Otros Saberes: Digital Testimonios, Oral Histories, Micro Documentaries

The Digital Testimonios Micro-Documentary Project showcases student-created Micro-documentaries that blend personalized Testimonios and Oral history interviews to reveal the life experiences of underrepresented voices from the local community.Emerging from Dr. Lani Cupchoy's courses in Chicana(o) Latina(o) Studies and History, the project introduces non-film majors to the craft of documentary-digital storytelling through oral history and public history with attention to using everyday available technology to transform testimonios into a compelling and emotionally engaging format. Students engaged as active agents in culturally relevant and community responsive pedagogy that humanizes narratives within the legacy of Counter-Stories traditions. Micro-docs are five to ten (5-10) minutes long and encompass a wide range of topics including immigration, migrant life, intergenerational stories, first-generation students, race-ethnicity, labor-class issues, gender-sexuality, LGBTQIA+, identity politics, civil rights activism, social justice, etc. Recognizing the importance of community capacity building,local knowledge and community-generated information, these micro-docs demonstrate the passion and commitment students’ exhibit in constructing the visual culture of highly personal narratives relevant to their own life experiences.