Harvey Memories Project to co-host events in Kashmere Gardens and Pearland highlighting storm stories

MEDIA ADVISORY

David Ruth
david@rice.edu
713-348-6327

Katharine Shilcutt
kshilcutt@rice.edu
713-348-6760

Harvey Memories Project to co-host events highlighting storm stories

HOUSTON – (Aug. 15, 2018) – Nearly a year ago, the Houston area endured the devastation of Hurricane Harvey. The Harvey Memories Project (HMP) will co-host events on Aug. 17 and Aug. 26 that focus on experiences of the storm to bring the community together for storytelling and reflection.

The HMP is a community-driven digital memory bank that collects stories, images, video and audio documenting the human impact of Harvey. Although the archive is digital, the project team is committed to collecting stories through face-to-face events.

On Aug. 17, the HMP and the Houston Public Library will co-host “Reflections on Harvey: Conversations and Storytelling” from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Kashmere Multi-Service Center, 4802 Lockwood Drive. The event will feature:

• A panel discussion with Keith Downey, president of Super Neighborhood 52; Judith Ramiro, human services program manager for the city of Houston; and others to be announced.
• An oral history booth where attendees can record an extended interview with the Houston Public Library.
• Free refreshments.
• Free children’s activities.
• Assistance uploading photos, video, audio and other media from personal electronic devices to the HMP.

On Aug. 26, a Harvey storytelling concert will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. at Tom Bass Regional Park, Section III, 15108 Cullen Blvd. “Flooded, Rescued, Resilient: Stories of Strength and Heroism Told by the Houstonians Who Lived Them,” emceed by Space City Weather’s Eric Berger, will bring together a group of storytellers who will share their Harvey experiences.

The free concert in the park’s community center, at which light refreshments will be served, will follow the dedication of a new Harris County Precinct 1 labyrinth. Designed and created by the precinct’s public art and design department and installed by community volunteers, the labyrinth will provide a place for residents to walk and reflect on their Harvey experiences.

“It is a place, we hope, where folks can remember and celebrate the community resilience that signifies the Houston Strong spirit,” said Jay Stailey, a labyrinth facilitator and Trust for Public Land collaborator.

During the concert, Berger will tell the “story of the storm” as he introduces storytellers who will relate their personal struggles with Harvey and its aftermath. KTRK-TV’s Miya Shay will share how reporters coped with the challenges of relaying news of the disaster while in its midst. Other storytellers include Travis Hebrank, a Coast Guard specialist who flew rescue missions, and Claudia Solis, who was part of a team that helped provide hundreds of thousands of meals to displaced people in the weeks following the storm.

The Aug. 26 event is part of Park-Smart Precinct One, an initiative aimed at planning local parks to strengthen communities, increase quality of life and reduce vulnerability to flooding. The project is being carried out by the Trust for Public Land and is supported by Harris County Precinct 1 and Houston Endowment. The concert is co-sponsored by the HMP.

To learn more about the HMP, visit https://harveymemories.org. For more information about the events, see https://harveymemories.org/news.

Members of the media are invited to attend both events. For more information or to arrange coverage, contact Katharine Shilcutt at 832-314-6243.

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Related materials:

Harvey Memories Project: https://harveymemories.org

Flyer for download: https://bit.ly/2P9tGtk

Image for download: https://harveymemories.org/items/show/185

Image for download: https://harveymemories.org/items/show/41

Image for download: https://harveymemories.org/items/show/33

This news release can be found online at http://news.rice.edu.

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