieve this by sharing personal stories, academic insights and community perspectives with the aim of deepening the understanding of the British Columbia’s complex history and the central position the archives assume to the formation of our collective memory.