Community Call-In
The Oral History Worker Collective will host a Community Call-In, offering a virtual forum on the now forever problem of staying stable and present for ourselves and our narrators in these shaky, breaking times.
We will open the (proverbial) lines for all oral history workers to share thoughts, experiences, and questions about how we can, and can’t, enact our practice these days, when emotions everywhere are high and heavy. What aspects of our labor are challenging to provide right now? Do we expand our practice and learn new skills? Can we pivot in ways that feel connected and supported without careening towards burnout? No one needs to show up with solutions, just a willingness to be present. Register here.
“Oral History and Labor: Rates, Values, and Solidarity” @ Oral History Summer School
Join this Hop-On as organizers of the Oral History Worker Collective, Sarah Dziedzic and David Wolinsky, talk about why the Collective was founded and its broader purpose to build connections between peer practitioners. They'll highlight one of the field's resources on oral history labor––the Independent Oral History Practitioner's Toolkit, an exhaustive how-to for contract oral history work––and introduce a new companion workbook. Sarah and David will also guide attendees through exercises to help calculate rates, develop project proposals and scopes of work, and build values directly into their practice. Each attendee will leave with a copy of the workbook, clarity on key features they want for their career, and ways to demonstrate solidarity within their everyday labor. Both new and experienced practitioners are welcome to join this Hop-On. Register here.
Setting Goals for 2026 Co-working Session
The Oral History Worker Collective will host a virtual co-working session for members & allies to set individual goals for the upcoming year. Think of it as a chance to write out all your good ideas, or to set aside time to think methodically about what you’d like to (or have to) accomplish in 2026. Register now, and more details to come!
Oral History Association–American Folklore Society Community Event
Come out for a block party on the streets of Atlanta on the one-day overlap of the Oral History Association and American Folklore Society annual meetings. We’ll talk shop, we’ll talk organizing, and we’ll do it without being too serious!
The Work of the Work: A Meet & Greet for Freelancers, Contractors, and Other Independent Oral History Workers
This informal gathering is a space for independent oral history workers — freelancers, contractors, part-timers, and others working in temporary or nuanced roles outside of traditional institutions — to connect, share resources, and talk shop. Bring a business card, a flyer for your project, or just a willingness to chat. Whether you’re mid-career or just starting out, this is a chance to meet others navigating the complex, joyful, and often precarious paths of maintaining a career in oral history.
This event reimagines the “Independent Practitioners” meet-ups from previous Oral History Association meetings with a new focus: not just who we are and what we do, but how we do the work, how we find work, and how we sustain ourselves. Come to mingle, vent, swap contact info, and feel validated! This is a space to talk frankly about the work of the work.
Location: Oral History Association Annual Meeting in Atlanta, GA